My Best Chick Comics

I'm a huge fan of comics. My faves include Peanuts, Dilbert, Doonesbury, Fusco Brothers, F-Minus, The Other Coast and Pooch Cafe. However, my chick comics are the ones that inspire me the most. We ladies gotta stick together!

My best chick comics:

Apartment 3-G: Three women who are best friends try to juggle career, men and friendships. Margo is a brunette talent agent with a head for business, Tommy is a redheaded nurse and the brains of the group, and LuAnn is the blonde school teacher, who happens to be an artist. 

Six Chix: Cool concept. The comic is written by six chick cartoonists -- Isabella on Mondays, Margaret on Tuesdays, Rena on Wednesdays, Anne on Thursdays, Benita on Fridays and Stephanie on Saturdays. WOMAN POWER!

Mary Worth: An elderly lady who lives in Santa Royale, California, Mary is a wise gentlewoman who helps people get their lives straightened out. It's not interference, it's "being helpful." Right? Right.

On a Claire Day: Claire is young woman breaking free from her parents and setting out on her own. Similar premise to the TV show "That Girl" but without the fashion, Broadway and Marlo Thomas bangs. And even though she is struggling to make ends meet, she has a cat and dog.

Meaning of Lila: Lila is a young woman who lives on her own, loves to shop, has a mediocre office job and hangs out with her best friend Boyd, who just happens to be gay. They live for the weekends when they can go to bars and pick up dates. Does Lila's life have meaning? I report. You decide.

Between Friends: Maeve is a sales director and divorcee; she's back in the dating game. Susan is married and has a step-daughter and struggles with her weight and addiction to coffee. Kim is a feminist freelance writer, married with a son. Question: Does feminism still exist in the 21st century? According to the Lifetime Channel it does. 

Click on the links and join the party!

Dear Tim Gunn...

Dear Tim,

I missed you terribly! I'm so happy to see you once again on the new season of Project Runway. How I wish I were one of the designers on the show. Unfortunately, I couldn't sew myself out of a paper bag so it's probably for the best.

Nevertheless, I'm concerned about Casanova and the horrible situation with his $1,070 Dolce & Gabbana pants. What was he thinking? Maybe he had in mind to make "pants out of pants" like Ivy. How was he to know that his plan would backfire? Oh, well. Live and learn.

And as for the look he showed on the runway. OMG! Michael Kors was right. She looked like a pole dancer in Dubai.

Okay, let's talk about Ivy. I concur with the judges that those pants were the absolute worst! But I can't place the blame completely on Ivy. Those pants belonged to Peach, who appears to be a fashion designer that buys her clothes at Wal-Mart.

As for some of the others, Jason is channeling Laurel & Hardy, Sarah looks like an 80s drag queen, and Valerie should re-think the bangs.

My favorites are Kristin, Gretchen, Mondo, A. J., Michael C. and Nicholas. BTW, how on earth did Nicholas end up with the most beautiful model of the bunch? That girl is STUNNING!

Tim, I must say that you are the best thing about Project Runway. I love the way you encourage the designers and tell them to "make it work." Your insightful comments keep them on the right track and they would be smart to heed your advice.

Here's to a great season! I'm looking forward to see what new challenges the designers will face.

Sincerely,
Luana

P.S.
So what do you think of Heidi's new hair style? 

Going Places

So I'm in the process of getting my passport! Yep! You never know when you might have to hop on a plane to London, Paris or Rome. The first step is to get a copy of my birth certificate. I filled out the form and it will be notarized and in the mail Monday. After that, I submit my passport application.

The only foreign country I've ever visited was Mexico. I've been to the border cities: Juarez in 1969 and Nogales in 1985. No big deal. Everyone spoke English. I've never seen so many tacky velvet paintings in my life.

My Aunt Betty was in Rome (actually she was stranded there on 9/11). My mother-in-law went to Austria. My friend Mark went to France (twice!) My co-worker Annie went to Ireland last year. Friends from church went to Israel. Other friends from church went on mission trips to Russia, Africa, Cuba, Haiti and Canada. Hubby was in Russia and Sicily. My dad was in Germany and Suriname. My grandfather was at Guadalcanal in WWII, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a pleasure trip.

So here I am. Ready for my own adventure. I'd love to go to Europe. Particularly London and Paris. I would also enjoy a Tour of Italy (and I'm not talking about the entree at Olive Garden). I've been studying French and Italian off and on for years so I'm prepared for whatever comes my way.

Ciao!

Kent Channels Gene Kelly

Jose and Kent

This week on "So You Think You Can Dance" featured some amazing performances. Kent and Jose did a Broadway routine reminiscent of the classic Gene Kelly/Donald O'Connor style. It blew my socks off!



Then Billy and Robert tackled a Bollywood routine. It was INSANE!!!

Billy and Robert

Unfortunately, Jose and Billy left the show this week leaving four dancers to compete for America's Favorite Dancer: Kent, Lauren, Robert and AdeChike.

Picture This!

I'm chasing down my dream. Finally signed up for a digital photography class this fall! I've been wanting to do this for years but it never seemed to fit my schedule...until now.

A little history: In high school I fantasized about being a photographer for National Geographic. My parents had subscribed to that magazine for years; in fact, my dad still has every single issue from 1970 to 1975.  I dreamed I would travel the world with my camera and live a glamorous, adventurous life. But God had other plans and I got married, had two kids, and got a Master's in psychology. Go figure.

Anyway, I continued to pursue photography as a hobby. I'm the family picuture-taker and capture precious family moments on film (until we went digital, that is). But I also photograph what I call "art" shots. I walk around and find something interesting to shoot. What can I say? It's who I am. It's what I do.

I took this photo of the side of building downtown where I work.
The open window at the top tells a story.
I love the contrasting textures of the wall.

Revolutionary Road

I  finally got around to watching "Revolutionary Road" this week. It's about a 1950s suburban couple (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) with two children who feel trapped by society's expectations and are living a lifestyle they despise. They want to escape to Paris to live the life they want; a life that breaks the boundaries of the "American Dream"; Kate will work and support Leo, who will have the freedom to find his true calling. Their hopes are dashed when Kate becomes pregnant and Leo gets a promotion and a lot more money.

I recorded this movie on DVR and have watched it three times this week. The performances are amazing, the cinematography is breathtaking and the music is haunting. I would have to say this is one of the best films I've ever seen. Not so much the story as the combination of all the elements that make a great movie.

Inception

Hubby and I went to see "Inception" Sunday night. If you blink, you'll miss the whole plot. Very complex but totally intriguing. It's like "The Matrix" meets "Sneakers." Leo rocked, as usual.

Inception in the movie means to put an idea in someone's mind subconsciously. Leo is an Inceptionist.

The special FX were amazing. Especially the scene where the city wrapped around itself and Leo and Ellen Page were walking on the walls and the upside down street that turned right side up. I also enjoyed the anti-gravity scene where everyone is wired to the dream machine and floating in the air and Joseph Gordon-Levitt has to try to wake them up with a "kick" which is the sense of falling that jolts them out of the dream. 

Interesting "facts" about the dream world: 10 hours of real world time gives one hour in the dream. Also there are totems that the dreamer carries to test whether or not he is dreaming or in reality.

As if that weren't enough drama, there's a mystery involving Leo and his deceased wife.

I give it four out of five stars for the fascinating plot and exceptional performances.

Leonardo DiCaprio

So why is it that all of a sudden I'm a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio? Yes, I've always liked his movies but as an actor he was nothing to write home about. Until now.

I think it has a lot to do with his maturity and the choices he's made in selecting films. He has the luxury of being selective. He seems to have good instincts in choosing excellent roles.

Filmmography:
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) -- Double whammy with Johnny Depp!
Romeo and Juliet (1996) -- Claire and Leo sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G
Marvin's Room (1996) -- Tortured teen with a crazy mom.
Titanic (1997) -- BEST LOVE STORY EVER! I cried for weeks.
Gangs of New York (2002) -- Head to head with Daniel Day Lewis.
Catch Me If You Can (2002) -- Edge of my seat. Hanks in horn rims. Yeah!
The Aviator (2004) -- Star power: Cate, Kate, John C., Alec.
The Departed (2006) -- More star power: Matt, Jack, Mark, Martin (and Alec once again)
Blood Diamond (2006) -- Leo's poignant action movie. See Leo. See Leo run. Run, Leo, run!
Revolutionary Road (2008) -- Leo and Kate reunited as Ozzie and Harriet.
Shutter Island (2010) -- Leo the gumshoe.
Inception (2010) -- TBA!

Bagel Shop at Hingham, Massachusetts

So here we are in Hingham, Mass on the 4th of July getting ready for the Big Parade. We stop off at a bagel shop for breakfast. Hubby, Luke, Liz, Vanessa and Lily. FYI, I got a poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and iced hazelnut coffee.

Kent and Billy!

Kent and Neil "Damn Yankees"

This week on "So You Think You Can Dance," Kent and Billy were amazing!

Kent's Broadway routine with Neil was INSANE! They performed "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo" from "Damn Yankees." Breathtaking acrobatics, high energy, wonderfully entertaining, awesome costumes and nice prop work with baseball bats.

In his second dance, he performed a contemporary dance with AdeChike to the song "You Only Disappear" by Tom McRae. Those two together were beautiful. 

This was Kent's best week ever. He has a shot at winning now that Alex is gone. Poor Alex tore his Achilles tendon and is out of the competition. He was by far the best dancer the show has ever seen. Hopefully he will be back next season.

Lauren and Billy

Billy Bell ruled the school this week, too! His jazz dance with Lauren was incredible ("Boogie Shoes" by KC and the Sunshine Band). I loved Mandy Moore's choreography and the story of shoes that meet and start dancing together.

I also enjoyed Jose's Broadway routine "Mr. Cellophane." The judges hated it, but I thought it was terrific. Lovin' Jose the sweet B-Boy.

My favorites are Kent, Billy, Robert and Jose.

Boston in a Day and a Half

Luke and Vanessa on Ferry

So yesterday Luke took Vanessa and me to the market place at Faneuil Hall. I bought a Boston sweatshirt and hat and picked up some souvenirs for Jen, Parris and Jaden. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and we all ordered the Legendary Burger and the Vanilla Shake. After that we took a tour of Boston Harbor on a ferry and I got some amazing photos. Then we took the trolley through town and saw the historical sites.

Cityscape from Ferry

For you history buffs, Faneuil Hall is located near the waterfront and has been a market place and meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams and others who encouraged independence from Britain. It's also known as the "cradle of liberty."

Faneuil Hall Market; Crowd Watching Street Performer

The Market

The trolley stopped near a park where they were making a movie. Our tour guide said that most of the famous TV shows set in Boston were actually filmed in Hollywood: Cheers, Boston Legal, Allie McBeal, State of the Union.

Making a Movie

Despite the heat and humidity, we had a great time. We went back to Faneuil Hall before heading home and watched Magician Mike, a street performer. A funny guy. See more photos of Magician Mike at My Theatre Blog.

Magician Mike Street Performer

This morning, Hubby, Vanessa and Luke went on a helicopter ride over the city. So amazing!

I Love Boston!

Boston on the 4th!

That's right, gang. We are in Boston Mass on the 4th of July! People lighting fireworks everywhere! We're on the beach at Hull and the party has started. I'm spending the day with my FAMILY!!! My son Lucas (cool, funny geek), my daughter-in-law Liz (beautiful cat woman), my granddaughter Lily (age 5 cute little princess) and Vanessa (age 16 sweet and totally cool). Of course hubby is along for the ride.

There also a few animals in the family. Four cats (Jill, Tom, Ben and Baby) and a dog named Harley. Harley is a corgi mix and likes to chase rocks. In fact, HE rocks!!!

More later.

Going to Boston!

Hubby and I will be in Boston all week visiting Luke and family! We're flying out on Saturday. I went shopping with Alison and bought some vacation togs. Any excuse to shop, right? She suggested a picture book for Lily -- "Ladybug Girl." SO CUTE!!!

We'll get to see Vanessa, too -- our 16-year-old granddaughter who is flying out from California! Woo Hoo!

Best vacation EVER!!!

Stay tuned...

Butter Dish Dilemma

Hubby has butter fingers. Literally. He broke our charming porcelain white butter dish.

So I ordered a new one from amazon. I wanted something a little jazzier than plain white and I found a beautiful Fiesta scarlet butter dish. It arrived today. Along with three others exactly like it. Now I have four Fiesta scarlet butter dishes.

Moral dilemma: amazon did not charge me for the extra butter dishes. So do I send them back? If I do, do I have to pay for shipping? Do I keep them and give them to needy persons? Another factor to consider is that these are fairly expensive butter dishes...about $21.00 each. So, what do I do?

Attack of the Killer Mosquitos

Okay. So I go for a walk the other night wearing shorts and a t-shirt. It's summer in Wyoming and the weather is fabulous. I get to the end of the our block which leads to a semi-rural road in a quiet neighborhood. As always, when I'm walking I daydream. On that day I was was thinking about baking cupcakes, mentally going over my lines for an upcoming play, and wondering if I have the stamina to train a puppy.

All of a sudden I find myself in the middle of a mosquito ambush. I panic. I have two choices. Go home and spray myself with toxic pesticide OR forget the walk all together and watch Hell's Kitchen. I choose the latter.

The next day I'm ready for them. I refuse to wear long pants, despite hubby's insistence. It's summer! I'm not wearing long pants, okay! I have no choice but to use the bug spray. I'm careful to spray my legs and arms and keep it away from my face and neck. I go for my walk, rejoicing that I have outsmarted the mosquito hordes.

I enjoy my walk, singing "One" from "A Chorus Line" and basking in the beauty of neighborhood irises, the coo of doves and silent bunnies lurking beneath sidewalk shrubs. I'm almost home when I feel something on my leg. I look down and the little "buggers" have been sucking the blood just above my sock line. The bug spray must have worn off. YIKES! I smash the mosquito squadron, smearing my leg with blood. I'm in full retreat, running the rest of the way home.

The mosquitoes may have won the battle, but they haven't won the war. I have not yet begun to fight!

Killers

It's Father's Day and hubby and I decided we'd go bowling this afternoon. But alas. His knee is still bothering him and he can't bowl! No fun for him just watching ME bowl, so we went to the movies. Of course, nothing was playing that we wanted to see except "Robin Hood" (the Russell Crowe version). Unfortunately, there was no matinee for "Robin Hood" and we never pay full price at the cinema. So it was either "Karate Kid" or "Killers." I wanted to see "Karate Kid" but hubby didn't think it would be that great. Nothing compares with the Ralph Macchio version. Absolutely NOTHING!!!

So we went to see "Killers." I'd have to say it's one of the worst films I've seen in a long time. Yes, Ashton Kutcher was adorable. In fact, he was the only thing that made it possible to sit through (especially the scene where he meets Katherine Heigl for the first time...in the elevator... shirtless...in Nice, France... "Bon jour"...sigh!)

The best way I can describe the movie is "disconnected." Nothing made sense. The characters' motivations were inconsistent, to say the least. Mom was a cliche drunk, the neighborhood assassins were ludicrous, the car chases and explosions were pointless.

To give credit where credit is due, Tom Selleck was superb. His character had a little bit more depth than then others, and he was funny as the overprotective father/spy.

Take my advice:

If you're going to watch this movie, drink a lot of wine coolers first.

Sex and the City Revisited

Finally saw the movie. Definitely Style over Substance, but it was -- in Samantha's words -- "Fabulous"! I got a kick out of Big watching "Deadliest Catch" because hubby and I watch that show, too, as we snuggle together on the couch in lazy-evening mode.

Carrie didn't listen when I told her NOT to tell Big that she'd kissed Aidan. "Big" mistake. HOWEVER, the fact that she told him turned out for the best. Of course.

Fave scenes:

Carrie running into Aidan at the market

The ladies hurrying to pack up their stuff to leave the hotel

Carrie's "newspaper" dress

In fact, all the dresses!

Boston Performance

I've been practicing piano to prepare for a Boston gig. The audience is my family and the concert will be performed at our son's beach home in July. Happy Happy Joy Joy!

My repertoire includes:

Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata, first movement: Coming along nicely, just need to work on keeping the rhythm smooth. The ending also needs work.

Bach's A-minor Invention: Like all Bach pieces, this is very difficult. I've been working on it off and on for YEARS! I have the middle section memorized. Eventually I want to memorize the entire piece. But that won't happen before this performance.

Joplin's "Pineapple" Rag: I'm learning only the first two sections. All memorized! I used to know it but had to re-learn it. My favorite Joplin rag. The composer's notes say "slow march" which sounds so much better than blasting through at 90 miles an hour.

Linus and Lucy: Yep, the "Peanuts" theme song. I have an easy version which I've memorized. So much fun!

I can also play the opening bars to "One" from "A Chorus Line"!

Thank you. Thank you very much.
(Elvis impersonation)

The Tooth, the Whole Tooth, and Nothing But the Tooth

Granddaughter Lily's tooth came out!

Sex and the City 2

No, I haven't seen it yet. Just the movie trailers. Carrie and the gang in Abu Dhabi. Okee dokee.

There were some bad reviews. Okay, fine. It's not "Citizen Kane" but who cares? You've got beautiful, smart women, fabulous clothes, exotic locations and handsome hunks. What else can you ask for?

Personally, I'm a fan of John Corbett (Northern Exposure, Serendipity, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Raising Helen). So even if the movie is as bad as they say, watching John in a few scenes will be totally worth it. So there.

Stay tuned...

Iron Sharpens Iron

I've always been a fan of Robert Downey Jr. His screen presence is incredibly dynamic, even if he has a small part in a scene, there is something compelling about him that draws you in.

Iron Man 2 is your classic super hero film with lots of action, explosions and clashing metal. I really enjoyed Don Cheadle's performance as Iron Man's sidekick.

I think the first film was better. I'm not much for sequels. Only two exceptions: Rocky III and The Empire Strikes Back.

Best lines:

TONY STARK: I have successfully privatized world peace.

And let's not forget Hammer Time:

JUSTIN HAMMER: I'd love to leave my door unlocked at night, but this ain't Canada.

Day of the Living Dead

You may have noticed I've been absent from my blog lately. The reason? Total and complete exhaustion!

I've increased my work load which means more money, but less time. Also, my avocations have taken on a life of their own. Art, music, drama, event planning, baking, gardening, renovating the house, reading, Bible study, blogging, making movies, writing. Not enough hours in the day.

Not to mention the weather is beautiful and and I don't like being indoors working when I can be outside in the sunshine and fresh air.

The first step in handling the chaos is to set priorities. Which is what I'm doing. I make a list. I check it off. It's exhilarating to check things off a list. I don't if there are any other list-makers out there, but if you're one, you know what I'm talking about.

Future events?
May 21 -- working front-of-house for community theatre production of "Private Eyes"
May 22 -- church garage sale
May 30 -- VBS planning meeting: I'm the director this year so I'm "in charge"
June 6 -- church drama performance of sketch "The Finest Church in America"

Goals?
Take some classes in web design, photoshop and video editing.
Create a painting of poppies for my bedroom.
Re-learn Joplin's "Pineapple Rag"
Run three days a week.
Get video editing software and make a movie.

That's all. For now.

Ron Howard Films

I'm a fan of Ron Howard's films. I haven't seen them all, but the ones I've seen I've really enjoyed. My favorites are: Frost/Nixon, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and Gung Ho.

I've noticed he doesn't do romantic comedies. In fact, he's not much into comedy at all. Or action films. Most are straight dramas. He also seems to like historical themes.
 Here's the filmography:

 Angels and Demons (2009)

 Frost/Nixon (2008)

 The DaVinci Code (2006)

 Cinderella Man (2005)

 The Missing (2003)

  A Beautiful Mind (2001)

  Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

  Edtv (1999)

  Ransom (1996)

  Apollo 13 (1995)

  The Paper (1994)

  Far and Away (1992)

  Backdraft (1991)

  Parenthood (1989)

  Willow (1988)

  Gung Ho (1986)

  Cocoon (1985)

  Splash (1984)

  Night Shift (1982)

  Grand Theft Auto (1977)

A Day in the Life

Got a lot done today. Sewed curtains for the bathrooms (dark green with leaf print). Finished chapter 8 in my XHTML book. Updated Carly's blog and website. Studied Windows Movie Maker tutorial so I can learn the program; want to make a real movie. Watch out, Spielberg!

House work was a top priority. It's the only day of the week I can get it done (vacuumed, swept floors, etc.) I made meatloaf and asparagus for dinner.

Worked out on the elliptical while watching "Supersize Me," the documentary about the guy who ate McDonalds three meals a day for a month. Great movie! You'll never eat fast food again.

This afternoon I went for a walk and encountered a mean dog. Thanks to the Dog Whisperer I knew how to react: calm, assertive energy, no talk, no eye contact, no touch (as if!)  The creature backed off. Thank God!

I watched a little TV. Frost/Nixon again (recorded on DVR) and tonight saw Gabriel Iglesias on Comedy Central. Looking forward to Last Comic Standing this summer.

I didn't check off every item on my list. I still need to update my business blog and write the bio for my website. I had planned to go for a run, but I woke up to a blizzard. Spring in Wyoming.

I'm really missing my runs. I used to run about 15 miles a week. Then in 07 I hurt my knee, which cut down on my running for at least six months. Not long after I started up again, I hurt my foot. Plantar fasciitis. Again no running for several months. 

During that time off, I started to wimp out. I used to run at 6:00 a.m. in the dark, in freezing temperatures. It never bothered me. But now the cold is a problem and I don't like to run in the dark. The elliptical machine is a life saver. I use it almost every day but it's not like running.

This past Wednesday (April 21), I ran for the first time in MONTHS. It felt wonderful. My goal was to run for 30 minutes and I made it. Just barely. I want to work up to running three days a week for 45 minutes, and do the elliptical the other days.

Speaking of goals, I'm looking forward to taking classes at the college this fall. It will be so exciting learning website design/development. I'm getting my feet wet with the XHTML book and photoshop.

Life is an adventure. But it's also very frightening. I trust God to lead me and guide me. He never lets me down.

Male Prima Donna

Yeah. I like it. I like it a lot.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=249131969764&oid=2204598188

Home Improvements

Okay, so we decided instead of buying a house, we are going to stay in our fabulous mobile home for another year. We've also decided to do some much-needed renovations. We started with new windows.

This is the new window above the kitchen sink.

Hallway.

My office.

Detail of window and trim in bathroom.

We are also building a new garden shed, which is still in progress.

As for other improvements, I will be painting every room in the house.We are also getting new kitchen flooring and carpet for all the bedrooms and the living room. We're having a back porch built, rennovating our deck and putting up a back fence. Whew!

Kindle

Loving the Kindle ads on TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PERiTMZ626M&feature=related

The Cheese Situation

For years, our family cheese of choice for sandwiches has been Kraft Deli Deluxe American Cheese Slices. Delicious flavor, thick slices and perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Well, hubby's been doing the grocery shopping lately and when he saw the price of our favorite cheese slices compared with the cheaper brands, he sort of freaked out. So he bought the cheap stuff --  individually wrapped slices that taste like thin sheets of salted plastic.

Now it was MY turn to freak out!

ME: What is this?

HUBBY: Cheese slices.

ME: Why didn't you buy the good stuff?

HUBBY: Too expensive.

ME: I'm not eating this. It's gross.

HUBBY: But it's cheaper. The other cheese costs almost five dollars? This was only two-fifty.

This "discussion" continued, but in the end, quality won out. The taste test put an end to the argument. I guess it's not a total waste. Maybe he can use the plastic cheese for fish bait.

Casey James!

Okay, so I'm totally loving Casey! He's always been in my top three along with Crystal and Andrew, but I have a feeling he will make it to the end. I'm predicting a head-to-head with Crystal.

My dad is a fan of the show. This is the first season he's been watching. All along he thought Casey was the best. We have a lot to discuss.

Loved Lennon/McCartney week. As a die-hard Beatles fan, I had a blast watching the performances:

The Long and Winding Road (Aaron: no change in arrangement, pretty dull)

Let It Be (Katie: her best performance to date; relaxed, confident, connected w/audience)

Can't Buy Me Love (Andrew Garcia: not that great, but he had a lot of energy)

Eleanor Rigby (Big Mike: fabulous)

Come Together (Crystal: found the soul and totally rocked it)

All My Loving (Tim: his best performance to date; and with that hair, he even looked like a Beatle)

Jealous Guy (Casey: BEST OF NIGHT! I'd never heard that song before. He played acoustic guitar accompanied by cello...wonderful)

Across the Universe (Siobhan: not good; rather boring)

Hey Jude (Lee: FANTASTIC...brought in a bag pipe player at the end...very strange but cool)

So who will go home? Hard to say, but I think Tim, Andrew and Siobahn will be in bottom three.

HTML Report

I'm starting chapter five of my HTML book. I can't believe I'm actually learning this stuff. Can't wait to get the basics down so I can create with color, fonts and design. But like Forest Whitaker said in "The Great Debaters," you do what you HAVE to do so you can do what you Want to do.

I finished chapter four last night and learned about domain names, root folders, relative and absolute paths, HTTP (hyper text transfer protocol), URLs, linking to web pages, destination anchors, and the target attribute.

So much to learn! And I'm just at the tip of the iceberg.

Dwight says:

I hitched my wagon to a horse with no legs.

Everybody Dance Now...

"You all took a life here today. The life of a party."

-- Michael Scott

O What a Tangled Web We Weave

So I'm planning on taking some courses this fall in website design. Some people have learned this on their own, but I need STRUCTURE: a real live teacher, books, lecture, labs, etc. That's just how I am. I do not have the "computer" gene. But that won't stop me. I'm an eternal optimist. I CAN AND WILL LEARN CODE!!!

My goal is to be able to create websites for myself and others, and possibly work for a company or become a consultant. As an artist, I understand the aesthetic element in website design, but I'm really lacking in the technical aspects. Hence, the course work.

In preparation, I'm getting a head start studying on my own with a book called "Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML." I finished chapter three yesterday. Unfortunately, the copyright for this book is 2006 so it's outdated. However, hubby is a computer genius and plays around with computers pretty much all the time except when he's eating or sleeping.

Dwight's New Girlfriend

Isabel Poreba! The Angela-smacking, Amazon Princess of Scranton. She loves meat. She's O-negative (universal donor). She has birthing hips. Dwight's dream girl.

New Blog Design

Spring is here and it's time for a change. Fortunately, Blogger has made it easy for me by providing new templates and updated design features! Totally loving playing around with colors, fonts, layouts, etc. I've also incorporated more Wizard of Oz pics. After all, it IS Emerald City.

There's no place like home.

Alice and Charleton

So yesterday my good friend Jodi and I spent the whole day together. It was Sunday, so of course we went to church. She plays guitar and sings with the praise band. She's an amazing soprano and can sing harmony at the drop of a hat. Not me...I have to practice the alto part for weeks before I can sing harmony and even then I'm off key. God did not mean for me to be a singer, but that doesn't stop me from trying.

I am now the "announcement lady" at church, which means after the service I give the announcements of upcoming events. This week we're promoting the Creation video mini-series from Answers in Genesis and the Beth Moore bible study. At the last minute, the pastor asked me to announce that the church will be showing the movie "The Ten Commandments" starring Charlton Heston. It's a three-hour movie so we'll be showing it in installments over the next couple of weeks. When I do the announcements, I like to jazz it up a bit, maybe crack a few jokes or whatever, so I mention that Charlton Heston was my grandmother's favorite actor and every time I see him in a movie, I think of grandma.

Anyway: after church Jodi and I had lunch at Applebees. I ordered the half-size Santa Fe Chicken Salad and Jodi had the Chicken Fried Chicken. When the server brought the plates to our table, I noticed that my half-size salad was enormous and Jodi's chicken "steak," covered in white gravy, was the size of a steering wheel! I kid you not! It was enough to feed three people and a St. Bernard.

For the record, I've been watching Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay and he says restaurants shouldn't show pictures of the food on the menu. He's also against gigantic portions. Applebees is guilty of both, but since it's not a gourmet restaurant, I guess they can get away with it.

After lunch we went to the theatre to see "Alice in Wonderland" because we're both HUGE fans of Johnny Depp. Two thumbs up! We saw the 2-D version because I HATE 3-D movies (don't get me started). My favorite character was Bayard the bloodhound who had been captive by the Red Queen and separated from his wife and pups. When they were reunited, I wept for joy. I also enjoyed the scenes of Alice in warrior garb slaying the Jabberwocky.

When the movie was over, we headed out to Starbucks to get a cup of java. I had a dark cherry mocha latte (DELICIOUS! Best latte EVER!) and Jodi had a cinnamon mocha latte - special ordered. I've noticed that she's pretty high maintenance when it comes to ordering food and drink. Reminiscent of Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally."

During our coffee conversation, we talked about classic Disney cartoons. I learned that Jodi's favorite is "Sleeping Beauty" and she learned that I only like the Disney toons that feature animals: "Lady and the Tramp" and "101 Dalmations."

So at 4:30 we were in the auditorium at church watching Charleton Heston and Yul Brenner hash it out in "The Ten Commandments." I must say, Chuck and Yul had tans that would give George Hamilton a run for his money. After the movie, we stayed for the evening service. Jodi and the pastor played guitar and led the singing, then the pastor began our study in the book of Judges. (I've got homework...love it!)

I got home at 8:00, ate a hot dog and watched "Hoarders: Buried Alive" on TLC.

Day Done!

The Office this week

MICHAEL: Let's just follow the chain of events. Jo likes Michael. Jo invites Michael to house. Jo doesn't like Michael anymore. Hmmm.

Crazy About "Crazy Heart"

If you haven't seen "Crazy Heart" yet, stop everything you're doing, get to your local cinema and watch it right NOW!

It was Jeff Bridges' performance of a lifetime. I've always been a fan of Jeff. He can do comedy and drama equally well...very versatile. My favorite Jeff Bridges films include: The Fabulous Baker Boys, Sea Biscuit, Arlington Road, The Muse, The Big Lebowski, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Fearless, The Fisher King, King Kong.

The beautiful landscapes were breathtaking. I don't know where the movie was filmed, but the Western setting (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Colorado) brought back memories of my childhood. I grew up in New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. Yikes! I'm a nomad!

I'm not a huge fan of country music, but I loved the music in this movie. The bluesy, country sound really spoke to me and I wanted to go out and buy the soundtrack.

So what's the movie about?

IMBD says: "a faded country music musician is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him."

Rotten Tomatoes says: "thanks to a captivating performance from Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart transcends its overly-familiar origins and finds new meaning in an old story."

Moviefone says: "Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet Bad can't help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician."

I say: this is one of the best films I've seen in a long time. The transformation of Bad Blake is inspiring. He's lived a tragic life and tries to make amends for all the "bad" things he's done. He has many regrets and many sorrows. He reaches out to the adult son he never knew. He falls in love with a woman who gives him a reason to change. And through it all, he finds inspiration to write songs again.

Favorite scenes:

The fishing trip with Bad and his friend Wayne (Robert Duvall).

Bad calling his son on the phone wanting to meet with him.

Bad looking for Buddy (the little boy) in the mall.

Bad talking to Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) after going to AA.

TWO THUMBS UP!!!

Andrew is SAFE!

Watching American Idol results last night, I was thrilled that Big Mike, Andrew, Lee, Crystal and Siobhan made the cut. Of course, I wasn't worried. They are the best imo.

Surprised Katie is still in the game. Hmmm....I don't think she'll last long, though. Glad Didi made it; she won me over with "Rhiannon."

I'll miss Lilly. I would have liked seeing more of her in the following weeks; she always surprises me with her unique interpretations and quirky voice.

Prediction: Next to go (Lacey or Katie...Tim or Aaron)

Katelyn and Katie Have Got to Go

On American Idol this week, the final 12 will be revealed. That's when the hard-core competition really begins. Genre weeks, pointers from the pros, Ford commercials, group routines...oh YEAH!

Katelyn sang Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move." Total karaoke. Nothing unique. No passion. No connection. Sure, she's a cute girl, but not "star" material.

Katie sang "Put Your Records On." She is just too immature. In a few years, she will definitely be a major contender. But not yet.

Tonight we hear from the guys. GO ANDREW!!!

The Office "Baby Cecilia"

Congrats to Jim and Pam Halpert on the birth of their baby girl Cecila!

Memorable scenes:
Pam nursing the wrong baby
Michael setting up Erin and Kevin
Andy hiding behind the plants.
The male nursing coach helping Pam nurse the baby while Jim looks on.
The cop pulling Dwight over and calling him by name.
Michael throwing the car keys into the bushes when told he can't park in front of the hospital.
Pam trying to tell Dwight on the phone where the key is to the house.
Dwight demolishing Jim's and Pam's kitchen.