Ooogy Kiss

I'm a huge fan of "House"; Hugh Laurie cracks me up, and I find it amazing that his American accent is so good when he's about as British as Monty Python. I was looking forward to this past week's episode because he and Cuddy were finally going to break through the bickering and insults, no doubt stemming from an obvious sexual tension between them. Well, they kissed, BUT instead of thinking "finally" I found myself thinking, "eeewwww". They had all the sexual chemistry of Oprah and Stedman; highly disappointing. They should stick to the insults. Next week Wilson announces that he has feelings for her; here's hopin'.

Referred By A Friend

I'd like to continue my fashion "thread" tonight by alerting any who don't know to a little store called, Anthropologie. I'm tellin' ya, every sweater, pair of shoes, lamp, curtain and bathroom rug speak to me, saying, "I'd look so perfect in/on/beside..." and, of course, "Buy Me, I'm on Sale!" Their products are so beautifully feminine and whimsical. I was introduced to the store by a friend at work who tells me that if I stay up late on certain nights I can catch awesome sales online; I have much to learn in the way of self-sacrificing for a bargain:) Check out the site, at least...it's awesome. And, gentlemen, your lady(ies) may appreciate a bangle or two, so you can look too:)

Shortly after wrapping up the blogging for the night I plan to peruse their site and force myself to leave the wallet out of reach; Christmas is coming up, and Ella needs an outside playset:) Thanks, DM.

Fashion Flop

I don't consider myself to be one of the fashion savvy. When I go to work I like to wear slacks, nice "blouses" or sweaters, matching trouser socks and shoes that don't kill me. I never "go out", and my casual wear consists of jeans and those same shirts I wear to work. So, when walking into "Glitzy Girls", a makeshift boutique inside the Lion's Club today, I felt rather out of place. There were lotsa rhinestones, sparklies and, get this...skulls. What is up with the skulls? If every last woman in the world were sporting skulls and kicking those that weren't I still wouldn't wear them. To be fair, I did buy a hoodie with a "chromish-like, shiny eagle on the back...to wear on "game days"; I like to think that I can be sparkly (without reminding all around me of death).

I Love to Watch and Listen To...

Two of my fav fellas from the World of Entertainment, Michael Buble and Johnny Depp; Joaquin is among them, but he got in on the last post:)

Double Take

I will watch any movie with Joaquin Phoenix in it, Quills being one of my favorites. Anyway, while searching for a pic for my last post I came across the above pic of Franz Lederer, who was an actor from the early to the mid 20th century. When I first glanced at the pic I thought Lederer was Phoenix...am I right or what?

The similarity prompted me to do extensive research on the Prague born actor, and by extensive, I mean via Wikipedia. From what I did read Lederer seemed like a rather gifted actor with a knack for real estate. In the following excerpt from Wikipedia, check out the name of his second wife...

"Although Lederer had been married briefly twice before – the second time to the Mexican American actress María Marguerita Guadalupe Teresa Estela Bolado, who went by the stage name Margo – his third marriage to Marion Irvine, who served as Los Angeles' Commissioner of Cultural Affairs,[3] lasted 59 years. Lederer worked up until the week before he died, at the age of 100, in Palm Springs, California, one of the last surviving World War I veterans of the Austro-Hungarian army."

Ya learn somethin' new every day:)

A Box Worth Openin'...

Pandora, The Music Genome Project. I may be a bit behind in my utilization of this awesome website, but I'd like to share it just in case any music lovers out there haven't found it. You can go to this site and create your own radio station. For example, I registered, which is free, typed in Gavin DeGraw as the artist of choice, and now Pandora's created a "radio station" that plays nothing but songs with beats and tones similar to that of DeGraw; i.e., Jason Mraz, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, Colbie Callait, etc. Once the song is playing you can click the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" sign, and Pandora will make note of it and either continue to play that artist and songs similar to him/her or take him off of your "station". There's a Pandora app for the iPhone too, and you can just jam to whatever you're into, wherever you are...is the 21st century cool or what?! www.pandora.com

P.S. Site gives you info. about the artist and provides you the opportunity to purchase the music, of course...at the click of a button! And, yes, I should be a paid spokesperson for these people.

Let's Talk About Lit

My sophomore classes began reading "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd this week. I spoke of it a bit this past summer after reading it and was elated when my department chair informed me we were going to teach it this year...woohoo. I have students coming to class asking if we CAN read today? There's just something really special about hearing students laugh, sigh and "oh, gross" when reading a book. Some of them are also quite angry at the book's antagonist, T.Ray; we've only gotten through Chapter 1, and they hate him....I LOVE it!

In my junior classes, we're reading Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"...less enthusiasm amongst the students despite the play brimming with an adulterous, heretical theme. Many innocent people are sent to jail and face possible execution due to the absurd antics of a lovelorn teenager; what's not to love?

P.S. Am I the only one living who didn't know that Arthur Miller was at one time married to Marilyn Monroe? Also, Miller's daughter, Rebecca is now married to Daniel Day-Lewis...yes, the thespian who plays John Proctor in the movie version of the play; again, what's not to love?

Phantastic Phone...i Love IT!

Yep, got the iPhone yesterday afernoon, and I'm already lovin' it! To be able to swish my finger across the screen and zoom, scroll and slide gives me a small taste of Potter-like magical power;) I've scrolled through hundreds of apps, freely, cheaply, and yeah rightly priced. There seem to be a lot of good ones out there, but there are LOTS, and I just can't decide:( Josh tells me to just try them and get rid of them if I don't like them...genius, he is. The only thing I gotta do soon is get a cover for the screen since it gets sooo fingerprint-y quickly. That drives me nuts, and I'm constantly cleaning it. Other than that...no complaints; just true revery of Apple minds.

Slowly But Surely

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I've always said that blogging would probably be the closest I'd ever come to actually publishing a real-life, read by other people body of work...regardless of its lack of literary merit:) When I checked the good 'ol Dashboard today I saw that none other than Denney Crane is a follower...what the what? I was sooo excited to see that and, as you can see, immediately placed him prominently at the top, right- hand corner of the page. For those of you out there, BG and Jar, who have more than one follower...keep it to yourselves; I'll not have my bubble burst[ed]...mmmmk? It's nice to be read.

Gavin Degraw - Belief (most beautiful version)

Gavin Degraw is an artist that just gets to me; every. single. song.

Mannish Miley

Ella's only 19 months old so I'm not caught up in the wicked crazy phenomenon that is Miley/Hanna/Cyrus/Montana...what? I'm alive, however, so I know who she is and when Taylor stays with us I do watch "the" "Hannah Montana" (don't tell anyone, but some of them are semi-entertaining and cute). But, while listening to the radio today I came across a DJ making fun of her voice, and then a male with a gruff voice called in to the show acting like Miley Cyrus; I laughed...out loud. Her voice is kinda testosterone charged. And, what's with the song that sounds EXACTLY like "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night?"...that may not be the name of shadily copied song, but you know what I'm talking about? If anyone knows the story behind that or cares to waste 5 minutes of their lives Googling it, I'd love to know:)

What's "Happening"?

I rented two movies tonight...don't do that much these days, but after Ella went night-night I just wanted to chi-lax. M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" was out, and a few students recommended it and then proceeded to reveal essential plot details that pretty much ruined my viewing of it...thanks, guys. I still watched the entire thing, though, because Mark Wahlberg is just easy to watch, ya know? M. Night couldn't have been more blatant with his Al-Gore-Go-Green-Save-the-Environment theme, though. SPOILER ALERT!: The plants will retaliate on us one day. I'm glad I'm nice to mine.

The beginning of the movie was intriguing, though, with Wahlberg playing a science teacher...I soooo would've done better in science if...well, nevermind. But, he brings up the fact that bees are disappearing from different countries, and then the camera flashes to an Einstein quote about humans surviving for only four years post-bee extinction; fascinating theory, really. And after reading "Secret Life of Bees" I'm convinced those little guys really do play a huge role in our existence on Earth, physically and psychologically...many similarities between us and them; they're just better at it all. I digress..."The Happening" is worth the watch in my humble, Wahlberg, Shyamalan lovin' opinion. Tomorrow...hello, Robert Downey, Jr. and "Ironman".

P.S. "Happening" has a fairly decent Gag Reel. Directors/Producers/Whomever should be downright ashamed for not including gag reels...seriously;)

PINK - SO WHAT ? [[NEW EXCLUSIVE OFFICIAL VIDEO]]

I can't listen to this song without doing a terrible white girl dance in front of the mirror...sooo liberating:)

5K

I'm walking, yes walking, a 5K with my mom, aunt and 30 other women supporting my aunt Saturday at the Susan G. Komen Walk in Wichita Falls. It's the small one, obviously. I'm looking very forward to it. My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and chemotherapy made her very, very sick, landing her in the hospital for three months. She has since recovered and is cancer free. We're walking with her and for her.

As for the "5K" part, I titled the post that because it sounds way cooler than 3.5 mile...which is what it is. The metric system is just better, huh?...I say that but couldn't convert a dang mile to a kilometer or vice versa before I discovered this walk was a 5K. Anyhoo, can't wait to sport my pink tee and walk with hundreds of women who have been touched by this disease and have overcome...s'gonna be good.