Catching up / Cry for help

I forgot to mention that I saw a really good rental recently. It's called The Edge of Heaven. I didn't know much about it going in, but I'm so glad I ended up watching it. It's hard to say too much about it without giving important things away, and I wouldn't recommending reading up on it before seeing it. Just know that it's about Turkey, Germany, a father, a son, a mother, a daughter, lovers, political activism, and other fascinating things. I highly recommend it, and I look forward to checking out another effort by Fatih Akin, the award-winning Head On.

My little brother and I took a road trip to see Slumdog Millionaire yesterday after deciding to go to it if it's not going to come to us. It was totally worth the drive and the time. I strenously avoided details on the film before seeing it because I knew it would be special, and I didn't want to know anything about it going in. That was wise. I was surprised by everything, and I had no idea I'd be so nervously on the edge of my seat the entire time. I don't think I relaxed or let my breath out for a single second. It was so exhilarating and beautiful. We loved it and wished we could stay to watch it all over again.

(The next week ...)

I've now seen Head On, supposedly a very big deal. It was definitely memorable and the performances were strong, but it didn't capture my heart the way The Edge of Heaven did. I was mostly annoyed and disturbed by its leading characters instead of in love with them and rooting for them like I was in the other film. There was a little too much blood and sex for me, ultimately.

Thanks to my friend Erin for linking to a great crockpot recipe site. Yesterday, I made the Moroccan lentil soup. The grocery store did not have garam masala, so I used an Indian spice blend, or vegetable broth, so I used chicken broth. Other than that, I stuck to the recipe, and it was DELICIOUS. It also made enough to feed a small army, so I fed some to B., some to my parents, and a lot to my freezer. I am excited to try out some more of this site's recipes for the rest of winter. 

I haven't really been able to get into River Secrets, my love for Shannon Hale's other Bayern books notwithstanding. Luckily, just I was feeling that gnawing feeling of wanting a good book, a galley arrived from trusty Melissa today called A Map of the Known World. (She reviewed it here.) I just read the first two chapters, and it is wonderful so far.

Why did no one ever hold me down and force me to watch Extras? I have just finished season one, and it is the first thing that has made me laugh out loud in ages. It is just what I needed this week, when feeling a bit gray and melancholy, just like the weather, and I can't wait to get season two. I watched Ricky Gervais on Inside the Actors Studio recently, and he said that Andy is the complete opposite of David Brent, which I don't really believe. I understand Andy is a lot more self-aware than David Brent and is often the one actually noticing other people's awfulness instead of everyone noting it about him, but he's really quite similar to David Brent in that sometimes he is so clueless and embarrassing to watch, especially when begging for a line. I mean, clearly he is not the tosser (am I using that British word correctly? no idea!) David Brent is, but he can still be an idiot. Augh! It's so good. I loved it. And it's great to see Charlotte from Ugly Betty as the dim but well-meaning Maggie. And as with The Office, I love watching the behind the scenes stuff because I cannot help but be charmed by the way that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant genuinely seem to crack each other up to no end. Maybe it's all a put-on, but I like to believe it's a real friendship and affection in addition to a professional and creative collaboration. I don't want to think about this too much or it might lead me dangerously down the road toward Merchant/Gervais fan fiction or something. But I do like watching them make each other laugh, and it makes me think of how making each other laugh is so important in a friendship. Even when things are really shitty, my friends and I can still make each other laugh. This paragraph is getting lamer and lamer so I'll stop.

I have nothing else to say except a cry for help. I have to buy a new mattress set. I've never bought one before. My bed is a hand-me-down from my older brother that I've had for 15 years and that he had God knows how many years before that. It's heinous, I am sleeping worse than ever, and it's kind of making life suck. If you have a bed that you like a lot or love, can you please leave me a comment and tell me about it? Also please feel free to share any bed shopping tips you might have. Or feel free to tell me not to buy a certain type that you think is bad. I don't know why I am so paralyzed about doing this; I am a grown woman and should be able to go to a store and buy a friggin' mattress set. But I really like testimonials, and I like getting them from people I know (or sort of know) instead of crazy people on Internet review websites. I am not afraid to throw down some cash because I think this is an important investment that could literally and vastly improve my life. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.

SAG Awards recap

SAG Awards! I love this awards show. First of all, I could never recap an awards show like Kymm does, but here I go!

I am glad they chose Victor Garber for this "... and I'm an actor" beginning! I love him. And I also love Phylicia Rashad, and I am always glad to see her. The guy from Ed? Really? I guess this is because he's on a new TBS show. (Lame.) The host from Slumdog Millionaire! Oh, gloriousness. He was so fantastic in the movie! He made Creed smile a lot, which is always important. Jenna Fischer is falling out of her dress. (I love her blog.) Who's cuter than Amy Poehler and Will Arnett? I wonder if Steve Carrell made that up, the little tribute to the Sully the pilot, instead of tooting his own acting history. I like to think so!

Kiefer & Rosario, presenters: Rosario Dawson is so gorgeous I can't really believe it. Kiefer looks the same as ever and will always be Ace "Suck My Fat One You Cheap Dimestore Hood" Merrill to me. Christina Applegate, America Ferrera, Tina Fey, Mary Louise Parker, and Tracy Ullman. I always enjoy Tina Fey's speeches, but it would be nice to spread the love around a bit. And ... Tina Fey. No big surprise considering how popular she seems to be among her peers and how grateful everyone is to her for making such delicious fun of Sarah Palin. Very cute speech.

Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, presenters: They are adorable! My little brother is in love with Freida. I think I might be, too. I love them, and I am particularly sad that he was not nominated for an Oscar because I think he totally deserved to be. They're presenting their film. They are showing a very tense and important scene toward the end of the movie, and I have to say that it's a bit of a big fat spoiler. Oh well.

Kyra Sedgwick and Jon Hamm, presenters: She continues to not age. She is also amazingly tiny. I am not crazy about her bustier-type top, but I like her necklace and her hair. I also like Jon Hamm's hair when it's not all slicked back like it is on Mad Men. It is a shame that Kyra Sedgwick had to be outshined by a man who is more gorgeous than her and basically everyone else in the room, except for maybe Ms. Pinto. Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell, David Duchovny, Jeremy Piven, Tony Shalhoub. Please do not win, Jeremy Piven. This is actually sort of a boring category. My vote would be for Baldwin or Carell, clearly. And ... it's Baldwin! Again, no shock there. Who is that child who just hugged him? Is that Ireland? Surely not. Please tell me it's not his date, though; she looks like an adolescent. Steve Carell's wife didn't even attempt to smile or look happy, and good for her! Be genuine, I like that. 

Evan Rachel Wood, presenter: Her hair is a strange color, but her make-up is much less deranged than in recent months (like here), which pleases me. It is hard to believe little Jessie Sammler is all grown up. She is introducing a Trailblazers Montage. I love a good montage, so we'll see how it goes. I'm not sure how Trailblazery some of these performers actually are -- it's a bit random -- but I always appreciate seeing a clip of the Sharks dancing in West Side Story, so that's cool. How nice to show Corky from Life Goes On and Peter Dinklage back to back. That was a very weird and possibly not very well-thought out montage.

Claire Danes, presenter: Distracting veneers and weird pronunciation of "afloat" and "Wisteria Lane" notwithstanding, she looks gorgeous and I am glad she is now dating the adorable Hugh Dancy instead of the formerly beloved by me but now creepy Billy Crudup. Casts of 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives (really?), Entourage, The Office (yay!), and Weeds. And ... 30 Rock! Well, this is a clean sweep! Honestly, I'm glad they won if for Jack McBrayer alone, and I wish they'd let him give the acceptance speech. Did Jane Krakowski just make an Ally McBeal-skinny joke? Really? Boy. That kind of stank up the room.

Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, presenters: People are applauding madly, which is nice. They're presenting Frost/Nixon, which I haven't seen but would like to soon.

Greg Kinnear, presenter: Supporting female actor nominees ... Amy Adams (love her, haven't seen Doubt), Penelope Cruz (want to see this; also enjoy how she never pretends to enjoy talking to Giuliana Rancic), Viola Davis (always very charming in interviews; looks stunning in that yellow gown!), Taraji P. Henson, and Kate Winslet (beautiful blue dress, bosoms are very ... wow) ... and it's Kate Winslet. Random reaction shot of Diego Luna. Kate Winslet looks beautiful but mildly exhausted. Sorry to harp but either her undergarments or her breasts are truly extraordinary.

Christina Applegate and Taye Diggs, presenters: He is wearing tiny glasses and a bow tie, and she is wearing a pretty green dress with an ugly long necklace. Michael C. Hall, Jon Hamm (WIN), Hugh Laurie, William Shatner, and James Spader. If one of these Boston Legal bozos wins, I will be annoyed. Come on, Hamm! And ... Hugh Laurie. Well, I'm okay with this simply because he seems like a nice person. Christina Hendricks tries to look pleased even though Hamm didn't win; she fails but is still a knockout. Hugh Laurie does give good speeches. Random Michelle Pfeiffer reaction shot!

John Krasinski & Amy Poehler, presenters: Sometimes he tries too hard to be cute and funny in interviews. He should not try so hard, for he is just that way naturally! She looks unfortunately rather orange. Their schtick is actually very good! Shirley MacLaine, in particular, clapping and guffawing, thinks so! Sally Field, Mariska Hargitay, Holly Hunter (doesn't age), Elisabeth Moss (who is awesome but is not exactly a lead, huh?; looks adorable next to new fiance Fred Armison!), and Kyra Sedgwick. And ... Sally Field. Which would be a boring choice, but she is very good on Brothers & Sisters and she looks freaking phenomenal.

Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, and James Franco, presenting: I enjoy all of them, though Josh Brolin is way too tan and strikes me as kind of insane. Emile Hirsch is teeny and adorable, and James Franco's suit is weird, but he was so good in Milk and of course as Daniel Desario. That clip certainly doesn't show the wondrousness of Milk. Whatever.

Eric McCormick & Emily Blunt, presenters: Ron Howard just clearly leaned over and asked, "Who is that?" I really like Emily Blunt, but I am not crazy about her stretchy aluminum foily dress. Drama series ensemble ... Boston Legal, The Closer, Dexter, House, and Mad Men (Where are the Mad Men women in that clip? Hello?). I will never understand all the love Boston Legal gets on these awards shows.  And ... Mad Men. No brainer! Obviously. There are so many of them that it's taking forever to get to the stage. Mr. Cooper just patted Sean Penn on the shoulder on his way up! January Jones is lovely but always dresses like a lunatic at these awards shows. Oh, look at the little kids! Poor "Hells bells, Trudy!" -- standing in red next to Joan Holloway, also in red, and paling in comparison as any human would. Pete Campbell is the anti-Pete Campbell tonight, super scruffy. I like it.

Alan Rosenberg looks a bit haggard. Nice shout-outs to the other guilds/unions.

Forest Whitaker, presenting: He has been everywhere this week! Talking about the inauguration nonstop, always eloquently and sincerely. I really like him. Giving the Life Achievement Awards to James Earl Jones. "Oh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come." I know lots of people always think of him first as the voice of Darth Vader, but he will always be Terence Mann to me. And Mufasa, of course. That was a very sweet tribute to Paul Newman that he threw in at the end.

Ernest Borgnine, presenter: Female actor, TV movie/miniseries ... Laura Dern (enjoy her), Laura Linney (enjoy her, too), Shirley MacLaine (apparently I enjoy all of these women; she is so good in In Her Shoes if you've not seen it), Phylicia Rashad (I hope she wins because her speeches are terrific), and Susan Sarandon (her tatas are a bit much, I'm sorry, there I said it). And ... Laura Linney. I wonder if Laura Dern's heart swelled before the Linney part. Oh, well. She sure has won a lot of damn awards for this part. Alec Baldwin looks gravely concerned by this. 

Amy Adams & Viola Davis, presenters: They are both beautiful. I have decided I hate Amy's dress. It's a nice color, but it has a very strange ruffle/bow thing on the side that is just butt-ugly. Viola Davis' dress, however, is bright, yellow, and perfect.

Marisa Tomei, presenter: I like her yellow dress, but she looks like she is wearing no makeup, and instead of looking natural and pretty (which she is), she looks like she forgot something and very washed out. Not good, Marisa! You are too good-looking to look this drab. Anyway -- male actor, TV movie/miniseries ... Ralph Feinnes, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey, Kiefer Sutherland, and Tom Wilkinson. And ... Paul Giamatti. Again. He's not there, so moving right along.

Susan Sarandon and her decolletage, presenting the montage of the passed on. She gives a nice, sincere opening. I always wonder what music they will use for this. I am always also surprised to be reminded of deaths I'd forgotten. The applause situation is always a little awkward. Cyd Charisse sure was gorgeous. I'll always remember Beverly Garland as the mom in Where the Red Fern Grows. I guess they will save Heath Ledger for last. Actually, I guess he died last year. So the final spot went to the beautiful Paul Newman.

Kristin Scott Thomas, presenting: She is a very hot lady, but I am not crazy about her blazer and long gold chain. The dude playing a dude disguised as another dude line is getting very old. Come on, awards show writers! Some originality, please. Supporting actor ... Josh Brolin (admittedly very good in Milk), Robert Downey, Jr., Philip Seymour Hoffman, Heath Ledger, and Dev Patel. If Heath Ledger doesn't win, I will eat this iBook. Oh, Dev Patel! I didn't know you were nominated! I love you. Gary Oldman, rather than Christopher Nolan for once, is accepting on his behalf. Which is nice, as these are the SAG Awards and everything. Oh, Heath. Gary Oldman is crying. Also, I forget what Gary Oldman's real accent sounds like because one never hears it. "He was an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary talent and it is wonderful that you have acknowledged that and ... honored that talent tonight." That was rather shy, bumbling, awkward, and sweet.

Taraji P. Henson & Brad Pitt, presenters: Once and for effing all, I wish Brad Pitt would shave off that idiot mustache. That said, she looks amazing and I love her dress, hair, earrings, and every last thing about her look. She can't read the prompter because she needs glasses. They're presenting Benjamin Button, clearly. I sort of want to see this but have avoided it because (a) I know I'd be annoyed by the Katrina factor; (b) it's one million hours long; and (c) I hate thinking about mortality. But my little brother really loved it, which is usually reason enough to see a movie.

Ralph Feinnes, presenter: Female actor, leading role. Anne Hathaway (looking a little thin), Angelina Jolie (ditto), Melissa Leo (Kay Howard 4-eva!), Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet. And ... Meryl Streep. Who is allegedly shocked and gets a huge hug from someone who must be her daughter, because she looks exactly like her. Everyone is charmed and amused by her spastic, actually possibly real shockedness, even Ralph Feinnes, on whose lips she just planted a giant smooch. Everyone clearly loves Meryl Streep. And why shouldn't they? She is not only an awesome talent, she is very amusing. She has total command of the stage, and they are just eating it up. 

Katie Holmes, presenter (WHATEVER): Okay, I like her hair, make-up, and dress. Damn it! She just said "magnifiss-kent." Nice. Why is she the one presenting one of the biggest awards of the night? This makes no sense to me, and I do not accept it. Sure, she was on Broadway, but this is SAG! For God's sake. I just protest this on every level. Anyway, moving on. Richard Jenkins (YES -- so wonderful in The Visitor, a beautiful film), Frank Langella, Sean Penn (wonderful in Milk and totally there with Robin Wright Penn, which makes me happy), Brad Pitt, and Mickey Rourke. Well, I think this is a gimme for Rourke because everyone seems super psyched about his comeback. And ... it's Sean Penn. WOW! I am truly shocked by this. I wonder if he's thinking, "I am so sure I am getting this award from someone whose greatest on-screen role was Joey Potter." I think he just made a joke about communism. Robin Wright Penn is crying, and I love it. Freida Pinto is moved and glowing. Sean Penn is moved and crying and rambling but who cares.

Anthony Hopkins, presenter: He looks thin and old. I am sorry, it's true. But he sounds strong and sensational. I really want Slumdog's ensemble to win, especially because they were all overlooked in the Oscar nominations. And ... hooray!! Anil Kapoor just tackled Dev Patel, and I will love Irrfan Khan forever as the dad in The Namesake, and Anil Kapoor is breathless and stoked, and I want Dev and Freida to get married and dance the train station dance at their wedding, and Anil is acknowledging the young children in the film and saying "they deserve it ... it is the children who have done it" (and he is so right), and Freida is now saying the kids' names for posterity! Which is so fitting and perfect, and all is right with the world. 

Niceness

This has been a weekend filled with lovely things. Some things haven't been so lovely, mostly involving the heinousness that is standing on a ladder painting ceilings, but I'm going to focus on what's been nice.

My mom and I celebrated her birthday by eating pizza and gelato and watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which I liked more than I thought I would; particularly enjoyable were the girl who played Lucy and the wonderful James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus. 

This weekend also marked the triumphant return of Friday Night Lights to network television and the first of the final episodes of Battlestar Galactica. I love these shows so much; they make me so happy. I already miss them, knowing BG is nearing the end and FNL is probably not far behind. Yesterday I made my favorite crock pot recipe, and today my mom shared carrot salad and bean soup. I read a book, Schooled by Gordon Korman, that started off annoying but ended up charming me.

Today I went on one of the best runs in recent memory. When you get to leave the house at noon on a sunny, cloudless, blue-skied Sunday in January and it's 65 degrees outside, you are one lucky girl. So the weather played a major part of the pleasantness of today's run, but there were other factors -- the many white pelicans perched on the lakeshore in a huddle -- God, how I love the white pelicans! The little pink and white buds starting to peek out from the bare branches of dozens of Japanese magnolia trees. The ducks taking flight in unison. The breeze. The sight of people walking their dogs, picnicking beside the lake, biking, walking, running. The new earphones which allowed me to actually hear my songs in both ears, which was like running in super surround sound compared to what I'm used to. The way that "You Can't Stop the Beat" came on just when I needed it to. The fact that I didn't worry about a single thing while rounding the lakes. I just thought about how glad I am to have the day off tomorrow and how full my heart feels when thinking about the day after tomorrow. 

Last but not least, running three miles on a gorgeous, perfect day is about a billion times more fun than painting a bathroom ceiling, which I did yesterday and all morning long and which I'm about to have to do some more. It's been months since Gustav, and I could bear the brown spots not a day longer. Painting ceilings ranks in life, I've found, with some of the most dreadful acts a person can do on a beautiful day. Mishaps have been the story of the day ... the roller snapping in two and falling on my head, stepping off the ladder and taking down the shower curtain mid-plummet, drips galore in the bathtub and all over the floor, etc. But at least I had good music to keep me company and all of the windows are thrown up and the fans are running to try to keep the air as fresh as possible. 

My brother just called and wants me to road trip with him tomorrow to see Slumdog Millionaire, which sounds like the best idea I've ever heard. A few nights ago, I went to his house to eat dinner and watch The Dark Knight, which he of course loves immensely as a lifelong Batman fan. I thought it was way too long, but we agreed that Heath Ledger and whoever first decided to slap BBQ sauce and chicken on pizza are both geniuses.

All in all, a mighty fine weekend a few weeks into the new year.

Decluttering, etc.

This weekend I went bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s. I decided I needed to declutter my house as much as possible in a tornadic burst of activity. I washed and ironed my bedroom and living room curtains. I went through shoebox after shoebox of old photos, trashing many of them, along with every set of negatives dating back 20+ years. I cleaned out three, count 'em, three junk drawers in my kitchen. Why did I have seven wrenches? I'll never know. Goodbye, wrenches. I went through a giant box of old videotapes. I went through a stack of old magazines. I washed a giant hamper full of clothes that had been sitting in a closet for over a year. (Horrible, I know, right? True confession time!) I went through two boxes actually labeled with the words "Misc. Crap." I filed, tossed, and bagged/boxed for St. Vincent de Paul. 

It's not like you walk into my house and think, "CLUTTER!" It's because it's all stashed away in drawers, cabinets, and closets. And every time I would pull something out to go through, I'd realize there was something else behind it. It was like a horrible multiplication of mess. So many boxes ... I can't even really believe it. I threw out ancient TV Guides and ancient TV Guide clippings about shows like Beauty and the Beast and Life Goes On. I found my Disney World ID and Disney name tag and Edelweiss seeds purchased in 1998 in Salzburg on The Sound of Music tour. My sister still has hers, too, bought separately from me, and we resolved to plant them in pots on the same day, even though I have no idea if seeds stay alive in little packets for eleven years. I found four very pretty rosaries, and I have no memory of where they came from. 

So I made a lot of progress, but it's basically invisible progress because most of it was hidden away. I am comforted to know that my closets are less full and that I am now free of some of the many things I had but no longer wanted or needed. I still have a long way to go ... I just found a giant box of playbills and theater programs dating back to young childhood. (Sigh.)

Meanwhile, last week, I dropped my iPhone on the very hard tile floor outside my office elevator, and it went splat. The home button stopped working, the ring sounded like something gasping for air from a vat of quicksand, the person on the other line couldn't hear me at all, and it wouldn't sync to iTunes. It was a sad day indeed. I made an appointment at the store, fully expecting to be told my warranty had expired two weeks prior and I was SoL. When the guy said that my warranty just expired two weeks ago and he would swap it out, "just this once," I practically started weeping right there on my stool. It was a Genius Bar miracle. Thank you, Eric at the Apple store! 

I can't focus on anything else to write. The Visitor is quite a good movie. The performances are amazing, and it is quite moving. I got it because it was written and directed by the guy who did The Station Agent, which I adored, and it didn't disappoint. And I am so glad that Colin Farrell won the Golden Globe (read Kymm's great recap) last night for In Bruges. I have been telling anyone who'll listen about how fantastic he was in this movie for months, and I am so glad the whole world knows it now! And his speech was delightful and divine, and I love him. 

Videotape purge

I have a videotape problem. A while back, I threw out all of the unlabeled tapes in a fit of deciding that life is too short. Which leaves me with a giant laundry basket of videotapes which I am sitting down to inventory as a part of my resolution of Clutter Free in '09. I haven't looked at many of these in years. I can't vouch that what the label says is even what's still on the tapes. If you want any of these, let me know. I am not getting rid of any thirtysomething tapes or tapes with any home video on them. If anyone wants anything, I'll double check that the label's right before sending it out.

(1) Life Goes On: Libby & Drew go out of town - party; Who's the Boss finale; Growing Pains finale; The Wonder Years: Michael & Karen's wedding; Doogie Howser: Wanda's new stepmom; The Cosby Show finale; Quantum Leap finale; A Different World finale; The Wonder Years finale (part).

(2) thirtysomething: Hope's parents' anniversary; Lee & Melissa: Cinderella; Lee meets Melissa's friends; The Diary; Christmas; Beauty & the Beast: 2 episodes.

(3) thirtysomething: Nancy's art class; Second Look; part of "Whatever happens, I do love you, Lee"; Billy proposes; New Year's Eve; Elliot & Catholic Church.

(4) thirtysomething: pilot, inside thirtysomething seminar; parents are coming; housewarming; couples; but not for me.

(5) Rosie: Michael Jordan, Bryant Gumble; Rosie: laughing spasm; Rosie: Barbara Walters; General Hospital: Sonny & Brenda's wedding; Ally McBeal; General Hospital: Sonny & Brenda flashbacks. (This tape is circa 1997.)

(5) Dinosaurs (? Why ?); The Wonder Years: roll teacher's house, first week of high school; Doogie Howser: their first apartment; Quantum Leap (KKK); Another World: R/C in NY, Matt/ Donna in car); Disney afternoon; More Another World; Life Goes On: nude painting; Life Goes On: Jesse's birthday, Becca's new friend, Jesse gets sick, school presentation; Joesph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: behind the scenes; thirtysomething: Melissa & Gary / Hope & Michael's first date flashback; 1/2 of funeral episode

(6) Rosie on Oprah; Daytime Emmy Awards 1997; MTV Movie Awards 1997; Part of Five season finale 1997

(7) Steve & Kayla's wedding -- Melissa, does this belong to you or did you send it to me to keep? Let me know!

(8) 1996 Tony Awards -- this is the one with Rent and I might keep it. Although I'm sure it's all on YouTube. THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, I know!

(9) Rent tape (I bought it for $10 for a tape with a bunch of TV appearances on it made by someone named Paige ... I will probably keep this.)

(10) You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. (Cartoon -- I will keep this until it comes out on DVD someday. In fact, I think I will put it in right now.)

(11) Chicago -- London, Cabaret -- Donmare Warehouse, Rent -- Yasmin as Maureen, Forbidden Broadway highlights -- okay, Melissa, I am pretty sure this belongs to you and I will send it back to you.

(12) 1998 Tony Awards.

(13) 1992 Bill Clinton inauguration stuff; Life Goes On: Becca & Jesse get horny (I actually wrote this on the label, gross, I blame being in high school); Life Goes On: "His Name Was Jesse": Dial-a-Teacher stuff (local access show I helped host in high school); Class of '96 opening credits; Blossom: Tony meets wife; end of Class of '96; All My Children: Tad's alive; 90210: prom night; Melrose: Jane finds out / Billy & Al; Christian Slater on Arsenio; 2nd 1/2 of China Beach; Melrose: Al kisses Billy 1st time

(14) Four Days tapes from the mid-80s; not sure what's on them but I can't bring myself to throw them away.

(15) Oscars 1998.

(16) thirtysomething: I'm in love with a gynecologist; business as usual; accounts receivable; who's forest is it; nancy's first date; undone.

(17) Singles; Say Anything: Life Goes On: "the non-erasable final show"

(18) Madonna on Oprah; Party of Five: the wedding; Homicide: I-95 killer; Homicide: Thanksgiving; Brandon Tartikoff special; Princess Diana; Maya Angelou

(19) PBS documentary about recording of new King & I soundtrack with Julie Andrews & Lea Salonga; Clueless; Something to Talk About

(20) thirtysomething

(21) More thirtysomething

(22) Rosie: Susan Lucci, Rob Schneider, Alan Jackson, Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island; Life Goes On: The Storybook, Paige/Kenny; Rosie: Heather Locklear, Delroy Lindo; Life Goes On: Jesse/Becca--married? AIDS hospice: Beauty and the Beast: Though Lovers Be Lost

(23) The Real World NY: 1993

(24) My So-Called Life; 1996 Oscars; Party of Five 2nd season finale 1996.

(25) Oscars 1995.

(26) Rosie: 100th show w/ Jeff Bridges, Reba M., Marlo Thomas; Beauty & the Beast (BatB): reporter/Paracelsus (break-up); BatB: punk kids; Rosie: Barry Manilow, Blair U., Cheryl Ladd; Rosie: Elton John, Sarah Ferguson; Life Goes On: the baby's room / time warp; General Hospital: Luke & Laura's 15th anniv.

(27) Series finales: Who's the Boss, Growing Pains, Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, Quantum Leap

(28) The Truth about Cats & Dogs, The Birdcage, Tony Awards 1997.

(29) Rent OBC on Rosie 1997, Golden Globes 1997, Friends.

(30) The Wonder Years: Winnie breaks her leg; Wonder Years: more flashbacks (old); China Beach: My Fair Lady songs; Murphy Brown: she names Avery; Love & War -- ew; Some Danielle Steele nonsense; People Choice Awards 1991; news; Cheers -- old -- Diane, Coach

(31) 1997 River Phoenix special

I am tired and have to stop now. If you want any of these, let me know and I'll mail them to you happily. Also, I do realize that there is something very wrong with me.

Things I Like

I've been feeling sort of at a loss as to what to write about here. It's weird to think it is now 2009, and I started doing this online diary writing thing in 1999. That boggles the mind. I think about all I wrote that is no longer online, all I've written that still is, and what kind of things I'm still comfortable writing about here. It's all a bit much lately. Lots of things happened in 1999, and it is now 2009. In January of 1999, I was teaching Shakespeare to 9th and 10th graders in Florida. In the summer of 1999, several things happened. I moved back here. I got Daisy. Daisy is 10 years old! I got my current job. I've had this job for almost 10 years! I started an online journal. 10 years, 10 years, 10 years. It's just a weird thought, that's all. It makes my head hurt a little bit.

So today I think I will keep it simple write about some things that I like. (There are plenty of things I don't like, of course, but I'm not focusing on them today.)

I like my new purse. I have it in Rhombus Blue. I coveted my sister's so passionately that she bought me my own. I love it! I love that it's cute, I love that it's sporty, I love that it's big, and I love that it's reversible. (It's a nice mocha brown on the other side.) The only thing I don't love is that it doesn't have a zipper or snap at the top to keep me from dumping its contents out on the floor, which I tend to do constantly with purses, but it's deep enough that sometimes things don't fall out even when it's turned over. Yay, new purse!

I like my new calendar. My friend Grace made this calendar with her own breathtaking photographs and included some lovely quotes. I cannot tell you how much it brightens my day to see it every day. It is such a nice gift to have given to myself to start the new year, and I am grateful to her for creating it.

I like that David Sedaris exists and keeps writing books that make me very happy.

I like that I had the good sense to hire a dependable yard man years ago and that he and his crew just did an excellent job plowing down the backyard jungle.

I like my new washing machine and that my mom recommended a nice plumber who fixed the leaking faucets and that his nice son, when I noted the heinousness of my hated outdoor laundry room, as I always do, said, "Hey, all you do in this room is laundry -- who cares?" And that suddenly all of my anxiety about the laundry room, its rotting walls, and its motley crew of vermin residents lessened significantly. I also like that the plumber took one look at my 27-year-old hot water heater and scolded me in sputtering exasperation for even considering buying a new one, saying they don't make them like that anymore and to use it until it decides one day to empty itself of its contents all over the floor. I decided that's just fine by me.

I like that I've made a little progress in decluttering my life. Small things like cleaning out the kitchen pantry and bagging up a few things for the food bank, pulling a few books off of the overcrowded bookshelves and boxing them up to give away, and pulling out my dresser to wipe the piles of cat hair from the floor underneath it, and even making my bed every day make me feel good and better about the world in general.

I like that we'll have a new president very soon.

I like that the sun has come back out after several very rainy, gloomy days.

I like the fact that my BFF is not only pregnant for the first time but pregnant with twins. There are no words that aptly capture my excitement about this. I am more grateful than ever to have had our visit in Hawaii last fall and to have had such great time together over these holidays ... a nice coffee date with her, our other BFF, and our favorite five-year-old kid in a Peter Pan costume; a night of Rock Band and pizza; a soup and sandwiches lunch; a night of gumbo, etouffee, and jambalaya; her fun wedding reception (party of the century); dinner the night before she left; etc. All of these occasions were mostly built around food, photographs, laughter, and tears. Without getting too much into the story of the twins (because that is her story), all I can say is that this unexpected news reminds me that life is full of surprises, and in the immortal words of Kevin Arnold in the series finale of The Wonder Years, "You go where life takes you." I think it is a beautiful thing.

And now, some random photos from the holidays that I like.

2 days into '09

Ah ... 2009. So far, so good. New Year's Eve was spent turning in early after turkey and sausage gumbo and spinach pie with B. at my parents' house. On day one of the new year, I slept in and then treated myself to a matinee of Milk, which I'd been wanting to see for months. It did not disappoint. My most powerful encounter with the story of Harvey Milk will always be catching the documentary The Times of Harvey Milk on TV by accident and learning the story for the first time, but this was an excellent movie and I'm very glad I saw it. It made me very sad, both the way it ended, of course, and thinking about how little things have changed despite how hard Harvey Milk and his colleagues fought. I mean, sure, a lot has changed, but clearly, as we saw so disgustingly this year, a lot also hasn't. I wish this movie were getting more press and were open on more screens because I think it's important. The cast was great ... Emile Hirsch particularly impressed me -- it was hard to recognize him as the same kid who played Alexander Supertramp. 

After going to see Milk, I went over to my parents' house to continue to feast on leftovers. My mom wrote thank you notes for wedding-related kindnesses while watched Enchanted. She, unsurprisingly, found it delightful. Later that night, we continued eating still more leftovers and watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day; both of my parents really liked it, as I knew they would. What is not to like? I've now seen that movie four times and could easily watch it again today. It's wonderful. Kymm Zuckert, I am not sure what you are waiting for! This is your kind of movie.

After packing in three movies in the course of one day and falling asleep to Sarah Vowell's story of the Puritans, this morning I got up relatively early and headed out for a run. After about a mile, I decided that the morning fog, while very cool looking, was a bit creepy. I argued with myself for a while about whether turning around due to basically zero visibility was neurotic or sensible, and I came down on the side of sensible, ran a mile back home, and turned on Jillian Michaels for the rest of the workout. Oh, how level one still pains me so! My arms basically burst into flames, but I soldiered through. 

I showered and headed to the coffee shop to meet my old friend Herpreet, with whom I had a nice two-hour visit out on the patio. It is always nice to see her and to catch up with someone you've known for a million years. Old friends are so important, and I need to never forget that.

Then I headed over to S.'s to help get ready for a gathering at her parents' house tonight and eat handfuls of her mother's amazing white chocolate peppermint candy. I have to say, when the holidays well and truly come to a close and all friends and relatives have finally returned to their homes far away and all of the leftovers are gone and I return to work and real life, I might have to cry a little bit. 

I hope to post some pictures soon ... now I must get ready to head back to S.'s house for the gumbo event, which leads up to the Party of the Century tomorrow night.