Monday, December 24, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Hobbit Trilogy
I had no idea The Hobbit, coming out this month, was the first of a planned trilogy! I did not know until I saw a photo from the 3rd movie. Here's an excerpt from Entertainment Weekly's website:
When the second and third installments of the Hobbit trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug (out Dec. 13, 2013) and There and Back Again
(out July 18, 2014), arrive in theaters, we’ll encounter some familiar
faces as well as some new ones as Bilbo and the dwarves continue their
perilous journey to the Lonely Mountain, home of the dragon Smaug. One
familiar face will be Orlando Bloom’s elf Legolas (pictured here in a
shot from There and Back Again – click to enlarge), a major character in the Rings trilogy but one not mentioned in the Hobbit book.
So what is he doing in these films? “He’s [elven king] Thranduil’s son, and Thranduil is one of the characters in The Hobbit, and
because elves are immortal it makes sense Legolas would be part of the
sequence in the Woodland Realm,” director Peter Jackson explains.
Conferring with Legolas is one of the Hobbit trilogy’s major
new faces: the heroic human Laketown warrior Bard the Bowman (Luke
Evans). “Bard is an interesting character, but [in the book] he’s kind
of a random character who comes in after the fact,” says screenwriter
and producer Philippa Boyens. “We take more time introducing him. We
know from what follows that he was a father, so we [explore] that. I
don’t think we take liberties, because it’s all there in the
storytelling.”
And the picture:
What are your thoughts about this book being turned into a trilogy?
Monday, December 3, 2012
Italian Greyhounds Are Funny
I used to have an Italian Greyhound who was a rescued show dog. His name was MacGuyver but my dad nicknamed him Gooch Pooch because he was a little Gucci dog. The first video reminds me of Gooch because the first time I tried to put little booties on his feet he did the same thing.
He spent the first two years of his life in a kennel, so he was not used to going outside. He walked funny in the grass, he was afraid of the wind, and the first time I tried putting him on a rope in the back yard, he got all tangled up within 10 seconds. Ah, my Goochie boy. I don't remember him ever doing this, but he really did not like to walk in the snow.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
We've just started watching Project Runway All-Stars and I have to say this week's challenge winner was awesome! The challenge was an avant garde androgynous look for a male and female model. When I saw Emilio's outfits walk down the runway they just made me smile. The models worked it, too! I loved the hats at an angle and the hands in the pockets, everything. They look luscious!
Yaay, Emilio! I always thought he got sent home too soon on the regular program.
Not much else to say about this one. Loving the return of Uli, too, and I think Casanova is adorable. Really, though, I prefer the regular Project Runway over the All-Stars versions, I think. In my opinion, they started All-Stars to give Mondo his rightful victory after he was robbed in the regular season by boring what-has-she-done-lately Gretchen.
Speaking of which, when will Mondo's clothes be at Neiman Marcus??? I was just on their website and they have yet to have him listed as a designer and a search for his name pulls up china. Supposedly his clothes were going to be in their store in the fall, and then I heard "in time for the holidays." What gives???
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Lincoln
If Daniel Day Lewis does not get an Oscar for his role in Lincoln, it will be a crime.
I was not super excited to see Lincoln - I'm saving that for Les Mis - but Mom and Kevin were interested so we went. Talk about a who's who of actors! Amazing costumes, amazing facial hair (and there is no lack of facial hair here, let me tell you), and amazing sets. You could practically smell the oil in the air from the lamps. The language took some getting used to for me, but I was moved anyway. I really feel that Daniel Day Lewis must be an intimidating man to be around, especially when he is involved in a movie role. He just was Lincoln. It was pretty amazing. Another terrific movie for 2012.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Movie catch-up
We went to see the movie Argo and it was FANTASTIC! If you have not seen it yet, go see it! What a great movie. Kept us on the edge of our seats even though we knew what was going to happen. Definite Oscar-bait. Ben Affleck has found his calling as a director. Saw it with Mom and Kevin and I know Kevin and I got teary-eyed toward the end.
Kevin and I went to see Killer Joe at Cinema Center. Very interesting, not your usual movie fare. Not for the faint of heart. Basically, Matthew McConaughey plays a killer-for-hire who takes a job to kill this guy's mom, except the guy can't pay up front so he's going to pay when he gets his half of the insurance money. Which doesn't work out and I really don't want to reveal more because it's just so deliciously awful and darkly fun you have to find out for yourself.
Friday, Chelle and I went to see Looper with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. Some of Bruce Willis' affectations have become so caricature now that part of the acting required by Gordon-Levitt was just to imitate Willis so we know one is the younger version of the same man. Gordon-Levitt did this well. (I also have to say, as someone who used to watch Third Planet from the Sun, back when Gordon-Levitt used to be geeky, what happened? Yummy! Stare at me across the room like that again. Hunka hunka hunka. The anticipation of just hearing him run up the stairs in the farmhouse tied my tummy in knots.) I really liked the movie and want to go back to see it again with Kevin because I think he will like it. I can't explain it to you, though, so don't ask. Well, I'll tell you this much - there's a Young Joe and an Old Joe, a love story, lots of violence, another love story, other kinds of love, more violence, sci-fi, and lots of stuff to think about. Pretty cool flick.
Skyfall. Kevin loved it. It even brought a tear to his eye but I won't tell you why. I thought it was a good movie, lots of fun, lots of nods to older Bond movies, though a little heavy on the message of getting old and moving on, especially considering they are using Daniel Craig for another couple of Bond films. (Daniel, you'll never be too old to play Bond in my mind - can you flex by the pool side one more time for me? Nicely done.)
Next on our list? Lincoln for Mom and Kevin, maybe seeing The Impossible with Mom, and Chelle said Flight was incredible, but my heart is saving itself for Les Miserables on Christmas Day. I can't wait to cry. :)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Cloud Atlas
This comes out October 26th. Intriguing, but I'm not sure what to think about it. I have not read the book.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Sunday, September 30, 2012
When Parents Text
Friday, September 28, 2012
Donate to a Good Cause!
I have always liked the SPCA, and have gotten two current kitties and my dog from them. I would volunteer there but then I would end up with a million kitties and dogs, so that has never been an option.
However, I do save my old print cartridges for them and I have given them old books before. They have a constant wish list of items such as paper towels, trash bags, non-clumping kitty litter, etc. My intentions are to make a regular donation to them of some of these items, which I can buy when we do our own grocery shopping.
However, I also just purchased a copper leaf from them to go on a tree mural they have there in their office. I dedicated it to my last pets, Hollie, Treble and MagGuyver (ye olde Gooch Pooch) and thanked them for bringing me joy and comfort. I don't know if all that will be etched into the leaf or just their names, but it made me so happy to do. Down the road I may again donate to other critters we had when I was growing up - the dogs Hickey, Gracie, Margaret Brendal Toes, and Geneva, and the cats Seven Toes, Moxie, and Moxie's children Regis and Thumper. Maybe we'll also do one for Kevin's childhood pets, if he wants to.
Or maybe for Kevin we'll do a donation to Wolf Park. I'd love to have one of their Wolf Photography sessions for Kevin and I to attend, where you get to go out and take pictures of the wolves for a few hours. That would be awesome. Or maybe Kevin would just like to adopt a wolf for a year.
There are so many ways to honor your charity of choice! I've been thinking a lot lately about all the good causes out there and how much just a little can do. SPCA collects aluminum cans. Ronald McDonald House takes old pop tabs. Matthew 25 accepts old prescription bottles. So donating to your favorite cause could also just be a new way of getting rid of something you would have thrown away anyway! It doesn't have to be difficult.
Why am I so hyped up about it at the moment? I don't know. I just am. I've been gathering ideas lately to share with my teens on the bulletin boards at work. And I'd like to be a good influence in the world, even if it's just to one person. It doesn't have to be something on a grand scale. It doesn't have to be curing cancer. It can be cleaning up garbage from a neighbor's yard or holding a door open for someone or just giving a smile. So in this moment, I just want to spread the word and maybe nudge some people to think about something they haven't given thought to before: How can I make a difference?
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
BIC pens... for Her
Okay, so I had seen a couple of these reviews on fail blogs but wasn't sure if it was made up or not. I went to Amazon's website tonight and looked for BIC pens for Her and started looking at the reviews. OMG! These are freaking hilarious!
By Tracy Hamilton
Someone has answered my gentle prayers and FINALLY designed a pen that I can use all month long! I use it when I'm swimming, riding a horse, walking on the beach and doing yoga. It's comfortable, leak-proof, non-slip and it makes me feel so feminine and pretty! Since I've begun using these pens, men have found me more attractive and approchable. It has given me soft skin and manageable hair and it has really given me the self-esteem I needed to start a book club and flirt with the bag-boy at my local market. My drawings of kittens and ponies have improved, and now that I'm writing my last name hyphenated with the Robert Pattinson's last name, I really believe he may some day marry me! I'm positively giddy. Those smart men in marketing have come up with a pen that my lady parts can really identify with.
Why no applicator?, September 1, 2012
By L. Frank
These are kind of thin, but perfect for light days. My only complaint is that there is no applicator which makes them slightly harder to use. I would say I'm sticking with Playtex but these colors are so vibrant that my girly glitter senses can't resist them! Also they are affordable so I can use part of my small, weekly allowance from my husband to buy them when he lets me out of the house every Monday!
Packaging is unclear., August 31, 2012
By Sara
At long last, I was overjoyed to see a pen made just for me! I actually never learned to write because regular pens just seemed too complicated and difficult to use--it seemed a better use of my time to continue spending my evenings baking dozens of cupcakes frosted in pink glitter and practicing walking and breathing at the same time. So you can imagine my joy when I found this pen, made specifically to suit the charming physical frailty and diminished mental capacity that are the hallmarks of my sex. However, the packaging is quite unclear and I can't figure out how this pen should be used. Can I grasp it in my dainty fingers, or do I actually have to hold it in my vagina?
Confused, August 31, 2012
By J. Kafchinski
As a guy I like this pen for 28 letters, but then it puts in a period and I can't touch it for a week.
Men, Do Not Use These!!, August 31, 2012
By Weebs
For some reason I got the notion that it would be OK for me, a man, to try to use one of these pens. BIG MISTAKE! About an hour after using one of these pens to write a list for the hardware store, my manhood fell off. IT FELL RIGHT OFF! Gentlemen, consider yourselves warned. I still gave it two stars though. The list I wrote is awesome.
OK, but my husband STILL steals them, August 31, 2012
By J.B.H.
These pens are OK but just like Bic's razors for her, my husband STILL steals them. I'll be more excited about Bic for Her once the product automatically drops out of the man's hands if he dares to pick it up.
So tempted... but what of society?, August 31, 2012
By R. Moses
I, a simple man of no specific writing implement, gaze upon these wonders of feminine penwomanship with nothing short of a turgid, wanton desire. Not so much a siren's call wailing from the figurative rocks of my local drug store's stationery section... more a come-hither whisper, tickling at my most intimate bits. I hear it now... "scribble scribble scribble." It mocks me, it caresses me, and - in it's way - it loves me. "But no!" I scream, so needing to resist the lure of these venomous quills, yet daring not to let the world know of my secret lust. So I scream in silence, still daring against all decency and decorum to glance helplessly at those luminous inky shafts, knowing full well I haven't the strength to resist their allure forever. I am resigned. I know now, this is who I am, and who I have always been. I am... BIC-curious.
Ermagerd, August 31, 2012
By Devon M. Wyatt "Eclectic Purchaser from Amazon"
Ermagerd. Pernz with glitterz!
ribbed-for-my-enjoyment?, August 30, 2012
By - "Seeker of Truth"
Meh. Let me know when Bic introduces the ribbed-for-her-enjoyment version. Maybe then, I might consider literacy. Call me maybe, okay.
The new Crack of Ink Pens, August 30, 2012
By smuxlow
Wow!! These pens are like crack! Once you use them, you can never go back!! I can't believe I've lived thus far without them! Even though they are more expensive then other colored ink pens, they are so worth the price. Especially since men can't use them. No more stinky p e n I s hands on my Bic!
Sexy B****, August 30, 2012
By Boobie Fallopia
Finally, a pen for me. However, I have to start off with a couple of complaints. Numero uno: the pen is too phallic. It's like hello, can you be any more sexist by making a pen that's shaped like a disco stick? BIC needs to come out with a pen that is at least shaped like a V. Numero two: I love the colors, but I don't like just "black" or "blue." I need descriptive adjectives that don't have anything to do with the actual product like "Midnight black" or "Obsidian blue." I'd also settle for "Pomegranate." Or "Mango" OMG MANGOS ARE SO GOOD. I love putting mangos in my mouth. Numero thr33: WHERE ARE ALL THE ACCESSORIES? I want to dress my pen in glitter and bedazzling stickers. Otherwise, it's not really for her. It's for LOSERS. But the pen is like super cool because even though it writes like a regular pen that everyone else has and I can't see any differences between this one and the bajillion of other pens in this male dominated market, the Her really spoke to my pink heart. It's like we finally matter and someone finally decided to take notice of our hair that we got trimmed a quarter inch off of like 2 weeks ago and how we spent 3 hours window shopping and trying on black dresses so we could all look the same when we go clubbing, and said, "Hey, women are like men, but prettier, so I'm going to make a pen for HER. Thanks, BIC. You're a sexy bitch.
just a first step, August 30, 2012
By ball pen for her
I, as a woman, heavyly reject a "Cristal for her ball pen"! Is it really a problem to create an ovary pen?
For her!?, August 29, 2012
By Kelly A. Kallaher
Tremendously unsatisfied. Bic just doesn't do it for me. Maybe it's a size issue. If you're going to make a product "for her" it should at least vibrate.
There are 537 reviews, if you want to take a gander.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Project Runway - We All Stay to Sketch Another Day
No one went home on this week's edition of Project Runway, and I was pleased by that. Gunnar was in the bottom two and we've grown fond of him. Turns out he's not as much of a diva as at first he appeared. He's nice! He gives pep talks! He has positive energy!
Alicia was also in the bottom two, but I didn't think her look was all that bad. And the judges agreed - everyone met the criteria for this week's challenge, so everyone stayed. This makes up for one of the people who left the show early on, so it puts the show back on track.
The ladies had a difficult day this episode. There was much crying to be had, much cursing, much doubt. I think Alicia was the only one to keep her game face on.
I see on Blogging Project Runway that 60% of voters feel Dmitry should have won. As I've mentioned, Dmitry is one of my favorites and I thought this challenge would work well for him as he has made several understated, elegant designs. And I liked his dress, as I always do, but this week I thought Fabio should have won. I loved the asymmetrical hem, the dress had a nice movement to it, and as the judges said, it could be dressed up or down or made more playful or edgy, depending on where you planned to wear it. I also thought it fit in with the other dresses in the Lord and Taylor Project Runway Collection better than Dmitry's would have.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Les Miserables
I am so excited about the film version of Les Miserables that is coming out in December! It looks like it stayed true to the stage version and I can't wait to hear Hugh Jackman and Russel Crowe sing. Anne Hathaway's voice in the trailer is excellent. And if you take a gander at IMDB you'll see that the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, has been included as the Bishop who helps Valjean see the light. Also stars Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the innkeeper and his wife! Check out the trailer!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Project Runway - Ven is a jerk!
So this week's challenge was to dress... well, I can't say "real women" because Heidi jumped all over Ven for saying it, so this was the Dress Women of Average Sizes challenge. Ten people nominated one of their friends to get a makeover, including hair and makeup and an outfit designed just for them. As each of the designers met with their clients, things seemed to be going pretty well. Kevin and I were pretty impressed with Gunnar, who, up until now, Kevin wanted to personally and literally kick off the show. Gunnar was so positive when working with his client and displayed none of the diva attitude he has shown in all other episodes. He genuinely seemed to be having fun and his client loved her new look.
On the other hand, there was Ven. Ven, who tragically was paired with a heavier-looking woman. A woman who was also, and I know this will be difficult to believe, a whomping 40 years of age. A big fat dinosaur, in other words, at least in Ven's mind. Oh, he whined about it, he complained about it, he moped about it.
What did Ven have to say about his client? Let's see... "When I first see Terri I'm in shock, I am very disappointed... You know, these women have wide waist lines and hip lines, so this is really a challenge." That's his first impression. Let's see what else is going on in that little round head of his.
"There are certain techniques or designs you want to do with your aesthetic, but you can't because it won't work on her figure." Okay, I buy that. So figure out what works and quit whining! Or don't you know what works? Maybe he just doesn't know?
Ven to the hair stylist: The first thing I noticed when I saw her was that the hair was very flat.
Thank goodness the hair stylist was there to listen to Terri and talk to her like she was in the room, unlike Ven, who I don't think looked at her once.
"The one thing I am a little upset about is that with this challenge why does one have a client who looks like a model and one a plus-size figure? That's unfair."
Well, boo hoo for you. My god. Are you an adult?
Ven to Tim Gunn: So when I first met her I was a little bit in shock because I have never worked with plus size before.
Tim: Well, what size is she?
Ven: Oh my God, I'm thinking around a 14. (laughs)
Tim: Well, that's just on the cusp.
Ven: My client really doesn't have a shape. She's
definitely not fashion forward, she doesn't have any sense of style
whatsoever.
Tim: Are you leading her forward?
(Fabio comment to camera: Ven's client is beautiful and curvy and obviously this is a challenge about real women. She came down here hoping to get special treatment and she's stuck with a designer who is not going to give her what she wants.)
Ven: The before picture is definitely a nightmare and the after picture will definitely be something that is drastically different.
(Elena to camera regarding Ven: I kind of lost all respect for him.)
At that point all the other designers in the room are giving him dirty looks and Tim is staring at him with a half-troubled, half-concerned look on his face.
A nightmare? Really?
She looks like a perfectly normal person to me. There's nothing nightmarish about her. I saw about three women who were roughly the same size; none of these women were huge. On camera, they were overweight. In person, probably not so much. And I gotta tell you, Ven is no lightweight himself.
Continuing on with the mouth that won't stop. Cut back to Tim.
Tim: Well, I mean, clothes, when done correctly, they provide a kind of optical illusion. That's your challenge.
Ven: I'm also considering her age. She's, what, almost 40, I think. Maybe late 30s.
Tim: (sarcastically) She's an old lady. (Perhaps thinking that Ven didn't realize he was joking?) Not.
Ven: Yeah.
Tim: No, she's just coming into her own in a matter of speaking and this could be like a whole, new debut.
Ven: Mmm hmm.
Tim: You know? The ideal here would be for you to give her a kind of epiphany about who she can be. And have her really transform. Just think about it.
I love you, Tim. I really do.
Now to the fitting.
Ven: Your hair looks great.
Terri: You like it?
(Ven to camera: Terri comes in for the fitting and her hair looks beautiful. It's exactly the direction that I was going for.)
Ven: So the look is very polished, I think it's going to be great. And black is also very slimming.
(camera looks at Terri's face, with its expression of, "Okay, I get it, I'm no size 2," and then Theo's unhappy face)
Ven: But you have a very beautiful face, I think the black with your light complexion will be gorgeous.
Terri: Okay.
(Ven to camera: Terri is obviously a very full-figured, plus size woman.)
Ven: (giving her a belt) Can you try to just see how this works? (she tries it and it is too small) Like, this would be great but it's too small. But I'll ask, um, if they have bigger ones.
(Gunnar to camera: Ven is just dogging his girl and it's like extremely rude. First of all, you don't talk to somebody like that. Especially your client. And it's just, everyone in the room just senses how bad it is.)
Ven: They're just too small. I thought these would be bigger. But they're all the same size.
Um, did you think about checking them before she got there? Just to see? So she only would have had to try on one? Poor Terri was holding back tears at this point and Theo was not happy.
The next morning shows Gunnar, Dmitry and Fabio as they get ready. Gunnar says, "Ven's in trouble. He could have done some good things. She's not that big of a girl."
Fabio, to camera: After seeing how Ven treated his customer, and how he spoke of her, I don't think he's sophisticated, refined, or elegant.
Ven to camera: You know, there were other designers who had clients who were the same size as their model, it was definitely much easier for them.
Quit your whining, infant!
The final fitting...
Ven: I actually think it's very slimming here.
Theo: I mean, Terri, it's up to you.
Ven: But I think when it's all done, she's going to look beautiful and that's, that's...
Terri: I'm not doubting that it's a beautiful outfit. It's just not me. (Hmm, could that be because Ven hasn't listened to anything you say?)
Terri: So the belt is going to go here, right, if they get a fat enough belt?
Ven: They'll definitely, I mean, I requested the belts, but the ones we have here were too small, which we tried on yesterday, but...
Terri: Yeah, you keep saying that, it's embarrassing. I'm fat.
Ven: No, no, not at all, but that's what they provided and I did take them.
(Ven to camera: She's telling me that what I'm saying is making it seem like she's fat or that she's big. And not at all did I ever say that. That's the way she's feeling cause nothing that I brought fits her.)
Well why'd you keep bringing her stuff that you knew wouldn't fit? And why did you keep repeating that nothing fit? She was aware of it, man! She is obviously a sensitive person and feels insecure about her weight. You could tell that from the moment she walked into the room. At least, if you looked at her and didn't keep talking to Theo like Terri wasn't even in the room.
And after, Theo had a talk with Ven about how upset Terri was and that she wanted Terri to feel special. Ven dug himself even deeper.
Ven: Right now, the objective is to put it on and tack and fix what needs to look good. That's the goal right now and I think with the beautiful hair that they did and the makeup, it's going to look gorgeous. And very modern and young, cause, you know, I was surprised yesterday when you walked in, how beautiful you looked, so, um, so...
Terri: (laughs) Thanks.
By now, we've reached the runway show. Ven makes the bottom three and has the audacity to be surprised. While defending himself, the judges ask Terri and Theo what they think. Theo speaks up and starts to cry and the friends hug. Unfortunately, they didn't throw Ven under the bus as he deserved. I so wanted all the other designers to be on the runway with them so Ven could say he was not mean to his client and everyone else could look at him with incredulous disbelief. Ven was horrible! Does he suffer from some malady that makes him totally unaware of the social niceties, that makes it impossible for him to speak to another human being with intelligence and respect? I think so. At least Heidi told him flat out that the judges liked Terri but did not like Ven's outfit.
The judges conversed. This week, it was Heidi, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and guest judge Alice Temperly.
Heidi: What did you think about Ven?
Michael: From the get go he told us well, I've never really designed for someone-
Heidi: Real.
Nina: Real.
Michael: Real women.
Heidi: I wrote it down. I mean, hello? I was like, what are you talking about, Ven?
Michael: But I think the reason he ran out of time, actually, is he didn't really work with his client at all. I think he just wanted to do what he wanted to do.
Nina: It was a little bit selfish not to listen to this women that needed him.
Heidi: And that's why her friend was crying, because she knew how much she needed that.
Alice: And that look wouldn't have traveled four hours a day and it wouldn't make her feel easy, and I think it's sad. And she needs versatility out of her clothes.
Michael: I don't think he cared about her life, I don't think he cared about what was right for her. I think he cared about Ven.
Did Ven make it out of the bottom three? Unfortunately, yes. They sent Nathan home instead. Happily, I was just visiting the Project Runway blog and voted on who I thought should have won (Fabio, who did win) and who I thought should have gone home (Ven!) and saw that 85% of voters felt Ven should have gone home. We can only hope it happens next week. He was already going down in my estimation after I noticed problems with his work in my last review. After this week, he'd have to save a litter of puppies from a burning building before I'd grow some esteem for him again. And a little old lady. And his fellow designers. And keep his mouth shut the whole time.
Please show him the door!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Artist Samuel Silva
I read an article about this artist, Samuel Silva. His art is available for browsing at deviantArt. He's incredible! The photograph below is not a photograph, but a ball point pen drawing!!!!!!!
You've got to go check out his other works. Amazing!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
We Got Us a Pee-er!
So my day yesterday started with a little excitement... and humor.
There is a vacant house next door which is currently for sale. I called about a month ago to report that there was a City Utilities valve or pipe or whatever in front of the house, and that it was leaking water. The grass there has done wonderfully well during our drought.
Finally yesterday someone arrived to do something about it - the Three Stooges. No, wait, it was workers from City Utilities. I am sure they are normally very capable.
I started texting my mom and Kevin about the goings on.
9:22am: City Utilities is next door digging up the yard between the sidewalk and the street.
9:27am: Little concerned now. I heard one of the guys say, "Whoops, that's not the one." Then I opened the back door to let the dog out and I smelled gas. I hear a sound that could be running water but see no water. And no one is near the hole at the moment.
9:33am: NIPSCO here. No more running water sound.
9:35am: Fire fighters are here, too. Oh, good! They have commenced digging. I feel so safe and secure.
9:37am: Fabulous! Gas is leaking again.
9:41am: Haven't they ever heard to call before you dig?
9:43am: Now the back hoe guy is cleaning his windows. The NIPSCO guy is back in the hole.
9:50am: They're moving the back hoe. I'm sitting on the porch now.
9:51am: The NIPSCO guy is still here. Not in the hole at present.
10:00am: NIPSCO guy back in the hole.
10:02am: Poor NIPSCO guy. He was all clean and tidy and now he's in a hole of muck.
10:10am: City guy is trying to engage NIPSCO guy in small talk. NIPSCO guy has been with the company for 41 years. According to City guy, kids today won't know what that's like.
10:13am: NIPSCO guy asked them if they were done digging and City guy said they still have another 5 feet to dig.
10:22am: Oh, god, they're getting ready to dig again.
10:26am: They're bringing back the big dump truck... The back hoe guy is ready... A new player has entered the game. Someone from Utility Locators. Dude, you're a little late.
10:28am: The back hoe guy is being so careful now, taking little baby bits of dirt at a time.
10:40am: They just gave me the title for my blog post - "Oh, we got us a pee-er." I believe they are spurting water now.
10:44am: No, NIPSCO guy, don't go! I only feel safe when you're here!
10:46am: I believe I just heard someone say, "You'll be okay to dig under that gas line."
And that was my morning! :) The good news is I did not have to evacuate four cats and a dog and precious items by myself and my house did not get blown up. Considering the way the rest of August has gone, I think this means things are looking up!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Project Runway - Team Challenge!
Don't you love the team challenges? They actually give me a little stress because I hate to watch people do nothing but argue.
I felt if Raul and Fabio had switched teams, Team 6 would not have had so much arguing. It seemed to me that all the arguing done about what they were going to make was started by something Raul said. I'm so glad to see his cupie doll hair go bye-bye again. He did nothing but whine and complain. I'm not sure why the designers were so happy to have him back.
Once again, Dmitry turned out a beautiful design.
Ven's was quite nice, but has he got anything else up his sleeve besides the folded looks he's done so far? Why haven't we heard the judges saying anything about it yet?
In looking at these photos again, I also am noticing that in the pink dress the bust does not fit well, there's something weird happening at the front of Kenley's skirt, and the kind of yellow/gold dress doesn't seem to fit all that well at the sides and across the belly. Maybe Ven is not as great as everyone believes?
Kevin was not impressed with Melissa's blue dress but I actually liked it. I've always kind of liked cowl necks, though, and boat necks, and this was a kind of combination.
I did wonder about some of the designs. Maybe I've worked at the library too long, or maybe it's being in the Midwest, but how many offices allow sleeveless tops? Not to mention the one-shouldered garment sent down the runway by Nathan:
It's a little bit sexy for the old nine-to-five. And was he trying to emulate Ven by adding the pleat across the crotch?
I loved Dmitry's error in trying to call Ven a "one trick pony." "One way monkey" is definitely a phrase I want to add to my lexicon. :) Dmitry had better make it to the final three.
What demon is Elena channeling? When she turned around and told Melissa not to talk to her that way, I was amused. Hadn't Elena been talking to everyone else that way the entire day? If you can dish it out, you'd better be able to take it. I did feel sorry for her at the end when Raul announced loudly in front of everyone that he hated her. Multiple times. That was just rude. I don't know that she cared all that much but it looked like it was a little embarrassing for her. I want to know what was said after Raul left the room.
Kevin is still eagerly awaiting the departure of Gunnar, though Gunnar was really not too bad this week. That was probably due to the fact they were focusing on Elena's craziness and Raul's whining.
Overall, the clothes on this episode were attractive, not necessarily appropriate for the office, but there was nothing terribly interesting except Melissa's dress. I hope they get an avant garde challenge where they actually have a couple of days to create the outfit. And that they actually create an avant garde look, unlike past seasons. Or give them a Bob Mackie challenge. I want to see some amazing gowns! I want to see feathers and sequins and outrageousness from this group. Because right now I don't believe they could do it. Everything so far this season has been safe. Everyone needs to take it up a notch.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Project Runway
You may or may not be aware that I am a huge Project Runway fan. Mondo rocks! Other favorite designers include: Seth Aaron, Rami, Epperson, Mychael, Uli, Nick Verreos, Santino,Daniel Vosovic, and Kara Saun and personalities Austin Scarlett, Andrae, Anthony Williams, and Santino (yes, he makes both categories). I also love Heidi and Michael and Nina, and my husband and I adore Tim Gunn. (I have managed to get my hubby to watch episodes with me and he is very vocal about who he likes and dislikes and who should win and go home.)
We are now in Season 10 and I have to say episode 3 was hilarious. The thing that made it so hysterical for me? Gunnar and Kooan being partnered and having to design for Irina, season 6 winner. If you've never watched, you just won't get it, but it made me laugh for a very long time.
And then they made the top two. What? I think I missed the episode where they made a completely different dress that was actually good. I was so confused by it, I can't even describe. Meana Irina was giving them looks that would curdle milk, they stitched a frowney face on her bum because the dress did not fit properly, and it was... it was awful, just awful. Even Kooan was confused.
Ven ended up winning with a navy dress designed for former contestant Kenley. I thought the dress was too short to wear to the Emmy's, and did not have any oomph. It was well-constructed and they listened when Kenley told them what she wanted, but I think the skirt should have been a sheath with a slit up the back, not too high. It wouldn't have been 1950s picnic, but it would have been appropriate to wear to the Emmy's. I'll be interested to see if the dress changes by the time the Emmy's roll around.
Contestant Andrea left in the middle of the night after a rough judging session where her assigned partner told the judges she'd said it would be a relief to go home. And that it took her 12 hours to cut the skirt of the dress. And other assorted things which were true, but he was a little overwrought by it all.
I'd like to see an actual outfit designed by Nathan and Fabio, because we haven't really seen what they can do yet. Lots of people talk about Sonjia but she has not impressed me so far. I mean, her stuff has been well-crafted, just not terribly interesting. And I know she's bizarre, but I hope Buffi gets to stay around for a while; she's fun.
I picked the three who have left so far, so no surprises there. I don't think Kooan will last very much longer because his designs are too Japanese street for the judges. Hubby is gunning for Gunnar to go. He finds him terribly annoying and arrogant, and it always takes us a moment to distinguish him from Christopher. I think they were separated at birth.
Can't wait to see next week's episode where a designer decides to go home!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Death in the Family
My half-sister's husband, Ladd, committed suicide on Saturday, leaving behind my half-sister Kimberlee, and their children Emilee, Christianna, Samuel, Ladd, Wade, Rebekah and Mary Caroline. The funeral yesterday went as well as that sort of thing goes.
It started with a procession of fire trucks and a couple other official
vehicles making their way to the church. The chief carried Ladd's
cremains into the church and Kimberlee and all the kids rode in the
first fire truck and were each escorted in by uniformed fire fighters.
The family went in after that and then the rest of the crowd. There were
a lot of people there. There were even people lining the sidewalk
outside the fire station as we drove by on our way to the church.
A harpist was playing as people were seated. When the guests were
seated, firefighters from Sturgis, Coldwater, Clay, St. Joe,
Centerville, and a few others walked in and stood on either side of the
pews, then were seated. It made quite an impact. Among them were also a
few police officers, EMT's and a couple of city officials.
The first thing we did was stand and sing a hymn. Then the fire chief
got up to speak and that was difficult. He told a lot of stories about
Ladd's life at the fire station. One was that one day Ladd caught a
giant spider at the fire station and had it in a bottle and was going to
take it home to show the kids. He was showing everyone at the fire
station during the day. One of the other firefighters is afraid of
spiders and during the day the spider died so Ladd threw it away but put
the empty bottle, open, in the other firefighter's locker. So he opened
his locker and saw the spider bottle, empty, among his things. A few
stories along those lines. He got choked up toward the end and had
difficulty speaking. Ladd had been a firefighter there for 27 years.
The next speaker was Ladd's oldest daughter, Emilee. She told stories of
memories she had of her dad, of how when she was a kid he would give
her candy when they were out running errands and they would always hide
the wrappers so Kim didn't know. How they had a special whistle so if
they were in the woods and needed to find each other they could whistle.
(Their house is in the woods.) How she would chop wood with him and she
would say she couldn't do it and he would always tell her she could,
and how he taught her endurance and perseverance. She spoke well and
didn't get too choked up, but right after she spoke her younger sister
Christianna, 15, was going to play the piano and sing a song she had
written while they were searching for her dad, and when she got to the piano
she burst into tears and couldn't do it. Luckily they had a recording
of it so they played that instead and it was quite lovely.
After that, the pastor got up and talked a lot about sin. He did tell a
story about how one time Ladd was holding a little child and standing on
a deck and how the deck collapsed and Ladd just curled himself around
the child and protected him from getting hurt while Ladd ended up
getting a compound fracture in his ankle. We sang Amazing Grace, and
then a friend of Ladd's spoke and read a bible passage.
I talked to Kim after and she said she had prepared herself for all
those pieces of the funeral, but what she had forgotten was the call to
duty that happened at the end, and when they got to that part she just
cried so hard. One of the firefighters spoke and I'm pretty sure he was
broadcasting from the fire station out onto the official channels. He
said Ladd was at peace. Then the bagpipes played Amazing Grace and one
of the firefighters stood at the box holding Ladd's cremains and gave a
slow motion salute. The firefighters walked back out, each touching
Ladd's helmet as they passed. Then a few came back in to escort the family out of the church.
I found myself getting so angry anytime they mentioned that Ladd left
behind a wife and seven children. They had photos of the family outside
and the photos were taken a month ago, and there was a slideshow of Ladd
through the years, pictures of him at the Grand Canyon and other
places, pictures with his kids, pictures with Kim, and it's just
impossible to understand what happened. Emilee had also told a story of
how she had gone through a period of depression in her teen years and
how he encouraged her and told her time would heal and gave her wisdom.
It's just difficult to comprehend. And very sad.
Favorite Olympic Moments - Midori Ito
Midori Ito, from Japan, was one of the favorites to win gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics. The hopes of her country weighed heavily upon her and she had a troubled short program, after which she was in fourth place. If she won the long program, she could still get the gold. But her long program began with a failed triple axel. She added one in at the end of the program and landed it successfully, becoming the first woman ever to land a triple axel at the Olympics. Midori won the silver medal, apologizing to her country for not winning the gold. Midori was the first woman to land a triple/triple combination in competition and to land seven triple jumps in a free program.
This is her exhibition program at the 1992 Olympics, after all the pressure was off.Her smile and joy really come through.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Favorite Olympic Moments - Torville & Dean
Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean were competitors from Great Britain who performed in the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics. Their emotional Bolero routine is one of the classic Olympic moments.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Favorite Olympic Moments - 1980 US Hockey Team
American amateur and collegiate hockey players beat the Soviet team 4-3 at Lake Placid. Commentator Al Michaels made his famous call: "Five seconds left in the
game....Do you believe in miracles? Yes! Unbelievable!" At the medal ceremony, team
captain Mike Eruzione invited the entire team onto the podium to celebrate.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Favorite Olympic Moments - Derek Redmond finishes the race
Derek Redmond was the favorite to win the race, but suffered a torn hamstring on the way down the track. His father came to the track to help him to the finish line.
Video with music:
Original footage, no music:
http://www.nbcuniversalarchives.com/nbcuni/clip/5110171AA3074_s01.do
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Colette and Sarai's, Well That's Dumb!
My mother pointed out a great, pervading dumbness prevalent among young men - you know what I'm talking about. The wearing of the pants around the ankles.
Okay, so they're not really around the ankles, but they could be at any moment! I'm talking about people who wear their jeans so low and loose, you fear you are going to get a glimpse of their Mr. Toad's. (If you aren't familiar with Mr. Toad, read one of my mom's romance reviews or just use your imagination.) Often, you do get glimpses of their tightey whiteys, which is bad enough.
Mom and I discussed solutions for this once. It involved magical powers and cinched belts. I'll let you fill in the blanks.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Sarai and Colette's Well, That's Dumb
Well, That's Dumb #3:
Ballocks. Men love their ballocks'. They love them so much, they make bigger ones to hang down from trucks and cars. Oh, yes. Have you not seen one yet? Let me share:
They come in all colors and sizes, even gold! Starting at about $27.00 on up, these dangling delights are very popular in the further reaches of the county, but can be seen in the city as well. Because the real thing just isn't good enough.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Well, That's Dumb
Sarai and Colette's Well, That's Dumb #2:
People need to be a little more safety-conscious. Are Colette and I paranoid? Maybe. You got a problem with that? All we're saying is people need to take a few basic precautions to protect themselves and their homes.
For example: People who are lucky enough to be able to afford to purchase large flat-screen televisions. Then they put the big box advertising they just got a big flat-screen tv out on the curb so all the burglars know they have nice stuff. Doesn't have to be a tv. Could be a new computer, a sound system, etc. What they should really do is put a sign on the empty box that says "AVAILABLE INSIDE - I'M A STEAL!" Cut up your cardboard, people.
Do you have something in mind that you think is Dumb? Send me an email! Colette and I will discuss it in our best snarky voices and if we feel it is worthy, we'll post it. :)
Friday, March 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Sarai and Colette's "Well, that's dumb"
Welcome to Sarai and Colette's Well, That's Dumb series. It began as a simple conversation about how people do the dumbest things and we just don't get it. We, of course, never do dumb things because we are Better Than That. :)
Dumb thing #1: I had seen this before and it always made me crazy, but then I saw it again on the Fail blog. You know what I'm talking about - those little stick figure stickers people have started putting on the back of their vehicles, which tells the world how many children they have and what ages they are. The one on the Fail blog also had the children's names listed.
Why is this dumb? Ax murderers, people! (You will no doubt hear more about ax murderers in this series in the future. They are my favorite bad guy.) Child molesters, kidnappers, Bad Guys. Why would you want to broadcast such personal information to a bunch of strangers? They probably do the same thing on their Facebook accounts, adding, "We'll be home tonight between Ashley's piano lessons and Connor's baseball practice, so come visit!"
Dumb.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
My Dad, the Dog Challenged
This isn't really about my dad. It's about my doofy dog, Logan, and his best friend Asia, and a time a couple of years ago when the air was fresh, the sun was shining, and the gate was open. I blogged about it once before but was chastised for not having any new posts on my blog, and it was the story that came up in conversation, so here goes...
At the time, Dad was working on building a deck onto my back porch. He was carrying things in and out of the back yard and he decided it would be a good idea to leave the gate open so he would not have to lock and unlock it each time he came through. His brain told him it would be all right to leave the gate open, though I'm not sure why. We had already had an incident at Mongo where Dad took the dogs to the camp land, opened the truck door, and they promptly ran off the property, across the street, and into a cow pasture where they tipped a baby cow. Yes, these are the dogs Dad entrusted with an open gate.
It was about an hour or so before Dad realized the dogs were being awfully quiet and took a look around. Strangely enough, they were not there. So he called Mom and Mom called me and I called Kevin and pretty soon we were driving around the south side of town calling the dogs' names. In between calling their names we were calling one another and Animal Care and Control.
I don't remember anymore which dog was found first, but let's say it was Logan. He was found sitting like a good dog and looking very happy on Mom and Dad's front porch, because that's where you go after a morning of running around town dodging cars. How do we know he was dodging cars? Well, because Asia was found at Animal Care and Control. Mom and I dutifully went to pick her up only to find a stinky, smelly, wet dog who apparently had been swimming - or drowning, depending on who you listen to - in Reservoir Park's cement pond.
Here's how I envision it - the two dogs went gaily running out of my back yard, crossed fairfield, crossed Harrison, crossed Calhoun, crossed Clinton and ended up at the park, where Asia immediately jumped in the biggest kiddie pool she'd ever seen, possibly finding it deeper than her kiddie pool at home. Logan, meanwhile, not being one for water, went back across Clinton, across Calhoun, and across Harrison to my Mom and Dad's house, where he waited patiently for someone to come let him in so he could take a well-deserved nap.
The afterward: Dad has been lectured about leaving gates open and trusting idiot dogs. Will it ever happen again on his watch? Undoubtedly. Logan and Asia were also lectured on the perils of running across busy streets and diving into pools with no exit strategy. Will they ever do it again? I shudder just thinking about it.