New Beginning

The lantana that ate the neighborhood
Originally uploaded by Elizalou.

Ah, yes. It was only a matter of time. My songs were "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," "Fame," "Pieces of Me," and "It's the End of the World as We Know It." Oddly, "Pieces of Me" was definitely the hardest. I can see why this game is like crack to many people. You don't really have to be able to keep up with the verses in the REM song as far as the words go -- as long as you can maintain the sort of monotone pitch.

I'm caught up on Battlestar Galactica. Now I'll just need to watch Season 2.5 when it comes out in two weeks. I am really sort of baffled by my love for this show. Sometimes it seems very stupid, but sometimes it's really great. Whoever cast Olmos & McDonnell is a genius. They are so excellent, especially McDonnell. She is brilliant. Sometimes watching this show gives me squeezing sensations in my chest. I even get anxious when bad things happen to characters I don't like. Or characters I shouldn't like -- but somehow I do. I like all of the tension -- civil government vs. the military, faith vs. science. This show makes my head hurt, but in a good way.

I just tried to watch about five minutes of Nip/Tuck, and it made me so uneasy that I had to turn it off. I don't know why it shocks me so much to see such graphic sex scenes on regular old TV, but it does. I flipped to TBS instead and watched the end of a Sex & the City episode I've seen a million times (the one where Carrie kisses Alanis). I just can't watch Nip/Tuck. It upsets me. I know that Rosie O'Donnell is guesting on it soon, but I don't think I can watch it even for her.

Speaking of Rosie, I've enjoyed her on The View this week. It's strange to see her in the role of talk show host in a format that's so different from how hers was. But she looks great. She looks happy.

This week I've gone to a Habitat meeting and officially started the hour running program. First I had to build myself back up to thirty minutes over the last two weeks. After the rubber band holding my hair in a ponytail popped open and flew off and I had to clumsily pull my hair back with a bandana, I made it through the first night of the program by the grace of Big Brother on the gym TV and good old "American Idiot."

Here's a link to an animal rescue organization sent to me by a reader who's a displaced New Orleanian. She says they're doing great work. Check it out.

I've started watching The Comeback. Lisa Kudrow was robbed of the Emmy this year. That said, it makes me want to crawl under the couch and die because it's so mortifying. I can see why it was cancelled -- it's because no one can stand to be that uncomfortable watching something for any long period of time. It's hilarious, but it's in a heartbreaking way because it's so painful to watch -- you just want to die a thousand deaths for her character with pretty much every passing moment.

I'm beginning this attempt to write online in a different format. I felt I could no longer be a slave to the ancient ways. It's nothing too pretty, but I tried to make it as similar to my old look as possible because that look is comfortable and familiar to me. I still know nothing of feeds or some of the other newfangled trends. I'm sure I'll have to tool around with things some more. Also, I'm doing this on my iBook at home, so it might look insane in some browers, and I don't have a clue. I have no idea if I'll stick with this, as it makes me feel vaguely nauseated to abandon the old-school format, but I'm giving it a go because it's both easy and free -- and for the sake of trying to leap (at least somewhat) into modern times. Don't hate me.