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Stolen from Dana

Three questions
More fun! More craziness! More comments!
(But, really, it's more than three.)

(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie
2. a book
3. a musical artist, song, or album
(I actually promise that I will TRY to watch, read and/or listen to most, if not all, of these. I'll at least put them on my to-do lists.)

(B) Ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.

(C) Go to your journal/blog, and copy and paste this allowing your friends/readers to ask you anything. Say you stole it from me. (Again, that would be Dana)


Edited to add:

Welcome to the Response Section!

DeAnn asks:

1. How long have you had a blog?
2. Have you ever met anyone in real life that you first met online?
3. If not, do you want to/would you? If so, how was it?

And I say:

1. I started one on LiveJournal and was there for about a month in Feb. '04, and then moved over to Blogger and never looked back.
2. No. In fact, I have only known one person in real life that has a blog.
3. I would. For example, I have known Zoot and Pam since the beginning and it would be nice to put a three-dimensional face to a conversation, but again in reality, one lives in the South about 2000 miles away and the other one, far as I can figure, lives near the Arctic Circle.

Kymmie asks:

1.Name once instance where you have been moved to tears of joy.
2. Name one instance where you have had a "life changing moment".
3. What is your most favorite of all time candy?

And I say:

1.Believe it or not I’m having trouble interpreting this. I’m wondering if you mean like in real life, or when you’re watching a movie and the story grabs you. Taking the safer route, I choose the movies. In Monty Python’s the Holy Grail. The first time I saw King Arthur and Paddy confront The Black Knight I cried to the point of fear that I would soil myself. Okay, if you meant in real life, I can’t think of any. I have felt profound joy as it were, getting cast in a movie, or in a play, but nothing to the point of getting weepy.
2. My father moving out.
3. Reeses peanut butter eggs (that are, stupidly, only available around Easter.

Dana asks:

1. Who do you love the most in this world?
2. Whats your favorite memory?
3. If you could write an episode of "Scrubs", what would be the main storyline?

And I say:

1. My kids. It is thoughtless, as in without thought that that is true. It is unconditional.
2. This will be boring for you, but it’s your own fault that you asked. I played Lennie in Of Mice and Men at the Spokane Civic Theater in Washington some years back. At the very end of the play Lennie, who is slow-witted and kills unintentionally because he doesn’t realize his strength or consequences, is shot by his best friend George, an average guy just trying to save up enough so that he and Lennie can make a life somewhere. Anyway, the inevitable conclusion is that Lennie has to die, and as George has Lennie face away from him, George keeps Lennie talking about the farm they’re (never) going to have and rabbits to raise. Meanwhile, George is aiming at the back of Lennie’s head and the stage is fading to black. Then in the darkness, the gunshot. End of play. As we rehearsed it, there would be the gunshot, then the applause for the end of the show and George and I could make our way off the stage for the curtain call, etc. On opening night, stage went black, the shot rang out, and…silence. George and I didn’t know what to do, so we stayed frozen. Then, out of the darkness, we could hear crying. I had no idea how powerful the play or the ending was until that moment. Eventually they started clapping but it seemed like forever. It went that way every night and it is my favorite play. Hey, esoteric for me, but again, you asked!
3.I will throw names in because it’s easier for me to imagine that way, but I see June Lockhart and Marion Ross as sisters who have bickered all their lives, one of them is admitted for TIA (transient ischemic attacks) and on the other end, a boy named Timmy is admitted for some non-fatal problem. His dog, a collie, waits patiently outside the hospital entrance, befriending all who pass by. The reference for the boy and dog would be a running gag concerning Timmy and Lassie. The running theme would be friendship, the most basic platform, siblings, or the people you will probably know longer than anyone, and in this case how it was wasted over the course of a lifetime, and the most basic across species. A boy and his dog.

Beth asks:
1. How many hours/week do you spend in front of the tube?
2. Do you sing in the shower?
3. Who's your favoritest teacher from high school?

And I say:
1. It’s actually changed a lot over the years. From I would say six or seven years old until I was twenty-four, I averaged 35-40 hours/week. Because of this, combined with a steel trap memory for useless television information, I don’t need to read a lot of trivia books. I pretty much remember from when I saw it. Nowadays, because of work and such, I only catch about 15-20 hours (mostly late night crap).
2. No. I don’t have what you would call an ‘ear’ for music in terms of singing. In fact, I’ve been told by God, personally, to never sing. I said, “What about in the sh…”. He said, “No. Thee must ne’er even think a bout it, ‘K?”
3. Top honors would have to go to Mr. “Wild Bill” Castelot, who taught math in a very subtle way.


Zoot asks:
1. Do you prefer Turkey or Ham?
2. What is your favorite pie?
3. Do I need to quit thinking about food?

And I say:
1. Smoked Turkey and Dark meat beats Honey Ham, but not White meat.
2.Banana Cream, then Apple, then Pecan, then Pumpkin, then Blueberry, then chocolate cream, then the other miscellaneous.
3. Quite impossible with Eggnog signaling the official opening of food season. The season of course being sometime around now just before Thanksgiving until sometime time around the last commercial aired during the Superbowl.

Desperate Housewives

Angst. It’s a funny word. It gets really funny if you keep saying it over and over and over and over. Angst is also the secret weapon that drives the truly addictive unrealistic, yet somehow we have empathy for, drama series that are the nighttime better written soap operas.
Teenage angst is always a TV favorite. I chose to start this with Room 222 because it was the late sixties and this show dealt with more serious topics in a more realistic way than those that came before it. Moving into the Seventies the shows turned more family angst centered (The Waltons, Family). As I and my contemporaries were hitting our twenties in the Eighties and Nineties, suddenly the shows became about angst ridden adults trying to find there way in the world (Hometown, thirtysomething, Sisters). To be honest of all the shows, thirtysomething really was the angstyest (sp?). Special sidenote here. Nowadays it’s pretty common for the morons at the network to reveal big information in the commercial to try and snag viewers. Ex. “Next week/5 days from/3 days from/Tomorrow night/Tonight they lose one of their own”. But on the aforementioned thirtysomething there was never any mention beforehand that Gary was gonna die. AND IT WAS A GENUINE SHOCK. A major TV character was killed. Unheard of. Now, there was your entertainment.
What followed Sisters cancellation was a kind of a dry spell and then minor nighttime soaps started popping up like Party of Five and 7th Heaven. But now the angst appears to be back and in full swing with Desperate Housewives.
I only got to see the first half of the premier episode, but I thought it looked like the real deal. I’ve loved Teri Hatcher for a long time and have always wanted to see her in something where she could show range. This appeared to be it. The second episode for me was the one on just this past Sunday and I was floored by Felicity Huffman. OMG she was amazing.
I don’t know how many miles we’ll get out of the show (I fear it’s a one climax show, not unlike Twin Peaks) but for now, it is good to go.

Big Pants Day Is Almost Here!

In a few days is my favorite holiday of the year, every other holiday (yes, including Christmas) is a distant second to this one. In what has become something done in a most boring fashion, I will at the drop of a hat list the various reasons why I love this holiday above all others.
A list that looks a lot like this:

(In no particular order)
(1.) No religion per say. It’s open to EVERYONE (because everyone, no matter what their religious preferences, eats)!
(2.) No pressure for gifts!
(3.) It is a holiday devoted entirely to FOOD!
(4.) Almost everyone gets Friday off just BECAUSE it is ALWAYS on a Thursday.
(5.) Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers
(6.) Gathering of family and friends for a happy occasion.
(7.) Signals the beginning of Eggnog season. (yeah, yeah, it’s a heart attack in a carton, but just because it’s out doesn’t mean you have to consume it like an idiot).

There are more but they are more peculiar to me personally like I always have it at my house because I want the leftovers, I don’t want to travel, I really selfishly wish to eat, drink and be merry in the comfort of my own home. I have about 18 guests usually and it is a day I revel in because the mood is always good.

I wish the same for all of you, whatever your plans, and with this entry I’m including something that really describes the day for me. I’m not a religious person but the person who wrote the Litany is, so as I am respectful of others beliefs, I will just say here it is.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving! (or as I like to call it, “Big Pants Day!”)

Litany for Thanksgiving by The Rev. Max Coots

Let me say that there is as much thanks to be given
for the gift of people as there is for the harvest
of fields. We ought to count friends more gratefully
than the images of gardens, pantries, and cellar
shelves. We ought to savor friendships and loves
as much or more than we do shapes, tastes, and
textures, of all the fruits of the fall...

So instead of the usual, let me say: Let us give
thanks for a bounty of people. For children, who are
our second planting, and though they grow like weeds
and the wind too soon blows them away, may they
forgive us our cultivation and remember fondly where
their roots are.

I just can't help it. When it comes this time of
year, I just can't help it. Maybe it's the harvest
moon.

So let us give thanks:

For generous friends...with hearts as big as hubbards
and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

For fiesty friends as tart as apples;

For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers,
keep reminding us that we've had them;

For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb, and as
indestructible;

For handsome friends who are as gorgeous as eggplants
and as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain
as potatoes, and so good for you;

For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussel Sprouts
and amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends,
as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

For friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as
summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful
as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips,
can be counted on to see you through the long winter;

For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening
time, and young friends, coming on as fast as radishes;

For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils, and
hold us despite our blights, wilts, and witherings;

And, finally, for those friends, now gone, like gardens
past, that have been harvested, but who fed us in their
times that we might have life thereafter;

For all these we give our thanks.

Amen.

Before Moving On...

Scrubs – I’m embarrassed to say it took me until Juliana Margulies and Christa Miller’s sword fight to get the Kill Bill theme, but still a good show with the most excellent bit at the end when they were all little boys. And a word about Christa Miller, who I love and don’t get me wrong, I think she does a great job, but I can’t help being bothered that she’s married to the show’s (Scrubs) creator. Like that whole Majel Barrett/Gene Rodenberry Star Trek thing. Again, I think Christa’s a wonderful actress, but I wonder how Crystal Bernard would have done in the same role, or Kirstie Alley?

Joey – Getting better all the time. Loved Jennifer Coolidge this week.

Will and Grace – Karen’s ad in Japan. ‘nuf said.

Medical Investigation – guilty pleasure, guilty pleasure.

A New and Improved Apprentice 2?

Be still my heart. I was happy to watch the whole show and didn't fast forward past any bits, which is the first time in a long time. Their still not last season (Bill being on hand was a painful reminder), but they got a little better tonight.
Their task: creat an instore catalog for Levi's jeans. Apex led by Kevin did an awesome job. They were a good fit for this task. They had fun. They played well in the sandbox together, which let the creativity flow. They put themselves in the catalog which was crafty on their part. And with the exception of Kevin's flop sweats it was all amazing.
Ahh! Wait a minute. There was one thing. Jen, whose creativity ranges from A to B, took credit for Ivana's work and the direction the team went in. That Bitch! (and to be fair I know that's going to lead to future problems - guaranteed! But I had to think, "What Balls!"
Meanwhile on Mosaic, Wes spent the entire show getting himself fired, while control-freak Maria couldn't conceive in any way that she could be getting herself fired.
Winners got to spend a significant amount of time with Billy Joel. On a personal note, I saw him in concert once. He was amazing.
Losers...well, losers lose half there team.

ER

I had forgotten that I wanted to see ER on Thursday because Ray Liotta was going to be on and the episode was about his characters last 44 minutes of life (in real time).
I saw the episode. Ray did a fine job as I thought he would. The cast was their usual selves which is first rate...and yet.
I’ve mentioned this before that shows that are story driven, to me anyway, last longer and are better because you don’t get bored with them. Law & Order is a perfect example. We know very little about the private lives of the characters that have been on a show that has been running over fourteen years. On an aside, it is also interesting to note that a motto for the show is, ‘No Guns, or Buns’. But I digress.
ER used to be one of my favorite shows because it followed the story driven philosophy. Then somewhere along the way that changed to character driven and I changed the channel.
The storyline with Ray Liotta reminded me of an episode the show did in the first year it was on. One of the story threads was about this salesman (Alan Rosenberg) from Indiana or Ohio that came into the ER having blackouts and Mark Greene determined that this guys heart was giving out and that he had hours (probably) to live. The guys family (wife and preteen daughter) made it in time from home to be with him, but throughout the show he would ‘code’ (so you knew by shows end the guy WOULD die) and the ER staff would revive him.
It was a powerful episode and one of their finest moments and it was also not about the cast but the idea of the ER itself where you can get away with intense minidramas everyday unlike people who can’t be in intense dramas in their lives everyday.
So, Ray great job, but everyone else...sorry, but I won’t be taping next week.

CSI

I started about 10 minutes ago thinking about what I would write about this week's Apprentice. I checked the official Apprentice 2 website, although it was all still clear in my mind, which was confirmed after glancing the site. It was a better show in terms of being livelier, except that it was livelier with negativity.
Chris - you weren't as entertaining as Raj, but hey, you gave it your best shot. And to his credit, the next day on the Today Show I thought he did a good job fending off Matt Lauer's 'Boy, did you really fuck up, or what?' attack.
The task set forth before Chris and Kelly (What is up with his eyebrows? Does he have any? He's creepy, but I also think the eventual winner) was to set up a bridal show. A mighty unfair task for Chris's team since Sandy owns a bridal salon. I have mixed feelings about this. This is the tenth week so there was plenty of time to have a different task in place by the time this week rolled around. Of course Sandy could have been fired by this point. It just struck me as rude on the Donald's part. With her connections alone, if Kelly's team did poorly they still stood a better chance. Foul in my book. Chris's team was a lesson in what negativity can do. They really did try to pull together, except that they felt that they were doomed to failure. Over the past couple of seasons that I've been watching the Apprentice the one thing that seems most consistent is that Trump puts loyalty above all else. You show disloyalty and you've made a career decision right then. Chris was pretty much dead man walking after last week. Buh-bye Chris.
Move on to fun stuff!
Joey - Much joy there. Kelly Preston was a welcome surprise and the guy who played her husband, Ron (Danny Nucci), was very funny. The shows coming along nicely.
Will and Grace - No Vince this week but plenty of Karen and Jack.
Had the opportunity to catch Law and Order: SVU (y'know where the crimes are not just crimes, they're especially HEINOUS crimes) and I remembered when I used to watch it something that really bothered me about it was how complicated the storylines were. I mean, if you missed even the first 10 minutes, you're pretty much toast in terms of any hope in following/figuring out what was going on.
That appears to have changed for the better. Not nearly as complicated, yet still liberal in the literary license department, but kept the attention in a good way.
Medical Investigation - definitely a Friday night show. It's a very special night of the week in terms of TV because the audience is very small, but incredibly loyal. The shows that get slotted for Friday are always critically acclaimed/will garner awards/but never be mainstream(Homicide: Life on the Street) and when they get moved to another night, it spells their downfall. That being said, I like this show Medical Investigation. Writing-wise I think they have a gift for fiction. I really like the actors, especially Neal Mcdonough (formerly of Boomtown, also formerly of Friday night). I know it wouldn't survive anywhere else on the schedule, but I like the show.
...I'm having CSI taped, because I never get to see that one, and I've always thought William Peterson was good since 'Manhunter' (The real beginning of Hannibal Lector), so I want to check it out.

Testing...

Thank Feisty Girl for this one:

Ten movies you'd watch over and over:
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Jaws
3. Back to the Future
4. Back to the Future III
5. Field of Dreams
6. Tombstone
7. Batman Forever
8. Lethal Weapon
9. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
10.The Hunt for Red October

Nine people you enjoy the company of:
1. My Wife
2. & 3. My Kids
4. My Favorite Hot Cousin
5. The Drinkin' Buddy
6. Old Friend 1
7. Old Friend 2
8. Old Friend 3
9. Former coworker 1

Eight things you're wearing:
1. Turtleneck
2. Jacket (fucking winter)
3. A Peugot Watch
4. Dockers
5. black sox
6. black shooz
7. festively colored unmentionables
8. a bit of a scowl because the unmentionables are 'riding up' as it were.

Seven things on your mind:
1. Coming up with crap for the blog
2. Work
3. The awesome improvement hi-speed internet has made.
4. Health things. (Not mine, but family members)
5. Work, again.
6. Sleep
7. Dinner

Six objects you touch every day:
1. TV
2. The family
3. The dog
4. The refrigerator
5. The cell
6. The lives around me, both seen and unseen.

Five things you do every day:
1. Dress
2. Get up too fucking early
3. The Tub O'Coffee
4. Try to do something better
5. Watch TV

Four bands (etc) that you couldn't live without:
1. The Beatles
2. Paul Simon
3. The Cars
4. Tears for Fears.

Three of your favorite songs at this moment:
1. “In Your Eyes” - Peter Gabriel
2. “Who Can It Be Now" - Men at Work
3. “Working for the Weekend" - Loverboy

Two people who have influenced your life the most:
1. & 2. My Kids

One person who you love more than anyone in the world:
1. Elsa Lanchester

I'm truckin' the information superhiway in a much faster virtual car.

Did no one see Scrubs last night? I've been surfing and not a peep. Juliana Margulies was so HOT! The hairstyle change gave her an entirely new look and the dance moves! Woa! And those ever clever folks got Doug out of there in a very clever way. Kudos.
I installed Hi-Speed internet on my home computer today. Toe curling joy. It is so amazingly fast!

Poised and Ready

This is the family dog. He goes by Tucker (mostly). When on a leash or chain he is fearless. Otherwise he is fearful. He is a happy dog, unfettered by things like, 'smarts', or common-sense.
A couple of weeks ago, in an uncharacteristic move I was allowed to sleep in until 9:30. I got out of bed went downstairs and heard a fluttering noise in the dining room. A sparrow was trying to fly out through the wall mirror (big surprise, no success), and while he was doing that I glanced into the living room and saw the fireplace was barricaded. I thought why did they all leave with a wild scared bird in the house? It took me about 5 minutes to get the sparrow outside and free once again.
You may be thinking where was the crack security dog in all this? Why he was at his post, under my bed, firmly asleep, poised and ready for the next call to danger. 

Shhhh...My shows are coming on

I just finished Joey (I'm very pleased with where it's going and Kelly Preston did a great job). Will and Grace (always entertaining and kudos to Kristin Davis). Then of course there was The Apprentice. It was better than it has been although last week's well deserved win for Andy was more fun to watch.
Raj and Sandy were in the hot seat this week. They were given two properties to fix up with 20 thousand dollars and it was either a day or 48 hours to fix up the house and get them ready for a pack of appraisers to come in and tack a new value on the properties. Highest sale value wins. Both Raj and Sandy attacked with good visions with the exception that Raj opted to take a four bedroom house and turn it into a three bedroom. Then there were the contractor's. Both teams struggled with the contractor issue until Sandy hired, as Andy put it, these Goodfellas to do the difficult or skilled parts. Raj got a bad break letting Kevin talk him into hiring this loser who couldn't deliver and ultimately the house did not get as finished as it could have been.
BTW add to this mix the first four folks fired (two for each team) and let the sparks fly. In reality only Stacy proved slightly problematic, but I'm sure they were hoping for better TV.
So Raj's team to the Boardroom. Raj was a standup guy and took the blame but he wasn't aggressive enough and after that moron Chris was excused he (Chris) starts going on a rant about how the team sucks. Donald made him PM for next week and said he'd be watching closely. Raj let the tirade pass without lifting a finger and Donald called him on it, as well as other big booboo's that Raj was responsible for so Donald kicked him out of the boat. See ya soon Raj.
On a sidenote there were many times I thought Raj sounded like Bill Rancic, but tonight when Raj provided the only comedy bit with hitting on Robin, I thought, "Oh, Jeff Goldblum once again as a loser."

Just to say something positive

I make no claim to have ever involve myself on political matters. I do vote because I believe that's how we stay a free country (and all the other rhetoric.
I'm also not too shy to say that I wanted Kerry, and I don't wish bad things on him but GW is such a moron. He doesn't get that he needs to suck up now to actually half the country and try to win us over at least a little so we can makre this all work. And as for something positive:

He puzzled and puzzled til his puzzler was sore.

The best I could come up with was,

He can't run again.

I Just Voted!

...and it felt good. It is now 7:09am EST where I am. I've been up for various reasons since about 7am yesterday morning, so since I was up and the polls opened at 6am. I thought, "ooh! I'll beat the crowd!" Wrong! A crowd was waiting! I've never seen anything like it. It was so cool. Everyone getting out to vote. I also feel like my vote counts, and any vote that edges GW out o'the White House has a small piece of me pushing him out with it. Good luck little votes and voters. Go Vote!

Things to do today....

Vote (Bush out of office)

Tape Scrubs! Yay, wooho!

...wait a minute. Today is Election Day (Go VOTE!(Bush out of office)) Therefore, there won't be a new Scrubs. shit. No Scrubs. I hate drinking when there's no good TV.

For Pam: THE running shoes. (as usual, at rest) 

For Zoot: My absolute most favorite coffee cup. Yes, the style is 'Diner Mug' and I believe the shape is the most perfectest for enjoying coffee.