I've just reached my Oscar threshold. Started watching at 6 p.m. yesterday, just turned off the TV. Well, slept some in between. But now I am done. No more reading about it or watching recaps or interviews. My interest cup runneth over.
Here are my best and worst for this year's Academy Awards:
Best: Meryl Streep winning. I haven't seen the movie, but anytime Meryl Streep wins something, it's a good show.
Worst: Pre-recorded bit with actors talking about the movies, their feelings about movies, how the movies teach stuff and how important the movies are to life, yada, yada. It wasn't horrible, but some of the declarations were a little over the top. Movies are entertainment. Maybe if you throw in documentaries, which no one sees, then you can talk about how movies are life changing.
Best: Billy Crystal. He was a joy all evening. I love you Billy!
Worst: Billy Crystal. He didn't seem to connect to the younger set. Ironic, because last year they hired Ann Hathaway and James Franco to do just that. It felt the younger actors got short-changed. Funny bit with Justin Bieber though.
Best: The acceptance speech for the documentary about restoring the burned faces of Pakistani women. Also the Iranian who made a wonderful acceptance speech. They were real moments.
Worst: Angelina Jolie's stance when she took the stage. What was that? We get it. You are freakishly beautiful.
Best: Cirque du soleil. That was incredible. Not sure the connection to the Oscars, but wow.
Worst: George Clooney didn't win. Clooney brings interesting movies to the big screen and this past year he did two of my favorites: Descendants and Ides of March. I am not a crazy Clooney fan. I just think last year he produced good stuff and shoulda won.
Now, the 84th Academy Awards is officially over in my house. Let's move on.
Speaking of which, Paul and I saw Wanderlust this weekend and it was silly and funny. We are quoting dumb lines. It's one of those movies that get better after you see it. Not as funny as Bridesmaids or Hangover. Way funnier than Hangover II. Great cast and silly silliness.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Virginia monologues
I stole that heading from Chris Hayes of The Nation and MSNBC. It made me laugh.
The heading refers to Virginia's almost passed legislation requiring a woman to get an internal probe called a transvaginal sonogram before getting an abortion. Ridiculous! Horrendous! A violation of privacy times 1,000!!
Thank goodness SNL brought Amy Poehler back to do the Really!? sketch. It worked, well that and the thousands who either showed up at the Virginia Capitol to protest or called and emailed messages of disgust to their legislators and the governor. The entire nation erupted with alarm. Support quickly disappeared for Virginia's vagina probe legislation.
Thank goodness. In this day and age, what kind of monster government would put a woman through that?
Texas government? We already got that here in Texas?
Oh crap.
Want to understand why in Texas and not Virginia, read below:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/02/25/3763085/texas-abortion-measure-flies-under.html
The heading refers to Virginia's almost passed legislation requiring a woman to get an internal probe called a transvaginal sonogram before getting an abortion. Ridiculous! Horrendous! A violation of privacy times 1,000!!
Thank goodness SNL brought Amy Poehler back to do the Really!? sketch. It worked, well that and the thousands who either showed up at the Virginia Capitol to protest or called and emailed messages of disgust to their legislators and the governor. The entire nation erupted with alarm. Support quickly disappeared for Virginia's vagina probe legislation.
Thank goodness. In this day and age, what kind of monster government would put a woman through that?
Texas government? We already got that here in Texas?
Oh crap.
Want to understand why in Texas and not Virginia, read below:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/02/25/3763085/texas-abortion-measure-flies-under.html
Friday, February 24, 2012
Parting is such sweet ... well it's just sweet
It's Friday. Yeeha. Last day of the work week. Last day on this job.
Don't know which is more scary: being offered a job at a new agency or never getting a job offer.
I guess I'm at an age where it's believable that I am in early retirement - in case the rejection thing becomes a reality.
One thing I know for sure. It's all good.
Don't know which is more scary: being offered a job at a new agency or never getting a job offer.
I guess I'm at an age where it's believable that I am in early retirement - in case the rejection thing becomes a reality.
One thing I know for sure. It's all good.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
British Invasion
There's a new British invasion happening at my house. In the 60s it was the Beatles, today it's British television. Downton Abbey, Doc Martin, Kingdom, to name a few. I love their cop stuff too. A couple of them especially, but I don't remember their titles.
PBS has been airing British comedies for years. Usually Saturday and Sunday nights. There's a new one Miranda that's on Saturday nights. Check her out. She's hysterical. Of course everyone knows The Office is a Ricky Gervais show first launched in England.
For my time, the only originally funny show on American TV now is Happy Endings. I watch Modern Family too. Survivor I watch with Paulie. And also some of the other contestant shows are solid entertainment to watch with Paul, such as Storage Wars, Ink Masters, Top Chef. But the rest of my TV watching lately has leaned toward the British kind. Thank you Netflix!!!
I was thinking last night as I watched 3 episodes of Kingdom, a series about a small-town lawyer (solicitor) whose clients tend toward eccentrics and the downtrodden, that it's really a pity we don't have programming like this here in America. The actors are not model beautiful. They examine racism, cross-dressing, discrimination, etc. in such a manner only the British can and make it look classy. Flawed characters and their relationships are depicted in non-vulgar ways. Total fiction, but with a heart. You don't feel dirty after watching. Sometimes you might even learn something.
The setting and cinematography for Kingdom is beautiful, soothing even. Makes you want to live there, same as the setting for Doc Martin.
I can't really come up with any U.S. shows that are comparable. And the Brit shows appear to cast actors based on talent, not notoriety or something else.
I wonder why our shows here have to be so crappy? And all the same, really.
Good thing is I still have 12 episodes of Kingdom to watch and it's only the first series out of three.
PBS has been airing British comedies for years. Usually Saturday and Sunday nights. There's a new one Miranda that's on Saturday nights. Check her out. She's hysterical. Of course everyone knows The Office is a Ricky Gervais show first launched in England.
For my time, the only originally funny show on American TV now is Happy Endings. I watch Modern Family too. Survivor I watch with Paulie. And also some of the other contestant shows are solid entertainment to watch with Paul, such as Storage Wars, Ink Masters, Top Chef. But the rest of my TV watching lately has leaned toward the British kind. Thank you Netflix!!!
I was thinking last night as I watched 3 episodes of Kingdom, a series about a small-town lawyer (solicitor) whose clients tend toward eccentrics and the downtrodden, that it's really a pity we don't have programming like this here in America. The actors are not model beautiful. They examine racism, cross-dressing, discrimination, etc. in such a manner only the British can and make it look classy. Flawed characters and their relationships are depicted in non-vulgar ways. Total fiction, but with a heart. You don't feel dirty after watching. Sometimes you might even learn something.
The setting and cinematography for Kingdom is beautiful, soothing even. Makes you want to live there, same as the setting for Doc Martin.
I can't really come up with any U.S. shows that are comparable. And the Brit shows appear to cast actors based on talent, not notoriety or something else.
I wonder why our shows here have to be so crappy? And all the same, really.
Good thing is I still have 12 episodes of Kingdom to watch and it's only the first series out of three.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Happy Birthday George
I wonder what George Washington would think about today's politial craziness?
First of all, someone would need to tell him about our president. He would smile, I think. Not with wooden teeth as THAT is a gigantic myth. He'd then be told about the two parties nitpicking every last detail of every proposal. How would we explain foreign policy and the U.S. role of world police?"
I head to google for a better understanding of the birthday boy. Here's something from whitehouse.gov.:
"To (Washington's) disappointment, two parties were developing by the end of his
first term. Wearied of politics, feeling old, he retired at the end of his second. In
his Farewell Address, he urged his countrymen to forswear excessive party spirit
and geographical distinctions. In foreign affairs, he warned against long-term alliances."
Wait, what? Excessive party spirit? Geographical distinctions? Long-term foreign alliances?
NOTHING HAS CHANGED?! George saw it all coming too (except for the president thing).
You were a smart guy, George. It may take another couple hundred years to get it right.
Happy Birthday.
First of all, someone would need to tell him about our president. He would smile, I think. Not with wooden teeth as THAT is a gigantic myth. He'd then be told about the two parties nitpicking every last detail of every proposal. How would we explain foreign policy and the U.S. role of world police?"
I head to google for a better understanding of the birthday boy. Here's something from whitehouse.gov.:
"To (Washington's) disappointment, two parties were developing by the end of his
first term. Wearied of politics, feeling old, he retired at the end of his second. In
his Farewell Address, he urged his countrymen to forswear excessive party spirit
and geographical distinctions. In foreign affairs, he warned against long-term alliances."
Wait, what? Excessive party spirit? Geographical distinctions? Long-term foreign alliances?
NOTHING HAS CHANGED?! George saw it all coming too (except for the president thing).
You were a smart guy, George. It may take another couple hundred years to get it right.
Happy Birthday.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
We got this
Paul and I get to take care of our granddaughters for three days. Two years old and 5 months old. Starting this afternoon. Two dogs too. Andrea and Jack are getting some well deserved time off from their crazy busy lives.
Our plan is to divide and conquer. It's old stategy. We used it all the time when the kids were little. We know we can do it with two tiny grandkids. We are confident this is going to be a piece of cake. No worries here. Yay. How hard could it be?
Help.
Our plan is to divide and conquer. It's old stategy. We used it all the time when the kids were little. We know we can do it with two tiny grandkids. We are confident this is going to be a piece of cake. No worries here. Yay. How hard could it be?
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Family business
Yesterday I emailed my resume and letter to a potential employer. I'm job hunting. Already. But that's another blog.
So in the cover letter, I conclude to this organization that serves the Fort Worth School District that I enjoy the school setting. I explain that my two daughters are teachers, my mom was a teacher as were both of her parents, my grandparents.
This got me thinking.
First. I am the mother of TWO TEACHERS! A kids' first authority outside the family. The definition of power and influence. I raised two of 'em. OK, Paul was there, too. But most people, me included, revere their child's teacher and now my daughters are on the receiving end of that reverence. My daughters likely would not use the word reverence in describing their treatment by all parents. But this is my blog.
I guess my perspective may be a little old school. I had nothing but respect for my children's teachers, even those who were undeserving. They still were teachers and I respect them for that, it's part of my DNA. When I step into a school my persona changes. I see a teacher, I smile at them. I am polite and respectful, fearful even. I suspect that part of this personal transformation could also be the result of having been invited to the Principal's office in every school I attended. Again, another blog.
Second. My mom gets to realize the family legacy lives. She has two granddaughters and a grandson teaching (the son of my late brother Frank). Molders of future generations. How cool is that?
We are not inclined to look at our mothers and grandmothers as shapers of careers. Indeed. That's what has happened in my family and I couldn't be more proud. And a little fearful.
So in the cover letter, I conclude to this organization that serves the Fort Worth School District that I enjoy the school setting. I explain that my two daughters are teachers, my mom was a teacher as were both of her parents, my grandparents.
This got me thinking.
First. I am the mother of TWO TEACHERS! A kids' first authority outside the family. The definition of power and influence. I raised two of 'em. OK, Paul was there, too. But most people, me included, revere their child's teacher and now my daughters are on the receiving end of that reverence. My daughters likely would not use the word reverence in describing their treatment by all parents. But this is my blog.
I guess my perspective may be a little old school. I had nothing but respect for my children's teachers, even those who were undeserving. They still were teachers and I respect them for that, it's part of my DNA. When I step into a school my persona changes. I see a teacher, I smile at them. I am polite and respectful, fearful even. I suspect that part of this personal transformation could also be the result of having been invited to the Principal's office in every school I attended. Again, another blog.
Second. My mom gets to realize the family legacy lives. She has two granddaughters and a grandson teaching (the son of my late brother Frank). Molders of future generations. How cool is that?
We are not inclined to look at our mothers and grandmothers as shapers of careers. Indeed. That's what has happened in my family and I couldn't be more proud. And a little fearful.
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