Shopping sites

Because you didn't spend enough over Christmas: Here are a few new-to-me shopping sites that seem to have potential. Blogs She Finds and Buss Buss as well as retailer Wishing Fish. Also, note to self: pass this link on to the dachshund-owning neighbors.

Ebert & Roeper's '04 top 10

Spanglish?! Really? Here's a sneak peak at Ebery & Roeper's top ten movies of 2004:

Roger Ebert Million Dollar Baby Kill Bill: Vol. 2 Vera Drake Spiderman 2 Moolade The Aviator Baadasssss! Sideways Hotel Rwanda Undertow

Richard Roeper Hotel Rwanda Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The Aviator Sideways House of Flying Daggers Million Dollar Baby The Terminal Kill Bill: Vol. 2 Spanglish Collateral

Loved Eternal Sunshine, enjoyed Kill Bill and can't wait to see Hotel Rwanda. Definitely bringing Kleenex to that one.

Tsunami relief

Help those affected by the tsunami: Red Cross or via Amazon.



Addendum: Be sure to ask your employer if they match charitable donations.

Opt-out

Before there was spam, there was junk mail. Here's how to put a stop to credit card offers and general junk.

Worthless

Worthless: My productivity started at about 50% on Monday and has only gone downhill from there, so why don't you just consider me gone until Tuesday.



With that, have a holly, jolly Christmas!!

Festivus

I have a bone to pick with all of you...







Get your Festivus (and Bah Humbug) e-cards at crazygrrl.

Prancer en Español

"Can we hurry it up a little bit, Santa?" I know that I've mentioned my Grandpa's speaing role in Prancer before, but now you can him tell Santa to move things along for yourself—in Spanish!

Speak and Spell

Shopping days, schmopping days: The Mister has five nieces and nephews and we have yet to buy them any gifts. How this task has fallen into my lap I have no idea.



I did have the bright idea a few weeks ago to get the nephew a Speak and Spell, but unfortunately they haven't made those in ages. There is an online version, if you're feeling nostalgic. I loved that thing growing up, but "angel" was my nemesis. Always wanted to spell it "angle."

Savers!!

The antidote to paying retail: Since we were able to finally secure a gas dryer on the cheap (big shout out to Neil for delivering and hooking it up!) as we didn't want to commit to new without knowing what our next hookup would be, The Mister and I struck out to Sears yesterday to buy a brand spankin' new washing machine, which is due to be delivered sometime today between 1:30 and 3:30 and thank G-d since the laundry pile is reacing maximum capacity.



While not having to hoard quarters any longer decidedly qualifies as best evs, the icing on the Kenmore cake was the fact that I spied with my little eye a Savers—east coast cousin to my all time favorite Value Village—on the drive back home. Oh I'm so fired up!!

A Guinness is born

More with the flash: A Guinness is born. But don't get any ideas—that trip to Dublin is mine!

Diving Penguins

In the spirit of Friday Flash Fun: Diving penguins. Haven't scored higher than 26.7 on account of my not being able to get a clean entry.



Addendum: 29.4! I can go walk Cleo now.

[The Mister]

Sox fans pay up

Not exactly priceless: Watch out Sox fans, your willingness to pay anything for a championship win may come back to haunt you.



Related: Rob Corddry's Boston. Still best.

[JOG from the block]

The (Christmas Special)²

Meta Christmas! Caught Bravo's The Christmas Special Christmas Special last night and while the majority of it was commentary supplied by people with BS jobs (Cultural Historian?) and irrelevant celebrity nobodys (Sophie B. Hawkins?), there were a handful of highlights.



The show featured a clip from a King Family (?) special where one of the [apparently ubiquitously blonde] King sisters was singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" to her son stationed in Vietnam, only for her to be surprised by his sudden appearance onstage, dressed in his uniform with his hair shorn to his scalp. "You've lost weight!" was her final delighted exasperation before completing the final verse.



Another interesting Christmas factoid was that Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life—dubbed king of the Hollywood holiday reruns by Bravo—was such a flop when it was released in 1946 that it bankrupted the director's production company. The movie ultimately became part of the public domain, enabling networks to air the now seminal holiday classic for free.



This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, my personal favorite. Yukon Cornelius is hard to beat. Speaking of which, I should go dig my plush Yukon "misfit toy" out of storage while I'm thinking of it.

Life Aquatic clips

Another item for the "to watch" pile: Five clips from The Life Aquatic.

[goldenfiddle, kinda]

GBU III

GBU III, the Son of GBU:

• The Good: The line at the DMV (aka the RMV) was only five minutes long!!
  
  
• The Bad: I didn't have the right forms with me to complete the registration.
  
  
• The Ugly: The woman behind the counter—a dead ringer for Jerri Blank—was unnecessarily impatient and borderline incoherent.

Now just two to four business days until I get the proper paperwork and do it all again.

Shock and Awe

File these under Sky = Blue and Water = Wet: ODB died of a drug overdose and the missile defense shield is a multi-billion dollar money pit that will never, ever succeed.



Try to contain your surprise.

It's a Wonderful Life, bunnified

And dance by the light of the moon: It's a Wonderful Life in 30 seconds, re-enacted by bunnies. Be sure to click on the three silhouettes of bunny heads at the end for bonus scenes!

[freakgirl]

100 Overlooked Films of '90s

Online Film Critics Society's Top 100 Overlooked Films of the 1990s. I've seen 32—how 'bout you?

[cinetrix]

Consumer Reports

Get the skinny before you pay the big bucks. Planning on doing some comparison shopping before making a big purchase this holiday season? Leave your contact info in the comments—I might be able to help you out. :)

Guinness Promo III

Maybe I'll get those slippers afterall:

Offer is only valid on purchases through the GUINNESS WebStore. Offer may not be combined with other promotions.

Restrictions apply, and offer is subject to early termination at any time without notice. Offer expires December 31, 2004.

Still on the look out for a zip-close beaded change pouch made to look like a pint of Guinness...

Merry Guinness

When isn't it the season?



Have a very Merry Guinness.

Tintin on the brain

Looks like I'm not the only one with Tintin on the brain: Canadian MDs hypothesize that concussions kept Tintin forever young.



Related: Current desktop image.

Voilà, Dooce!

Voilà, Dooce! During one of her not-so-recent redesigns, Dooce turned off hot-linking so people couldn't steal the snaps of her lovely Leta, which meant that those of us behind various firewalls and other sorts of internet protection that we couldn't see the pics.



Thanks to a bug up my bum and Weez—a random commenter at Mr. Dooce's site—I was able to configure my firewall to allow the pics to shine through:

After I upgraded to XP, I was having the same problems with loading pictures. This worked for me. You might want to try it too. If you are using Norton Internet Security (aka Norton Personal Firewall),

1. click on 'Privacy Control'
   
   
2. then click on 'Custom Level'
   
   
3. then make sure the box beside 'Enable Browser Privacy' is NOT checked.

You might have to reboot after. Hope this helps.

Wheeeee!

25% off at Ann Taylor

More holiday savings: 25% off at Ann Taylor, good both online and at B&M stores.

GBU 2

GBU, Electric Boogaloo:

• The Good: The diagnosis following my MIL's exploratory surgery.
  
  
• The Bad: Buying schmancy hot chocolate that needs to be made with milk (vs. water) when you haven't bought milk (aside from the powdered nonfat variety for baking purposes) in years.
  
  
• The Ugly: Me trying to navigate a snowplow through downtown Boston.

[adrants]

Thrifty

'Tis the season for self promotion: If you're anything like me, you get all smug the day after Thanksgiving, thinking of the teeming hoardes of unwashed consumers wasting precious sleep time waiting online to burst into their local J-Mart to avail themselves of Christmukah gifts at slashed prices.



Spending all that time energy to save a few bucks makes little sense when you can save money while shopping from the comfort of your own home. For those of us who prefer the click of the mouse to the ring of the register, I've put together my Thrifty page, a listing of all the best rewards programs and coupon sources on the 'net.



If you have any questions about any of the referral programs or anything else listed on that page, please feel free to leave them in the comments. Thanks!

CA Deadbeats

Equal opportunity deadbeats: Meet California's lousiest parents. Aside to Maximillian: You might want to think about asking for extra shifts.

[Bosslady]

Philly recap

Go Navy! Beat Army! Ok, so the outcome of the game shouldn't come as much of a shock to anyone who's been paying attention to that scrappy Navy team (™ the Mister) this season, but the weekend itself was a pleasant surprise, considering my lingering cold and how they tend to put a damper on social festivities.



The Mister and I flew into Philly without too much incident on Friday night, a minor miracle since we were going via SouthWest, an airline which I'd only flown once before and disliked even as a thrifty college student. Fortunately the corny jokes and inappropriate stewardesses were kept to a minimum.



I abstained from going out that night, planning to save my energy for the next day, which turned out to be pretty loose and lazy, what with the 2:30 kick-off time. Really, the only stress of the day was the hour wait that it took to get into the game on account of the ramped-up security screenings due to the Commander in Chief's presence at the game. Yeah, thanks.



Because of the delay, we pretty much missed out on watching soliders and seals alike parachuting into the stadium, but we did catch the fly by. Kinda hard to miss, that one. The other stress of the day was some usher giving me totally unnecessary attitude when we were asking on where to go. I got him back for my beer tears by putting a hex on him. Assface.



The game was a good time, but for me it's always more about hanging out with folks than actually watching. The Mister got cornered by some lonely loudmouth on the subway ride back to the Ritz (so fancy!) but didn't seem to mind so much. I guess he'll talk sports with just about anyone, not that LL let him get a word in edgewise.



Later that night we headed out to the area near Penns Landing, which seemed to be just bar after bar packed to the rafters with drunk young things, including where we wound up, The Plough and Stars.



After chatting up some young ('03) Domers and giving them a lesson on good vs. bad form for giving Navy people crap for losing to ND 40 years in a row, The Mister proceeded to dance more than he did at our wedding. This wasn't a dance club, he was just getting a kick out of making an ass of himself. Fortunately he was sticking to Guinness, unlike the slurring puddles that were drinking vodka tonics like water.



Our flight didn't leave until 9p the next day, so we spent most of Sunday walking the length and breadth of Philly, kicking it off with brunch at the Continental, a hip restaurant (and bar, I presume) with a very retro-forward Jetson-esque flair. The majority of the day was spent wandering around looking for a movie theater.



Along the way we went to see the Liberty Bell, poked around the Old City (insert Betsy Ross in-joke here), saw where the latest batch of Real World kids laid their heads, grabbed some surprisingly good pizza, and ultimately wound up watching Motorcycle Diaries at this art house theater that was so indie, MD was the only title I recognized.



We both enjoyed the movie (and not just because it gave us the chance to get off of our feet for a few hours), but I was a little surprised by just how much J. liked it. I got that it was a guy's movie, but it seemed a bit sappy for him. He did admit that his hangover may have made him more receptive.



After the movie we headed back to the hotel, retrieved our baggage, and made the trek all the way home. Flying to Philly was definitely the smarter move versus making the five hour drive. Turns out that the kennel where we boarded Cleo isn't even open on Sundays, so an earlier return wouldn't have made much of a difference.



Good times all in all, and I should point out to those of you that have seen Motorcycle Diaries that the catchy "Chipi Chipi" song is available at iTunes.

Restoration Hardware 20% off

Restoration Hardware 20% off promo code: HFRIEND5, ending today.

Goat beats mule

Goat beats mule: Good times. Now if only I could sleep for the next two days...

Go Navy! Beat Army!

Go Navy! Beat Army! Heading off to the City of Brotherly Love later tonight for the big game, but have to pack, run errands, and drop Cleo off at the kennel before joining the weekend westward rush to pick The Mister up from work and continue on to PVD to fly SouthWorst for the first time since college.



Here's to hoping the airline has gotten better since then... See you Monday. :)

Pixies Recap

Pixies recap: My cold and being waaay behind in work forces me to keep this brief, but last night was pretty awesome. They played "Bonemachine" and "Subbacultcha"—two of my personal faves—as well as the bulk of their singles catalog (ie Death to the Pixies).



They slowed down the second verse of "Nimrod's Son" which was kinda cool and played "Wave of Mutilation" twice. I thought it was a mistake, but my concert partner r_b insisted that it was the original and the "Surf UK" version from Pump Up the Volume.



I have to admit that I was overly amused when they did "Broken Face" shortly after I noticed a person that was up against the security barrier on the floor holding a bloodied towel to their face. Well done, Pixies.



All in all it was a great show, although I was shamed by r_b to realize that this wasn't my first time seeing the band in concert—the Pixies had actually opened for U2 back in 1991 for the Zoo TV tour. Oops!

PIXIES!!!

Girlie so groovie, I want you to know... Have I mentioned that I'll be going to my first ever Pixies concert tonight? With Mission of Burma opening?



How I'm still breathing, I have no idea.



Addendum: It seems I might be coming down with something. Crap.

Top 10 words of '04

The top 10 words of the year based on searches of Merriam-Webster Web sites:

1. blog
   
   
2. incumbent
   
   
3. electoral
   
   
4. insurgent
   
   
5. hurricane
   
   
6. cicada
   
   
7. peloton
   
   
8. partisan
   
   
9. sovereignty
   
   
10. defenestration

I hope they were just looking up how to spell #5 because, really.

Guinness Promo II

Guinness promo code part deux:

Offer is only valid on purchases through the GUINNESS WebStore. Offer may not be combined with other promotions. Restrictions apply, and offer is subject to early termination at any time without notice. Offer expires at 11:59 PM EST December 9, 2004.

GBU I

GBU, the first installment:

• The Good: The Mister—my smaht, fabulous, hot-as-hell husband—came up with the bright idea to look into flights for this weekend's trip to the Army Navy game in Philly and found $49 one-way specials on SWA that will save us many frustrated hours fighting New England city traffic and will give us more time to spend with friends. Did I mention that we'll be staying at the Ritz again? Decadent!
  
• The Bad: Got an e-mail today from my last remaining HS GF who recently vacated Philly due to "the wheels falling off" her relationship. Worst! That silver lining is that she's moving out to Cali! Best.
  
• The Ugly: The $70 haircut that in no way resembles what I'd asked for (essentially trimming the flippy bob I already had) and was administered by a guy from the sad side of Boystown. I could go on, but it would just be too cruel. Suffice [it?] to say, I won't be going back.

Bye-bye Ty

It's not you, it's me... Bye-bye, Ty. I wish we could have made it work.

Not so much "boorish"

Look at the brains on these guys! Apparently*, a bunch of Yalies managed to pull off a great prank at The Game by masquerading as members of the non-existent Harvard Pep Squad and getting Harvard fans to hold up a bunch of red and white pieces of paper to spell out WE SUCK.



*I say "apparently" because I was at the game and definitely remember those pieces of paper being held up but could not for the life of me make out what they spelled. It's even a little hard see in the aforelinked article, but I guess it's easier to make it out once you know what to look for.

[freakgirl]

Don't knock bland

Don't knock bland: I wasn't feeling so hot the other night, so all I had for dinner was some spinach with white rice (seasoned with butter, salt & pepper).



Damn if that rice didn't taste good.

Holiday Weekend Recap

Holiday Weekend Recap: I am happy to report that the cheesecake turned out wonderfully (despite the leaky springform pan), the food was delicious (and totally above-and-beyond-the-call veggie friendly), Cleo behaved herself (for the most part), and I even managed to slow play trip eights to a full house in Texas Hold 'Em. Oh yeah, and the time spent with family and friends definitely qualified as sooo best.

• Friday: Recovery for The Mister and laundry for me. Why do I have such a hard time relaxing, even when I know I have extra days to be productive?
  
  
• Saturday: Football for him and a lame attempt at thrifting for me. I might have to give up on that hobby unless I can find a better spot or make trips out towards Worcester. We capped the day off with dinner at FuGaKyu, which is supposed to be some of the best sushi in the area but was more show than go in my opinion. We also stopped by a Trader Joe's in the neighborhood and got some Three Buck Chuck—no mean feat here in a state where you can't get beer or wine at the grocery—which I've never tried but have yet to open.
  
  
• Sunday: After hitting the gym (again), we took the T into the city to check out the ICA, which had a photography exhibit by a Russian artist. While I really dug the Soviet-era stuff, I realized that I have a very limited tolerance for photography, especially when the artist incorporates them[naked]selves into a good amount of the works. This was followed up with a weather-abbreviated stroll down Newbury Street and a great cup of indie coffee at a *$ price.

My weekend, in a nutshell, plus or minus a few details, names changed to protect the innocent, blahblahblah.



Even at an extended four days long, they always go too fast.

Gobble Mooo

Getting revenge on those "eat chick'n" cows:







No mater how you slice it, happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Turkey plans

On deck for Tofurkey day: While you might not think so (with my being a well-intentioned vegetarian and all), I love Thanksgiving. Spending quality time with friends and family, indulging in a four day weekend (while avoiding the mall at all costs), and getting geared up for the coming holidays are all wonderful, but I am a huge fan of the gustatory experience as well, even now.

Who really needs Tofurkey when there's mashed potatoes and yams and green bean casserole and stuffing (cooked outside the bird, natch) and cranberry relish and don't even get me started on the desserts, with the pumpkins and the pecans and oh yum.

So being within decent striking distance of family and having my husband in tow, I'm pretty fired up for doing Thanksgiving at Unka Pete's, especially since I haven't seen my cousin since his Christening a year and a half ago!

As a person of Hoosier birth, I've been put in charge of making the green bean casserole (as I've been told that it's Indiana's state dish), but I'm also planning to take a stab at making Spicy Chocolate Cookies (seasoned with both black and cayenne pepper) (UPDATE: recipe also here) and Vanilla Cheesecake with Ginger Graham Cracker Crust. Because I have an ambitious sweet tooth and might increase my odds of success with additional dishes.

Aside to all of those who have made cheesecakes in the past: would you recommend I pick up a springform pan?

Discovery $10 off $50

In today's mail: Save $10 off a puchase of $50 or more at the Discovery Channel Store. Since you can't bring in the paper coupon I received, use coupon code BOSCOM at check-out.



If I could be so bold, I would have to highly recommend The Life of Mammals DVD set. I was fortunate enough to catch this on cable before it was released to DVD and was completely wowed by the whole series. Not only is it incredible where they get host David Attenborough to go at his seemingly advanced age, but where they manage to get the camera—inside a badger dam, a seal burrow, and a mole rat's den—is just amazing. The cinematography is breathtaking and the subject matter is truly enlightning. Great stuff.



Also in today's mail? Two nice, big bonus checks. That were sent to my old address. Two and a half weeks after we moved. So LAME.

Java Log

More brew than yule: Now that we're living in a climate that warrants one, I'm happy to report that our current abode has a fireplace, which of course gives me both the means to exercise my latent pyromaniac tendencies and excuse to indulge in the purchase of some Java Logs, firelogs made from spent coffee grounds.



Apparently, coffee grounds release more heat than wood when burned. That's great and all, but do they also turn cool colors like green and blue when burned, like wax cups?



My big Christmas, etc. brainstorm is to make up baskets with one of these and a ½ pound each of regular and decaf coffee. Of course, if you either read this blog or don't have a fireplace, I'm going to have to come up with another brilliant gift idea.

[ljc, way back in the day]

Like a bee, I am

Like a bee, I am: So yeah, these idle hands are busy busy busy, so no devil's work (read: blogging) for a while. Until then.

Safetown Newton

Sleepy little burg indeed: We might not be in the heart of things out herein the semi-burbs, but at least we can sleep better knowing that we're living in the US' safest city.

Thanks, St. Anthony!

IFOUNDMYNIGHTGUARD! Oh joy, oh rapture! Bruxismless sleep is mine once again!

Borders 20% coupon

More friends & family coupons: Click here for a 20% off coupon good at Borders or Waldenbooks bricks & mortar (ie not online) store. Coupon valid until Nov. 21.

I am a sucker

Marketers, meet your target audience. I've had a PB gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket for a few months now but have been fairly successful in holding off on impluse splurges, trying to remain practical and save it for when we really need it.



Unfortunately, all well-intentioned practicality falls to pieces when confronted with cuteness kryptonite.



While I really can't see myself spending that much $$ on something that Cleo doesn't need, the fact that I even entertained the idea is proof positive that I am a sucker for all things BT related.

Surfacing

It's been a rough couple of days with stress of both the linear and circular variety interspersed with huge alma mater letdowns, spousal miscommunication and vehicular frustrations.



The good news is that The Mister and I caught a post-snowfall matinee of The Machinist which, as he said, was like Memento but not quite as good. Me, I rather enjoyed the conclusion as it was a lot less shocking than something like Fight Club and was therefore a bit easier to digest.



Honestly, the most shocking part of the film was getting a 90° shot of the emaciated Bale's pelvis. Definitely gasp-worthy.



I also spent the bulk of Sunday relocating the office from the dark spare bedroom at the back of the apt. to a smaller but sunnier half-room towards the front. It's a much better use of space (we can now fit a bed in the other room for guests, just as soon as we get a spare bed) and I really think that the increase in natural light will do wonders for my mood.

Brilliant!

Brilliant!

Offer is only valid on purchases through the GUINNESS WebStore. Offer may not be combined with other promotions. Restrictions apply, and offer is subject to early termination at any time without notice. Offer expires at 12:00 AM EST November 14, 2004.

Body Shop coupon

If you're the type to get holiday shopping done early:

You must be registered and logged in at www.thebodyshop.com before typing in the code. It must be typed in exactly as it appears above (in all caps).



Offer valid at thebodyshop.com and at participating The Body Shop store locations in the USA only. Limit one offer per person. Offer valid November 13, 2004 - November 14, 2004. Eligible for one-time usage only. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer, promotion or discount. Eligible for non-sale items only. Must use promo code at checkout or email must be presented in-store to redeem offer. Subject to availability. Restrictions apply. See website or sales associate for details. Promo # 602149.

It's Friday, I'm in...

It's Friday and for that reason alone I should be feeling a whole lot better than I am. It might help if I actually came up with a plan or two for the weekend.



For as down-in-the-dumps as I feel, I know that I will look back on these kinds of days at some point in the future with nostalgia for all the selfish free time I once had.



:::sigh:::

Tintin et Milou

And his little dog, too! I have been on a sudden and inexplicable Tintin kick of late, probably brought on by a quest for a poster or print that's vintagey but not advertising related and the semi-conscious memories of Dad reading the English versions of it and Astérix & Obélix to us as kids.



Basically, what I'm looking for is a not too busy, non-book cover print that has both Tintin and his dog Snowy in it that's wider than it is tall (for over a couch or two). I'm also suddenly in the market for either Tinin or Babar flannel pajamas (or pyjamas, as they apparently spell it overseas). If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it!



One other thing: in my searches, I decided to decorate our future nursery alà Le Petit Prince. Because I apparently have a deep-seated soft spot for French illustration.

3 years + 1 day

More "On This Day [after] in History": So as of today, The Mister and I have been married for three years. Three years, people! Lordy, where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday, memory lane, blahblahblah...



It's funny how life never really goes the way you thought it would. Even three years ago I thought I wanted to have at least one kid by 30. Fastforward to now, where I'm a few months past that deadline and can't even imagine what our lives would be like with a kid. Aren't I still a kid? Shouldn't I get to put off having babies until I haven't been carded for over 90 days?



All that kid stuff aside, from a marriage perspective, what J. and I have is pretty much what I had always assumed I'd have when I was a young twenty-know-nothing and then some.



J. and I are happiest when we're together (except for when we're late for an engagement and lost, then we're not so happy), we are a great team (my idiosyncrasies balance his quirks and vice versa), and really—have you seen my husband? He is a catch and a half! Even better? He thinks the same of me. Woo!



So long story short, we celebrated by exchanging gifts (he thought I was getting him a cell phone but gave him a new heart monitor watch instead and he gave me jammies) and going out for dinner at a Cambodian restaurant. I'd never tried Cambodian before but liked it quite a bit as it's a lot like Thai food but less spicy (that or you have to ask for more heat) and with more fruit.



Speaking of fruit, I got suckered into buying a pineapple yesterday at Whole Foods by their free samples. It was that good! And since we're discussing non-anniversary yesterday stuff, I also experienced a fire alarm while at the local library for a blood drive. Fortunately the alarm went off before anyone was stuck with a needle. I think they should always have the cute fireman carry an axe so you can spot them even if they have their face shields down. Diet, menu, yaddayaddayadda. ;)

Happy B-Day, Dad!

On time, this time: A very happy birthday to my dear old dad, who is the most loving, caring, thoughtful, receptive, funny, and patient (emphasis on that last one) dads that a kid could ever ask for.



I only hope that J. and I can spend as much time kicking the ball around the yard (yes, we were more of a kicking than throwing family, but i still can throw a decent spiral and not look like a lamer doing it), playing games with (with Dad as Dungeon Master, no one ever dies!) and reading books to our kids as much as he did.



Happy birthday, Dad! It sure is nice to be [geographically] close to you and Mom again. :)

Cholera on the big screen

Looks like it's time to shuffle my Bookflix queue: (ie my library hold list, not that "Bookflix" makes any sense at all, what with the "flix" part appending "book").



Where was I? Oh right, New Line has purchased the rights to one of my favorte novels, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera. Documenting an affair of unrequited love that spans fifty years is going to take some inspired casting and skilled makeup artistry. Here's to hoping.

[Defamer]

A Jones Thanksgiving

Another holiday classic: Turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes with butter, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and fruitcake...soda? Here's to hoping that someone around here carries this carbonated sugary violation of nature because i'm a little skeptical at how well soda ships.

[not martha]

Yahoo roundup

Yahoo roundup: The headshake/eyeroll portion: if you can't perform your dispensary duties then perhaps you should pursue another career, start stocking up on chocolate now, it may not be a civil right but it is something her dad hopes for every anniversary, Valentine's and Christmas, and does this qualify as ironic, or just in the Alanis sense of the word?



More fluffy stuff: yeah, that looks practical and whatever happened to Clive Owen?

TiVo Hot 100

TiVo Hot 100: Of the top 100 Season Passes on TiVo (tabulated from a survey of 20K anonymous users), we have the following:

1 The Apprentice   3 Desperate Housewives   4 Lost 10 The Sopranos 16 Six Feet Under 17 Nip/Tuck 18 Scrubs 19 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 22 Queer Eye for the Straight Guy 26 Saturday Night Live

28 The Simpsons 36 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 38 Chappelle's Show 44 South Park 53 The Real World 56 Entourage 63 Deadwood 65 Arrested Development 71 The Shield

It kinda concerns me that AD is as far down the list as it is (#65). You'd think that TiVo users would be more savvy than that.

[Lost Remote]

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Achtung hottness: Get a sneak peek at the rough-cut trailer for the upcoming flick, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which—according to whatevs.org—"stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a married couple, neither of which knows that the other is a professional hitman."



With Vince Vaugn (for non "who's your daddy now?" related comic relief, natch) due for a Summer 2005 release. Brad Pitt: proof that bad skin is no match for a wry smile.

And washboard abs.

Belateds

Belateds: A very happy birthday to E of the Norfolk clan (11/7) as well as ex-Seattlite JB (aka Brownzini) and my best, favorite, and only brother JP who both turned over their odometers yesterday.



Best!!

Hotmail fattens up

Hotmail put on a few mbs? Is it me, or did Hotmail's storage capacity blow up to a hefty 250MB? I'm sure there was an announcement mailed out to all of their users, but those are always the first to get deleted around my inbox.

Newton Pros

Things I do like about our new place (house, area, city, etc.):



House:

• Basement storage that isn't dirty, cramped, and shared with five other tenants. It also has W/D hookups (no W/D as yet—still waiting for the Craigslist fairy), so I might be able to stop saving quarters one of these days.
  
  
• Beautiful hardwood floors, wood trim, all new kitchen, great light, better flow.
  
  
• Upstairs neighbors are young, nice ex-left coasters(recently trandplanted from CA) and dog people (they have a 5-mo old long-haired dauchund named Dodger) so they understand Cleo's "complexities."

Addendum: We have a garbage disposal. How I ever lived without this wondertool, I have no idea.



Area:

• We are within reasonable walking distance (10 min) of the T, which means reliable public transportation into a major city. This is HUGE and should really count four or five times.
  
  
• We are now living in a blue state where we are not surrounded by cookie-cutter WASPs that are all employed by the same government entity, if you catch my meaning.
  
  
• Speaking of which, have I gloated recently how my husband comes home every night?
  
  
• We are minutes away from college friends and sibling and mere hours away from parents and one of my favorite uncle & his family. This also carries much weight.
  
  
• Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Crate & Barrel, The Container Store, Sephora—all just down the road for all of my solutions-to-modern-living needs.
  
  
• I hate the heat and have missed indulging my compulsive coat lust.

Newton Cons

Things I don't like about our new place (house, area, city, etc.):



House:

• Less square footage.
  
  
• Fewer light fixtures (sconces, etc).
  
  
• Screwy wiring (the kitchen and the office are on the same circuit, the light switches for the exterior and basement are in our kitchen).
  
  
• The lock to the outermost door must be turned by a key rather than a bolt, (which means that it is theoretically possible to be locked in).
  
  
• Upstairs neighbors don't seem to have area rugs.
  
  
• All of the bathroom fixtures are yellow, which means you don't know when you're properly hydrated, if you get my meaning.

Area:

• There aren't any coffee shops, restaurants, bars or indie movie houses within [short] walking distance. Also, no thrift stores. It's going to take me a while to get used to that one.
  
  
• I never really realized just how cheap the commissary was until I started paying full-price full-time.
  
  
• Drivers appear to have gotten their licenses alternately from a Cracker Jack box and a stunt driving school.
  
  
• It's already cold and I know it's only going to get worse.

Don't worry—the other list will be longer. ;)

AD's performance

First thing's first: Now, I haven't watched last night's season opener of Arrested Development as yet (TiVo, you know), but I am pretty invested on how well they do, since it's pretty much the only funny show on network TV period.



Apparently, all the glowing reviews and shiny Emmys in the world can't get American viewers to give up the easy joke and accompanying laugh track, as seen by last night's ratings:



8:00 pm The Simpsons

Overnights: 7.6/11 (#3), Viewers: 11.01 mil. (#3), A18-49: 5.3/12 (#2)



8:30 pm Arrested Development

Overnights: 5.9/8 (#3), Viewers: 8.03 mil. (#3), A18-49: 4.0/9 (#2)



According to Mediaweek, retention for Arrested Development out of The Simpsons was a typical 78% in households, 73% in viewers and 75% among adults 18-49. Definitely not a performance befitting the winner of last year's Emmy winner for Outstanding Comedy.



Speaking of awards, go vote for the People's Choice Awards and be sure to put AD for best comedy and Jason Bateman for best male actor. Because seriously, guys, it is so BEST!!

SFU on death row

Is HBO gearing up to put Six Feet Under down for a dirt nap? Nooooooo! They had better put more effort into the final season than they did these last few, which were lackluster at best.

Landon's nub

We're 10 eps into the 15th (!!) season of The Real World and I only just noticed Landon's finger stump?!







Apparently, his older sister slammed his finger in a door when he was 11 mo. old. He talks about his nub (as he calls it) here.

Aftermath

More about the aftermath: It's not so much about the blue and red states as it is about the purple states. And, there are actually some advantages of another Bush presidency.



Addendum: purple counties.



Addendum deux: religious counties.

Pumpkin gnocchi, etc.

Because if you let it affect you, the Republicans win: While I have been bailing a bit on the gym of late (Tuesday to watch the returns and last night since it was J.'s day off), I'm not going to let That Which Is Too Terrible To Mention By Name to get me down.



Proof of that revamped attitude is that I made pumpkin gnocchi from scratch last night using a recipe from the November issue of Shape that doesn't seem to be on the magazine's website. Because I love you all, I'll type it in by hand for you (Bracketed comments are my addition).

Pumpkin GnocchiIngredients:

• 1c. canned pumpkin purée (not sweetened pie filling)
  
  
• ½ c. plus 1T grated Parmesan cheese
  
  
• ½ t salt
  
  
• ¼ t ground black pepper
  
  
• 1/8 t ground nutmeg
  
  
• 1 egg white (or 3T of whites from a carton), whipped until frothy
  
  
• ½ c. while-wheat flour, divided [don't really get what that means]
  
  
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour

Directions:



In a large [but not too large] bowl, combine pumpkin, cheese, salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Using a rubber spatula, fold in egg whites.



Next, fold in whole-wheat flour, ¼ cup at a time, and mix until a soft dough forms. Add the all-purpose flour until incorporated (Don't over mix or gnocchi will be tough).



Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface [very important—my dough was pretty sticky] and roll into several 1-inch wide snakes. Cut each snake into 1-inch pieces [I did this and the gnocchi were a little big for my tastes].



Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add gnocchi and boil until pieces float to the surface, about 3 min.

The recipe also included a sauce component, but it was a pretty average alfredo sauce. I used Newman's Own Vodka Sauce but wasn't all that impressed and would probably go back to my gnocchi staple, Classico's Sundried Tomato Alfredo for future efforts.



I was pretty fired up about my attempt, and while it was palatable (with J. polishing the majority of it off in one sitting) I wasn't thrilled with the overly wheaty flavor of the dumplings. I think I'll dig through my multitude of cookbooks the next time and try adapting a traditional potato gnocchi recipe with the pumpkin.



In other news, I managed to squeeze in my good deed of the day before breakfast by telling my supposedly crazy old lady neighbor that she had left her headlights on.



I will readily admit that my good deed was motivated in part by selfishness as I wanted to head off the possibility of my having to jump her car off at the pass, but still, aren't all good deeds motivated in part by personal gain (ie the desire to feel good about one's self)?



Either way, now I can stop beating myself up for not offering to help her rake her lawn the other day.

Fuck. Now what?

Visa thrifties

File this one under Thrifty: For all you Visa card holders, be sure to check the official Visa discount page before placing orders online. I was able to find a free shipping code for the new shoes I just bought. I could only wait for my beloved and [of course] discontinued Nike Air Famished to show up on ebay for so long.

Angel for hire

Angel for hire: ABC has script-committed to an as-yet untitled drama pilot starring David Boreanz based on the life of Jack Ballantine, "an undercover cop in the world of murder for hire." Sounds very Donnie Brasco.



While I don't think DB is all that gifted of an actor, I am a huge fan of his body of work. Ahem.

Vatican sex guide

The Pope says its a sin not to do it...as long as you're a het married couple who is coupling with the express intent of creating more Catholics. According to the aforelinked article:

Another chapter likely to raise eyebrows unearths theological justification for post-coital masturbation for women who fail to achieve orgasm during intercourse.

Undoubtedly their reasoning is more about creating suction in the womb to increase the chances of conception than it is the woman's pleasure.



Cynical much? And how.

[JB]

Waiting

[Insert sharp intake of breath, followed by a extended period of silence.]



Yeah, I'll basically be holding my breath for the next two days...or weeks, whatever the case may be. Until then, keep this in mind:

[JP]

Yahoo roundup

Yahoo roundup: Mrs. Ahnold has Sox fever, The O'Reilly Settlement Factor, too cute, and nothing quite tastes like sour grapes.

Which Lost Character are You?

What is up with all of those tattoos?







You are Jack. Self-appointed hero and doctor extraordinaire, it's your job to save everyone. You have little time for fun and games, but you do like a good stiff drink every now and then. You prefer your stitches black and have been known to make gross pasta comparisons. And if anyone needs CPR or a tracheotomy, you're the correct person to go to.



Which Lost Character Are You? brought to you by Quizilla

[TMFT]

Axis of Creepy Jesus Power

Win one for the spooooooky Gipper! According to the Travel Channel's Haunted Campuses, Notre Dame owes some of it's I don't know what (and, apparently, haunting of Washington Hall by the ghost of George Gipp) to the fact that the university was intentionally founded on the Apollo/St. Michael line—which can be drawn through Ireland, the Continent, and into Asia Minor, connecting a variety of holy sites—in order to "harness a divine power."



On the program, all of this was relayed by a Father Austgen who is in residence at ND in some capacity. He also mentioned dowsing rods and levitations at the Basilica in addition to all of this "astrological architecture" stuff, all while keeping a straight face.



Now, is it me or is the notion of and belief in an axis of divine power more than just a little antithetical to the teachings of the Catholic church, not to mention the use of a ouija board in an attempted seance in the aforementioned supposedly haunted building?

Fever Pitch

Speaking of all things Sox, Jimmy Fallon's sophomore effort, Fever Pitch—directed by the Farrelly brothers and costarring Drew Barrymore—is in rewrites. Apparently the whole tone of the film had to be adjusted to Boston's whirlwind success. IMDB's summary:

Based on the Nick Hornby novel and movie "Fever Pitch" (1997), [the American remake] has been updated to center of a guy and his obsession with the Boston Red Sox. Ben meets Lindsey. They fall in love. All things are wonderful. But their future together is threatened once the baseball season comes around and Lindsey discovers something about Ben...his obsession with the Boston Red Sox.

I also heard on the local NPR station today that they actually shot some kissing scenes during last night's game. While I've never really liked baseball (outside of beers in the bleachers with a group of friends) and Fallon falling flat in his first cinematic outing, I might actually see this movie now, being in such proximity to all the hubub and all. Hopefully Ben's last name is Sullivan.

[The Backer]

End of Days!

...and I feel fine. So the curse was indeed reversed on the same night the moon turns to blood and I'm supposed to believe that the world isn't about to end?



In other news, undertakers throughout the greater Boston area prepare for a sudden influx of clients who can now happily pass into that great night. Meanwhile, the estimated lifespan of elderly cubs fans, given new hope by the Sox victory, has been extended another 5-10 years.

Fetching Tags

Would "stone cold bitch" be too much? I just spent far too long trying to refind this website: Fetching Tags, although I'll probably wait until I know we'll be in one place for longer than a year to make the investment ($30) in a really cool tag for Cleo.

100 Facts and 1 Opinion

To paraphrase Max and a bumpersticker I saw the other day, if you aren't outraged, you're either not paying attention or have been in a coma for the last four years.



100 Facts and 1 Opinion.



It's too late to change The Mister's mind (we mailed our absentee ballots yesterday and I'm pretty sure he voted for the Libertarian candidate), but read it and try not to weep.

Weekend Recap

Weekend Recap: The short version: I would have much rather lost to Navy and beat BC than what actually happened. I mean sure, go Sox and all that jazz, but that was one rough loss dejà 1993 all over again. :(



The long version is that I'm still all kinds of out of sorts and might be suffering from a bit of post moving depression, which is to say I'm unsettled about my not being settled. The house is a mess, we can't find a decent laundromat (and are still undecided about the purchase of major appliances), and I've yet to find a thrift store within striking distance.



The upside of this pity party is that we have and are making good friends in town, there are more Whole Foods than you can shake a stick at, I've already opened a library account (and was able to scoop Stiff right off of the shelves), and, you know, that whole baseball thing.



Long story longer, if anyone can offer advice on purchasing a washer & dryer (buy top of the line or check out craigslist for freebies?) and/or thrifting in the Newton area, please leave a blurb in the comments!

GB vs. Skins

Finally, a pro football game I can get behind: Go Green Bay! Screw the Super Bowl and its 40.0 HH rating, this is the game everyone should be watching.

Machinist Severely Limited

Curses! And a pox upon the house of Paramount! Looks like The Machinist's release is limited to Hell-A & NYC! Hulk smash!

I hate the hives!

I hate the hives! No, not The Hives, I'm referring to the hives that have been afflicting my backside and affecting my sleep for the last three nights.



I'm happy to report that J. hasn't had a problem, so we can pretty much rule out bed bugs (ick!), but that still doesn't change the fact that I've been trapped in a vicious sleep cycle of drifting off, unconsciously scratching at my bum until it becomes so irritated and inflamed that I wake up, try to soothe the welts with Aveeno (why oh why didn't I just go for the regular calamine lotion?!), and eventually fall back to sleep, where the process begins all over again.



Mom thinks it's stress (hi Mom!) or maybe something I ate on Sunday or a combination thereof, so I guess I'll be abstaining from mushrooms, nuts (especially those oh so addictive tamari almonds) and the Tofurkey Kielbasa we had for the first time on Sunday night. Its ingredients list looks harmless enough, but being that it's the only new food I've consumed since breaking out, I might as well add it to the list.



So the good news is that they're probably hives, not bites. The bad news is that I don't really know what's causing them. Either way, I think I'll be drifting off to sleep on a Benadryl cloud tonight.

brigita.inf

I also make life difficult for others when I'm here.





Which File Extension are You?

[freakgirl]

Scenes From the Gym

Scenes from the gym: After poking through the list of discounts afforded to us by The Mister's new employer, we finally settled on joining Gold's, which was very close and far cheaper than the majority of the alternatives. Last night was my first time there as an official member, and I mentally took the following notes:



Time from walking in the door to...

• Seeing an over-tan man (as J. said, he was so dark he was practically purple) in stereotypical weightlifting pants and a top that had little more than a string running down the back: 2.5 mins.
  
  
• Observing a high-five: 4.0 mins.
  
  
• Getting an eyeful of the aforementioned tan man's [ahem] nipple: 8.0 mins.

I'm happy to report that I observed neither thong nor extended mirror posturing nor inane gym flirting, but then yesterday wasn't a weights day for me, so who knows what I was missing out on.

Thai Vegetarian Festival

Thailand's Vegetarian Festival kicks off this time every year, and every year I never cease to be amazed by their, er, unorthodox methods of celebration. I mean, I'm all for body modification, but I prefer my piercings with a healthy dose of moderation.

Blogdex duo

Blogdex duo:



I. According to Cooking to Hook-Up (hA!), I am a hybrid of:

 



Take the "What Kind of Girl Are You?" quiz for yourself.



Here's a hint—a guy will increase his chances of smoochin', etc. if he cooks something palatable other than The Dinner of Losers, ie spaghetti (credit: Dave). As for the "progressive" girl throwing away a perfectly recyclable bottle? Lame. Oops, that's a recycling bin. Thanks, hon'.



II. Poor moose. :(

Fluffy? Hardly

Mid-week indulgence: I think I'll be buying this shirt on my way to getting groceries for shepherd's pie (the veggie version, natch) later today.



What can I say? I'm a sucker for all things Boston Terrier related, even if the silhouette is actually supposed to be that of a Boxer.

Tofu, again?

The one time I wouldn't mind someone being the boss of me? Meal planning.



I'm bad at it, hate doing it, and am only in the mood to grocery shop when an actual meal is hours away. Why oh why can't Vegetarian Times just tell me what to make on a monthly basis?

Cine-manic panic

Cine-manic panic: Ok, so The Machinist comes out this weekend, but apparently it's only getting a limited release and the official website is no help at all regarding exactly where it's going to be released. Bah!



In other news regarding movies the releases of which I'm eagerly awaiting, the premiere of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou appears to have been moved to Christmas Day. Here's to hoping The Mister and I will be able to sneak away from the holiday chaos to check it out.

Crossfire commentary

1/Shiksappeal update: I knew it would only be a matter of time before Jon Stewart's appearance on Crossfire made it online, and I was right.



While I don't think I'll stop writing "brigita + jon" on my notebooks any time soon, I do think that Stewart came on the show with less of a point and more of an agenda. I also think that he was a pretty bad guest, both in the TV show and literal sense of the word. Had any guest ever behaved like that on TDS, I can imagine that Stewart would have reacted in much of the same way that Carlson did.



I might not be the political commentary hound that The Mister is (to illustrate, we have Season Passes for both the McLaughlin Group and Meet the Press), but do think I've seen enough of Tucker Carlson in action to know that—despite my opposing views, he is a responsible interviewer and pundit, unlike many of the other talking heads ruining it for the rest of us on both sides of the spectrum.



So, in summary:

• Is Tucker Carlson really a dick? No.
  
  
• Did Stewart leave his manners in the green room? As much as I hate to say it, yes.
  
  
• Would I still scream like an old-timey teen girl Beatles fan if I ever saw Stewart in person? Most probably.
  
  
• Is the wearing of a bow-tie by anyone who is not a white southern laywer over the age of 55 worth ridicule? Definitely.

Related: I also don't think that Stewart should have disclosed that he will be voting for Kerry. Either you're fake news anchor with a clear political bias or you're holding other journalists up to some kind of standard; you can't have it both ways.

Must Cringe TV

Achtung, TiVo! The two hour finale/special of The Office will air this Thursday at 9p on BBC America! The ep will be rerun at the same time on Saturday & Sunday as well, just in case you missed it the first go 'round.



More scenes from a TiVo: In other, less-enjoyable cringe-worthy TV news, The Mister and I watched USA's Frankenstein last night, mainly because it was starring the woman who would play me in the film of my life, Parker Posey. The upshot is that I'll never get those 75 minutes (two hour made-for minus TiVo's 30-second skip magic) of my life back.



Besides just being all around wrong for the role (there's no way for a pocket person like PP to convincingly run with a shotgun), Posey's acting was taken straight from the Cliff Notes version of the Hardboiled Detective Handbook.



The storyline itself was chock full of holes when it wasn't trundling down the Hackneyed Highway, inserting random [doomed] characters and weak attempts at spine-tingling until the "movie" reached its non-climactic conclusion. Replacing the whole human race with beings created from spare parts? Please.



Addendum: I neglected to add that the opening credits sequence was a complete and total rip-off of Se7en, which unfortunately put a bad taste in my mouth from the get go that never went away.

Odds/Ends

Other things that happened over the last week that I'm just remembering to blog now:

• The Good: I got over my thrifty self and spent a decent chunk of change at the J. Crew outlet near my folks' on a pretty pink v-neck sweater, a pair of jeans, and two pairs of cords, one green and one brown.
  
  
  
  Brown! Me! She who has been under the impression that she hates brown for many, many moons! I was so proud of myself.
  
  
  
  
• The Weird & Bad: The medical officer from J.'s last ship was charged with molesting a 9 year old boy.

Let's try to focus on the good, shall we?

I ♥ Jon Stewart 4eva!

What's the inverse of "shiksappeal?" Because I just seriously swooned over this second-hand news:



Jon Stewart reportedly called Tucker Carlson a dick on Crossfire.

Delicious! If I can't get a hold of that footage somehow, my weekend will be ruined! In the mean time, check out the exchange here.

[The Backer]

Addendum: apparently shiksa is a bad word? Worse than, say, making out during Schindler's List?

Budget Budget Living

Budget Living on a budget: To get a year of the magazine for a dollar, click here and use promo code 8BBB to get yourself and as many of your friends a subscription for a dollar a piece.

DVR Users Skip Ads

File this one under "water is wet": Study finds DVR users skip ads. I say, if you own a DVR and don't skip ads, you either have yet to hear about the 30-second skip hack or are simply a fool.

Bars, bars and more bars

It's the little things...that drive me crazy. For instance, it hasn't even been two days since I got the cable hooked up and my provider's little spinning icon is already driving me batsh!t. Regardez:



Now, I'm no fan of the evil empire, but I'm just so much more used to seeing MS' little globe a-whirling that Comcast's low-tech icon is becoming a serious distraction.

Does anyone out there know how to change that little do-dad? Or even know it's proper name so I can google a solution for it?

Related:

• I thought that I had fond memories of Sky Bars with their clever compartments of individual flavor (carmel, vanilla, peanut butter & fudge), but unfortunately these were dashed against the rocks of reality: Necco has yet to put out a confection that could qualify as palatable, much less delicious. Even the Clark Bar I consumed on the drive north was little more than a poor man's 5th Avenue bar.
  
• Gay Bar? Still best, and for some unknown reason, has begun to be sung of late by The Mister, who saw little humor in it when I showed it to him several months ago.

Other fabulous bars: sand bars, The Crowbar (a random SF dive we stumbled into one weekend), bar-b-que, and Gold Bar (of the WA and Zork varieties).

Bars I don't know as much about would include bar mitzvahs and passing the bar. Then there are those bars I dislike all together: cigar bars, beer & wine bars (ie cities with laws on the books that say you have to sell food in order to sell liquor), bar stools, and Mars Bars (coconut = yuk).

The Phone Sex Factor

The O'Reilly "What Are You Wearing?" Factor: I can't decide what makes me strain my eye-roll muscles more about this story, the fact that this woman is alleging that O'Reilly had phone sex with her against her will (umm, hang up?) or the fact that Emperor Shut-Up has written a children's book.



I don't know about you, but "shut-up" was considered to be a swear word in my house growing up. I still wince every time I hear someone use it, especially parents towards their kids.

XM vs. Sirius

Which sat is right? With The Mister's new job comes many new concepts that he has to wrap his head around: business casual, IT lingo, and the twice-daily commute. Between the latter and his love of sports radio (which is essentially non-existent here if you aren't obsessed with the Sox), it's pretty much been settled that I'll be getting him satellite radio for our anniversary.



My question for the peanut gallery is, which is the better option, XM or Sirius? I've found a comparison chart, Slashdot discussion, and Wired article, but don't yet have the time to look at it in depth.



He'll be interested in football coverage of both the college and pro variety as well as a decent assortment of musical offerings with a sprinkling of news and political commentary. It sounds like Sirius might be the better choice, what with its exclusive deal with the NFL, but he doesn't so much want to hear the game as he wants to hear about the game.



Anyhoo, please leave any and all advice in the comments.

Hooray for Stuff!

Hooray for Stuff! What do you get when you combine Maggie of Mighty Girl, an internet connection and a credit card? Mighty Goods! I can feel my purse strings loosening already.

[not martha]

New Digs Update

Still sleepy, but here. To fill in the gaps for the peanut gallery, mom and I packed feverishly until the movers appeared (2-odd hours late) on Wed. (10/6), we drove north on Thu., I got some work done at my folks Fri., the weekend was spent decompressing with The Mister at Rancho del Parento, and on Mon. we struck out early to meet the guys with our stuff at our new digs.



An inability to read or complete lack of a map caused them to be another 2-odd hours late—I'd even left before they arrived to take Cleo to her somewhat poorly scheduled vet appointment, where she pitched several fits while getting her vaccines, etc. still, it was pretty nice to get out of the house and not be responsible for directing, unpacking, etc. for a while.



Don't really have a whole lot more to share other than the fact that while I love our place, our furniture is a bit too big in size and number for it. Boxes continue to litter the hallway and I'm suffering a serious crisis of conscience, trying to decide whether I should make the effort to recycle the packing paper or just put it out with the trash.



I'm also dealing with the fact that there isn't an IKEA within striking distance. Poo.

Ti-RED

We're here, I'm fairly certain all the boxes haave been confirmed arrived, and the cable guy has come and gone.



I so need a nap.

So Long, Stinktown!

So long, Stinktown! Last post before I pack up the computer—see you on the other side!!

Ms. Pack [Wo]man

Not so much "Pac-ing" as packing. One more update before the 'puter gets shut down and boxed up on the 'morrow.

Lost in Lost

Are you watching Lost? We are. If you have been watching, my question for you is, what role would you naturally gravitate to in such a situation (plane crash w/40+ survivors on a desert island)? To turn a phrase, would you be an Indian (or worker bee) or a Chief (queen bee)?



Me, I'm positive I would assign myself to inventory detail, going through all of the luggage, cabin salvage, etc., sorting things into various piles. Because despite my best intentions and aspirations to the contrary, I'm a bit of a drone at heart.



Oh, and if you haven't been watching, ABC is running a two-hour catch-up marathon this Saturday at 8p EST. Not like you have anything better going on. ;)

Ah-nold flip-flops

The Terminator, a flip-flopper? First he wanted to shorten the time between the shelter entrance and the wrong end of a euthanasia needle, now he's decreed that the force feeding of ducks, geese and other birds to produce the gourmet liver product foie gras is inhumane. Under the new bill, that process and the sale of paté produced via that process will be illegal as of 2012.



The thing is, legislation like the aforementioned is probably discussed and passed every day, we only hear about these because (1) they're cute, fuzzy animals and (b) it's Ah-nold.

Crapstick Men

Conned by a con movie (oh the irony): How on God's green and glorious earth did Matchstick Men score a 82% on the Tomatometer?



It wanted to be dark (casting, theme) and I wanted it to be dark, but it was just too long and uneven, stumbling between buddy con movie and feel good out-of-the-blue-daughter-teaches-neurotic-criminal-how-to-be-human schlock fest.



And the gun that was introduced in the first act? Went off in the third, just like I predicted it should.

stREaM

Stream the new REM album, Around the Sun. So far, I give it a rating of "meh."

[stereogum]

Moving update

Welcome to Crazytown, population meeeeeeeee! So, the latest update on our moving saga is that The Mister flies out Saturday, passing Mom mid-air as she flies down to help me with the packing, movers should be here this time next week, and we should be moved into our new place a week after that.



And somehow in the midst of all that I'm supposed to get a few solid days of work in and use a spa gift certificate left over from my birthday. Funny how something that's supposed to be relaxing can actually be a source of stress...

Bleeding ♥

Coming as a surprise to no one, I'm sure:

[freakgirl]

Success!

Success! I am thrilled to report that, thanks to the help of our fab friends HH and Gordo and one savvy broker, we were able to find a great place in Newton Center, about half-way between Boston and where The Mister will be working (starting Monday. Yeah—this Monday).



We had to kiss about ten apartment frogs before finding our prince: the first floor of a two-family home in a fairly residential neighborhood. 2+ BR/1 BA, LR/DR, hardwood floors, white walls (natch—it's a rental) with beautiful dark wood trim, a recently redone kitchen, a modicum of yard for the pooch, two parking spaces (which are apparently essential since you can't park overnight Nov.-May, presumably on account of snow removal), and within walking distance of the T stop.



We didn't take any pics and I haven't been able to spot the listing online, but it was the first place that we walked into where I could really picture us not just living but also entertaining as well, which will be a nice change of pace from the last three socially low-key years.



The rent ain't cheap (no siree), but we did manage to negotiate a 10/15 start date (movers come today to give us a $$ and time frame estimate) and will only have to pay half of the broker fee (equal to one month's rent). We'll also be double-dipping for the first month, which is nice...



Anyhoo, it's a huge weight off of both of our minds, even though I think my neck is about to go into spasm. Grrrrreat timing. :(

Women's Health

Rodale to Test "Women's Health" This Fall. So instead of covers repeatedly touting the MH trifecta of "Bigger Biceps, Ripped Abs in Seven Days, and Hotter Sex!!" will WH opt for "Ditch that Jiggle, Be Bikini Ready in Seven Days, and Hotter Sex!!" headlines?

VA --> MA in 10

The little known sixth phase of the grieving process? Hysteria.



OhmyGodwehavetomovetoMassachusettsinTENDAYS.

I'm an editor and I vote

A freer freedom of the press: For the first time since 1912, Scripps is allowing its 21 daily newspapers to make their own endorsements for president.

“We used to have a policy in which editors from all the papers would get together, take a vote, and majority would rule,” said Alan Horton, senior vice president/newspapers for Scripps. “An editorial would then be written, and that would be the endorsement for all of the papers.”

Unfortunately, this is more an illustration of how deep the political divide goes in this country than it is evidence that the media is holding politicians and the government at large more accountable than usual.

Touareg: 666 mpg

Maybe "Touareg" means "Pave the Earth." Speaking of environmentally friendly cars, apparently, the VW (yay!) Touareg has been voted the least green car of 2004 (boo!).



What I don't understand is, wth overall better gas mileage (17 city/23 hwy), how did the Touareg possibly beat the Hummer (13/17) or Suburban (13/17)? Is it the diesel engine? And if so, could it's green score be raised if it ran on Grassolean?



I ask because we might be due for a car purchase soon and, being big fans of our Passat, have been thinking about buying another VW, possibly a diesel. Apparently diesel engines require less maintance, but I like the idea of being able to run it on biodiesel.

Hybrid vanity

A vanity plate I can get behind: 67 MPG

[Prius on I-64]

Workwire round-up

Workwire round-up:



Martha's folks see a pastel cover and they want to paint it black, Kudrow and Cox want to get a piece of that HBO action (despite their similar-sounding projects. catfight?), CBS says "oops?"

Kris + Snook 4eva!

Better late than... Kudos and best wishes to Kris, aka the Web-Goddess, who will be tying the knot with her Snook in Vegas later this fall! And way to beat Brit-Brit's news by several hours!

Snaggletooth

From mom, to me, to you:







And I thought Cleo had a jacked-up underbite!

AD wins best comedy!

Congrats to Arrested Development, which won outstanding overall, directing and writing for a comedy series (not to mention the two creative arts emmys they won last week, outstanding casting (!!) and single-camera picture editing for a comedy series)!



As series creator Mitchell Hurwitz said, "This is so huge for us. You know what? Let's watch it."

Lego downturn

Lego lost $200 mil. last year? That makes me sad, I used to freakin' love my Lego collection—hogging all the space ship "lights" and alternating the seams of my brick walls with OCD-precision—and have already called dibs on it for when I have kids.



Not that I'd let them actually play with them or anything.

Lost: Dave

Lost: one ex-roommate, white male, 6'2", br/br, answers to "Dave" and perhaps even "Doctor Engel" by now. Last seen: wearing a tux at my wedding. Last known residence: San Francheesy as of May. Could still be there but it seems as though that his number has been disconnected, so who can say?



If you see Dave, wish him a belated happy birthday and tell him to drop me a line!

Eye exam

I wear my sunglasses indoors...



I'd forgotten how weird eye exams can be. Upshot: my recurring headaches are not due to a decline in vision as I still don't need glasses! So that's the good news, the bad news is that I still don't know why my head has been feeling like it's going to explode every night for the last two weeks.

a9.com

Amazon gives Google a run for its money with a9.com.

• Search using a9.com, be sure you login.
  
  
• Go to Amazon.com, use the same login.

You should then see this graphic towards the top of the page, just left of center. Once you're logged in, every purchase is automatically π/2% (1.57%) off.



It's not much, but better than nothing at all, I suppose.

Latest on the job front

Latest on the job front: Could we be swapping ORF for SJC in the next few months? Developing!

We have the facts...

We have the facts...







...and we're voting.

[MMM]

Ssh! MM in NYC 2Nite!

Tell it like a secret...   (Oops, wrong band.)



According to an e-mail I just got, Modest Mouse is playing a secret show tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 15, at Webster Hall in New York City to support their friends in Wolf Parade.



You can get tickets 2 ways:

• Walk into Other Music record store (where the show is billed as "Wolf Parade (secret Modest Mouse show)" and buy tickets, or
  
  
• Go to the Bowery Ballroom website on the "Bowery Ballroom presents" section,
  
  and buy tickets here.

Lucky New York bastards.



Update: You can also get tix here.

Haloscan is go

What can I say?







I miss the comments!

4° from Han Solo

I'm 4° from Han Solo! Here's how it goes:

1. I know MMM (he actually introduced The Mister and I, but that's another story)
   
   
2. MMM dated Mark Hamill's daughter (niece? cousin?) in college.
   
   
3. She may have actually met Harrison Ford, which would bring my tally to 3°, but assuming she hasn't, she certainly knows her dad (uncle? cousin?), aka Luke Skywalker...
   
   
4. Who teamed up with Han Solo to defeat the evil Galactic Empire!

Or something like that.

Who and monkey poo

File these under "this will be interesting to someone other than me." Word on the street has it that the Sci Fi Channel is in talks with the BBC for exclusive broadcast rights to Dr. Who, both the original series and a new version that will launch in the UK next year. Apparently the series ran on the cable net in the early days and appeared on BBC America until a few years ago.



Also, I can't exactly name names or anything, but I have it on very good authority that there will be a third installment of The Simple Life and one of Paris & Nicole's challenges will be to train and work as zookeepers, "ie cleaning up after the gorillas, feeding the alligators, cleaning the penguin exhibit, etc."



Poop-flinging monkeys + spoiled, overexposed celebutantes = ratings gold!

Blogger shout-outs

Blogger shout-outs: For Dooce, I got yer "more cowbell" right here.



And to my doppleganger—or should i say, the real brigita to my poseur one—kudos and congrats on your engagement! Speaking from experience, Big Sur is a great choice as proposal spots go, assuming of course that that was the spot of choice.



As for marriage turning you into a yuppie, not to worry, that's what breeding does to a person.

Aside to all my marrieds with children: I kid!

If it weren't for Mississippi...

Dear Alabama Department of Revenue,

It will be five months tomorrow that I mailed in a tax amendment form after having initially submitted a state return on my husband's behalf via TurboTax. I was pretty mad at myself for having missed a huge mistake (which is escaping me at the moment) which resulted in his getting money back rather than the payment I thought we owed. This is why I had to mail in a "do over" form and probably doubled the amount of time you had to spend on his file.

That being said, his return and amendment were both pretty simple. We don't own a home, and he didn't do a whole lot of investment stuff in 2003 that made me want to tear my hair out chunk by chunk (eg., his ROTH IRA conversion, which took several years and loooong non-CPA brigita-hours to unravel). Cripes, we don't even live in Alabama! It's just that whole home-of-record thing the Navy has going on.

So, it had been so long since filing that amendment that I'd begun to doubt my amateur bookkeeping skillz and even my ability to remember whether or not we were actually due any money. But those concerns were laid aside today, when a check stamped with the state seal of Alabama arrived in the mail. After five months, give or take.

So thanks, Alabama Department of Revenue, for the ridiculously long overdue payment of cash that was really ours to begin with. Sorry we won't be doing it again next year.

2-Legged Dogstar

Two-legged dog to make Hollywood debut in next Potter film. I hope that dog really is as happy as it looks. Poor little nugget.

XXX for the XX set

"Shoes were like...a big deal." When it comes to porn, what do women want to watch? Apparently it's more about wardrobe (expensive lingerie) and grooming (nicer hair, shorter nails) than an increase in dialogue and plot development.

Joan for Star

"And I'm a loi-yah!" According to the L.A. Times...

"The View" co-host Star Jones will be working the red carpet for E! Entertainment Television at this Sunday's Emmy Awards, the cable channel said.



Jones will be the host of "Live From the Red Carpet" at the Shrine Auditorium, replacing Joan and Melissa Rivers, the mother-daughter team that was lured away from E! this summer by the TV Guide Channel.

One of you must care.

[workwire]

She feels sassy

She is sassy: The event was last week and I haven't any pics to post, but good friend of MMM had herself an art exhibition! As the article says, her paintings address...

among other things, the complexities of cheerleading and the well-documented loss of confidence that girls often feel at the onset of adolescence.

Congrats on your success, Claire! As for the rest of you, the line to buy her stuff starts behind me.

Comment on comments

True blogger confession: I'm a bit of a comment junkie (you're just shocked I'm sure), and ever since I switched the comment system from Haloscan to Blogger's own, I've noticed a steep decline in the number (and—let's be honest—quality) of comments on this site.



In order to remedy the situation (and get my fix, I've posted a link to a non-Blogger comment box near the top of the page (right under the pic of Mr. Blume on the diving board) and would love any and all feedback you guys have on the matter.

Martha going offline?

Martha going offline? I heard a rumor last night (MMM, I'm looking at you) that Martha Stewart's website was going to be shut down sometime soon. Now, there's no indication of that on MSO's press release page, but the company is suffering and, depending on how profitable the site is, I can see how online media might be seen more as an extraneous frill than a revenue stream.



Anyone heard something similar, or am I just spreading idle e-gossip?

nd.edu Spam

Send a volley spam on high...



----- Original Message -----

From: archimedes@nd.edu

To: brigita@work.com

Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 11:30 AM

Subject: Party Pack VlAGRA Special Sale



Hi--We are now having a party pack special. 18 pills for just 99. (retail for 259)



Don't worry about the embaressment going to see your local doctor. Order online hassle free! Anybody can buy it as we deliver worldwide, fast and discreet.



Must be a disgruntled Wolverine. ;)

ND 28, UM 20

Here's to hoping Ty gets a good night's sleep. He deserves it.



Woo freakin' hoo!

The Machinist

"Everyone gets insomnia now and then."



"Stevie—I haven't slept in a year."



Behold The Machinist, a very Fincher-esque psychological/paranoid thriller starring a beyond-emaciated Christian Bale, who reportedly dropped 60 lbs—a full third of his starting weight—for the role.



Release date is slated for Oct 22. Mark your calendars.

Product review: TSTW

Product review: I recently placed an order with fancy au natural body care specialist to the north, Lush, which included a new body butter of theirs, You Snap the Whip. While I certainly am not lacking in the moisturizer department (I currently have four bottles I am trying to finish before we move), I was drawn to it for its black color and scrubby texture.



Unfortunately for me, it was also stinky, and not of the bergamot oil listed in its ingredients. I don't know what "ribena" is or what it's supposed to smell like, but YSTW smells like cheap pink bubble gum, the kind that gives out after less than five minutes of chewing.



Not only is the smell unpleasant, but it's strong, permeating not just our bathroom but the adjoining office, where I spend the majority of my daytime hours. Because of my bad experience, I'm going to try to return it before resorting to selling it on eBay.



Since I want to balance out the negativity with some good words about Lush, I'll readily recommend their Big Blue Bath Bomb and Ocean Salt facial scrub on account of the fact that they look, smell (and in the case of the latter, taste) good.



One tip for each product: tie off the bath bomb in a small section of panty hose before deploying (to catch all the bits) and scrape off the top layer of [extra coarse] salt before using unless using somewhere other than your face.

Count Chocula Kerry

Vote John Kerry! Forget his plan for a stonger america, he's got a tasty cereal that's both delicious and nutritious!

[Magnificent Bastard]