Fever Pitch

LOVED it! I think Drew Barrymore is the key to a successful romantic comedy, and I have a huge crush an Jimmy Fallon. This movie had all the tried-and-true elements of good rom-coms: mismatched lovers, goofy friends, a big fight, and a great makeup, but it also had the fun addition of the crazy Red Sox fan. Fever Pitch made me want to be a baseball fan, and I can't stand baseball, so that must mean it was good! Also, knowing some extra stuff about this movie made it even more fun - did you know that they had to rewrite the ending of the movie because the Red Sox actually won? I don't know how it was supposed to end, but the Farrelly brothers had to change it at the last minute after the American League championship series when Boston actually came back from 3-0 to win 4-3. It's kind of magical that they were making this movie about the Red Sox, who hadn't won a World Series in such a long time, and that year, while they were filming, ths Sox made this terrific comeback and won. Mad props to the Sox. See this movie!

Fever Pitch - A-

Must Love Dogs

Must Love Dogs is cute, but not the best romantic comedy I've ever seen. It has a great cast, especially the supporting actors - Stockard Channing, Christopher Plummer, and Ben Shenkman? I love all of them, and I love it when "serious" actors have fun in fluffy little movies. Also, Diane Lane and John Cusack are just adorable... nonetheless, it was just alright to me. I think what put me over the edge was the family sing-along. I don't like it when families break into song for no reason in movies - it was ridiculously wonderful in My Best Friend's Wedding, but in Must Love Dogs, it's just ridiculous. If you're looking for a romantic comedy, there are many out there that are much better than this one, even though it wasn't really that bad.

Must Love Dogs - B-

Oscar Predictions

Like my friend Charlie, I love the Oscars. I spend lots of time thinking about my predictions, and even more time trying to see all the nominated movies. But, unlike Charlie, I just pick six I think will be nominated - no top five and runners-up. Also, I know so little about the screenplay categories, I'm just going to leave them out this time, but they'll be in my updated predictions that will come out right before the nominations.

I love the Oscars. I love all awards shows, but the Oscars especially. I can't wait!



BEST PICTURE
Walk the Line
Brokeback Mountain
Munich
Good Night and Good Luck
A History of Violence
Crash

BEST DIRECTOR
Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain
Steven Spielberg - Munich
George Clooney - Good Night and Good Luck
Paul Haggis - Crash
David Cronenberg - A History of Violence
Fernando Meirelles - The Constant Gardener

BEST ACTOR
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
Joaquin Phoenix - Walk the Line
Heath Ledger - Brokeback Mountain
David Strathairn - Good Night and Good Luck
Terrence Howard - Hustle and Flow
Jeff Daniels - The Squid and the Whale

BEST ACTRESS
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line
Felicity Huffman - Transamerica
Judi Dench - Mrs. Henderson Presents
Laura Linney - The Squid and the Whale
Charlize Theron - North Country
Keira Knightley - Pride and Prejudice

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Dillon - Crash
Jake Gyllenhaal - Brokeback Mountain
George Clooney - Syriana
Bob Hoskins - Mrs. Henderson Presents
Don Cheadle - Crash
William Hurt - A History of Violence

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Michelle Williams - Brokeback Mountain
Catherine Keener - Capote
Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardener
Amy Adams - Junebug
Scarlett Johannson - Match Point
Maria Bello - A History of Violence

Oscars - A
my predictions - B+ (I'm excited, but you probably don't care!)

The Things I Want

I have just discovered The Things I Want, the most awesome wish list website. You set up your account, and add items by linking to the websites where you can buy the items. For example, on my list, you can click on "ER - First Season," and my list will take you to the Amazon page for the ER DVDs. I think it's pretty brilliant. I don't expect to receive any gifts or anything, but it sure is fun making a wish list! I think I'm going to add a car soon. Or a pony!

The Things I Want - B+

Undressed!

You absolutely must check out Undressed!, the year-end review of celebrity bad fashion. Kat Giantis is a god, and no one is safe from her scathing comments - Mary-Kate and Ashley, Nicole Kidman, Fergie, both Simpson sisters, and even Madonna get lambasted for their sartorial choices (I learned the word "sartorial" from reading Undressed!). Here's what Kat has to say about Mariah:
"We could go for the easy Christo joke here, quipping that this must be where the saffron sheets from "The Gates" go to die, but Mariah Carey deserves -- scratch that -- demands better than that. The divalicious octave-jumper, who was apparently just teasing us with talk of a classy makeover, takes to the streets of New York in this Tang-tinted tragedy, which shows off her terrific figure and terrifically bad taste. The voluminous sleeves are perfect for keeping the little people from getting too close, while the fabric-collating center ring can serve double-duty as the leash holder for all her many minions. How tacky are these togs? They would have Cher, clad in a see-through Bob Mackie gown and 4-foot feathered headdress, shaking her head and sighing, 'Honey, it's a bit gaudy.'"

Oh, Kat Giantis, you are my hero.

Undressed! Year in Review - A+
me finally learning how to put links in the body of my blog - also A+

Boston Legal

My parents are huge Boston Legal fans, so I watched this show for the first time tonight, and I LOVED it. It's the quintessential dramedy - it's really, really funny, but in a courtroom setting with no laugh-track, and it has an all-star cast and good story lines. I would probably watch this show again, but I am already firmly committed to four TV shows, and this one airs on Tuesdays, when I have my night class. Boo. Maybe I'll rent the DVDs...

Boston Legal - B

50 First Dates

This movie was pretty good. I never realized how much I liked funny trained animals until I watched this - the penguin was funny and cute, but not as funny and cute as the walruses... trained walruses are awesome! The rest of the movie was definitely entertaining, and Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore played just enough away from the characters they always play to make the movie fun and interesting and heartwarming, but I thought the whole thing was sort of sad and irresponsible. I don't want to give anything away, so let me say 50 First Dates doesn't have the "perfect Hollywood ending," but close to it; I liked it more because it doesn't all work out just right in the end, but it made me kind of sad nonetheless. I know this doesn't sound like a rave review, but I actually really enjoyed it, and this movie proves that even romantic comedies can make you think at the end. Probably one of the most clever romantic comedies I've seen in a while, so check it out.

50 First Dates - B+
trained animals - A+

Cousins, Part Two

On Saturday morning, my cousins Mike, Lisa and Joelle cam over for a pastry and coffee breakfast (for those of you who have been reading my blog since its humble beginnings, these are the Mike and Lisa I wrote about very early on, and their daughter). It was very chill - I think some people were still in pajamas - and we had a delightful time doing a whole bunch of nothing. Dad's cousins on Friday, Mom's cousins on Saturday... good times.

Cousin time - A-

Cousins, Part One

Even though a bunch of my cousins live in Oklahoma, I almost never get to see them, so it was super fun when Tom, Kathy, Dia, Chauncey, and Chauncey's wife Jennifer came over to eat dinner and hang out last night (if you're reading this, you guys, welcome to the neighborhood!). That's Dia, my brother Pat, and Chauncey in the picture with me. There was a kid's table for everyone under 35, and since we outnumbered the grownups, they ate at the little table in the kitchen. After some delicious potato soup, we moved into the living room where Tom and Chauncey told the most incredible stories about their adventures in moving from Utah to Oklahoma and a "fishing trip"to Canada. As most of you know, I love a good story, and I can honestly say that these two stories have catapulted to the top of my "best stories ever" list - two of the top five now belong to my cousins. Way to go, guys! Unfortunately, I will never be able to retell them - there was just way too much nuance and comedic timing. You'll just have to take my word for it that these guys can tell a mean story... and would probably win if they ever went on The Amazing Race.

cousin time - B+ (if only I could retell those stories!)

The ATL

First up, my saga of the ATL: I've been to Atlanta once before, and it was awesome, but yesterday I experienced a side of it that I had never seen before - the Atlanta airport. That sucker is huge. It has a food court, for crying out loud! We had a lovely three-hour layover, and all I did was crosswords (okay, it's not much of a saga). Next time, ATL, show me what you're made of.

Atlanta - A
ATL airport - B+
three-hour layover - B-

Quick Post

Hi friends - I've been traveling all day and am now firmly ensconced at my parents' house. You'll get some juicy posts about holiday travel, my fun cousins, and delicious treats soon!

Project Runway

If you don't care about Project Runway, you can skip this post... or just start watching the show, because you'll be all caught up after reading the blogs!

Well, it was yet another great episode, and I couldn't love Nick more, but Santino just pissed off. I mean, it's obvious he's a great designer, but he needed to take some ownership for his bad designs. Seriously, what is this crazy frilly Bulgarian deer crap? Shannon is one of my favorite models and she looks ridiculous. Bad, Santino. BAD!!!

I miss Daniel Franco already.

Project Runway - A
Santino - D

Red Hawk Bar and Grill

I ate lunch at Red Hawk Bar and Grill today, with my friends Erika, Christine and Erin. It's Christine's favorite lunch spot. It was busy, but we got a table right away, and our waitress was perfectly attentive - not annoying, but she jumped in our conversation when she heard us talking about a bad movie, and she always kept our drinks filled. I had a grilled tuna sandwich with cheddar, and it was superb, and the accompanying fries were also outstanding. The only bad thing about the meal was that a huge bug crawled on Erin. We don't know where it came from, or where it went after Erin flung it off her arm.

Red Hawk Bar and Grill - A-

... And A Little Marshmallow Shall Lead Them

There are no words.


s'mores nativity scene - A? F? Who can say?

Murderball

This movie was sweet. Quadriplegic rugby? Yes, please! These guys are total studs. They may have limited limb function, but they are hosses. Look at Zupan, on the right. He's all tattooed and muscle-y and stuff. And Hogsett, all the way to the left, has broken fingers, his elbow, and his nose playing murderball... and he's in a wheelchair! Full contact sports with wheelchairs - it can't get any better.

Even without the hot guys in wheelchairs, this movie was pretty awesome. It's pretty uplifting, seeing what amazing athletes these guys are, and how they joke around about their disabilities (there's a scene involving an amputee and a cardboard box that is hilarious). I love that the filmmakers paint the Canadians as the bad guys, because there always has to be a rivalry in a sports movie, and the Canadian coach is the baddest of all bad guys. And we meet the families and girlfriends of these guys, and see them drinking beer and wrestling each other... really, it was great. I've been wanting to see this movie for months, and now I did and it was great. It's out on DVD, so rent it as soon as you can. It might not be suitable for your young kids, but I hear there's a PG version out there that is... but I would just get the R version, 'cause it's super funny and you get to watch part of a video on quadriplegic sex. Intrigued? Get the movie!

Murderball - A

Aim Toothpaste

When I was a kid, my family only used Aim toothpaste for our dental care needs. As I got older, I switched to Colgate Total Plus Whitening, and loved it, but on my last shopping trip I decided to try Aim again, mostly owing to its low low price. Well, I'm not fully satisfied. Aim is really foamy. Too foamy. Also, since it's a gel and has no paste-like qualities, there's no paste grit, and I feel like my teeth aren't getting as clean as they did with Colgate. I'll stick with it until the tube runs out, but after that, back to Colgate I go.

Aim toothpaste - C

A Pain in the...

You know what I hate? I hate when the underwire in your bra breaks through the fabric and the wire starts poking you right in the boob. That has to be one of the least pleasant things to happen to a full-figured girl. It happened to me today, and I had to tough it out because I was at work and couldn't do the ol' bra switcheroo. Looks like I'll be purchasing some new lingerie with this week's earnings.

Broken bra - C-

Sex and the City Season 2

I am really loving the second season of Sex and the City. I love seeing Miranda and Steve start their relationship, since I know how it ends. Well, I know how the whole thing ends, since I've already seen season six, but it's really cool to fill in some of the holes. I'm still waiting to meet Aidan, though.

Seriously, TV on DVD is awesome! I've watched about seven hours of SATC in the last two days, and I have a couple more episodes to go before I move on to season two volume three. It's just too bad that I have to rent from Blockbuster - I need Netflix for these babies.

Sex and the City season 2 - A-

200th Post

Break out the champagne and Oreos - it's my 200th post! If I were a TV show, there would be a big cake and the entire cast would be gathered around while I took the first slice.

Mmmm, cake.

200th post - B+ (an exciting number to achieve, but really, this post is pretty boring)

Happy Holidays from the Undead

This right here is why I love Ann Arbor - a Zombie Claus attack on Liberty, right in front of the enormous windows at work, where I could watch the Santa and elf (and for some reason, an Easter bunny) zombies lurching down the street. It was really, really great.

Mad props to the Zombie Claus people - I'm sure there will be pictures from the actual event in the next few days, and I'll post one up.

Zombie Claus - A- (most of the zombies moved too fast, and one guy was just way too damn slow)

Project Runway

I'm gonna have to stop reading blogs on Thursday morning if I haven't watched Project Runway on Wednesday night... well, it was another great episode. I think Nick's design was just fabulous, and he is quickly becoming my favorite designer. My new least favorite is Santino. Scratch what I said about Lupe - Santino is the new Wendy. They're nothing alike, but he's going to be the guy that everyone hates at the end. Yes, his design was very good, but not winning is no reason to sit in a corner and pout. I expect big things from Santino is the next episode, having to work in a team. I bet he flips his shit!
My condolences to the Raymundo fans - I liked him, too. Too bad he used that burlap stuff for the jacket, or it might have been cute.

Project Runway - A, as usual

It's A Finals Week Miracle!

MY PAPER WAS RESCUED!!! I am so happy. So so happy.

I have to give some props to my dad, who came through for me by connecting me to one of his IT people, but the extra special thanks goes to Jennie H. in IT... Jennie, you are my new hero. Dad, buy that woman a box of chocolate covered cherries!

Getting my paper back - A+
Not knowing what the hell happened to it in the first place - C-

My First Big Computer Casualty

I came home from work tonight expecting to write the final paragraph of a paper I had to submit online sometime today, then do some studying for the two finals I have tomorrow. Well, somehow, the computer turned my four-page paper into a 107-page paper with one line of text per four or five pages, and I can only see about five lines of my paper. Did I mention I have finals tomorrow? I should really be studying but want to figure out where the hell my paper went. This sort of thing has never happened to me before, so I'm kind of distraught. I need to write the paper again, but part of me hasn't given up hope that my paper in its original form is on the computer somewhere. If this has ever happened to you, let me know how to fix it (or tell me to just give up) ASAP.

My paper giving me the finger - F

Parcel Plus

I went to my neighborhood Parcel Plus to send a package to my parents (look for it on Monday or Tuesday, folks), and the Parcel Plus guy was so nice! He asked me if I needed any stamps or anything, and then as I was leaving, he said, "Do you know that the postal rates are going up?" I said, "Yep, January 8th, right?" And he handed me a book of two-cent stamps, on the house! Now THAT is good business. You better believe I'll be going there for all of my shipping needs in the future.

What's up with the Parcel Plus mascot? Do moose really send a lot of packages?

Parcel Plus - A-

I'm Everywhere You Want To Be

Like Paris Hilton, I too am all over the Internet. I'm on Facebook, Friendster, and now MySpace (and I did match.com, but that worked out pretty well). I resisted myspace as long as I could, but I never check Friendster anymore, Facebook really only keeps me connected with Interlochen kids who are now in college, and a group of my friends are all on myspace and I wanted to reconnect with them (and most of them don't read my blog... losers). I feel kind of weird having so many memberships in online groups, especially since all of them were supposed to be THE group to join. Now I'm in three, and I promise you and myself that that's my limit. If the next big Internet "stay in touch with people and have a web page" thing comes along next year and I'm tempted to join, remind me of this, OK?

Internet groups - C+

Dear Mr. Jesus

Child abuse is bad. I would never say anything otherwise. There are probably more children getting abused than we might think, so to use a catchphrase, "raising awareness" is probably a good thing.
But then there's "Dear Mr. Jesus." Oh, sweet heaven, is there "Dear Mr. Jesus." I'm going to include a link for this song, so that if you've never heard it, you too can experience the magnitude of just how bad ths song really is.
The interesting thing about this song is that it flips the standard children's-chorus-coming-in-at-the-end cliche right on end - a kid sings through the whole thing, but then a ROCK STAR GROWN-UP joins in for the final chorus. One of my best and fondest memories of my big brother his him mocking this guy. He was really, really good at it.

http://forevertears.com/DearMrJesus.html

I don't know what else to say about "Dear Mr. Jesus," other than that it has haunted me for the past twenty years. I'll let the song speak for itself.

"Dear Mr. Jesus" - F

The Christmas Shoes

Okay, I totally have the Christmas spirit - I have gifts and wrapping paper and I'm thinking about putting on my mix CD of holiday music while I do some laundry - but there is nothing that takes me OUT of the Christmas spirit more than "The Christmas Shoes" by New Song. This has to be one of the worst songs ever written. A dirty little kid buying shoes for his sick mother on Christmas Eve? Bogus! There's also the mean-spirited shop owner and the kindly stranger, narrating the song, who gives the kid the money he needs to afford said shoes. And then, of course, there's the children's chorus. Now, in such holiday favorites as "The Night Before Christmas" by Amy Grant and "Merry Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon, a children's chorus is used to great effect, but in "The Christmas Shoes," it's just overkill... and the song is too low for the kids. They all just sort of growl the low notes. Bad, bad songwriters. Bad.

In my book, there's only one song worse than this one: "Dear Mr. Jesus." I may write more about this gem another day.

The Christmas Shoes - D (it doesn't fail because it's so damn catchy - I guess you're not so bad after all, songwriters)

Raja Rani

Nate got a raise - yay! Partly to celebrate our new-found monetary growth, but mostly becuse we were both feeling too lazy to cook anything, we ate at Raja Rani, an Indian restaurant downtown.
Raja Rani is... an Ann Arbor institution. Just kidding! It's probably the best known of Ann Arbor's many Indian restaurants. It's located in this big old house, and while it is downtown, it's not on a very busy street, so you don't have to fight throngs of people to get there. The atmosphere falls somewhere between nice and dumpy - you have the juxtaposition of cool Indian art and crazy tacky flower paintings. Also, the layout is sort of weird. We ate at this back table that was at the end of a narrow aisle. But we weren't really there for the atmosphere... we went for the food! I'm not an Indian food connoisseur, but I love a good vegetable samosa, and the ones at Raja Rani were outstanding - spicy and mushy, just the way I like 'em. I also had paneer tikka masala, which is cheese cubes in a spicy tomato-based sauce, on rice. The cheese sort of had a tofu consistency, which was unexpected but very very good. I'd probably order something different the next time I went, just to experiment. Nate got a non-vegetarian dinner for one, which had all sorts of deliciousness, but it came on a silver cafeteria tray. No joke. It looked like something you'd see in prison.

In all, a delicious (though not incredibly aesthetic) dining experience - I plan on eating there again!

Raja Rani - B+

Nicole Kidman's Chanel Commerical

Have you seen the new Chanel commercial starring Nicole Kidman? It's fantastic, and yet thoroughly bizarre all at the same time. Baz Luhrmann directed this commercial and you can totally tell - before I knew that he directed it, I thought "Wow, this looks so much like Moulin Rouge!" Nicole looks fabulous, as does her super hot co-star, but it's just so weird. It's more of a mini-movie with a lot of product placement than an actual commercial. There's a three-minute version, but I've only seen the 1-minute cut. Look for it - it's visually spectacular (spectacular!) but a little too avant garde for me.

Chanel, starring Nicole Kidman - B-

Snow Day

Since every school in Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw counties has a snow day today, I had high hopes that I would, too. No such luck. Apparently college snow days are a little harder to come by.
U of M no longer has so snow days - EVER. A few years ago, some law student sued the school for cancelling due to snow - something about paying for class. What a bitch! Get out of the library and go play in the snow - it might do you some good.

No snow day - C+ ( I actually want to go to one of my classes, as I have a project due Monday and still am confused on what I need to turn in)

Project Runway Premiere

I didn't rewind my tape from ABC Sunday night, so I missed the first hour (I got home from work in time to watch the second hour!). It was good, but I'm not feeling it yet. I need a little time to get to know the designers, and I kind of thought the challenge was lame. I'm sure that deconstructing your clothes and turning them into something new is difficult - y'all know I couldn't do it - but it didn't seem as though it was a challenge that really showed the designers' strengths and weaknesses.
So far, I like Nick, Emmett and Santino. Their clothes were great. Surprisingly, I also like Daniel, who was the first one out on season one, before I watched it. His design was surprisingly good, and you can tell he really wants to do well. I'll be rooting for him, but I bet he won't make it to the final three. I think I don't like Andrae - he's too crazy - and Lupe - too up in everybody's business, but her clothes are good. She'll be this season's Wendy, mark my words.
I think Heidi Klum looked amazing when she was pregnant - a little chubby in the face works for her!

Project Runway season 2 premiere - B+

Small Talk on the Web

Blogging about the weather is probably lamer than talking about the weather, but it must be done: it is COLD here. I just checked weather.com (mostly because I'm trying to avoid a tiny bit of homework) and it is 0 degrees outside. Not Celsius, mind you. Fahrenheit. It is no degrees right now.

People who should not respond to this post: Lisa, because you'll just laugh and go put on a bikini; Erin P, because you'll just laugh and then go hitch a ride on the ice truck. Anyone whose current temperature range falls between Miami and the Antarctica is free to say whatever they want.

super cold weather - C+

resorting to blogging about the weather -D-

Life Cereal

Oooh, I LOVE Life Cereal! It is so delicious. I've been eating mostly cheap cereal the past few months, but last night I bought some Life and had it for breakfast this morning. Yummy yummy in my tummy! I could probably eat the whole box in one sitting, but then what would I have for breakfast tomorrow?
I wish Life was a little less expensive, but the taste is almost worth four bucks a box.
Almost.

Life Cereal - A-

A Real Preemie

Okay, let's do a little compare and contrast. Real preemie - looks real. Plastic preemie - looks plastic. Real preemie - wires and stuff. Plastic preemie - all sorts of wires and stuff (not in this picture, but keep watching Grey's Anatomy). Real preemie - eyes! Plastic preemie - tape over eyes! (again, watch GA and other medical shows) Real preemie - looks like a real baby, only mini. Plastic preemie - looks like an alien.

Hands down winner: real preemie!

Thanks to my friend Sarah for allowing me to post this picture of her baby, who is now about 18 months old and doing great, by the way.

Medical people (you know who you are) - do you think fake preemies are at all accurate?

Real preemies (as opposed to fake ones) - A
Emma's brush with Internet stardom - A+

Animatronic Preemies

Years of watching ER coupled with the last two weeks of Grey's Anatomy have taught me something: the animatronic guys still need a little work on premature babies. When I look at that baby in the picture, I don't think "oh, sad little preemie." No, I think "mildly creepy baby-esque hunk of plastic." I'm not personally acquainted with any premature babies, but to me, the ones we see in TV shows always look fake. Step it up a little, folks, 'cause you know we can't use real premature babies.
However, I have to say that the likeness of that Sharpie marker is dead on!

Animatronic Premature Babies - C+

Saddam - The Musical?

Say what you will about Saddam Hussein - military genius or crazed psychopath, I don't care. This isn't a political blog. I just want to point out that I think this picture looks like a scene from "Saddam - The Musical." Look at the staging, with one man right in front of the other, as well as the onlookers on the sides. Also, though it's an action shot of sorts, you can see that both men are raising their arms, sort of like the final pose in "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" from Evita or "It's An Art" from Working. Plus, Saddam sort of has that Topol thing going on. If you look very closely, you'll see that he's really saying "TRADITION!"

What are some songs we might hear in Saddam - The Musical?

Saddam - The Musical - B (in the right hands, it could be quite good)

Fondue

Oh my heavens, do I love fondue. I went to a Christmas party last night and ate about as much fondue as I could stand... and then I ate some more. I mostly ate pound cake dipped in the chocolate, but I also had strawberries, cherries, grapes, pineapple, and itty bitty rice krispie treats, which I had never had as a fondue item before. It was sublime.
My roommates and I once had a dinner party where we served cheese fondue as the dinner course and chocolate fondue for dessert, and it was a big hit. Everyone sat around on the floor and made fun of each other when our food bits fell in the fondue. Good times.

Fondue - A-

Face/Off

I know I'm not the only one who's been thinking about Nic Cage and Johnny T. since we found about this face transplant thing. Remember this movie? I loved this movie. I think I've seen it about six times.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Face/Off:
"It's like looking in a mirror. Only... not."

"If I were to send you flowers, where would I... no, let me rephrase that. If I were to let you suck my tongue... would you be grateful?"

And my favorite of favorites: "I want to take his face... off."

Oooh, I love this movie!

Face/Off - B+

The New Ten-Dollar Bill

Oooh, I like it. Still, not as cool as European money.

I also like the tie of the guy in the background.

The new $10 - B+

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Sound of Music?

Yes, this concerned me when I first read it. Seems like Lord Lloyd Webber is going to mount a stage production of the movie version of The Sound of Music - upon further investigation, I discovered that he's just acting as producer, and is not adding any new music to the score, so that's definitely good. However, he is going to do a reality TV-style search to find the woman who will play Maria, and the show is tentatively titled - brace yourselves - "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" Ouch. How do you solve that problem, indeed. It's not like Julie Andrews could reprise her role - she's 70, for Pete's sake - but I think an American-Idolesque contest is a bad idea, too. Whatever happened to good old fashioned auditions?

stage version of movie version of The Sound of Music - B+ - on the plus side, it's the version everyone knows, on the down side, it's the version everyone knows
"How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" - C-

Yeah, Saginaw!

Saginaw, Michigan is back on the map! A winning Mega Millions lottery ticket was sold at the South Michigan Express Stop, 408 S. Michigan - somebody I know may have just won a share of 35 million dollars! This is better than that Simon and Garfunkel song!

Saginaw's new claim to fame - B+

Big Ten Market/Morgan & York

In case you haven't noticed, I have been on a spree using my Newcomers Club coupons, and today I went to pick up my free 1/2 pound of coffee from Big Ten Market. The whole experience was heavenly. At first glance, it looks like an old gnarly party store - I drove by it and had to turn around and try again. Once you walk inside, however, you are basically transported to the chi-chi-est food shop you've ever seen. I don't think even Zingerman's can compare to Big Ten. For one thing, it wasn't crowded. I think there were three other customers while I was in there. They had a zillion kinds of wine and lots of liquor up at the front of the store, then it moved to breads and meats and cheeses, and finally coffee and chocolate... and it smelled divine. The staff was incredibly friendly - the nice lady at the cheese counter gave me a slice of Comte that was so good, I had to buy the special Comte cheese and tomato sandwich. And yes, it was delicious. Nothing but bread, cheese, 'maters, and a little salt and pepper, and it might have been the best sandwich I've ever had. But I'd really like to focus on the chocolate. Big Ten Market might be dangerous, because they have hand-made truffles, little bits of really dark chocolate (the favorite of this household), funny fruity things from Japan, and other assorted goodies. It's a very good thing that Big Ten is nowhere near my way home, because I would have to start going there all time, and then I would be even fatter and poorer than I already am. Big Ten, also known as Morgan and York (the official name when they went big time), you are the cat's meow.

Big Ten Market - A

UPDATE - the coffee was delicious!

Grizzly Peak

I used yet another Newcomers Club coupon to have dinner at Grizzly Peak last night. Nate and I weren't "feelin' it" as far as dinner at home was concerned, so we thought we'd scope out this brewery downtown. Well, to use Nate's phrase, it was uninspiring. It wasn't bad, it was just generic mid-to-upscale food that we could have gotten anywhere. I had cheddar ale soup, which is one of my favorite things at Grizzly Peak's sister restaurant, North Peak in Traverse City, but Grizzly Peak's version was nowhere near as good as North Peak's - no mustard pretzels and an oilier consistency. I also had a chopped salad, which was basically a Cobb salad but all chopped up, and it was fine, but nothing special. Nate had a Cobb Chicken sandwich, and it was just a bunch of chicken, bread, and lame bleu cheese. Like lots of restaurants around Ann Arbor, it served its purpose - we didn't leave hungry - but average at best, and certainly nothing to write home about it. Which is funny, 'cause I'm writing home about it right now.

Grizzly Peak - B-

Dixboro General Store

Today, in my quest for my favorite brand of Christmas tree ornament, I went to the Dixboro General Store. Dixboro is a "community" on the outskirts of Ann Arbor - I call it a "community" because it's still part of Ann Arbor, but far enough away for people who live there to feel like they live out in the country. DGS had all those things that people hate about country houses: the cutesy little signs in the old-timey handwriting, the lopsided snowmen, tons and tons of Yankee candles, and those wooden reindeer that still have their log shape. Truth be told, I kind of like that stuff, but not all at once, and not all over the place. It was pretty overwhelming. DGS, of course, has Ann Arbor prices. It was pretty shocking to see how much those reindeer cost. Also, DGS says they're an authorized dealer of Old World Christmas ornaments, but they had a terrible selection. They had about ten different ornaments, and when I did some serious looking online, I found a store that has all the kinds of ornaments, in the hundreds. It was sad.
To give the Dixboro General Store some props, I used another Newcomers Club coupon and got a free Yankee Candle (and they aren't cheap) and 20% off something else I bought there. If I had more money and the ambition to have a completely country house, I would go there again, but until that day, I'll stick to my side of town.

Dixboro General Store - C+

Affenpinscher

Wanna know what I really want for Christmas? An Affenpinscher. I saw this dog on the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving, and his ugly little face stole my heart. Just look at him! I might choose one without chach in his hair, though.

Why do I love this dog? Well, roughly translated, Affenpinscher means "monkey dog" in German. This is awesome. In French, however, the dog's description translates to "mustachioed little devil." This is for sure the dog I want. Monkey devil with a mustache? Yes, please!

So I don't really want one of these dogs for Christmas, but I do want to spread the love for this mostly unheard-of breed. Go, little Affenpinscher, go!

Affenpinscher - A+!

Toothpaste for Dinner and Natalie Dee

If you haven't checked out Toothpaste for Dinner or Natalie Dee, go right now to www.toothpastefordinner.com and www.nataliedee.com - these are some of the funniest drawings you'll ever see. Drew and Natalie are married, so I think they borrow from each other in their drawings. Check this one out. I think Natalie used me as a model for the girl on the right.
Toothpaste for Dinner - B+
Natalie Dee - A-

Layer Cake

Here are some things I like in movies: heists; unexpected endings; double- and triple-crosses; large sums of money changing hands; British accents. Unfortunately, while watching Layer Cake, I discovered that I can't really handle all those things happening at once. I'm still not really sure what happened in this movie, mostly because I couldn't understand what people were saying half the time. I mean, I got the main parts, but I think there were a lot of small things I missed, mainly relationships between people. I sort of liked it, but I think it would take another viewing or two before I could really tell you what Layer Cake was all about.

Layer Cake - B-

Nick and Jessica Split

The thing that bothers me the most about this is that you can still buy the "Hollywood Weddings" special issue of People with Nick and Jessica's wedding pictures all over the front (and presumably, all over the inside, too - I've never actually looked inside, believe it or not). I just saw it at the grocery store yesterday. Not that there weren't already a thousand ways for these two to be reminded of their marriage. I just think it sucks that every time Nick or Jess goes in a grocery store, they'll see pictures of their happy day staring back at them. Wait, what am I saying? They don't go to the grocery store!

Nick and Jessica's split - C

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll. Hope the food is delicious, the parades festive and that your football team wins.

I'm thankful for the vast majority of you... OK, OK, I'm thankful for all of you. Twist my arm, why don't you?

Thanksgiving - A

RENT

It was great, y'all. Seriously great.

You want specifics? OK. The cast is as amazing as they were ten years ago, and Rosario and Tracie can totally hang with them. Rosario was actually pretty impressive - I always kind of liked her, but now I REALLY like her. Anthony Rapp, who for some reason gets last billing in the credits, is phenomenal. As for Jesse L. Martin and Wilson Jermaine Heredia - there are no words. They blew me away. They were absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking, and just so you know, Jesse is my new celebrity crush. I think I want to marry him.

Only two things I didn't like: 1 - Adam Pascal's hair. Ew. It's really shaggy and gross and makes him look like an aging rock star, especially since they show "early Roger" with short hair and he looks great. 2 - I also didn't like "Living in America." It was really music video-y, and none of the rest of the movie is, so it was sort of bizarre.

High points: "I'll Cover You - Reprise" - cried like a little girl; "La Vie Boheme" - I felt like I was in the Life Cafe; "Without You" - for once, a good use of the video montage!; "Out Tonight" - I'm telling you, Rosario is GOOD! This movie isn't going to win any Oscars, but it might just be the newest addition to my top ten list. It was everything I wanted it to be.

I'd also like to give a huge shoutout to all the people who were with me in the theater this snowy morning. You are die hard fans, yet you were able to restrain yourselves and didn't sing until the closing credits, which meant that I got to hear the movie instead of you. For that, you get an A.

RENT - A-

Oh No, No, No

Please, say it ain't so.

Britney's 'Charity' Act?
Despite reports that their year-old marriage has hit a rough patch, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline looked very much together as they descended on New York late last week, but was their trip to the Big Apple more business than pleasure?
Although the London Mirror says the déclassé duo hit the town to shop their problems away (aka "retail-relationship therapy"), the Insider claims the semi-retired pop tartlet-turned-fashion-challenged mom of Sean Preston is in the midst of "serious negotiations" to take over the starring role in the Broadway production of "Sweet Charity."
If the thought of Britney warbling live eight times a week gives you a nervous twitch, consider this: Former backup hoofer-turned-underemployed wanna-be rapper Kevin could join her onstage.
"He'd be a dancer in the show," a mole tells the Insider. "The producers really want Britney and will do anything to make this happen."
Christina Applegate is currently starring as the titular lovelorn dancer in the revival, which the Federlines took in on Thursday (for their big night out, Spears wore a sparkly jacket stolen off the set of "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," while Federline sported snake-like cornrows that would have even Bo Derek rolling with laughter).
Britney's camp isn't commenting on the board-treading talk, but we'd be surprised if the new mom decides to make her debut on the Great White Way so soon after the arrival of her still under-wraps bundle of joy.
After all, it was just one year ago this week that the Britster gushed on her Web site, "To be a really good mom, I feel your child needs to be your full-time job. I want to raise my kids and share all of those precious moments with them and not rely on nannies."
Still, perhaps Mrs. Federline feels a connection to the production, filled as it is with ditties that some might say (hey, don't look at us) echo her own relationship, from "Big Spender" to "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" to "I Love to Cry at Weddings."

This is bad, folks. Very, very bad.

Britney on Broadway - F