Long Time Coming

Sorry I haven't posted in a week, but there hasn't been too much to post. Now it seems that suddenly there is too much to post.

So let's start with the really easy part - DVD update:
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Serendipity
Say Anything
Stand By Me
Pushing Tin
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible II
A Few Good Men

Next - work. So apparently, I may be travelling overseas again - fine by me but my boss seems to forget that we should not travel together ever again and thinks we are travelling together this time. I tried to convince him that I should travel with someone I actually like and get along with, but he didn't seem to get it.

Third - why do I keep getting ased out by guys who do not interest me? It's a bizarre phenomenon and I'm not sure why it keeps happening. Two in a couple of weeks - so I guess I have that vibe out there, but where are the ones I want to ask me out???

Last night was my Fantasy Baseball draft. I think I ended up with a decent team, especially since there are 16 people in our league. So all the stellar players were gone in the first 8 rounds (our of 22, folks). I should be able to hold my own against all these boys!

This week sucks - not 100% sure why, but I feel very claustrophobic today. I need to get out. Not sure if it is the sun shining outside or the stuffy-feeling office, but it is just not a good day for me.

No Woman is an Island

So here I sit at 6 in the morning - unable to get back to sleep because the pressure in my head is acting like my own personal prison. I have been sick and getting sicker daily and I can hardly stand it.

Let me make a recommendation to you all - never fly with a sinus and chest infection. The pressure on the way down is such that it will permanently trap air or fluids or something in your ears to where you can no longer hear anything.

I am trapped - like a rat in a maze and I would give anything for some relief. I would actually LOVE to go to work today as I know I will be bored all day long. I really need some more sleep - at least to sleep for the 3 hours until the doctor's office opens would be a blessing. I'll take anything at this point...maybe an ice pick to lance my ears? Would that work?

I'm glad to be home in my new bed (which I now need a step stool to get into) - but I do miss Maggie. I feel so isolated now - being sick sucks. I feel like I'm alone on this island hell - a self-sacrifice, if you will - to protect the world from the viruses running rampant through my body. No fun at all!

Friday has to be better right? After all - it will be Friday. That should be enough to cheer up most people, I would think.

Here is hoping for happier (and healthier) posts tomorrow!

DVDs over the past two weeks:
Stepmom
Erin Brockovich
My Best Friend's Wedding
Pretty Woman
Runaway Bride
Notting Hill
About a Boy
High Fidelity

Everything Must Come To An End

Alas, I am packed up and waiting for my cab to the airport to end my trip - my supposed vacation. At least I slept a lot :)

Maggie was quite upset last night that I was leaving this morning, but we had a sweet moment before dinner and another one when I read her a couple of bedtime stories - these always make the trip worthwhile.

I'm still sick - pumped full of drugs hoping the flight home isn't too torturous...I was already upgraded, so that is a small comfort.

As I sit in this incubator of germs, I wonder why I left here to move back to Atlanta and I know it was the right move given the circumstances, but I so miss my life with Maggie. I know it will be worse once the baby comes, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

I am not looking forward to going back to work at all...ah, the perils of a real life. Is it June yet? Or at least April so I get The Masters and Vegas, Baby!

Look out Atlanta - I am on my way home!

There Is a Seasoning (Turn, Turn, Turn)

Day 3 in San Francisco and we are all sick - except for the pregnant mom/wife/sister who is taking care of the rest of us.

So tomorrow is my brother's birthday and we were supposed to have a day of go-karting and Mexican food, but we decided being sick, it wasn't the time. So instead, I made homemade pancakes and oven baked bacon for brunch and we did a birthday dinner tonight. I usually make a lemon tart for Davis' birthday as he isn't big on sweets - but this time he wanted a lesson in Tarte Tatin (those of you who do not know, it is basically an open-faced, upside down apple pie with a fancy French name). He had made one for Valentine's Day and it didn't turn out and he wanted to learn the right way...enter his cheffing sister from ATL.

The Tarte turned out beautifully, and we are unsure what the difference was...lots of theories - but no proof.

Dinner utilized his birthday present from my parents...a rotisserie attachment for his Weber Kettle. We brined a pork loin and hooked it up on the spit and let it rotisse - or whatever the right term is. We also did Grilled Braised Leeks (thanks to Alton Brown and I did my Creamy Polenta with a Cabernet soaked Aged Cheddar cheese - now that is what I call GOOD EATS!

Maggie had a rough day - sleeping for most of it and coughing the rest of the time. She has all this congestion in her chest (as do I) and has not stopped coughing for two days. Odds are she will be home from school again tomorrow and we will probably both sleep most of the day.

It has been a good trip because I am spending time with my family, whom I love and miss a lot, but it has been a bad trip because we have all been sick and not up for doing much of anything. I am hoping that maybe I can get to Berkeley tomorrow and get some chocolate for the trip home, but I am thinking I might prefer to rest for my flight Tuesday morning.

Good thing I am coming back in June to meet my new niece/nephew (I'm voting for Noelle if it is a girl - it will be William if it is a boy).

Off to slumber-land...until the coughing fit I will have in the middle of the night. Thank goodness I thought to call my doctor at the crack of dawn today - without the meds, I would be in serious hell...

Ready For Your Close-up Ms. Becall?

Day 2 of Maggie being ill and now I have a scratchy throat and sound like I want to audition for the baritone section of an Ensemble...nice, eh? Not sure if it is Maggie passing it off to me or if it is the moisture/mold of the area...maybe it's both?

So last night we grabbed dinner from Pasta Pomodoro...ahh, I miss the Bay Area. I almost got my usual, but Davis (my brother) convinced me to try something new. It was really good...pasta, chicken, sundried tomatoes, broccoli...YUM!

Now it's 8:30 in the morning and Maggie and Christina (my sis-in-law) and I have watched PB & J Otter and are halfway through Sesame Street. Maggie is curled up on the sofa wrapped in a blanket looking so sweet, yet so sick. It sounds like we may be making a trek to the doctor's or a clinic as she has had fever for 3 days, all in the 102 to 103-degree range...not fun for her. Poor Christina - she is 7 months pregnant and not getting sleep since Maggie keeps waking up coughing every hour or so. Poor things. Of course, I sleep though it all...

Not sure what our agenda will be today. D & C have the wedding Bay cruise tonight, so it's me babysitting. Tomorrow is the Davis birthday celebration and the plan is to go Go-Karting...but with D sick and Maggie sick - who knows if we will be able to do that after all...we'll see.

Oh and as a side note - I checked the status of my brother's birthday presents and it turns out Amazon screwed up the address and tried to deliver to San Jose instead of Burlingame...at least, it will be here on Monday!

Later all!

Fever ... In the Mornin'...Fever All Through the Night

Hi ho from sunny San Francisco. I am in heaven, hanging with my family and enjoying the nice, and really warm weather...however, sweet Maggie is sick. She has had fever the entire time I have been here (all of 24 hours) and it is a shame. I don't mind taking care of her though - she is still sweet and loving, but is quite miserable.

So nothing too much to report. The flight over was really bumpy, but I was in First Class (gold membership has it's priveleges). I had an odd French man sitting next to me who drank a ton of red wine and played Spider (in French) on his Ferrari Acer laptop. It drove me crazy watching him because he was missing the simplest moves.

Maggie and I watched some TV/Movies at home and played with her toys. She helped me needlepoint a little bit and we played "the Match Game" aka Memory with the Sesame Street Uno cards I gave her.

I am so relaxed paying with toys and reading her stories that I'm not sure why I would go back to work...Hmmmm...maybe I won't :)

Just a thought!

Twenty Percent Off For Nephews and Nieces

It's finally Tuesday again. Thank goodness, I am about to go nuts without my Gilmore Girls fix. Thank goodness - less than 12 hours to go.

So last night was all about packing and sewing. I'm sewing something for my new niece/newphew to be and packing to go see Maggie. After looking at weather.com for a Burlingame forcast, I determined that I really needed advice from someone living there - so I called my brother. Apparently, it has been a gorgeous 72 all week and will continue to be. Nice. So then Maggie gets on the phone.

The funny part is, everytime I call her, it is usually time for bed - for both of us. Ahhhh, the beauty of a 3-hour time difference. Problem is, she will probably think that while I am there, I need to go to bed when she does (gosh I hope not).

Anyway, we have a very sweet and very funny phone conversation. She thanked me for her little picture (the balloon-one, Aunt D) that I made when I was her age. Okay, well really I was about 24 or so when I made it, but it is called a linoleum print, and it is something I love to do. I wish I did it more often, actually. She has thanked me for this before, but she felt she needed to do it again. Then she told me again how it was time for her to go to bed and I said it was my bedtime too. We chatted a bit more and then she went off to bed.

So my plans are set - somewhat. I can't wait to get there to see Maggie (and her parents) and to relax in sunny San Francisco. I need a break - even if this is only a mini-vacation. I need it - desperately!

Work was crappy yesterday. People in my company tend to make changes and not test them first, so they caused a big snafu that basically encompassed 2/3's of my day. I was really happy to get out of here last night, but then I was so exhausted, that the thought of truly packing up my stuff, was a big NO. At least I made a stack of half the clothes I will need.

To top it off - I bought a new bed on Saturday. I got a great deal and I really needed a new bed - so this is a good thing. The problem is they are delivering it tomorrow and I cannot leave work (my boss is on some bizarre trip about time away from the office...don't get me started). So my mother is fabulous and is going to handle it for me - but it still means that when I leave the house tomorrow morning, I have to be completely packed and have stripped my bed of all the linens and put them somewhere. Also, my stairs need to be cleared off and free of all my crap. Great - usually no problem...did I mention that my back is still a mess and I can't go to physical therapy because my boss is being an ass? Just curious.

Anyway, today has to be better. I'm sure it will be better. Right? Please? Maybe? I'm suppose to go to a screening tonight, Hostage. This is most likely the only way I would see it since I don't think I would shell out $8 for this flick. However, it is 1 hour and 40 or so minutes...that would put me home by 10pm. With no dinner and lots to do - I'm not sure how I am going to pull it off, really. I think I may skip it. We'll see.

Later kids - off to do real work.

Even Death Is Not To Be Feared By One Who Has Lived Wisely

Warning: This post is sad and depressing...read at your own risk!

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.
--John Donne

This was a tough weekend for me. A dear friend died on Friday night, and although we knew it was coming, the actual news of his death hit some members of my family hard. Gerald Smith was a dear friend of my grandmothers for well over 30 years. He recently moved to Atlanta for personal reasons, and therefore we got to see him a lot more. He was the one person alive who could keep my grandmother in line. ANd what I mean by that is that he took no gruff from her and would tell her to "hush up" and she would. If I ever said that to her she would go nuts on me.

Gerald did the most beautiful needlepoint and walking through his room yesterday was like walking through a museum. It brought me to tears, but I did my best to keep it in. Seeing the wall hangings, pillows, the Chinese screen, plus all the silver, and crystal and artwork...quite a collection. I would have spent hours just gazing at these beautiful works if I had been allowed.

His family is wonderful. For so long, it was just Gerald, but at his wake, to meet his brother, his wife, and their kids and nephews. They were wonderful to me, my grandmother, my parents. It was a delight to meet them all.

It is sad to lose such a gem of a human being. He made me laugh and was such a dear to have around and in my life. I feel very fortunate, but am sorry that I did not get more time with him. He spent some of Christmas Day with us and I feel quite blessed to have had that time with him. I think it hit my grandmother the hardest, as she has lost both men she has cared for in her life. I worry so that she will lose her will to live at any time...I really hope the promise of another great-grandchild will keep her kicking for a long time to come.

If I talk about this much more, I may have to crawl into bed and curl up into a ball for the week...so enough.

To lighten the heavy load above, here is a little Steven Wright humor for you:
"I had a friend who was a clown. When he died, all his friends went to the funeral in one car."

I Am Evil and Must Be Destroyed

Wow, it is so much fun and SO satisfying to mess with people. Especially people who tend to freak out and obsess over such things...

I'm really not a bad person - ask anyone. I always put other people first (okay, 92.7% of the time, anyway). But some days I just need some entertainment. Yesterday was one of these days. Honestly, I didn't realize how badly I needed to be amused until I was in the middle of being evil and found myself sniggering about it.

So without going into too much detail, someone at work who cracks me up on a daily basis (she is just a funny gal), was at my desk while I was having an IM conversation with someone on her team. She realized who I was talking to and suggested I say something very specific to him. So I did, not knowing what can I was opening. Anyway, he freaked out a bit and made some commotion (much to the pleasure of other people on his team).

Next thing I know, this harmless comment over IM had turned into a full-fledged prank, or sorts. And he just won't let it go. I'm so entertained by this.

What he seems to forget, is that I know his entire team and so the bigger a deal he makes, the more others will help me to keep this going. Ahhhhh, I get so few opportunities to relish in such depravity, that I am just glowing in the fun.

Okay, time to get to some serious work.

The Little Men in White Coats

Movie Review: The Jacket

Today is a really insane day and is hard to describe. So let me start with a movie review.

The Jacket - how to describe this movie...there really isn't a good way to describe it. Most of us in the theatre didn't really know what the movie was about. All I knew was that it was something about travelling forward in time. So basically, this guy has a bizarre series of events happen to him and he ends up in a mental institution (he is not even close to crazy).

So he ends up being given this weird test treatment that ends up causing him to travel in time and forsee his death and help others by gathering some information about them.

It is an odd story of love, revenge, good drugs, insanity and selflessness. I think I really liked it. The beginning is very odd and you jump around and have a hard time following where the story is taking you and why, but ultimately, you get to the heart of it and it actually makes some sense. I think I will give it 3 stars.

As for today, things are broken, I am being dragged in 10 directions at once and I had to eat my lunch while on a conference call, which is always fun.

I'm being flirty with the lobster, which is very fun and is getting me into some scary territory, but all in all, it's a long distance thing, so I think I am safe...for now.

Nothing else to report, but for those of you in need of a laugh...
Joke of the day: (thanks, Zach)
Why was Piglet looking in the toilet? He was looking for Pooh.

Stupid People

Just a quickie - I will post more tomorrow. But I have to ask...why are people SO stupid?

I discovered something today and it is quite disturbing. I think that a lot of people take the rest of the world for granted. If you are not doing what you should be doing, eventually, you will be discovered. No question.

It's a sad state of affairs, really. I have such faith in people, and tend to like everyone (even before I know them), but when I find evidence of such disappointing behavior, I'm always surprised.

This post is really about me - I shouldn't be so shocked when I discover people's faults and short-comings...one day I will learn.

On a positive note, both Danzig and Nine Inch Nails are coming to town. I'm not really a Danzig fan, but a good friend is their drummer and I love him to death. NIN is another story - I may actually drag my ass out to a concert for the first time in a trillion years.

Okay, bedtime. I'm dozing off at the keyboard. Night all!

11 - 4 = 7 x 24?

I decided to take Monday off - the thought of a 4-day work week sounded a lot better than 5-days in misery, so Monday became the lazy day. Plus, with being up late for Oscar night, I figured it was somehow appropriate to relax the next day.

Oscar night was fun - the food ricked (if I do say so myself) and I had 15 categories correct - including the top 6. My best year yet.

I actually helped with the catering business in the morning, and then went home and veged out. It became an entire day of 24. So 10 episodes had run as of yesterday morning, so since I had only watched hours 7AM-11AM, I still had 6 episodes to watch to catch up. Plus, it was Monday, so the 11th episode aired tonight as well. Therefore, the 24-fest was born.

By 10PM, I had completely caught up, including tonight's episode. Wow - this year is so much better than the last 2 and the last 2 didn't suck. Now I am annoyed with myself that I caught up and have to wait a week like everyone else.

At least tomorrow is a Gilmore Girls night :)

Weekend DVDs:
X2
Conspiracy Therory
The Pelican Brief
Steel Magnolias

Reanimation Nation

The Year: 2001
The Category: BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
The Winner: "Shrek"
The Other Nominees:
"Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius"
"Monsters, Inc."

Robbed: Monsters, Inc.

This was the very first year for this category and at the very least, Pixar should have won. With Disney having the only animated movie to ever have been nominated prior to this category, it seems fitting that they should have won. They invented the animated feature film and they perfected it over the years...somehow having Shrek win, seemed off.

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
"The Incredibles"
"Shark Tale"
"Shrek 2"

It has to be The Incredibles. There is no other option. What else can I say, but it left the others in its dust. Shark Tale and Shrek 2 were good, but Incredibles was GREAT!

So for the menu, it is a tough year for being creative. Here is what I'm thinking:
Howard Hughes Teriyaki Wings (The Aviator)
Peter Pan-Fried Pork Chops (Finding Neverland)
88 Keys Sesame Rice (Ray)
Frankie's Boxing Rings (Million Dollar Baby)
Pinot Noir Poached Pears with Mascarpone (Sideways)

Enjoy the Oscars (if you are into that kind of thing)...and if not, watch reruns of something crappy and leave me to my fun.

Support Your Local Actress

The Year: 1992
The Category: ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Winner: Marisa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinny"
The Other Nominees:
Judy Davis in "Husbands and Wives"
Joan Plowright in "Enchanted April"
Vanessa Redgrave in "Howards End"
Miranda Richardson in "Damage"

Robbed: Everyone but Marisa.

I hate to jump on the bandwagon and bring up controversy, but c'mon. It was a shock enough to have her nominated and I am guessing that she was not meant to win. I cannot stand this movie and I have tried watching it. She was fine, but her accent wasn't great. It seems like a travesty that probably put a permanent age limit on presenters.

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
Cate Blanchett in "The Aviator"
Laura Linney in "Kinsey"
Virginia Madsen in "Sideways"
Sophie Okonedo in "Hotel Rwanda"
Natalie Portman in "Closer"

It's gotta be Cate. She truly portrayed Kate Hepburn as if she were channeling her - it was almost eerie. She really stole the show and I was impressed with her performance. Now, the other Kate was apparently amazing (no, I haven't watched Spotless yet), but I'm guessing she won't win. I think that there may be a chance for Virginia to take it - she did an amazing job. Natalie actually acted better in "Garden State", so I would rather she not win for this. Laura was good, but I really don't see her getting any credit for it.

My vote is for Cate!

That's all for today...tomorrow it's ANIMATED FEATURE FILM!

Thank You For Calling Actor Support...

The Year: 1999
The Category: ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Winner: Michael Caine in "The Cider House Rules"
The Other Nominees:
Tom Cruise in "Magnolia"
Michael Clarke Duncan in "The Green Mile"
Jude Law in "The Talented Mr. Ripley"
Haley Joel Osment in "The Sixth Sense"

Robbed: Haley Joel

Okay, I love Michael Caine, and he is a great actor and he did a really good job in Cider...however, Haley out-acted them all. While I would have been happy if Tom had won, Haley really deserved it. He will get one...someday.

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
Alan Alda in "The Aviator"
Thomas Haden Church in "Sideways"
Jamie Foxx in "Collateral"
Morgan Freeman for "Million Dollar Baby"
Clive Owen in "Closer"

Okay, so if there is justice in this world, then Morgan will take home the prize - and he most likely will. However, I have a sinking feeling that Clive is some sort of Warlock and has cast some spell that will get him Oscar - if he does, it is a travesty and I will not stand for it. He is so plastic and fake - what he does is not what I call acting. He is the very worst...possibly ever. I know other people like him and they haven't made it in this business - so why has he? Is it the accent? I don't think Thomas will take down Morgan - just isn't possible.

Now, here is a possibility. If the Academy wants to go the sentimental route and give Clint Best Actor, then they may give Jamie Supporting Actor to make up for it...just a thought.

That's all for today...tomorrow it's BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS!

Efforts and Courage Are Not Enough Without Purpose and Direction

The Year: 1985
The Category: DIRECTING
The Winner: Sydney Pollack for "Out of Africa"
The Other Nominees:
Hector Babenco for "Kiss of the Spider Woman"
John Huston for "Prizzi's Honor"
Akira Kurosawa for "Ran"
Peter Weir for "Witness"

Robbed: Steven Spielberg for "The Color Purple"

It's highway robbery how Stephen has been treated by the Academy over the years. He was nominated but didn't win many times, but this time he wasn't even given the courtesy of a nomination. I mean, personally I think he should have won for Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977, Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 - but hey, I don't get a vote. But here, Purple was nominated for Best Picture, yet the Director gets nary a nod? That makes no sense to me at all. Go figure!

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
Martin Scorsese for "The Aviator"
Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby"
Taylor Hackford for "Ray"
Alexander Payne for "Sideways"
Mike Leigh for "Vera Drake"

I'm sorry, but this year there is a nomination missing. Zach Braff for "Garden State". No question this movie should have received a nod for something - I'm cool with it being direction. Original Screenplay would have been okay too. Just SOMETHING! Okay, so my pick. I'm thinking that Clint is going to take it home again this year. As much as I want it to be Marty's year...finally, I really think that Clint will take it. But if anyone is running a close second, it would be Marty...otherwise we will be 0 and 6.

That's all for today...tomorrow it's BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR!

Oh, Actress!

The Year: 1988
The Category: ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
The Winner: Jodie Foster in "The Accused"
The Other Nominees:
Glenn Close in "Dangerous Liaisons"
Melanie Griffith in "Working Girl"
Meryl Streep in "A Cry in the Dark"
Sigourney Weaver in "Gorillas in the Mist"

Robbed: No one, really.

Here is how I see it. In 1988, great women's roles were just starting to filter in. There were great roles before, but not as many. At least this year, all the great leading roles had great women in them performing to there best abilities. There were not a lot of other great roles. As a sentimental favorite, I kind of wish Meryl had won...after all she was playing a character named Lindy...and how often does that happen in the movies?

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
Annette Bening in "Being Julia"
Catalina Sandino Moreno in "Maria Full of Grace"
Imelda Staunton in "Vera Drake"
Hilary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby"
Kate Winslet in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

The pick is going to be Hilary - I mean, isn't is always. She is this totally normal chick who gives these performances right out of your imagination. I mean, where does this girl pull these characters from, anyway? Give her a medal! I have heard nothing but amazing things about Imelda and Annette is no slouch, but short of an upset, the Swank has it. Remember, Girls Who Play Boys Don't Cry.

That's all for today...tomorrow it's BEST DIRECTOR!

The Year of the Drama

The Year: 1993
The Category: ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
The Winner: Tom Hanks in "Philadelphia"
The Other Nominees:
Daniel Day-Lewis in "In the Name of the Father"
Laurence Fishburne in "What's Love Got to Do with It"
Anthony Hopkins in "The Remains of the Day"
Liam Neeson in "Schindler's List

Robbed: Robin Williams in "Mrs. Doubtfire"

Okay - no question Tom was the bomb. He rocked. He was amazing. He moved me. That said, and there were a lot of great performances this year, but everything was so serious and so heavy a performance...how can you over look Robin dressed as a woman. Such a great performance and such a comedic genius. This was one of the most solid and enjoyable performances of 1993 - no question!.

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
Don Cheadle in "Hotel Rwanda"
Johnny Depp in "Finding Neverland"
Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Aviator"
Clint Eastwood in "Million Dollar Baby"
Jamie Foxx in "Ray"

Look, out of this list, the choice is going to be obvious. This will most likely go to Jamie...unless they give him Supporting Actor and go with the sentimental favorite, Clint. But truly, this should go to Johnny. Now, I haven't seen three of these performances, but I have heard enough to know who is probably going to win. But my vote is for Johnny playing such a touching and heartfelt role with such grace and honesty. One day, you'll be the winner, Johnny!

I do feel I need to make one comment here - why was Paul Giamatti passed over (over looked, whatever)? Can anyone explain this to me? He was great in Confidence, amazing in American Splendor and phenominal in Sideways. What's the deal, Oscar? You think Thomas and Virgina gave better performances? I don't think so. Help me out here...I'm not saying he was better than whoever wins, but he should have garnered a nomination. Show the man you care about his work. Okay, I'm done.

That's all for today...tomorrow it's BEST ACTRESS!

You Passed Crazy About Four Random Clues Ago

It's Oscar week!!!

Wahoo - I wait for this week all year long and how odd is it that it is in February again? Very odd for me, but hey, what can you do?

So first, a little business...so I came into work today to not one, not two, but three birthday cakes. Thanks to Koku and Dani for making me feel loved. Also, Vanessa had a bunch of people (friends) sign a birthday card for me. She rocks too!

So in honor of Oscar, the coolest gold-guy around, this week has a theme. Basically, the theme is me picking one past winner and singing it's virtues. At the same time, giving you one movie/actor, etc from that same year that should have won and didn't. Also, I will make a prediction in one of the categories for this year. Pretty simple, right? Okay, let's get started...

The Year: 1984
The Category: BEST PICTURE
The Winner: Amadeus
The Other Nominees:
The Killing Fields
A Passage to India
Places in the Heart
A Soldier's Story

Robbed: The Natural

Now, while Amadeus was an amazing film and the start of a boom of biopics, it wasn't one of my favorites. I loved A Passage to India and Places in the Heart. However, I felt that Tom Hulce gave a better performance than the winner of Best Actor, F. Murray Abraham.

But far and away the best flick of that year was The Natural. Now, I would never have expected it to win, I know better than that, but it should have been nominated. If you want to understand men, watch The Natural. If you want a really great baseball movie, watch The Natural. If you have been hiding under a rock and haven't ever seen it, watch The Natural. 'Nuff said!

As for this year's pick, it is a hard choice for me. The Nominees are:
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways

Now, I haven't seen two of them - Ray and Baby - but I will. However, my sentimental pick is going to be Sideways. I think this movie has been discounted way too much lately and I would love to see it come from behind and beat them all! As for what the Academy will pick, I'm thinking Baby will take the big prize. Look, this movie supposedly will make you cry - it is the big productions that actually move the voters that will get the statuette. Even though Aviator has 4 more nominations, it just doesn't make the cut!

That's all for Monday...tomorrow it's BEST ACTOR!

No, This is Your Party...

You do not work -- you lounge and mock those who are. Have I taught you nothing? --Loreli Gilmore

So today was the day - woo hoo...no fanfare, no party, but there was cake. Gotta love the cake. Especially when you have a mom as kick ass as mine who says "name it, I'll make it." So in my fridge I have this Cappucchino Delight that may be the greatest cake of all time...until it is all gone and the next poor cake comes along and needs love, needs affection, needs a big glass of milk to keep it company...

Today wasn't bad - the first part of the day was nothing. I sewed for Maggie and I napped (back/body still in agony) and I watched a little TV/Movie action and then I finished my laundry.

Wow - I sound SO depressing and sad...but I'm not. I have friends, a lot them, I think, but nor exacly the type to plan a party, schedule a get-together, organize a crappy store-bought cake at work for the people around us. Seriously, this is not meant to depress (not a fan of the store bought cake) - this is meant as an affirmation for me. I do things for people without being asked...I rarely say no to anything and I usually go out of my way no matter now inconvenient it might be (like picking my boss up on a Monday morning to take him to work). And you know what, I never expect anything in return - that's not why I do it. I am just a nice person who wants to step in and be helpful wherever possible and fix what needs mending and throw away what's broken.

My point is this - you do things for people because you want to - not so you will get it back later on. If I expected stuff back , I think I would be disappointed most of the time - but sometimes people just suprise me.

Happy Birthday to me - Maggie called me to tell me Happy Birthday and that is all that matters...plus my mom and I made a pretty kick ass dinner...all while watching the Daytona 500 - oh look, Jeff Gordon won...again...shocker!

More weekend DVDs:
Star Trek Nemesis
X-Men