Reflections of an Arkie in LA

What happened?

2011-12-30T20:06:00.001-08:00

I remember one year ago vowing to start blogging again. Then I made all of 4 posts during the month of January. But it's time for my annual Top Movies of the Year list. I still have about 4 or 5 to see before I make my picks. But rest assured, it's coming...hopefully.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

2011-01-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

This week, I went to the zoo! That was my LA activity for the week. I've lived here for 8 1/2 years and have never gone. What's worse is I've never lived that far away. In fact, I've lived exactly 5.4 miles away for the last couple of years. It's practically a hop, skip, and a jump away. So I finally made the trek out to Griffith Park and visited the zoo.

I haven't been to many zoos in my lifetime, so I was excited. I did manage to go to the San Diego Zoo, but my zoo inexperience left me befuddled with how fancy that one is supposed to be. I liked it. I had fun. But I wasn't in awe as I had nothing to really compare it to. I think I went to the St. Louis Zoo and maybe Tulsa or Little Rock when I was super duper young, but I barely remember it. Maybe I need to go back to fully appreciate it.

But back to the LA Zoo. It was super fun! I was like a little kid frolicking around oohing and awing over all the animals. I watched the elephants give themselves a dirt bath. I watched a baby orangutan showing off for his mommy and daddy. I watched some tigers lounging. I watched a bear playing with a piece of wood. I saw some kangaroos hopping around. Turns out they were actually wallabies. Learned that wallabies look a lot like kangaroos. I tried to take a picture of one that had a baby in its pouch, but you can't really tell. Needless to say, it was cute.

All in all, it was fantastic, and I'll definitely be headed back soon. Now I wonder what my next LA adventure will be?

Movies I Liked: 2010 Edition

2011-01-24T16:15:00.000-08:00

Since Oscar nominations are out tomorrow, I thought it was time for my annual list of favorite movies of the year. Overall, it was a terrible year for movies, but thankfully there were a handful of great ones that salvaged it. So without further ado, here we go.

Honorable Mentions: In no particular order, Scott Pilgrim v. the World, The King's Speech, Get Low, Toy Story 3, and Despicable Me (which I actually enjoyed more than Toy Story 3) would round out my top 10.

5) The Social Network. This was a great mainstream film. I look for it to take home the Oscar, although I don't necessarily think it's the best movie of the year. I love all things Aaron Sorkin, and he delivered a flawless screenplay. His ability to consistently write amazing dialogue is unparalleled. The screenplay was executed to perfection by all involved. However, I didn't really think a thing about it after I walked out of the theater. I think the love for this film is amped up because of the current social media craze. Twenty years from now when we're far removed from today's facebook obsession, I think this film becomes a forgotten footnote in the history book letting the reader know that they should check out The Social Network for more information.

4) True Grit. I loved this movie for two reasons: 1) Fort Smith in the movies! and 2) The dialogue. I've never read the book, but my understanding is Portis wrote the novel in the eloquent, almost Biblical language used in the film. Bottom line, I loved it. I'm not a big Coen Bros fan, but they do such a good job with Americana. They capture the spirit of a region and don't mock it, which can't be said for many people who set stories in Arkansas or Minnesota or Mississippi among others. I was blown away by Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. The girl deserves an Oscar and I'm hoping she snags it.

2b) Inception. I couldn't decide how to order the next two movies, so I've decided they tie for #2. Inception was the only summer movie I was looking forward to. I love Christopher Nolan and will watch anything he makes. He's the most gifted storyteller we have today. He does it all. He writes. He directs. He takes too long between projects! But I'm ok with waiting because it's always worth it. I don't think I need to say why I like Inception. Everybody saw it. It made you think. I love that Nolan makes smart films and assumes the audience can keep up. Inception delivered, now on to Batman 3.

2a) Winter's Bone. Did you see this movie? I hope you did. I know it made it to Fort Smith because I told my parents about it and they saw it. This film was Southern gothic/noir at its best. What I was most struck by was the authenticity. It was shot entirely on location in the Ozark mountains of Missouri. The cinematography is breathtaking, and the filmmaker perfectly captured the poverty of the area. Like the Coen Bros, the filmmaker did not make any judgements on the area. She simply told a compelling story and captured a slice of rural America not often seen in films. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

1) Black Swan. I never want to see this movie ever again. Now I realize that's not something you would say about your top movie of the year, so let me explain. I don't like Darren Aronofsky films, so I didn't expect to like this. In fact, I didn't even want to see it. But what I discovered was a mesmerizing psychological thriller. If ever there is a case for film as art, Black Swan should be one of the prime examples. Everything about the film, from the writing to the acting to the camera shots to the editing to the music, took you along for a ride into the maddening descent of Natalie Portman's character as she came to literally inhabit her role. It's not for the faint of heart and if you don't appreciate film as art, then you probably didn't enjoy the film and I can understand that. For me, however, it was beautiful and haunting and disturbing...but I never want to see it again.

Well folks, that about sums it up for me. Wonder what 2011 has in store?

Let's go see some comedy!

2011-01-13T18:01:00.001-08:00

My first foray into doing "LA" things involved going to a comedy show. I liked it so much I went to another one this week. Comedy wasn't really on my list of things to do. I've never really been a big stand-up fan. Let me clarify, I'm not a fan of blue stand-up and that seems to dominate. But what I've discovered is there are actually comedians out there who are "clean" and super funny. You just have to look for them.

Thanks to a brief plug by Judd Apatow in the LA Times back in November ("Comics on Comics"), I discovered the comedy of Maria Bamford. If you look closely, you may recognize her as the crazy Target lady from the black Friday ads. Even if you were annoyed by that particular ad campaign, I encourage you to give her a shot because that's the least funny thing I've seen her do (although I personally find the Target lady hysterical).

Through the magic of the Internet and Twitter, I learned that local comedians put on shows practically every night of the week. And they're super cheap! I guess it's a chance for them to perfect their jokes and/or delivery before actually performing for a paid audience. I went to a show in the back of a comic book store last week for the low, low price of $8. And this week, I went to one that was completely free. Granted, for such a low price, you have to take the good with the bad. But I was really only there to see Maria Bamford, so it was well worth it for me.

I'm posting some of her bits below. The first is her performing on Craig Ferguson and the following two are my favorite jokes she does. Fair warning, there is a curse word in the second clip. If you like funny things, I encourage you to check her out. If not, just sit tight and maybe my next post will be something that interests you more.

Hello Blogosphere!

2011-01-06T21:55:00.000-08:00

I'm back. Although I think I've said that before, but maybe this time it'll stick. I hope the world is treating you well, dear readers. Wait, I wonder if I have any readers left? Oh well, regardless, here goes...

Since it's the new year, I thought I'd start with new years' resolutions. I only have two this year and for the first time in forever neither of them involve working out. I somehow managed to jump on that boat in the fall and am still chug, chug, chugging along. My resolutions involve doing things that make me happy. I had a realization in December that I was letting life happen to me rather than living my life. So my goal is to flip that on its head in 2011.

My first and primary resolution is to do fun LA things. There are so many things to do around the city that you can't do anywhere else, and I've failed to take advantage of it. I've got a long list of things to do, and I've already started. I found a hole-in-the-wall comedy show that I went to last night which was super-awesome. I'm going to try out restaurants, museums, improv shows, and even take a workout class with Richard Simmons! After the great start with the comedy show, I'm even looking more forward to doing stuff. Sometimes I forget that I like to do things because my couch is so comfy. But I can have the best of both worlds and I intend to.

My second resolution is to blog more. I like to write. It's about the only creative thing I do. And the easiest way to write consistently? Blog! It's so easy. Why did I let it slip away? I'm going to make myself be more consistent with this here blog. I don't know how often I'll write, but whenever I feel like sharing I'm going to do it.

So here's to the new year! Happy 2011!

Farewell 20's

2010-05-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

Things that happened during the last decade of my life:

- Graduated from college
- Moved to California
- Interned at Miramax & Comedy Central
- Got my MBA
- Graduated from law school
- Passed the bar
- Worked at Michael's and Target while looking for my first legal job
- Got my first real job
- Got fired from my first real job
- Suffered through 6 long months of unemployment
- Went to Germany & Paris for the first time
- Found my second real job
- Suffered through my second real job in the face of a depressing economy
- Went to Germany & Paris for the second time
- Became an aunt for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th time
- Said goodbye to 3 of my 4 grandparents
- Totaled my beloved Civic
- Became a Mac user greatly opposed to the PC
- Learned to navigate as a single gal in the big city

Not quite the list I expected, but a good one none the less. If you would've told me at 20 that getting married and at least pondering the idea of kids wasn't going to be on that list, I would've laughed in your face. Funny how God has different things in mind.

Bring on the 30's!!

Today's rant is brought to you by the letter "S"

2010-04-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

"S" is for Satan, and how he takes no greater pleasure than in distracting Christians from our mission. No, he may not be able to claim our hearts, but he sure can screw with our heads and create chaos.

The topic of the day is dissension in the Church. As you may or may not know, I'm a member of a small church plant in Hollywood aptly named the Hollywood Church. I haven't been with them from day one, but I've been with them for over 2 of their 2 1/2 years of existence. I love my church, and am so thankful that God led me to it and the people involved with it.

Lately, we've been experiencing our fair share of "disgruntled" members, and it's resulted in a significant flight from our church. In the grand scheme of the size of the church, the numbers aren't too terribly overwhelming. But because it's a good chunk of my very small core group, it's a significant amount in my world.

Unfortunately, I started to let myself get caught up in the issues and considered bailing myself. But then I realized I wasn't going to be "one of them." I'm not going to bail on my church because it's not satisfying my every need. I'm sorry, but that's just selfish. Do I have issues with certain aspects of the church? Absolutely! But I'm sorry, unless these issues get in the way of the gospel message being preached each and every Sunday, then they're trivial. Should they be addressed? Yes. But should they cause you to leave? No.

So I challenge each and every one of you to quit running from problems in your church and instead be a part of the solution. Pray, communicate, get your hands dirty. It's not supposed to be easy. The Christian life isn't a walk in the park. And I'm not just addressing the issues we're having at the HC. This goes on everywhere. Probably even more so in the Bible Belt than out here. Quit leaving Grand Avenue for First Baptist. Quit leaving Eastside for Grand Avenue. It's ridiculous. Quit leaving your church without fighting for it. You're letting Satan win.

T-Minus One Week...

2010-03-13T16:37:00.000-08:00

...until Vacation!!!!! Woohoo!!!

I will go here....

And here....

And here...

And here...

That's right! I'm going back to Germany and Paris one last time, and I CAN'T WAIT!!

Oscars

2010-03-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

Mo'Nique.

Christoph Waltz.

Sandra Bullock.

Jeff Bridges.

Kathryn Bigelow.

The Hurt Locker.

Avatar: All Techy Awards.

The End.

Politics again?!

2010-02-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

You know how I'm always like, "I'm not going to talk about politics anymore," but then I always do? Yeah well, here we go again. I can't help it. I find it interesting. Good news though. This will be short, and I'll just post links to the articles I read. That way, you can check them out, or not. Your choice.

Palin Should Cut Out Hypocrisy

Why Dissing Palin Won't Work For Dems

As you've probably figured out from the headings/picture, they're about Sarah Palin. They're both editorials. One essentially pro, and one anti. Oddly enough, I agree with both of them. She may be the face of the new conservative movement, but let's be honest. There's not that much there to back it up. I faulted Obama for lack of experience, and I'm not going to let Palin slide for it either. She doesn't have much under her belt, and she quit the one big thing she was elected to to bask in the celebrity spotlight. On the other hand, the Democrats need to quit bashing her and wake up. She's connected with middle America, and you might just want to figure out why. Democrats have control, yet they're somehow disconnecting from the typical American more and more each day. 2012 is not going to be a good time for them if they don't do something about it.

Here's my solution. Republicans are dumb. Democrats are dumb. Let's forget parties and all become INDEPENDENTS!! Geena Davis for president!! And yes, that is a dated television reference. I'll let you IMDb that one.

A Church on Mission

2010-02-10T22:26:00.000-08:00

A friend posted this on Facebook, and I thought I would share. It's a great 2 minute video on the idea of a missional church.

Dear Super Bowl:

2010-02-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

Please let relevant bands/musical acts play the halftime show from now on. We get it. Justin and Janet screwed up. But must we, the public, continue to suffer. I'm sorry, but I don't care about The Who. If this were the '60s and/or '70s, then it might be a different story. But it's 2010. Did you hear that? 2010!! I couldn't pick The Who out of a lineup if you held a gun to my head. And that's even after seeing them perform last night.

And honestly, I don't even mean to pick on The Who. Here's a list of the previous 5 year's performers:

2005: Paul McCartney

2006: The Rolling Stones

2007: Prince

2008: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

2009: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

Granted, they are all legends of Rock and Roll, but again...it's a new millennium for goodness sake. When was the last time one of these groups had a major hit?!

Bottom line, I don't want to see old men jamming to songs I've never even heard during the halftime show anymore. You know, unless they're paired with some current performers a la my favorite halftime show of Aerosmith/NSync/Britney/Nelly. Now that was a good show!

Respectfully yours,

Hamm & Buble

2010-02-05T22:34:00.000-08:00

TV Shows That Bring the Funny

2010-01-02T22:40:00.001-08:00

What's this? Two posts in as many days. I'm getting better at this. Woohoo!

I figure I should post my New Year's resolutions, but for some reason I'm not feeling that just yet. Maybe I'll save that for tomorrow or later in the week. I'll probably have broken them all by then, so I may not even bother. We'll see.

Instead, I've decided to share with you a few of my favorite funny TV shows. I usually do a year end movie list, but I just wasn't feeling the movies this year. Pretty much a lackluster film year in my opinion. Now TV on the other hand, that's picked up some steam. My theory? We've finally weathered the effects of the writer's strike in TV land, but haven't quite weathered it on the movie side since those productions take a bit longer from start to finish. Hopefully the new year will bring a better batch of movies for us all to enjoy.

Back to TV. I think I'd sum up 2009 as an angry year for me. I spent a good chunk of time just plain mad. Granted, no one really knew this because I do a wonderful job of keeping it hidden. But that, my friends, is for another post. Probably a part of the NYE resolutions as a better attitude is definitely on that list! This is just a brief intro so that you know why comedies were a big respite for me. There are four shows that I look forward to each week because I know that they will make me laugh out loud and I want to share them with you. If you're not watching them, you should.

Modern Family
Hands down, this is my favorite show right now. It's the funniest thing on TV. It centers on one family comprised of 3 household units. The patriarch has remarried a much younger woman and gained a new step-son, while his two grown children each have their own spouse's and children. There's the traditional family unit of the daughter, her husband, and three kids. There's the previously mentioned father and his new wife and step son. And then there's the gay son who has a long-term boyfriend and a newly adopted Asian baby. Hence the title, Modern Family. The show is witty without being too highbrow, yet slapsticky without being too lowbrow. In short, it hits just the right combination making it my favorite show of the week.

Parks & Recreation
I love Amy Poehler. But after last season's lackluster premiere, I didn't have high hopes for this show going into its second season. In fact, I told myself I was going to axe it, but decided to give it one more shot and watch the season premiere. And man was I shocked. They found their footing and this has turned into a consistently laugh out loud show each week. It centers on the Parks & Recreation department in Pawnee, IN. Amy Poehler's character is a bit naive, but oh so passionate about her job. She has high hopes and works amongst a group of people who could not care less. Hilarity ensues. Since I find The Office getting to be a bit old, I'm glad there's a new show to replace the missing funny.

30 Rock
Remember how I just said I love Amy Poehler? Yeah, well same goes for Tina Fey. This is still the sharpest show on TV. Tina Fey's humor is just flat out intelligent. And while Modern Family has replaced 30 Rock as my favorite, I still have mad love for this show.

Glee, or more accurately Jane Lynch on Glee.
Glee is all the rage right now, so I don't have to fill you in on the premise. I love the music and the kids, but what makes me laugh out loud is Jane Lynch. I've been a fan of hers since I saw her in Best in Show. I think I would laugh at her reading the phone book. But in Sue Sylvester, she's found the perfect comedic villain, and she's given juicy zingers that have me cackling. I can't wait to see what comes out of her mouth when Glee returns to the screen in April.

An LA Christmas

2010-01-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

I talked my parents into coming out for a visit this Christmas. Since they've pretty much been there and done that when it comes to LA, we spent a lot of time just hanging out. We played lots of Speed Scrabble, Dominos, and Scattergories. We ate lots of yummy food including a full out Thanksgiving revisited meal with turkey, dressing, and all the sides. After my roommate scarfed down all the leftover dressing, I even tried my hand at making a batch of my own. If I do say so myself, it was pretty delicious. And Christmas wouldn't be complete without some scrumptious chocolate chip cookies and Grandma's peanut brittle. Did we just sit around and eat food you might be asking yourself? Well, yes. I had to get in a lot of grub before I start that New Year's resolution of losing weight, of course. But we also managed to squeeze in a couple of other activities.

I've been working on this post for over an hour and it's just not cooperating. So how's about I just state that the pictures below are from the following activities. We opened gifts. Or more accurately, I opened gifts. We visited the Rose Bowl. We went to the Santa Anita Racetrack. Dad loved it and could have stayed all day. Mom and I thought the horses were pretty and ate funnel cake while we let Dad play. We window shopped on Rodeo Drive after all the shops had closed because it's more fun that way. We went to Santa Barbara and stopped in Malibu on the way. A good time was had by all. Hope you had a very merry Christmas, too!

2009-12-25T08:18:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Bah Humbug?

2009-12-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

Alright, I have a confession to make. I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I pretty much love everything about it on the surface. And you know, the underlying reason for celebration and all. But, for me, it is the absolute loneliest time of the year. And that's even when I get to be with my family (honestly, sometimes that's when I feel the most alone). So no lectures about how I should just move back to Arkansas!

Being ridiculously single is somewhat tolerable most other times of the year. But there's something about Christmas. Seeing everyone out shopping for their kids and spouses. And the idea of waking up on Christmas morning to celebrate with them. And all the stupid commercials that shove it in your face. Yeah, it's difficult.

It's funny because I've been able to cope with it a little bit better this year simply because of one little thing my pastor said during his sermon on Sunday. It was one of those lines where you're left in awe because you feel as if it was directed right at you. He simply acknowledged in passing that it is a difficult time of the year when people often feel alone. But we can't let Satan succeed in distracting us from the fact that we should be satisfied in Christ alone. I belong to the Lord, but it's amazing what a great job Satan can do in distracting me from worship. Now obviously, this is easier said than done. But I am thankful that God laid it on his heart to share with us because it's amazing what a little acknowledgement of the loneliness that many people feel during this time of year and a few words of encouragement can do to lift your spirits when most of the time people just gloss over it.

On a happier note, Merry Christmas!! What an awesome God we serve that sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins!!

Movies, movies, movies

2009-11-28T22:37:00.000-08:00

I hadn't been to the movies in over a month before Thanksgiving day. That's highly unusual for me. But this has been a crappy year for movies, and there just hasn't been anything I've wanted to pay money to see. However, we've made it to the holiday season and things I want to see are finally starting to come out. So, in typical overdone fashion, I've seen three movies over the last three days.

The Road

First up, The Road. All I can say is don't see this. It was a waste of my money. If ever there's been a movie to label pretentious, this is it. I don't even know what this movie was trying to say. All I got out of it was a story and characters I cared nothing about. The pacing was horrendous. Definitely one of the slower movies I've ever seen.

Pros: Excellent performances from the two main stars and beautiful cinematography. Cons: Everything else. Bottom line: Avoid it like the

plague.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Next up, New Moon. I was pleasantly surprised by the latest installment of The Twilight Saga. I definitely think this one was a step or two up production wise from the first film. That being said, this is again only a movie that fans of the book will appreciate. I disagree with many of the negative reviews that complained about it lacking the chemistry of the original and being too dark and depressing. They obviously didn't read the books and fail to understand that that's exactly what New Moon is. It's a transition book that we must slog through to get to the good stuff. I'm also sick of those feminist manifestos saying it sends a crappy message to teenage girls about pining away for the perfect man. Blah, blah, blah. To them, I simply say, "lighten up!" or better yet, "SHUT UP!"

Pros: Better production value, faithful to the story, and alright, I'm going to say it...the werewolves and their uniform. Cons: I wish they would've spent a little more time developing Bella and Jacob's relationship. Despite the length, I feel they still managed to gloss over this too quickly. And the dialogue is so amazingly cheesy. It's the main reason I don't think outsiders will enjoy this film too much. Bottom line: If you're a Twilight fan, see this in the theater. If you're not, then you'll likely want to skip it. If you're just curious, wait and add it to your Netflix queue.

The Blind Side

Lastly, The Blind Side. This was hands down the best movie I've seen so far this year (or at least that I remember seeing). Even though I already knew the story from the endless profiles they did of Michael Oher during SEC games, I was still so inspired by the family that took him in and by Michael himself. Talk about Christians walking the walk. I hope more of us can strive to live our lives showing the kind of selfless love the Tuohy's did. The only negative reviews I read about the film complained that it was a typical white washing of a story. I take issue with that, it's a true story. Yes, he was a black kid, and yes, they were a white family. But that's exactly how it happened! This stuff wasn't made up. And my guess? Those reviewers are probably all sitting on their butts in their comfy houses not doing a dang thing for the underprivileged. So, to them, I also give a big fat "SHUT UP!" One last thing. I loved, loved, loved the visits by all of the SEC coaches - none of whom still coach at their represented schools. Houston Nutt even uttered one of my favorite lines, which I won't divulge. Let's just say it involves a cup, so be on the lookout for that little inside joke.

Pros: Great story, well executed, and a great turn by Sandra Bullock. That girl really can act, and it's about time people start recognizing that (see Crash for another prime example). Cons: None. Bottom line: What are you waiting for? Go see it!

New Moon Mania

2009-11-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

The time has come for everyone to choose. Who will it be?

In one corner we have the dreamy vampire, Edward, who sports an oh-so-lovely British accent in real life. In the other corner, we have the little boy from Shark Boy and Lava Girl who has transformed overnight into the incredibly bulked up Jacob (and let's be honest, he's still only 17 so all the drooling really is highly inappropriate ladies). The gorgeous brooding boyfriend? Or the gorgeous protective best friend? Life is tough for Bella Swan.

So, in honor of this momentous weekend, I would like to dedicate this post to my favorite vampire and officially declare my allegiance.

TEAM EDWARD!!

P.S. As much of a Twilight junkie as I am, I probably will be foregoing opening weekend and the throngs of crazy teenage girls in favor of a weekend after viewing. Granted, if I had any friends out here who shared my obsession, that probably wouldn't hold true. So I will withhold judgment against all of you crazies who I'm pretty confident showed up for the midnight screening. Own it!!

Won't You Tell Me How To Get...

2009-11-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Google and their cute little logos, I learned that tomorrow is the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street. Oh how I loved Sesame Street as a child. I loved me some Big Bird and Snuffleupagus (and yes, I did have to look up that spelling). But Elmo, he was my favorite of them all. He didn't come around until a little later in my Sesame Street viewing days, but he captured my heart and still holds it to this day. I remember singing songs and spelling and counting and learning little life lessons along the way. In fact, the first movie I ever remember seeing in the theater was Follow That Bird.

But as much as I loved Sesame Street, I loved me some Mister Rogers' Neighborhood even more. That was, hands down, my FAVORITE show. The cardigan. The sneakers. The hand puppets of Make-Believe. Now that was some good TV. I can't believe it's not on anymore. I guess it will just have to live on in my memories. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighborhood...oh won't you be my neighbor?

Hmm, has their ever been a time in my life when I wasn't in love with TV?!

Happy Daylight Savings Day!

2009-10-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

I don't do Halloween, so I thought I'd just wish everybody a Happy Daylight Savings Day. Or as I like to call it, the best day of the year!! An extra hour of sleep? Yes, please!

Maybe if I ever have kids I'll jump back into the festivities. But I haven't really done anything for Halloween since high school. And even then, I was only handing out candy. No trick-or-treating after elementary school in the Turner household. I like that rule, and it's probably one I'll carry on.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not the bah humbug of Halloween. I just don't see it as being anything other than a kid's holiday. So I look forward to seeing pics on your blogs of all the little kiddos in their cute little outfits.

As for me, I think I'll snuggle up on the couch and watch my latest Netflix arrival. Then I'm going to enjoy my extra hour of sleep. And tomorrow, I'll head to Target to load up on cheap candy. Woohoo!

Goodbye, Pappaw

2009-10-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today, my pappaw passed away. I was lucky enough to get to fly home on Saturday and spend a couple of days with him in the hospital, and I will forever be thankful for that.

Pappaw, thank you for being the best grandpa around. Thank you for coming to my ballgames and cheering me on. Thank you for taking us on trips in the camper. Thank you for the hours upon hours of table talk after our meals. Thank you for taking care of grandma when she could no longer take care of herself. And most of all, thanks for being you. I am so happy to know that today you are with Jesus. I LOVE YOU!!

Dear Jon & Kate:

2009-10-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

Please go away. That is all.

Respectfully yours,

A former fan who is sorry for the part she played in making you famous

Twitter

2009-09-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Do any of you twitter? I opened an account earlier this summer on the off chance that I jump on the bandwagon at some point. I don't have a data plan on my phone, so I don't think I'd get as much enjoyment out of it at this point in time.

However, I have found a newfound time killer, which is stalking everyone else's twitter accounts. And not people I know. Just random people. I like to go to the main page and type in something random and start clicking through people's accounts. I find it fascinating. I've always loved people watching and wondering what was going on inside their head and twitter has now taken me there. I'm sure the fascination will pass, but it's been providing me hours of entertainment and distraction which I've been in need of lately.

So if you tweet, beware...I may just be stalking you.

My Summer So Far...

2009-08-30T16:44:00.000-07:00

Alright Blogger world, after multiple requests from my loyal followers (i.e. 3 whole comments from all of 2 of you), I've decided to post again. Maybe I'll even be consistent and we can just call the last few months a summer hiatus.

Not much is going on out here in my world. I moved, which I think I've already mentioned. I'm back in the valley where I belong, and I love it! I'm just not hip enough to live over the hill. I'm meant to be in the 'burbs of the valley where there are tree lined streets, driveways in every yard, and < gasp > free parking!! Plus I like living right next to all the studios. I can practically reach out and touch Universal, Warner Bros, NBC, and Disney. Don't ever let anyone tell you that NoHoBurLake (a self coined phrase for the area encompassing North Hollywood/Burbank/Toluca Lake) is not one of the most awesome spots in America.

This summer, I've done a lot of going to work. They pay me, so I keep going back. I've done a lot of hanging out in my apartment and had a lot of good times here. Occasionally, I've ventured out to hang with friends outside of the abode. It usually involves getting food because we like to eat (and sadly, it shows!).

I got to go to Orlando in June to hang out with the fam. That was a lot of fun! Evidently I didn't really take any pics, so I don't have anything to share. But then Jolee and mom got to come visit me, and....I still don't have any pics to share. I distinctly remember taking pictures during both of these occasions, but I'm guessing it just wasn't with my camera. Below is the only picture I have taken during the latter occasion and I only share it with you because it's just so true.

I went to a Faith Hill concert at the gorgeous Hollywood Bowl and actually got to meet her. That was definitely the highlight of the summer. Lucky for you, I do have a picture to share of this spectacular event. And now this wonderfully upbeat association with the Hollywood Bowl has replaced the extremely negative previous association as being the site of totaling my car. Snaps all around.

Snaps, you say? Yes, snaps. I just went to see Legally Blonde: The Musical, so snaps are stuck in my head. That was super fun also. Did any of you get to see it? I'm pretty sure it's the same tour that made its way through Fayetteville earlier this summer. I bought the CD after seeing the musical, but I realize I like the girl playing Elle in the touring company better than the girl on the CD. Still enjoyable though. It closes on Sunday. I think I might just have to sneak back in for another show before then. We'll see if time permits.

So that's the grand total of what I've been up to this summer. Maybe the fall will be more exciting...

Life...and Stuff

2009-05-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Long time, no blog. Unfortunately, life has just gotten in the way a little bit. And it's going to continue to be in the way for another couple of weeks as I'm in the process of moving. I hope to get back to my usual blogging once everything settles down a bit.

On a side note, we just had a nice little earthquake. That's always fun. Makes you want to move out here, doesn't it?

The Grove (at the Farmer's Market)

2009-04-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

The Grove at The Farmer's Market, or The Grove for short, is one of those rare LA landmarks where both tourists and locals mingle. It's about a mile from my house, and I still don't go as much as I would like. Though I do get there fairly often. I don't know what I like about it really. I don't really do much shopping in the regular mall-type stores in the actual Grove area. Though I do love to browse around the Apple store and the best Barnes & Noble known to man is located here (I could spend hours upon hours in there). I prefer to meander around the Farmer's Market looking at all the little knick-knacks and eating the food. It's my go-to spot when I want to get someone something LA themed.

LA in Pics: Part 1

2009-04-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

To start off my LA pictorial, I thought I'd stick close to home. The rooftop to be exact. It's one of my favorite places. Anytime I'm feeling down in the dumps or overwhelmed with life, I like to pop up there and look out over the city and spend some time with God. It reminds me of how lucky I am to live where I do.

The view of the Hollywood Hills:

The view of downtown:

Sunset to the West:

Los Angeles

2009-04-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks, we've been doing a series on Jonah at church. All this time I thought that book was just about Jonah and the giant whale. Who knew I was so wrong. I'm sure had I actually read the book in my adult life I would've noticed that there was so much more to it, but in all honesty I hadn't looked at it since the last time I probably learned about it in Sunday School growing up. And I've never really gone to a church that does much preaching from the Old Testament. I've only become engrossed in the Old Testament in the last couple of years and boy is it amazing! You should check it out some time. Jesus is everywhere in it...even in Jonah.

But I'm not here to type about Jesus symbolism in Jonah. I'm here to talk about the city. During my community group this past week, I was struck with the following realization. Los Angeles is much more similar to Nineveh. But most people from middle America look at it as a modern day Sodom & Gomorrah. What's the difference you ask? Gen 18:20-21 says, "Then the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know." Abraham even interceded for Sodom & Gomorrah and God agreed to spare it if He found 10 righteous people. He sent two angels into the city, but the treatment they received was how shall we say...less than hospitable. We all know the story, so obviously there weren't any righteous people to be found. The inhabitants of Sodom & Gomorrah rejected God and were thus destroyed.

Now Nineveh was a great city in the days of the prophets. Much like Sodom & Gomorroh, they had turned over to evil ways. Jonah 1:2 says that God told Jonah, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me." But if you read Jonah, the story plays out quite a bit differently. After the whole whale action, Jonah finally goes to Nineveh. But here we see the Ninevites having an entirely different reaction. Jonah 3:5 states that after hearing Jonah call out that God was going to overthrow Nineveh , "the people of Nineveh believed God." They fasted and called out to the Lord. We see God's response in Jonah 3:10, "When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it."

Here we have two similar cities, but two vastly different results. One city believed, the other did not. Now who are we to label Los Angeles (or any city for that matter) a Sodom & Gomorrah? Should we not treat it like Nineveh? Is it not worth saving? Should we not flock to the cities and live missionally, spreading God's word among the unbelievers? Let me tell you, Los Angeles is not rejecting Jesus. Far from it. It is full of broken individuals who are coming to know the Lord because Christians are investing their time in the city. And I have the privilege of being a part of it! Now I'm not saying we're all called to live in the city. I'm just asking that you change your attitudes toward the city and that you remember to pray for its inhabitants and those of us here trying to reach out.

I've been struggling for topics to post about lately. I have a friend who's a photographer, and he's always posting pictures he takes on his facebook. This has inspired me to share with you the things I love about LA via pictures. So I'm going to try to post a picture every few days or so and write a little description of why I love it. Some will be serious. Most will be silly. But all will give you an idea of my life in LA.

Really?!

2009-04-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

America, I do not understand you. I want to call you stupid, but I feel that might be judgmental. What am I talking about? Fast & Furious made $72.5 million this weekend!!!!! Are you kidding me?! Please tell me none of y'all went to see that. I mean, I'll allow a rental of a movie like that, but to pay 10+ bucks to see it is just ludicrous. And I'm not trying to single out Fast & Furious. It just happens to be the movie of the moment so it gets my pinpointed ire. Now I enjoyed the first one, but did we really need a second, third, and fourth?! And Knowing a couple of weekends ago? I mean, c'mon! Has Nicolas Cage even made a good movie in the last several years?

Here's a challenge for America. Don't go see a movie unless it's gotten at least 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. Now I've said before that I don't always agree with critics, but rarely do I enjoy a movie that got less than 50% on RT. I'll even give you a few suggestions. Try Adventureland or Sunshine Cleaning or Duplicity. Those are all enjoyable, well-made films that deserve your hard earned dollars. I'm sorry, but films like Fast & Furious just don't.

My Phone's Point of View

2009-03-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

I just downloaded the pics on my phone to my computer and thought I'd post a few.

Some super-creepy looking models. I wonder if they come alive at night?

Are iridescent cars really that cool?

Sitting in traffic...my daily ritual. Though this was actually a pretty light day if you can believe it.

Fuzzy pic of my cubicle.

Who wants an Obama hat? I'm betting they sell a lot of those camouflage ones.

I wish I had more to post...

2009-03-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

This week has been super-boring!!

On the plus side, my eyes may have actually recovered. At least, it's looking that way. I started wearing my contacts on Tuesday and three days later, still no sign of redness. The eyeballs are still white! And I got my new glasses which I think are super-cute. Maybe I'll add a picture later.

I've been obsessively listening to my Cabaret CD since Natasha Richardson died because I'm bizarre like that. She sings on the broadway CD in case you're wondering what the connection is. I mentioned on facebook that we shared a birthday and had sisters named Jolee/Joely, so I've been aware of her for quite awhile whereas others may not know her so much. Freak accidents like that are scary and always get my mind racing wondering what I'd do if something like that happened to one of my family members. Here's hoping I don't ever find out!

I've had a hard time getting up this week. It's still so dark when I wake up. It's just not right!! I shouldn't be up before the sun.

Alright, that's all I've got for now. I'll try to think of something more interesting to post next time.

Student loan forgiveness?

2009-03-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

All this stimulus crap annoys me. I hate that I have the wrong kind of debt. No one out there is trying to give me a handout. Sure, we'll give money to all of the idiots who got us into this mess. And we'll even give help to those people that got in over there heads with mortgages they couldn't afford. But no one's even offering to give any help to those of us who play by the rules. I bought in to the idea that a higher education is the way to go. You'll earn more money, they all said. Now I'm stuck with massive student loan debt and a crazy low paying job in this horrible economy. All of the firms, even the big guys with the fancy offices in all the big cities, are laying off everyone left and right. Which leaves even more lawyers in the pool competing for the same limited number of jobs, and companies/firms are taking advantage of the situation by paying measly salaries. So now there are lots of lawyers out there like me. Just out of law school, tons of debt, and being paid slightly more than just out of college salaries, i.e. barely scraping by. Ergo, spending absolutely no money because we have none to spend. But no one seems to care because it's just not the right kind of debt.

Turns out, there's a whole group of folks who have the same thinking I do, and they're actually doing something about it. Here are a couple of links in case you're interested.

Forgiving Student Loan Debt Would Stimulate Economy (Serious)
Student Loan Bailout. Just Do It. (Funny)

Student loan forgiveness? Ahhh, wishful thinking!

Walkin' in WeHo

2009-03-09T21:18:00.001-07:00

I finally got off my lazy behind and went for a walk tonight. I went on my usual route. And by usual, I mean I think I've walked it maybe two other times.

I headed down Santa Monica Blvd.

Past the Abbey.

Behind Dan Tana's.

In front of John Krasinski's house (I may or may not have picked this route because I'm a stalker).

Up to Sunset Blvd.

Past the Whisky a Go Go.

Right by the Viper Room.

And past all the fancy people shopping at the fancy shops and eating at the fancy restaurants on the strip.

And I thought to myself? Why don't I do this more often?

The Week That Was

2009-03-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Part 1: The Car

Well folks, my car was officially totaled. It was a good car...no, a great car! And I have shed a couple of tears for its demise. But it's time to move on to bigger and better things. Or at least, 2 more doors and cheaper. After much debate, I've opted to buy my friend's 2004 Hyundai Elantra instead of a shiny, new...er, slightly used Camry. Someday soon I'll get me one of those snazzy cars. But the Elantra was in my budget. And it's got 4 doors. And power locks and windows. Now that's just fancy!

Part 2: The Eyes

I made the mistake of putting in my contacts on Friday. Let's just say the eyes didn't react so well. I've been trying to tell the eye doctor that it was my contacts, but he wouldn't listen. It's like college all over again when my eyes rejected my contacts. Evidently, my eyes only like super-thin daily disposables, which aren't cheap. And really aren't strong enough to correct my vision. I think I'm just going to become a nerdy 4 eyes for the time being. Glasses are in style, aren't they?

Oscar Predictions

2009-02-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again and you know how I love to give my predictions, so let’s get started!

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Who Will Win: Obviously, Slumdog.
My Pick: I’ve already said I thought the best movie was Doubt, but that didn’t make the cut. I liked Slumdog and won’t be disappointed to see it win. But, given these choices, if I were a member of the academy, I would’ve voted for Frost/Nixon.

Actor
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Who Will Win: It’s a toss-up between Penn & Rourke, with the oh-so-slight edge going to Rourke.
My Pick: I didn’t see Milk, so I can’t make a fair assessment of Penn. My pick is Rourke. He was great in The Wrestler and deserves the win.

Actress
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Who Will Win: I hate to say it, but I think Kate’s got the momentum, though Meryl and Anne are more deserving.
My Pick: This one is hard for me. I have a tough time deciding between Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. On the one hand you have Streep who put on an acting clinic in Doubt. You know she’s great, but she can still blow you away. On the other hand, you have Hathaway who blew me away because I didn’t know she had it in her. If I put the two performances up side-by-side, I’d probably give the upper hand to Streep. But factoring in the intangibles, I would’ve put in my vote for Hathaway.

Supporting Actor
James Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Who Will Win: Ledger. Slam dunk.
My Pick: Ledger

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marissa Tomei, The Wrestler
Who Will Win: I think this is the category that’s most up in the air. I’m afraid Amy Adams and Viola Davis are going to split the Doubt vote opening the door for Penelope Cruz to walk away the victor. But I think I’ll go out on a limb and say Viola sneaks in for the much deserved win.
My Pick: Viola Davis. She stole the show in Doubt. Seriously, she had one scene - opposite Meryl Streep no less - and she knocked it so far out of the park people are still looking for it. How she doesn’t win this is beyond me.

Director
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Who Will Win: Danny Boyle
My Pick: Danny Boyle. Even though I don’t think it was the best movie, I definitely think it was the best directed. It was well shot and he got some good performances out of virtual unknowns. He did more with less and deserves the win.

So there you have it, folks. My 2009 Oscar predictions. And, for the record, these are all done without the help of others. I like to make my picks and then read what everyone else is thinking. It’s more fun that way.

My First Wreck...

2009-02-21T18:11:00.000-08:00

And it only took 28 years.

I was headed back home after seeing He's Just Not That Into You, and I completely ran a red light. Yep, I'm a genius. I was having one of those completely zoned out moments. Absolutely had my eyes on the road, but my brain stopped working. And rather than me slam into the guy turning left, the guy turning left slammed into me. It's a weird intersection. Let's just say there's a little bit of a parking lot/median to cross, so he had time to speed up a bit. Granted, I don't know how he didn't see me because he had to have had time to stop or at least notice that I wasn't stopping. I'm thinking that he was zoned out a little bit, too, but that's neither here nor there. It was my fault. I'm the one who ran the red light.

I'm ok, but my poor little car is not. I have a feeling they're going to total it. Honestly, I don't know how I didn't get hurt. If you could see my car, the entire driver's side is just squished. He was driving a big truck and t-boned me. I spun around and came to a stop facing the opposite direction. But Honda's are awesome, and I was still able to drive it off the road and out of the way of traffic.

I'm sure I'll be sore in the morning. The adrenaline is fading away and the left side of my body is slowly starting to feel the impact. But my mind is going to take longer to recover because every time I close my eyes I see the truck slamming into me. It's not a pleasant feeling.

Ah well, such is life. I'm alive and well and, more importantly, insured.

On a side note, the movie was really good!!

A Valentine's Funeral

2009-02-14T14:21:00.001-08:00

Today was a first for me. A funeral on Valentine's Day. Usually I'm annoyed by this holiday and like to wallow in my loneliness. But instead, I sit here both somber and filled with joy. My friend Jessica's twin sister passed away last week. I had only met Jennifer once, but have gotten to know Jessica and their mother, Helen, over the last year as I've become more involved in my church. I can remember Jessica sitting on the floor of my bedroom back a few months ago and sharing her frustrations and concerns over both her and her sister's sickness. Jennifer was fighting through her third bout with cancer and Jessica, her first. I remember telling her what a wonderful witness her entire family was to me. They kept getting knocked down, but their faith never waivered. I can only hope that my faith is as strong as theirs when tough times approach. In the interim, Helen was also diagnosed with cancer, but both she and Jessica have successfully attacked it and have clean bills of health.

Jennifer's funeral was the most moving one I have ever attended. She was a woman of strong faith, even through her sickness. During the service, they shared some of her writings which painted the picture of a young woman who was secure in her salvation, but struggling through life's battles as we all are. Most funerals focus on the fact that our loved one is in a better place or as Jessica said in her eulogy how everyone is a saint on the day of their funeral, but rarely do they focus much on the brokenness and struggles of the individual. But through her writings, Jennifer was able to share her struggles and hope with everyone one last time. Yes she was battling cancer, yes she was sad to see her loved ones sad and yes she longed for more time to spend here on earth, but she was comforted by the fact that she knew she was headed to her eternal home.

I feel we too often gloss over death and reflect on life with too bright of a view. Life is hard. We're going to struggle. Just because we know Jesus doesn't mean we aren't going to experience loss and hurt and anger. We still live in a fallen world. But we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus has already rescued us from this world. He's just chosen to take some of us home earlier than others.

Jennifer, thank you for your wonderful witness and for reminding us all that it's ok to struggle and question. I rejoice that you're no longer suffering and are in the presence of Jesus! And I continue to hold Jessica, your parents, and your husband close to my heart as they are left to carry on without you until the day that you are all together again.

Suppose you are a gardener employed by another. It is not your garden, but you are called upon to tend it. You have taken great care with a certain number of roses; you have trained them up, and there they are, blooming in their beauty. You come one morning into the garden, and you find that the best rose has been taken away. You are angry. You go to your fellow servants and charge them with having taken the rose. They declare that they had nothing to do with it, and one says, "I saw the master walking here this morning; I think he took it." Is the gardner angry then? No, at once he says, "I am happy that my rose should have been so fair as to attract the attention of the master. It is his own. He has taken it, let him do what seems good."

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

#26: Yes, I do watch the Disney Channel...a lot!

2009-02-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking that I left off my Disney Channel love on my 25 Random Things list. For a 28 year old, that's pretty random. But at the same time, it's no secret. Everyone that knows me, knows I love all things Disney Channel related.

I don't remember the Disney Channel having many teen centered shows when I was an actual teen. Just the Mickey Mouse Club, which I guess is what started it all. I was obsessed with that show. Then, in college, my Disney Channel love exploded. I loved Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, Flash Forward, The Famous Jett Jackson, so on and so forth. The only one I didn't watch was So Weird, which is "so weird" because one of the stars of that show is the worship leader at my church. And the Disney Channel love is why I sat there for several weeks trying to figure out why the heck he was so familiar.

The love continued with That's So Raven, High School Musical, and occasionally The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Then, the Hannah Montana phenomenon hit. I don't get Hannah Montana. I stopped watching for a little while. But then I was sucked back in by repeats of the old shows I liked. And I discovered Wizards of Waverly Place, which is a new one I quite enjoy. And yes, I tuned in last night for the premiere of the new show Sonny With A Chance. It was cute. I'll watch it. And Jo from Facts of Life plays the mom, so that just sold me on it even more.

Now, don't misunderstand me here. I don't know when any of these shows actually come on. I'm just saying that on the weekends I often find myself flipping to the Disney Channel and watching it for a couple of hours. And I like to think it helps me bond with my oldest niece and nephew. Caroline and I had an hourlong Disney conversation while floating in the Atlantic Ocean this summer. And Landen and I watched Camp Rock together when I was visiting them in Germany.

It's cute. It's harmless. I'm not ashamed. Hmm, I wonder if the Disney Channel is hiring?

HIMYM

2009-01-29T21:43:00.001-08:00

This week, I got to partake in one of those fun "I live in Hollywood" activities. My friend Cassie works for Wheel of Fortune and is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ATAS periodically has panels with the actors and creators of current television shows, and this week they did How I Met Your Mother. Cassie invited me along since she knew I was a fan.

We sat and listened to them talk about the show for about an hour and a half. And if you're a TV junkie, this is just pure heaven! They were all incredibly charming and wonderful and I had a blast. And now I'm crushing on Josh Radnor even more! They hung around momentarily afterward to sign autographs and take pictures. But, unfortunately, they had publicists pulling them away after a very brief time. Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel hung around a little longer than everyone else. A few people I was with got pictures with them, but I didn't feel like dealing with the crowd. I just stood back and took a couple of pics from afar. I get a little claustrophobic and don't have a need to have my picture taken with celebs. I was just enjoying taking it all in and soaking up some memories. My pics aren't very good, and I didn't get a good one of Josh. But you get the idea

Oh, and I almost ran Neil Patrick Harris over with my car. But luckily catastrophe was averted. Whew!

Oscar Noms

2009-01-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

And now for my reflections on this years Oscar nominations...

What's with the Benjamin Button lovefest? I just don't get why that movie is nominated or Brad Pitt for that matter. And I like Brad. I think he's a good actor, but I didn't think he did much in this movie other than stand there with cool looking makeup on. Though I'm ok with Taraji P. Henson being nominated. She's the only character I cared about in that movie. And I don't mind the directing nod and all the technical nominations because it looked pretty impressive on screen.

And don't even get me started on The Reader. I saw this last night, and I urge you to stay away. The entire first half is just nudity and sex. I had to shut my eyes and wished I could shut my ears. The second half of the movie I found very interesting and moving. But the first half just corrupted the whole thing. We get it! Kate Winslet's character had an affair with a 15 year old boy. But we don't need to see it over and over and over again. Enough!

Me, I would throw out Benjamin Button and The Reader and replace them with Doubt and The Dark Knight. Those were both far superior movies, in my opinion. I can't make a comment on Milk because I haven't seen it, nor do I plan to. But I'm a-ok with the other best picture noms. I guess I'll jump on the Slumdog bandwagon and pull for it. I don't think it's the best movie of the year, but it's the best of the bunch that were nominated and I hope it wins. It'll be nice to see an uplifting film win for a change.

As for the individual noms, everything went about as expected. The only changes I'd make would be to nominate Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road instead of The Reader. She was much better in that film. And I would've liked to have seen Rosemarie Dewitt nominated in the Supporting Actress category. She played the titular character in Rachel Getting Married opposite Anne Hathaway. And while I think Anne was amazing, I think Rosemarie was even better. I also would've given Christopher Nolan a directing nom for The Dark Knight and not given one to The Reader.

So there you have it. Those are my thoughts on the nominations. All in all, it went like I expected. What did y'all think?

As far as predictions, I'll post those closer to awards time.

That's my cuz!

2009-01-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

Check it out...

Todd Turner Named Democratic Party of Arkansas Chairman

Finally! Someone in our family is semi-famous...well, at least Arkansas famous. Nice job, Todd!

My Week

2009-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

Can I just express once again how I don't have anything to post about? I know I've said that before, but it just continues. I could post about TV and movies and sports all day long, but I don't know how interesting you guys find that. And the original purpose of this blog was to keep people back home updated on my life. But what I'm slowly realizing is that I don't have an exciting life. I don't have kids or pets or such to post about. I suppose I could post about hanging out with my friends. But you don't know them, and we don't really do anything exciting. We usually gather at someone's place and chat and watch TV. Good times, but not too exciting to read about.

For today, I guess I'll post a bit about some things I've been thinking about or have been happening this week.

1) I seriously am in need of a new picture to post on here. That was my summer look. I don't look like that anymore. The hair is a bit longer and the color a bit darker as the highlights are fading. Maybe I'll get around to snapping a new one one of these days.

2) I started a new job. You think that could've been a new post or at least my #1, but it's not. I'm thankful for the job, but the pay sucks and it's doing the same crap I was doing before. I had hoped tax resolution was in the past, but evidently God had other plans. Bottom line: I'm still looking elsewhere.

3) I can't shake this cold that has taken over my life. It's going on two weeks now, and it just won't go away. It's going around out here though, so lots of people are in the same boat. I'm hoping it'll run its course this week.

4) I went to a friend's place last week. She has a cat. I'm allergic, and it manifests itself in my eyes. So I've been walking around all week with beet red eyes and wearing my glasses. I hate wearing my glasses!

The pic is from mid-week. As you can see, my right eye is having a particularly harder time than my left eye. But I think they're starting to get better. They're less red and more pink now. And I can see the white parts again, so that's a plus!

So there you have it. That's been what's going on and what's been on my mind this week. There's actually been some deeper stuff, such as debating whether Jews are still God's chosen people or where I fall in the Calvinism/Arminianism debate. But I'll save that for another post.

Til next time...

It's time for a new post...

2009-01-15T18:14:00.001-08:00

...and maybe I'll get to it in a few days.

I'm wondering...

2009-01-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

Why are all the blog layouts so girly? Isn't there anybody out there that can design one without flowers and frills? After much searching, I finally found one that'll do since the flowers are hidden and it has my favorite colors. But seriously, what do I expect from a website called TheCutestBlogOnTheBlock.com?!

Today's Movie...Revolutionary Road

2009-01-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm beginning to think Sam Mendes has a particular disdain for the American suburbs. Though I don't really know why considering he's British, and I believe he and Kate split their time between NYC and London. Which leaves me doubting he's ever actually lived in an American suburb. So that leads me to believe he just hates the idea of the American dream. Ergo, he hates America. Ok, that's harsh, and I'm kidding...a little. But this really did feel like American Beauty, version 2.0.

I had high hopes for this movie because what girl my age doesn't hold a special place in her heart for Kate and Leo?! I think both of them have developed into mighty fine actors. Unfortunately for Leonardo, too many people can't see past his Titanic induced heartthrob status and baby face to see that he's one of the best actors out there. Luckily, Kate hasn't had this problem. I thought both of them gave great performances, but that wasn't enough. I just didn't find myself caring about their characters. So I didn't care that their marriage was crumbling and life wasn't what they thought it would be. And who decided the suburbs were such a bad thing?! There are people out there who enjoy them. Just as there are people out there who enjoy the city life. But I don't really see many movies bashing the city life. Oh wait, that's because all the moviemakers live in the city. That's right. How silly of me.

I was reading reviews after I watched it and came across the following one in The Hollywood Reporter that I think sums up my feelings exactly. I've included a link in case you care to read it. But be warned, there are spoilers.

The Hollywood Reporter Review

Too Much TV

2009-01-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

You know what I just realized? Several of my favorite shows will be making return appearances this month - Battlestar Galactica (after a six month wait), and Flight of the Conchords and Big Love (after a year+ wait). Oh, and Lost. I almost forgot about Lost! Plus, there's a new show on TNT that I think looks interesting, Trust Me.

January isn't usually the best TV month, but this is fantastic. Actually, it's horrible. I did such a good job of weaning myself from several shows. Now that's all out the window! But I can't not watch these shows because they are some of my absolute favorites and not ones I would ever stop watching. Maybe I'll have to make some cuts in other areas.

I'm off to watch the Cotton Bowl. Go Red Raiders!!

Reflecting on 2008

2008-12-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

That's one of those quotes that's oddly applicable most years given the highs and lows of life, but it definitely hits the nail on the head this year. In some respects, 2008 has been the best year of my life and in others, the worst.

I never thought I'd end the year without a job in the middle of the worst recession this country has seen since the Great Depression! I never thought in a million years I would ever be fired from a job. It doesn't matter that it was for completely arbitrary reasons having very little to do with me. Even if you loathe your boss and the company you work for, it's still a kick in the gut to be told that. And now I have the joy of figuring out how to explain being fired in future interviews without completely bashing my old company because as we all know that's a big interview no-no. But as I remind myself every morning, if that's the worst the year had for me, then I'm a pretty lucky gal!

Enough with the bad! On to the good! I started out the year with all of my friends moving away and in search of a church. I'm ending the year as a member of the most awesome church in all of LA where I have made the most awesome friends in all of LA. They have become my LA family and as a single gal in a big city far away from your own family, I can't stress how important that is. Given my ample time off, I got to spend a month back home visiting friends and family and made my way across the ocean to visit the crew in Germany. Then my parents finally got to come visit me for Thanksgiving. And for all of this, I feel truly blessed.

I thought I'd just end with a quick little list of some of my favorites of 2008.

Favorite Movies
Iron Man
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E

Favorite TV Shows
Battlestar Galactica
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Lost

Favorite Music - I'm not a big music aficionado like I am with movies and TV, but here are some things I liked
Beyonce, Single Ladies (the one song I can't get out of my head)
Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue
Alicia Keys, As I Am
Katy Perry, One of the Boys
Britney Spears, Circus (because I'm still a teeny-bopper at heart!)
Rihanna, Good Girls Gone Bad

I hope everyone had a great year and if not, here's to a better year ahead! I'll leave you with my favorite picture from my favorite event of 2008 - finally getting to go to Paris like I've always dreamed about...made even better because I got to go with my sister!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas Movies

2008-12-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

I've seen 4 movies in the last 4 days. That may be a new record for me. But I can't help it that all of the sudden there were a bunch of movies I want to see. Since the fall has been kind of a drought when it comes to good flicks, I indulged a little. I'm just going to attack these mini-reviews in the order I saw them.

The Spirit
Like I said, this was a wierd pick for a Christmas day movie, but it worked. If you're a reader of reviews, then you know this movie has gotten royally panned. Rarely do I disagree completely with the general consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, but this is one such time. Now don't get me wrong, a lot of their criticisms were valid, but it was still a fun movie. I feel like Batman, et al have ruined people's expectations of comic book movies. They don't all have to be super-deep and dark. This film reminded me a lot of Dick Tracy, which I love. The dialogue was hokey, the character's were paper-thin, but it looked cool and I had fun watching it. I felt like someone took the comic book, cut it up, and made a little moving picture of it. Plus, I think the Sin City style of filmmaking is just plain awesome. I hated Sin City. I almost walked out of the movie. I wanted to like it purely because of the visualization, but I just couldn't. It was too graphic and gory and gratuitous. Then 300 came out and I had the same criticisms. I didn't see it, but my thoughts were confirmed by people who did. So I may have overly enjoyed The Spirit because it's a tamer story that let me fully enjoy the awesome visuals.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
I don't have much to write about this movie because I was kind of disappointed. I thought how they aged Brad Pitt was really neat, but that was about it. I didn't care about the characters (with the exception of Queenie); I didn't care about the story; and I got bored halfway through. I realize I'm criticizing this movie for what I let slide with The Spirit, but I feel justified because the former is meant to be a serious, Oscar-contending, character piece while the latter is just meant to be a fun popcorn flick.

Doubt
Ah, Doubt! How I love thee, let me count the ways. This is, hands down, the best movie I've seen this year. I can't find anything wrong with it. The topic was so relevant and thought provoking and the performances were amazing! If you want to see great acting, then watch this movie. There's a scene between Meryl Streep and Amy Adams that involves no words, but it so utterly expressive that I was left in awe. Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman are two of the best, if not the best, actors working today. Give them anything, and they're gonna knock it out of the park. But the revelation of the movie was Viola Davis. She has got to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, or I'm going to hurt someone! I don't want to spoil anything about her performance, but holy crap it was just about the most amazing thing I have ever seen on screen. If you haven't seen this movie, what are you waiting for?

Slumdog Millionaire
Another great movie, this will definitely go down as one of my top movies of 2009. Since you may not be aware of this film, let me give you a little summary. This is an Indian film that follows a young man on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He is accused of cheating because he is from the slums and there is no way a kid from the streets could know all of these answers. The movie cuts back and forth between him answering the question on the game show and flashbacks that reveal how he grew up and why he knows the answer to that particular question. The story is just so original and so well directed, and you will walk out of the theater feeling good. If this is playing in your neck of the woods, then please go out and see it.

So there you have it. My Christmas-time movie reviews. Did you see anything you would recommend?

Christmas Day Fun

2008-12-27T15:10:00.000-08:00

Despite being away from home, Christmas day was a busy one. First up, opening presents! I had Jolee send gifts to LA, so that I would have something to open up on Christmas day. I got the magnet I asked for (though I don't know what the heck it says!), plus I got the Eiffel Tower figurine I had been eyeing in Paris. Sneaky Jolee! How'd you get that without me knowing? Must've been when I would get claustrophobic and have to get out of those tight little shops. Plus, I got a kickin' Hard Rock pin to add to my collection, a cute candle, and some good ol' Belgian chocolate!

Then it was time for what turned out to be the first movie of the day, The Spirit. I quite enjoyed it and it made for a weird Christmas day pick, but that was part of the fun (I'll have more to say about that and some other movies later). Then I headed home to clean up because I had people (a whole heckuva lot of people) coming over for a late lunch/early dinner.

After I cleaned, I popped in the lasagnas that my friend Michelle had pre-made and waited for my company to arrive. We played a game of how many people can actually fit into Terri's apartment. Turns out at least 16, and I think there was room for more. We played Catch Phrase, conversed, and enjoyed a lovely Italian Christmas dinner with lots of yummy desserts. Then we all decided to get up and go see Benjamin Button.

After the movie, I headed home, cleaned up a little, and called it a day. It was a fun Christmas, and I'm thankful I have great friends to celebrate with. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, too!

Christmas Travels

2008-12-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

I've been an absentee blogger due to Christmas activities, but now I'm back and I've brought you a nice little (ok, probably massively long!) summary of my Arkansas visit.

I flew through Chicago where it had just started snowing. It kept snowing and snowing and snowing some more. I had a 2 hour layover and was beginning to fear I might get stuck there. But thankfully, I got out of there after about a two hour delay. I arrived in LR where it was freezing. And the freezing continued the entire time I was there!

I got to hang out with the fam, including a visit with my grandparents, going on a shopping date with my mom and aunt, and spending time playing with the kiddos. Plus, I got to hang out with two of my best friends. It was a busy week, but a fun one. We topped it off by exchanging gifts and a good time was had by all. I got kitchen utensils!! Woohoo, it's exactly what I asked for!! How boring do we get when we become adults that we ask for whisks and serving spoons and decorative pillows?! Next year, I'm asking for a Wii!

The day I was to fly back to LA, we awoke to freezing rain. We made our way to the airport without too much trouble. I got myself and my baggage all checked in and then waited til the last minute to go through security. As we said our goodbyes, mom started to cry (as usual), which then made me start to cry (also as usual). Then I scurried off while removing my shoes and my belt to expedite the process.

I got to my gate and everything was looking good, until it came time to board. Our plane wasn't there for us to board, so we waited. It finally arrived and we got on our way an hour late. Did I mention that I only had a 55 minute layover?! We arrived at DFW, and I immediately forgot how much I hate that airport as the pilot informed us that we had to taxi to the complete opposite side. Of course, this only takes about 15 or 20 minutes. Argh! At that point, I wasn't in much of a hurry because I was pretty confident that I'd missed my flight. I got off the plane pretty quickly though and soon realized that my connecting flight was also delayed. Yay! I ran through the airport (which is not something I've ever done!) and made it to my gate in time to board my flight.

I arrived in LA about and hour or so after I was scheduled to land, so it didn't turn out too bad. Or so I thought. I waited for my luggage and waited and waited and waited. Evidently, it wasn't as fortunate as I was in making that connecting flight. After about an hour ordeal where I waited for the next plane in from DFW only to find my luggage didn't arrive on it either, I was finally able to file my claim and go home. Only now it was 5 pm....in LA...which means TRAFFIC!!! Argh again! I always time my flights early in the afternoon or late in the evening to avoid traffic. But given the setbacks, I was right smack in the middle of rush hour. Now I live 13.8 miles from the airport. Any guesses on how long it took to get there? A whopping hour and a half!!

But it gets better. I have no luggage and I need some essentials (e.g. contact solution, toothpaste, hairbrush, deodorant, etc.). So after that ordeal I get the pleasure of going to Target on the evening of December 23rd. It was chaos and it was all I could do but laugh at the situation. Here I am, completely done with my Christmas, fighting the last minute shoppers to stock up on things that were in my suitcase, which was who knows where!

Then I headed over to help set-up for our Christmas eve service and had a marvelous evening and realized how trivial my day had really been. So what if my bag was gone, I could replace it. No big deal. I made it back safely and that was most important. After a late night helping out, I awoke the next morning to a phone call at 7:45 saying they found my luggage and it would be delivered between 10 and 12. Woohoo!! I got a happy ending!

I'll be back a little later with a posting about Christmas day. This was getting kinda long, so I figured I should break it up.

Twilight - The Movie Edition

2008-12-14T23:37:00.001-08:00

If you haven't seen the movie or read the book (and plan to), then read at your own risk.

I finally got around to seeing Twilight, and I'm full of thoughts. First off, I was underwhelmed. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, because I did. But I just expected so much more from it.

I thought the casting was pretty spot-on. Most everyone was exactly how I pictured him/her with the exception of Jasper. And I liked that they were faithful to the story and used dialogue plucked straight from the book. Plus, I liked the look (i.e. colors, settings, etc.) of the film.

What I didn't like was the lack of character development, the rushed feeling of Edward and Bella's relationship, and the overall cheesiness of some of it.

I realize it's hard to condense a 500+ page book into a 2 hour movie, but I was disappointed. The book was so great at developing all of the peripheral characters, and I especially liked the backstories of all the members of the vampire "family." But these weren't even addressed in the movie. And I felt like Edward and Bella just magically fell for each other in the movie very quickly, and I don't recall this being the case in the book. It's a much longer mutual fascination with each other that slowly develops into a relationship.

And the effects were just cheesy. I chalk this up to a director who had no previous experience with CG, so I'll let it slide. I thought some of the direction in the vampire confrontation was too campy. I get that they're vampires and there's some hissing and grandstanding, but I'm not supposed to suppress a laugh at that moment. It's intended to be very serious, and I don't think it came across that way. Plus, there was some careless editing that created too many noticeable continuity issues. Sooo.....

That being said, I'm really looking forward to the future installments since they're getting a new director. I think the new guy will better weave the teenage love story/character development/CG given his background and not make it so darn cheesy.

By the way, I've only read the first book, so if you want to leave comments please keep that in mind. I don't want any spoilers!

Australia

2008-12-08T09:25:00.001-08:00

I have all the time in the world to post blogs, yet somehow manage not to. Though it's mainly because I haven't had much to say lately, which I know is shocking. Maybe ideas/words will come back to me over the next couple of weeks.

I don't really have much to say right now, but I thought I would see if anyone has seen Australia. I went with a group of friends to a 9:45 showing and none of them really liked it. Granted, I found out afterwards that none of them new it was almost 3 hours long and they'd been at work all day, so I really think this is what caused their dislike. I, on the other hand, loved it! And, more importantly, knew it was a long flick, so I was prepared.

I love epics and romance and Baz Luhrmann movies so it was pretty much a given that I was going to like it. But I liked it even more than I thought. It reminded me of a beautiful old school film circa the 40's or 50's. And the little boy in the film was just too adorable! That being said, it was a bit too long.

If you haven't seen it yet, I would recommend it. Just make sure you're prepared to stay seated for 3 hours!

An American Turner Thanksgiving (not to be confused with the German one)

2008-12-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

My parents just left to head back to Arkansas after a nice 10 day visit to the left coast for the Thanksgiving holiday. The other siblings hooked up in Germany, so my parents came to visit me. I've been trying to get them to visit for awhile, so I was happy that they finally came! We had a lot of fun and did a lot of stuff. We even managed to do some stuff none of us had ever done. There are always new and exciting things to do in the big city!

We tooled around downtown and went to a Clippers game...

Mom and Dad had their first ever subway excursion...

We had Thanksgiving dinner with some of my friends...

We went to the Reagan library (so much better than Clinton's!)...

Then we went to the Nixon library (which I don't have good pics of because my battery died)...

And we topped it off with some window shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills...

We sprinkled in a trip to Hollywood to see the stars on the Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a brief hike at Runyon Canyon (where we just missed Justin Timberlake by a day!), a tour of the media capital of the world aka Burbank, a trip to the Grove (where we just missed Gwen Stefani by a mere couple of hours!), a taping of Craig Ferguson where we saw Betty White, a visit to Saddleback Church, a trip to the beach where it was super foggy, and a breakfast at IHOP where we saw David Spade!

A good time was had by all...at least, I think! Thanks for coming to visit, Mom and Dad. Come back soon!

Update

2008-11-21T15:13:00.000-08:00

I forgot that I was going to update my Hugh Jackman post. Since I've posted since then, I thought I'd give the update its own special space.

Without further ado, me and one of the future sexiest men circa 1998...

Oy vey!

2008-11-19T22:37:00.001-08:00

eHarmony to create same-sex service, settling complaint

What the heck?! Are you kidding me?!

This is just a load of you-know-what. I can't believe they settled this and didn't take it to court. I guess it's just a big PR stunt for them. Gonna make more money from a new group of people, and the time is right to jump on the gay rights bandwagon.

I know you might be confused given my stance on gay marriage, but this is a private business. And it's not being discriminatory in any way. There are gay dating websites. Go join them! This is like telling REI that they have to cater to indoor sports as well. Or more simply (courtesy of my roommate), telling Taco Bell they have to sell hamburgers. A private business should be able to cater to whomever they want!!

But like I said, it's all about the PR in the end. Sad.

Yes, I approve

2008-11-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

After dropping the ball last year with Matt Damon (sorry, but he's cute - not sexy), People got it right with Hugh Jackman. He's a notch below George, Ben, and Jake in my book, but just barely. Way to go People!

If I remember to, I'll update the post later about my encounter with one of the picks included in this year's issue.

Today's SNL Installment

2008-11-18T18:55:00.000-08:00

Shawn and Belle...on GH?!

2008-11-17T17:12:00.001-08:00

Today I discovered that Belle and Shawn are on General Hospital. When did this happen and why is it allowed? My sister got me hooked on Days of Our Lives when we had surgery on our knees and were rehabbing. I've watched it off and on since then, though I've been off for the last 2 or 3 years. I have no idea what's going on on that show now. And I'm trying to keep it that way. But today, I was flipping channels and there was Shawn in scrubs on GH. And then, in the very next scene, Belle got attacked by some hoodlums. And people were calling them by different names. I was so confused!! I did some research and even came across this shot below, which makes me wonder if they are trying to steal the Shelle magic and make them a couple. I don't know how I feel about this.

It's weird how soap actors can jump from show to show. I guess it's not really a big deal since most soap fans are loyal to one show.

Yep...I officially have too much time on my hands.

Peace Out TRL

2008-11-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

I watched the final showing of TRL last night. I was reminded of how much I used to love watching that, and I got all sentimental. I watched that show practically everyday in college. But then I graduated and moved on, though I would check in from time to time if I knew Justin was going to be on. For me, TRL meant 'NSync and Britney Spears. It was all about pop music and that's the music I love.

I realize that I didn't know half the djs that had been on the show. When I watched it, it was Carson Daly and Hillarie Burton (so I smudged everyone else out in the picture). It was funny watching all of the old clips. I loved the final top 10 video countdown. It included pretty much everything I loved in college. A little 'NSync, a little Britney Spears, a little Christina Aguilera, with some Eminem and Blink 182 thrown in for good measure. Good times.

Farewell TRL! You were my American Bandstand, and I will remember you fondly.

Does this mean there's officially no more music on MTV?

SNL

2008-11-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

Does anyone still watch this show? I feared it was going to lack the funny when Tina and Maya and Amy left, but it's been pretty darn funny this season. Mainly thanks to the election stuff and Kristen Wiig. She could read the phone book and I'd still die laughing. While there is rarely an episode that makes me laugh from start to finish, there have been some pretty hilarious sketches this season. Ones that make me not want to delete it off of my DVR so that I can watch it over and over and over again. Thankfully they've been posting them on the internet, so I'm going to share a few of the sketches that have made me laugh the hardest.

I really wanted to share my most favorite sketch first, but I think I'm going to build up to it. I've already posted the Amy Poehler rap, so you've had the chance to watch one of the sketches. Since it was most recent, I'll share with you the sketch that had me falling off the couch laughing in last night's episode. It's funny on its own, but it's extra funny if you know the back story on Beyonce's video. For some reason SNL doesn't have this sketch up, but I found it elsewhere.

Check it out...

Aww shucks! They've removed the video. I knew it was coming, but was hoping it would take longer. I hope you got to watch it because that's some hilarious stuff. I wonder why SNL hasn't put the clip up. I'm guessing either Beyonce or Justin won't give them permission. Who knows.

LA is on fire...again

2008-11-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

Alright, this has been about the craziest fire season since I've been out here. Like I've said before, I live too far in the city to be affected. However, I know lots of people that live up in the Sylmar area, which is where one of the big ones is raging. I already know of several people that have been evacuated. The fire destroyed a mobile home park (yes, we have those in LA, too), and I'm hearing that June, an elderly woman at my church, lived there. Though I don't have confirmation on this because evidently 600 of the 700 mobile homes were destroyed, which obviously means there are some still standing. So I'd appreciate it if you could add June and the other evacuees and potential evacuees to your prayer list. I know they would appreciate it as well.

Update: Just got word that June did, in fact, lose her home. But she got out safely, so praise God!

Christmas Fun

2008-11-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

I rarely reply to forwarded surveys, but this one was fun. Rather than forward it on via email, I thought I'd just post it to ye ol' blog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. I've never had a real tree. I wouldn't know what to do with one.

3. When do you put up the tree? I try to get it up Thanksgiving weekend.

4. Favorite holiday tradition? Hmmm, I can't really think of any traditions. Oh wait, I love having breakfast on Christmas. We always have a full-on breakfast spread after we open gifts. Yummy!

5. Do you like eggnog? I've honestly never tried it, but I don't think I'd like it. I much prefer Peppermint Mocha Frappuccinos!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My cabbage patch dolls!!

7. Hardest person to buy for? The adults

8. Easiest person to buy for? The kids. They like everything. And I like any excuse to mess around in the toy section.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have a dreamsicle angel one and it is very cute.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I prefer to receive good old fashioned mail. I haven't ever sent Christmas cards myself. I guess I should, but I don't feel like I have anything interesting to report or a cute picture of kids to include. What do I say really? Merry Christmas from the still single, childless gal in LA!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't really think of anything bad. I usually like what I get. And honestly, I wouldn't admit to not liking anything if I did. I think it's rude. Just be thankful for the thought and move on.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon edition) and A Christmas Story. The season is not complete without a viewing of both of these classics.

13. When do you start shopping? Usually last minute, but the Rowlands foray into Germany has really thrown a kink in my plans - got to get them done in early November.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Peanut Brittle

16. Lights on the tree? Ummm, yes? I like all white.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Anything on the 'NSync Christmas album!!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Considering I'm the odd man out, I usually travel back to AR.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Absolutely.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A pretty, pretty star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Always Christmas morning. I don't get the Christmas Eve tradition. When does Santa come?!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People being all PC and saying Happy Holidays. It's Merry Christmas people!! And if you're Jewish, you can tell me Happy Hanukkah. I'm not going to get offended.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Hmm, I don't do themes. I just put up what I've got.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I don't know. Ham, I guess. That seems Christmasy. Though I prefer Turkey and think we should just do Thanksgiving dinner for a second time.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A job!!!!!!

Holiday Season Has Arrived

2008-11-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

How do I know?...

Red cups!!

One last political post...

2008-11-05T22:16:00.000-08:00

...for awhile at least.

I thought my last post was going to be my last political post. I told myself I was going to hold my tongue on how certain things turned out in CA and AR. But I've been listening to helicopters circling overhead covering the big protest against Prop 8 that was staged tonight. I'm watching the news coverage. People are marching, blocking traffic, getting arrested (though for the most part pretty peaceful). So as much as I was trying to let it go, it won't go away.

One of the arguments I've made from the beginning is that passing Prop 8 isn't going to make the issue go away. Someone will file suit, the courts will rule it unconstitutional (because it is), and we'll be back in the same place in the next election or the following one. They're not going to give up. This is absolutely the most important issue for them right now. Is this a fight we really want to continue?

And I'm not even going to get started on the Arkansas ban on unmarried couples (read: gays) serving as foster or adoptive parents. There are so many kids in need of loving homes. Isn't it more important to place them in loving homes where they will be cared for rather than have them sitting in state run institutions? I read that on any given day 3,000 children are left in state custody and looking for a permanent home. 3,000! If you voted for the ban, are you prepared to open up your homes to these children?

Let me also state that I'm in the minority amongst my friends (who happen to all go to my church) in my views. I don't want you to think I've not gone and joined some hippie-dippie liberal church that's tainted my mind. Far from it. They're all uber-conservative just like most of you.

I'm going to try to stop posting about this for awhile because I get it's not your favorite thing to read about. But let me warn you...the longer this goes on, the more passionate I get.

Congratulations Mr. Obama

2008-11-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

Can I just say how awesome it is to be a part of history?! Either way the election would've turned out, we have made giant strides in the notion of equality for all. While I was a supporter of McCain, I've always been a fan of Obama. I don't think the world is coming to an end. I don't think we're going to become a socialist country. Obama has the potential to be one of our greatest presidents, and I'm hoping he is. This country needs a change, and now we know that change is Barack Obama.

Mr. Obama, I didn't vote for you, but you're my president now and I will support you. You became a bit of a centrist in the general election. Here's hoping you govern that way. You're a smart man, and I think you realize that in no way did you get a mandate. Seven million does not an overwhelming victory make. Your speech was inspiring, and I'm on board. Here's to brighter days ahead! And more importantly....no more Bush!!!

Happy Election Day

2008-11-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

GO VOTE!!

I heart my church.

2008-11-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

That is all.

Halloween Madness

2008-11-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

There are two things West Hollywood goes all out for - the gay pride parade and Halloween. While the gay pride parade is heavily attended by the gay community, the Halloween Carnival attracts a good chunk of LA. I had been warned by friends who used to live in the neighborhood that it would be crazy. Lots of people. Lots of traffic. But my friend insisted I had to check it out. And she's a preacher's wife, so if she says it's all right, then I trust her.

Santa Monica Blvd. was completely shut down in West Hollywood for the festivities. Now, mind you, this is a main east-west thoroughfare through Los Angeles and pretty much the main drag through WeHo. It's such a big ordeal that the city even sends out postcards to all the residents reminding them of the event and listing all the road closures.

A couple of friends came over and we ventured out into the wild unknown. We walked up and down Santa Monica checking out all the crazy costumes. We had a bet going to see what the most popular costume would be. The girls picked the Joker. The boys picked Sarah Palin. While it was a very close race, I'm happy to say the Joker pulled it out. It's really amazing some of the creativity of the costumes. But LA is where creative people come, so I guess it makes sense. I said my costume was An Arkie in LA since I didn't want to dress up. Then we decided I looked kinda like Sweet Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She and I rock the same style, so I think it worked. Though I don't think that really counts because truthfully, I was just rockin' it Terri style.

All in all, it was a fun evening. Much tamer than I expected. The real craziness happened when we got back to the apartment and 12 people managed to get stuck in the elevator. We had to call the firefighters to come get them out. Stupid drunk people! You can't fit 12 people in our little elevator. Geniuses! Oh well, it made for an interesting evening.

Craig & Lauren

2008-10-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today, I went to a taping of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. I've wanted to go to a taping of his for awhile now, but just haven't gotten around to it. I find him incredibly funny and think he's the best late night guy there is. Though, in all honesty, I rarely watch his show because it's on so late. But I record it from time to time when someone is on that I want to see.

Actually, I don't watch any of the late night shows unless there's someone on I want to see. Usually what I do is check the TV guide on Sunday to see if there are any guests that I'm interested in seeing. For some reason, I didn't do that this week. But I remembered yesterday morning, so I checked out the remaining week's episodes. And I saw that Lauren Graham was going to be on Craig's show on Friday, so I set it to record. Then I realized that I wasn't doing anything, so I should see if I could get a ticket to see the taping. And low and behold, I did!

Now, to fully understand my excitement, I'm going to have to reveal a little something about me that only a few of my friends know. I keep it under wraps for whatever reason. So here's the deal, there are two little known actresses out there that I am borderline obsessed with. I call them girl crushes, but I say that in jest. I just think they're extremely talented...and that we should be best friends. One of those actresses is Lauren Graham. Most of you would know her from Gilmore Girls, though she's been in a lot of stuff. Lauren entered my radar back in high school when she was on a short-lived show called Townies. That show starred Molly Ringwald, but I remember thinking that the two sidekicks were much more talented and thought they deserved better shows. Those two sidekicks were Lauren and Jenna Elfman (of Dharma & Greg fame). Anyway, I kept up with Lauren after that. And let's just say, I've seen almost everything on her IMDb listing.

So today, I got to see Lauren Graham! And it was AWESOME!! And I don't know how to convey my excitement anymore than that. It's times like these that I walk around with a smile on my face thinking about how great it is to live in LA and how I get to do cool things like this. It just makes me happy.

It's down!!

2008-10-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

I drove by the house with the Palin effigy hanging by a noose on my way home from Bible study, and it looks like the homeowners finally took it down! Hallelujah!

Here's a grainy picture...

I've got more to say on the issue, but right now I'm going to watch Pushing Daisies. I'll be back.

Alright, I'm back. But now I'm realizing I don't really have that much to say. I drive by this house all the time, and I'm going to be honest, I barely even noticed it. So many people out here decorate for Halloween (which is just bizarre) that it didn't even stand out to me. I just noticed in passing that part of the decorations was a mannequin hanging by a noose, and I remember thinking that was just tacky. I didn't even realize that it was dressed like Sarah Palin until I saw it on the news. Then I was more disturbed. Y'all are all probably thinking the same way, so I'm not going to get into it.

I'm just going to state that I'm thankful it came down. And I'm astounded by all the protests that have gone on over the last few days. Who knew there were so many Republicans (and/or sympathizing Democrats) in LA?!

My bike!

2008-10-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

I bought a bike

2008-10-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting a bike to ride around my neighborhood to save money on gas and be healthier and such. I looked for a long time and was being very picky. I decided I wanted a green bike. Do you know how hard it is to find a green bike?! I finally found the perfect green bike at Target right before I left for Germany. I decided I'd wait until I got back to get it. Well, fast-forward to my return and you'll arrive at the beginning of my 3 week journey to find this bike. Of course it was gone when I got back! I searched all of the Targets around LA, but no one had it.

I was making a last ditch effort Monday night to see if I missed a Target in my search. I finally found a Target in Northridge that the website said had it. Since Northridge is a good 20 miles away, which is about 45 minutes LA time, I called to double check before I made the trip. They had it, and they put it on hold for me! I was getting excited. I had to talk my roommate into making the trip because he has an SUV and there wasn't anyway I could fit a bike into my little Civic. As we got closer to Northridge, I started having a sinking feeling that the guy I talked to got the wrong bike. Sure enough, I walked in and saw a silver bike with my name on it. I told the guy the stocking number and even said it was green so as not to create any confusion! I thought great, this was a pointless trip. But I decided to go back to the bike section and check for myself. Maybe the kid just got confused. I made my way to the back of the store and as I turned down the aisle, the heavens parted and angels sang. There on the top shelf was the green bike I'd been searching all over LA for!!

I was going to take it out for a spin today, but it was too hot. It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow, so I'll try again. I'll at least take some pictures so y'all can see the prettiest bike in the whole world! I know you're excited!

Halloween

2008-10-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

My favorite treats to get on Halloween were chocolate (excluding tootsie rolls) and those peanut butter taffy things in the orange and black wax paper. I know, those are one of those candies that you either love or hate. I happen to fall in the love category.
I've searched high and low and haven't found my beloved peanut butter treats this year. And by high and low, I really mean Target and several grocery stores. I'm giving it one last shot by hitting up the drug stores. I haven't checked there yet. But my hopes are low. I believe this may just be a peanut butter taffy free Halloween. Sad.

Pushing Daisies

2008-10-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

Back to non-political posts. Though I'm about to do some campaigning, so get ready.

Please, please, please, please, please watch Pushing Daisies!! PLEASE!!

This is my favorite show on TV right now and no one is watching it. This is just a travesty. It's one of the most original, creative shows I've ever seen.

Why will America sit and watch every unoriginal CSI-ish crime show or unfunny, you can see the joke coming a mile away Two and a Half Men type show, but not give Pushing Daisies a chance? I guess I just don't understand everyone's taste. And don't get me wrong. I don't mean to knock those other shows. There's a place for all of them. I just wish people would expand their horizons a little bit.

Tune into Pushing Daisies Wednesday night and check out a sweet, non-sex obssessed, non-blood and guts showing, fun, intelligent show that's mastered the lost art of storytelling.

Pretty please!

Prop 8

2008-10-21T19:54:00.001-07:00

This is the first year I get to vote in California. Prop 8, the marriage protection amendment, is the hot non-presidential topic out here, and that puts me in a unique position. This is the second time I'll get to vote for or against a marriage protection amendment. I got to vote on Arkansas' proposition in the last election, and now I get to vote on California's. I wonder how many people have gotten to vote on this issue twice?

If you noticed the picture I posted, you already now how I feel. I didn't vote for the amendment in Arkansas, and I absolutely will not vote for it in California. This is another one of those issues where I'm in the minority and feel that Christians have it all wrong. How am I ever going to be able to minister to a homosexual when I voted against this amendment? They won't be able to look past what they perceive as my hatred for them as a person.

Prop 8 and all these similar marriage amendments are discrimination, plain and simple. I'm not asking churches to start marrying homosexuals. I am absolutely opposed to that. I'm simply voting to allow homosexuals to marry in the eyes of the state. What does that mean? They can file a joint tax return, they can visit their partner in the hospital when only family members are allowed, the child they're raising together won't go into a foster home when the biological parent passes away. It's simply a matter of rights, and I don't understand why people are so adament about denying them.

We're so wrapped up in protecting an institution that's falling apart. Who decided that fighting against gay marriage is a way to preserve the institution? Gay people aren't corrupting marriage and the family. Godless marriages, too easily obtained divorces, absentee fathers...those are the things tainting marriage and the family.

Bottom line, I think we need to get our priorities straight. A lot of money has been spent on supporting these amendments that would've gone a long way in assisting the homeless, the poor, the jobless. Oh, but wait, if Prop 8 passes, we've preserved marriage! I ask you...have we? Or is marriage in the same state it was before while we've managed to further alienate a group of people we are trying to reach?

Crack me up!

2008-10-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

I can see! I can see!

2008-10-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

I've lived most of my life with bad eyes. It's the one thing that annoys me about my brother and sister. They have perfect vision. Only now I think they're finally starting to experience vision problems associated with aging, which I enjoy. I know that's mean, but it's true. I've worn glasses or contacts since I was 9. Though I'm pretty certain I needed them before that. It just took me a little while to convince my parents that I really couldn't see and wasn't just wanting glasses for the sake of having glasses. Thanks Dad for finally believing me!

Everything was hunky dory until college when my eyeballs decided to go insane. They decided they no longer liked to have contacts on them. I spent a year living with bloodshot eyes and mostly wearing glasses while my doctor tried contact after contact to see if anything would work. Luckily, my eyeballs finally decided that they would allow daily disposable lenses to rest on them without throwing a fit. Problem is, daily lenses at the time didn't correct for astigmatism. So I've spent the last 8 years walking around in contacts that still don't completely correct my vision. I could see pretty clearly within a few feet in front of me, but beyond that...out of focus. I did a lot of squinting to read signs and just had to realize I wouldn't be able to read it until I was right up on it. But I learned to deal. At least I could wear contacts and not have to deal with glasses. I hate glasses!

Fear has kept me from trying any new contacts. That was a crappy year, and I really don't want to relive it. But I finally decided that I was sick of not being able to see and honestly, those daily lenses were breaking my wallet! Plus, Mom was always telling me there were now disposable Toric lenses. So yesterday, I went to a new doctor and he fixed me up with some good ol' 2 week disposable Toric lenses. And now, I can see!! He told me my vision with the old contacts shouldn't have passed the eye exam on the driver's test in California. I actually just passed that test about a year and a half ago, albeit with a lot of squinting! Oops!

It's amazing how you learn to deal with something and don't think it's that bad until it's corrected and you actually experience how much better it is.

Trickle-down

2008-10-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking. "Yay! Another political blog!! Keep 'em coming, Terri!"

The good news for you is that the election is almost over, which means my political blogs will taper off. And I'll be back to blogging only about frivolous things once more.

So here's the deal. I haven't watched the debate yet and I haven't read about it, so this post in no way reflects my views post-debate. But I want to rant a little, and I hope you'll humor me.

I'm a Hillary supporter. Still am. I still believe she's the best person for the job right now and that Americans made a colossal mistake by not nominating her. But obviously she's not running, and after she lost, I threw my support behind McCain...which means I'm about to be 0 for 3 in presidential elections unless something crazy happens. (And yes, that does mean I voted for Al Gore and John Kerry and I'm not ashamed to say it.)

But what I wanted to write about was how I've been screaming at my TV and the Internet over these last couple of weeks. Here's why...I'm a fiscal conservative. What does that mean? It means my Republicanness has overtaken my social Democraticness in these times of economic hardships.

I wish every American had to take some economics classes, so they could be informed in situations like this. I majored in economics, so it's hard-wired in my brain. Joe Schmo America doesn't understand economics, so he sees Obama saying he's going to cut taxes and he's like "hell yeah! There's the candidate that's going to help me out." But what he doesn't understand is that doesn't work. Sure he'll have a little bit more money at the end of the year that he'll either use to buy something he doesn't need (typical of the poor) or put in the bank (typical of the middle class). But he'll still be sitting there without a job because the small businesses and corporations are still in the hole and they're still laying people off left and right.

Then we have McCain who's telling us he's going to cut taxes for the small business and the corporations, and Joe Schmo America just hears that he's still going to have to pay the same amount thinking "the rich get richer." But what he doesn't understand is that when you cut the corporate tax rate, they don't put it in the bank or go out and buy a fancy new car...they create more jobs! Wait, what?! More jobs? Yes, more jobs! But what does this mean, you may be asking. It means that Joe Schmo America now has a job to actually earn income and become a contributing member of society. Sure he still has to pay taxes on it, but isn't it nice to have a steady job and be able to provide for your family?

This is why I've been screaming. Why can't people understand these things? Why can't politicians do a better job of explaining these things?

Oh, and FYI...Hillary and Bill would actually be classified as fiscal conservatives. George W. Bush...not so much. But that would require a little more explanation in regards to spending, and I'm not going to bore you with another lecture. You know what I like to say...look it up!

I danced with Ellen and other random stuff

2008-10-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

I got a last minute invite to go see a taping of The Ellen Degeneres Show today. Lucky for me, I had no plans. It was a lot of fun. Everyone needs to watch tomorrow's show with Dakota Fanning and look for me. I'm in the very back row and I had on an orange shirt with a black sweater. I doubt you can see me, but you all need to look! Oh, and I actually did dance! That's saying a lot if you know me because I don't dance...unless I'm alone! And don't be jealous of my Tiddy Bear. See how I dangled that out there? Now you have to watch the show so you know what I'm talking about. I learned that in Marketing 101.

Have y'all been watching Dancing with the Stars? The girl's costumes on that show are getting ridiculous. I mean, it's supposed to be a family show right? There's no way I would let my kids watch it with those slinky costumes! Alright, done with my rant.

I recorded a couple of videos while I was in Europe. I'm going to upload them to YouTube and post them on here over the next few days. Y'all probably won't care to watch most of them, but I'm putting them up anyway because they make me laugh and I think mom and dad would like to see them.

Let me set the stage for the first one. Picture if you will the most famous museum in the world, The Louvre...the very quiet Louvre.

Day 3

2008-10-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I forgot about day 3, mainly because there wasn't much to it. We got up, checked out of our hotel, then headed out for a few more hours of activity before we departed. First, we went to the Arc de Triomphe to officially take pictures. We'd been by it a couple of times the previous two days, but always at night and we didn't stop to take pics.

Then we did some souvenir shopping along the Champs-Elysees. Most of the stores were closed since it was Sunday, but all the little touristy spots were open. We stopped in at Laduree and got some treats for the road. I love madeleines and absolutely had to get one in Paris. Jolee got some macarons - not to be confused with macaroons - and they were equally delicious.

Once again, we ate at a little cafe on the Champs-Elysees. I decided we should get french food since we were in France. We settled on french onion soup and a croque monsieur. It was the best french onion soup I've ever had - I'm guessing because we were actually in France! After enjoying our delicious food, we got the bill and realized that the cokes we ordered cost 10 euro!! That's 15 freakin' dollars!! Holy crap! After double checking with our waiter, we begrudgingly paid for it and headed off to the Eiffel Tower.

We got some better pictures of the Parisian landmark because the sun was in a better position. Then we sat and enjoyed a crepe with nutella for dessert even though neither of us was all that hungry. But it was scrumptious! We then hopped on the subway and headed back to our hotel to collect the car and our luggage and leave Paris behind.

It was a fantastic trip, and I hope to go back someday! Thanks for being my tour guide, Jolee. I had a blast!

Day 2

2008-10-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

We started out the day by sleeping in, according to Jolee. For me, not so much. But I don't have 3 kids to deal with, so I get that that was a treat for her. First stop, the Eiffel Tower. Only, the sun was in the worst possible location. We took a couple of pictures, and I marveled at it; then we decided to revisit it at a later time when the sun would be more cooperating for pics. We headed toward the Champs Elysees to eat lunch at Laduree, which had been recommended to us. Along the way we passed right by the tunnel where Princess Di crashed. We took pictures. Notice how I'm not smiling in mine. I thought I shouldn't smile, but the non-smiling just looks weird. Anyway, it was interesting to see.

Now on to lunch. Laduree was fabulous! I had a sandwich complete with five whole fries and Jolee had breakfast. She got hot chocolate and it was the best, most rich hot chocolate I've ever tasted. Seriously, it was like they melted a chocolate bar and put it in a cup. Yummy! Throughout the meal, I was getting tickled/annoyed at the people sitting next to us. It was an American couple and their daughter, who we decided probably lived in Paris. They didn't talk much for the longest time, then started discussing politics. Let's just say I'm pretty certain they're uptight, rich, waspy liberals from the northeast and their comments were just silly. Once, the mom said if Palin wins, it'll be like having a hillbilly in the White House. I laughed and really wanted to lean over and say you're actually sitting next to a couple of hillbillies and ask what they thought about Bill. We debated about taking pictures inside because everything was so fancy and no one else was doing it. But as we were finishing up, a group of women came in and started taking pictures, so we decided we could do it, too!

After lunch, we were off to the Louvre. Ah, the Louvre!! It was everything I thought it would be and more. It was humongous. We kept turning down halls and going up and down stairs to find exhibit after exhibit. I told Jolee to give me 2 hours, and I would soak it in as best I could. We headed straight to the Mona Lisa because that's all she wanted to see. It was pretty neat to see and bigger than what people had led me to believe. Unfortunately, I never really got a decent picture of it. Afterwards, I made a mad dash trying to see all I could in the time allotted. Jolee was a good sport, following me around and not complaining. Luckily for her, none of the descriptions were in English, so I couldn't dwell on anything too long. Though I did try to read a few and use my Spanish skills to decipher the French. It didn't work so well. I could only pick out a few words here and there. As we were winding up our visit, Jolee managed to be her clumsy self and trip violently over a raised vent. I found it hysterical and we both cracked up laughing along with a few other people around us. Good times!

We were both pretty tired after the Louvre, and debated heading to the hotel for a break. But the Notre Dame is so close to the Louvre that we decided it was stupid to not finish up our touring in that area. We were both super thirsty, and I talked Jolee out of buying a coke for 3 euro right outside the museum thinking we'd surely pass something cheaper on the way to Notre Dame. Well, let me just tell you, we did not pass a single dadgum place!! Oops, sorry Jolee! We found Notre Dame and toured the inside. It was very pretty, but I'm going to admit that I enjoyed the churches in Cologne and Trier better. If that had been the first one I'd seen, I would have been in awe. But it was the third, and I still stand by my statement that Cologne's was the prettiest outside and Trier's was the prettiest inside. After resting inside for a few minutes, we crossed the street and bought a coke at Subway. Jolee bought a little fountain drink for 2 euro, and I opted for the bigger bottled drink for, you guessed it, 3 euro! After we got some caffeine in us, we perked up quite a bit. And this is when we (ok, really me) concocted the Hard Rock Cafe scheme.

Let me just state for the record that I do, in fact, have a guitar pin collection. I have to go to Hard Rock wherever I am and get a pin. It's a rule. I have to physically keep myself away from the Hard Rock in LA so as not to go broke. We knew Hard Rock was close to where we were, but we didn't know exactly where. So we headed out in the general direction of it. Well, those of you who've been to Paris know that their streets don't really run parallel and perpendicular. So we were just winding around. Along the way we managed to find a local shopping area with lots of restaurants and such. I could tell people were giving us the "what the crap are you tourists doing here" look. But we didn't care! We found a pizza place to eat some dinner in order to refuel. Then we were off to meandering again! Luckily, Jolee put her GPS in the backpack, so we pulled it out and let it lead the way. That thing took us so off the beaten path it was crazy. We saw lots and lots of Japanese and Chinese eateries with lines out the door. Finally, after a good hour plus, a busy street appeared in front of us and as we approached, the tiny Paris Hard Rock Cafe emerged from hiding. And yes, I got my pin!

When we were meandering around looking for the Hard Rock, we saw a pretty building in the distance. Jolee wanted to look, I said lets find Hard Rock first, then as soon as we turned off the street I decided Jolee was right. We should've gone back to see it right then because we absolutely could not find it after we left Hard Rock! We finally gave up and were trying to make our way to the metro. Wouldn't you know that right after that, we got to an intersection, I looked right, and there it was...the Paris Opera House in all it's glory!! Of course we'd stumble on it right when we stopped looking. We should've stopped looking a half hour earlier! Oh well, now we have a fun story to tell!!

At this point, we were exhausted. We hopped on the metro and headed back to the hotel to rest up for day 3.

2008-10-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

I'm going to borrow Jolee's idea and give my Paris presentation in three parts.

Day 1

We left for Paris bright and early in the morning. Needless to say, I was beyond excited. We managed to fill up the gas tank along the way thanks to Matt's instructions. It's all different in France as they specify fuel types by numbers instead of unleaded, super-unleaded, and diesel. Jolee drove superbly and we arrived without any catastrophes. We checked into the hotel, then ventured off to Versailles. We Turner's don't fly by the seat of our pants very often, so we had pretty much mapped out each of our days there.

We got to Versailles pretty easily, though we ended up buying two tickets because evidently the Paris metro tickets only work on the RER for Paris stops. Once we paid Versailles to let us enter their sacred land, we were off to the Palace. I turned right out of the train station because I felt like it was the proper direction though I didn't actually say this out loud. Jolee just thought I knew where I was going, so she followed. When we walked a block, I told her I had no clue where to go...I was just going on instinct. But we rounded the corner and saw tons of cars and buses. Low and behold, my instincts were right once again! As we approached, I was like what the crap is this?! You can see in one of the pictures below that it just wasn't that impressive from the outside. There's a huge parking lot obstructing the view, and of course, they were doing construction. So we didn't really get to see what the outside looks like in all its glory.

Luckily, the inside made up for it fully! I'm not going to give you much of the history. It's interesting when you're there, but I don't know how interesting it is when you look at someone else's pictures. We toured the Palace, the gardens, the Grand Trianon, and the Petit Trianon. The Petit Trianon is where Marie Antoinette spent most of her time. If you've ever seen the movie, then those pics are probably familiar to you. If you have more interest in the history, then I would recommend Wikipedia. If you ever go to Paris, you've got to go to Versailles. You will not regret it!

After Versailles, we meandered around Paris for awhile. Jolee remembered a Planet Hollywood on Champs Elysees, so we decided to be all American and go eat some fajitas. Now mind you, we'd barely eaten all day and were both starting to get grouchy. We walked up and down the avenue and couldn't find it. Finally, Jolee called Matt. He gave us the exact address. We found the spot, but wouldn't you know it was closed!! They had shut it down. I was getting grouchier by the minute, but it was pretty darn funny. We finally went back to the hotel and ate at the restaurant in the lobby. And so ended day one of our Paris adventure.

Goodbye Europe!

2008-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've had an eventful few days in Paris and am soaking up my last day here in Germany. I'll be back in the States tomorrow night and blog in more detail about the Paris trip later in the week. Here's a sneak peak...it involves lots and lots of food, a late night romp in search of the Hard Rock Cafe, and a $15 coke!!

Emmy Redux

2008-09-21T23:43:00.000-07:00

I forgot my own rules!! I still say everyone on my list below is who should have won. But after fast-forwarding through the broadcast this morning, I was painfully aware that I didn't follow my own rules and that's just silly! If I would've done that, my picks would've been darn near perfect.

Case in point:
Dianne Wiest - Primarily a respected movie actor doing TV upsets the much more deserving Chandra Wilson for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Jean Smart - A beloved former television star coming back to a TV comedy upsets the more deserving Amy Poehler and Kristen Chenoweth. Samantha Who is one of my favorite shows, but Jean Smart is the least funny character on there...not that I don't love her! It's just that Amy and Kristen are much more funny in their respective performances.

And I forgot about the Emmy/Oscar rule of "if you should've won for a show/movie previously, we'll likely award you an Emmy/Oscar if you're ever nominated again whether or not you deserve it":
Bryan Cranston - He should've won for Malcolm in the Middle, but never did. I can't be certain this is the reason he won, since I've never seen his new show. But I've definitely got my suspicions.

Overall, the Emmys were a snooze-fest. That opening was horrendous! I mainly fast-forwarded through it to see the winners and doubt I'll go back and watch much more.

What did we learn?

1) TV hosts are not good Emmy hosts and pretending to have nothing to say is not funny (kuddos to Jeremy Piven for mocking them!).

1.5) Ricky Gervais, Steve Carell, Jon Stewert, and Stephen Colbert are comedy gold. Can we have them tag-team host next year?

2) We should all be Democrats because Republicans are idiots.

2.5) If you make a political movie about the absurdity of our government and primarily Republicans, you're probably gonna win over a much more deserving film (see Recount beating A Raisin in the Sun - I tried to watch Recount, but it was so not that good that I actually stopped...which is something I rarely do).

3) Ok, we get it. Jeremy Piven is really great on Entourage. I think it's about time for him to take his name out of consideration a la Candice Bergen.

4) Josh Groban is a talented dude. Not only can he do classical music, he can even do TV themes!

5) 30 Rock is the most awesome show on TV and Tina Fey rocks!!

Alright, that's all I got. In the vein of Kristin Wiig's character Aunt Linda on SNL, I give the 2008 Emmys a big "Oh, Brother!" and a "Ghaa!".

Turner Out!

Emmy Picks

2008-09-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

We interrupt the German portion of the blog to bring you our 2008 Emmy picks.

Let me start off by stating that while I love the Emmys, I'm rarely happy with the nominations. The ATAS is a good old boys network, so the same boring people get nominated year after year. I'm pretty certain most of them don't actually watch TV. But, griping aside, this year was a little bit better than most, and I didn't cringe near as much when I read the nominees.

So, here we go...

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two And A Half Men
My Pick: Neil Patrick Harris. I think this is his year. He's hilarious as Barney and you should all watch How I Met Your Mother if you don't already.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jean Smart, Samantha Who
Amy Poehler, SNL
Holland Taylor, Two And A Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty
My Pick: Kristen Wiig. Oh wait, she wasn't nominated was she? I love that they opened up the nominations to SNL. However, in my opinion, Kristen Wiig is the funniest person on SNL right now, and I wish she would've received the nomination. But I do love me some Poehler, and I think she'll take home the statue with Kristin Chenoweth missing it by a hair.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Men
My Pick: A big fat who cares! The only performance I've seen is Lost, but I'm gonna go with Ted Danson...solely for the fact that he's married to an Arkansan.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
My Pick: Chandra Wilson. This is the only slam dunk of the night. Anyone else will be an upset. Chandra is the best thing on Grey's, and it's her year to win.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Steve Carell, The Office
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Charlie Sheen, Two And A Half Men
My Pick: Alec Baldwin. He's the funniest person on the funniest show, so naturally he should win.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures Of Old Christine
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
My Pick: This is the hardest category for me to pick because all these ladies are great. Christina Applegate is funny on Samantha Who, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the best physical comedian on TV right now. But my pick this year is Tina Fey. She's unstoppable!

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
James Spader, Boston Legal
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Laurie, House
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
My Pick: Jon Hamm. This is another category that I don't care that much about as I don't presently watch any of these shows. But Mad Men looks like something I'll enjoy once I get around to watching it, and from what I hear, Hamm is great. Plus he's cute, and I'm not gonna lie, that affected my vote.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
My Pick: Mary McDonell, Battlestar Galactica. She's the best thing on TV, but evidently if you're on a show on the sci-fi network, you're not going to get a nomination. Too bad. This is one of those categories that showcases the Emmy rule of "if you're a big time star and you come do TV, we'll give you a nomination for no other reason than that." Following that rule, I'm going with Glenn Close this year.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two And A Half Men
My Pick: 30 Rock. It's the funniest show on TV and deserves to win again this year. I don't know why Two And A Half Men keeps getting nominated. That show is mediocre at best. My nominations would've been 30 Rock, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Flight of the Conchords, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men
My Pick: Battlestar Galactica. Ok, ok, that's not nominated either, but it's still the best drama on TV. This is another category I don't care much about. Boston Legal's nominations are just ludicrous. If anything, it should be nominated as a comedy. I do love me some Lost, but I think Mad Men will win. It's the talk of the town, and it'll walk home with the Emmy.

So there you have it, folks. My 2008 Emmy Predictions. Enjoy!

Koln, Cologne...whatever!

2008-09-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we made the trek up to Cologne. It was the first big city I've been to in Europe. It was much more like the Europe I had envisioned. Much like I'm sure people envision the US as Los Angeles or New York and not Fort Smith!

A little history because I'm me and a post is not complete without some. Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany, home to about 1 million people. Its most famous structure is the Cologne Cathedral. Construction began on the cathedral in 1248, but it wasn't actually completed until 1880. It houses the Shrine of the Three Kings, which supposedly holds the remains of the Magi. Everything in Cologne was demolished in a WWII air raid except the cathedral. You can google a picture to check it out because it's pretty neat (maybe neat's not the right word!). And lastly, Cologne is the birthplace of Eau de Cologne. For the record, I have to learn all of this stuff myself because my sister has very little interest in these things.

I don't have too terribly many pics to post. I took a gazillion pictures of the Cologne Cathedral, but I'm just going to post a few. It was absolutely gorgeous on the outside. The inside was beautiful too, but not as beautiful as the cathedral in Trier. But it definitely takes the prize for exterior beauty. When I got home I realized I neglected to take pictures in the walkplatz, though we did stroll around there some. We were very American and ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. But I had to get a guitar pin, so the trip there was necessary! I still haven't eaten at a German restaurant. But once Matt gets back in town, Jolee and I are going to go to one. I need me some schnitzel!

Without further ado...

The Cathedral

I don't know if you can get a sense of the intricacy of the cathedral from the above two pics. Below is a picture of one doorway. Notice that they are all individual people. This is but one example of the detail of the outside.

Inside the Cathedral

A dead dude

Jordyn literally stuffing a sock in itJolee discovering she's been pooped on! Pesky pigeons!
That's all folks! Tomorrow's stop...Belgium!

Castles, castles, everywhere!

2008-09-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Burg Pyrmont

Burg Eltz

Burg Cochem

And my favorite...Truffelburg!

Oh, and by the way, burg = castle. It's one of the many German words I've learned during my stay, such as kindergarten, restaurant, and hotel. Impressed much?!

Trier

2008-09-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we went to Trier, which is the closest city to Jolee's town. Its claim to fame is that it's the oldest city in Germany, though there is some debate to this. Romans settled it around 30 BC, which is the oldest recording of the city. However, many people believe it was actually founded some 1500 years earlier by an Assyrian prince. Regardless, it's really old!! We meandered around the Hauptmarkt and did some shopping. At some point, we're going to go back to see the Roman baths and to find Karl Marx's home because, as an economics major, I absolutely cannot leave here without doing so. It would be a disgrace.

I call this one "Art", subtitled, "Reflections of God". Check it.

Yum!

2008-09-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

Somebody sure likes Aunt Terri's cookie dough!

Maybe I should put it on the top shelf next time.

Luxembourg

2008-09-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today, we made a quick trip into Luxembourg. I absolutely loved it! I wish we could've spent more time there. But we had three kids and it started raining, so we had to cut the trip short. Maybe some day I'll venture back and spend a bit more time.

Oh George! Must you follow me everywhere?!

Better...

2008-09-07T03:59:00.000-07:00

...but still not great. I must have missed the memo that there was something wrong with the old uniforms. But this, at least, I can tolerate.

Something I don't ever want to see again...

2008-09-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

...but fear I'm going to have to live with for the rest of the season. Let's hope they change back to the classic uniforms next year. I can't handle this new-fangled crap on my beloved Razorbacks!!

P-P-P-Pictures!!

2008-09-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

Look! It's actually me...in Germany!!

Politics...look away if you must, though I hope you don't.

2008-09-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

So here's the deal. Most of my blogs over the next month will be Europe related, but they will occasionally be interrupted by other topics. This post is one of those. It's going to be political, so go ahead and tune out now if you wish. I know my political blogs don't get as much response as my random blogs. People just aren't as interested/informed about politics as I think (wish?) they should be.

This is the second morning in a row I've awakened to a day of Palin dominated news in the States. Since she's a VP nominee, normally I would say this is fine. But what's dominating the news is her daughter's pregnancy, and this just pisses me off (pardon the language). Who cares about her daughter? She's not involved in this election! Get over it already. Kids make mistakes. It's a private family matter. Let it go! I feel like we've already started along the path of more things being debated about Palin because she's a woman. I honestly don't think this would be such an issue if she were a man, but I could be wrong. Let me summarize, stuff with Palin's daughter - not relevant. Stuff regarding the firing of her brother-in-law - completely relevant. Let's all keep a sane head on our shoulders and filter through this nonsense that the media often throws at us. I want to have faith in my fellow Americans!

In the meantime, I'm enjoying my time in Germany. You know, one of those crazy countries run by a woman.

Argh!

2008-09-02T05:41:00.000-07:00

I was going to post a picture proving I was in Germany. But then I accidentally deleted all the ones I'd taken. Luckily, I'd only taken 6 or 7. I'll get some further proof. Stay tuned...

Germany, Here I Come!!!

2008-08-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

McCain's Veep

2008-08-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

I think I love this move. Still need to do some research first though. That McCain is one smart cookie.

Cameras, Germany, & McCain

2008-08-28T21:57:00.001-07:00

Cameras: I broke my camera when I visited Arkansas last month. I was so annoyed at myself. I loved that camera! The kind folks at the camera shop informed me it would cost $175 to fix it, which is about what I was expecting. I said heck no! I don't need a camera right now anyhow. Then I decided to go to Germany. So I broke down and bought a new one. I didn't like any of the cameras they had out in the price range I was looking at, so I forked over $50 extra bucks to get the upgraded model of my broken one. I've decided that was a wise choice. Now I don't have to learn new camera functions, and it uses the exact same battery so now I have a backup.

Bottom line...I don't like change.

Germany: Things to pack...
1) Barney DVD for Jordyn - check,
2) Junior Mints for Jolee and Landen - check,
3) Halloween costume for Hayden - tried, but they didn't have it; still gets a check
4) Scrapbooking stuff for Jolee - check
5) Raw spanish peanuts so I can make Jolee peanut brittle - not yet

Hmmm, what am I forgetting?! Oh yeah, MY STUFF!!

McCain: McCain does not equal Bush! Just wanted to remind you of that in case you've been sucked into the DNC speeches trying to paint it as such.

Dancing with the Stars

2008-08-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Team Lance!!

He's so dreamy! :)