LOST

I am a LOST geek. I check DarkUfo every day for spoilers and other information. The Spanish TV promo of the Losties as chess pieces has been pretty popular lately. It made me think of a promo I really liked from season one.

DarkUfo had a prop popularity poll recently. I am sad to report that Sawyer's body wasn't even listed as a choice. Because of this dreadful error, I now present to you Sawyer's body.

Feelin' Grinchy

Jim Carrey as the Grinch is a masterpiece. Dialogue, directing, scenery - all deserve an A+. I was going to list my favorite Grinchy lines from the movie, but they look so blah in print. It is really the delivery that makes them memorable. The soundtrack to the movie is excellent, as well. It is now one of my holiday standards.

Reclusive, anti-social, heart 2 1/2 sizes too small, smelly, hairy, cold hands .... I am the Grinch.

Wear a bra!

What the hell is the problem with Rhianna and Britney Spears? These women rarely wear bras, and never seem to wear them with their most revealing every day attire. Britney's nipples are so far south, they are below her equator. As a woman of gifted cleavage, this look pains me - literally gives me pain in the chest every time I see her breasts pointing down to her knees.

Wear a bra, Britney! You are a chicken-fried, weave-rejected mess. Eeewwww, this just grosses me out.

And then there is Rhianna. Think she is cold and that is why she is holding herself? Nope, stupid little girl wore a loose shirt and no bra through the freakin' airport. Walking through security she gets stopped and tries to keep her breasts and pierced nipples from flashing out. Klassy with a capital K.

Stars, they are just like us - and by us I mean stupid ass women who don't wear bras.

Wear a damn bra!

Hard Candy Christmas

I am not a country music fan, but I have a warm spot for a few country musicians - Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline. I actually bought the Dolly/Kenny Rogers Christmas album (shame, shame, shame) just for this song. These lyrics pretty much spell out my feelings this year. Dolly Parton, thank you for singing my feelings.

Hey, maybe I'll dye my hair
Maybe I'll move somewhere
Maybe I'll get a car
Maybe I'll drive so far
They'll all lose track
Me, I'll bounce right back

Maybe I'll sleep real late
Maybe I'll lose some weight
Maybe I'll clear my junk
Maybe I'll just get drunk on apple wine
Me, I'll be just

Fine and Dandy
Lord it's like a hard candy Christmas
I'm barely getting through tomorrow
But still I won't let
Sorrow bring me way down

I'll be fine and dandy
Lord it's like a hard candy Christmas
I'm barely getting through tomorrow
But still I won't let
Sorrow get me way down

Hey, maybe I'll learn to sew
Maybe I'll just lie low
Maybe I'll hit the bars
Maybe I'll count the stars until dawn
Me, I will go on

Maybe I'll settle down
Maybe I'll just leave town
Maybe I'll have some fun
Maybe I'll meet someone
And make him mine
Me, I'll be just

Fine and dandy
Lord it's like a hard candy Christmas
I'm barely getting throung tomorrow
But still I won't let
Sorrow bring me way down

I'll be fine and dandy
Lord it's like a hard candy Christmas
I'm barely getting through tomorrow
But still I won't let
Sorrow bring me way down

I'll be fine and dandy
Lord it's like a hard candy Christmas
I'm barely getting through tomorrow
But still I won't let
Sorrow bring me way down

'Cause I'll be fine
(I'll be fine)
Oh, I'll be fine
Maybe I'll settle down
Maybe I'll just leave town
Maybe I'll have some fun
Maybe I'll meet someone
And make him mine
Me, I'll be just

Fine and dandy
Lord, it's like a hard candy Christmas
I'm barely getting through tomorrow
But still I won't let
Sorrow bring me way down

I'll be fine

Damn!

Slow Friday browsing the internet and I stumble upon this heavenly photo of a GORGEOUS man who loves dogs....

Santa Baby, just put a Jesse under the tree, for me....... I've been an awful good girl.....

If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too?

I guess so. :-}

Surprised Kitty

Dia de los Muertos

Rest in peace, fuzzy dog. A perfect dog. Such a good girl.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins have always meant joy to me. I remember being a little kid and going to the pumpkin patch to pick out my annual Halloween pumpkin. I even remember a photo that my family had of me and my father at a pumpkin patch; I was about two and was sitting on top of a giant pumpkin with a huge smile on my face. I am not sure what attracts me to this gourd/fruit/symbol, but I really love pumpkins. Even in my leanest years, I have always bought at least one pumpkin for myself. And, now that I live in a cold climate again, my pumpkins keep for a long time. Most of the pumpkins I get don't rot all winter long. What can I say, I really truly love pumkins and all of their symbolism. I also enjoy a good pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin seeds. I am entirely pumpkin-whipped.

Be they orange,

white,

or green,

all pumpkins are loved equally.

Mmmmmmm, pumkin pie...... I baked a pumpkin pie yesterday and my home still smells good today. Healthy, fun, and yummy all rolled into one.

It's the Great Pumpkin, and Snoopy, too! Snoopy and pumpkins, how could you go wrong?

And, of course, I couldn't omit every little girl's dream pupmkin, Cinderella's coach. I have a collection of these. I am such a pumpkin geek. Bibbity, bobbity, BOO!

Seasonal Joy

October is my favorite month and autumn is my favorite season. The air feels fresher and smells like fallen leaves. The trees are beautiful, displaying their last glory before the cold grey of winter. Pumpkins are everywhere, especially in my home. Pumpkin pie and honeycrisp apples are a daily treat. A fresh sunny day in autumn energizes me.

If you have never had a honeycrisp apple, I urge you to try one. It is possibly the most refreshing apple ever created. They last a long time, too. They are eating apples, and I would never ever waste them in a pie or an apple crisp. They are perfectly balanced in flavor and need no addition of fat, cinnamon or crust.

Disdain

dis-dain: \dis-ˈdān\ a feeling of contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior
Etymology: Middle English desdeyne, from Anglo-French desdaign, from desdeigner
Date: 14th century

desdén: m Menosprecio, indiferencia rayana en el desaire

dédain: nom masculin Mépris, arrogance, hauteur

sdegno: sdégno s.m. sentimento di viva indignazione e biasimo, spec. per qcs. che offende, che pare ingiusto, indegno e sim

desdém: atitude ou manifestação ostensiva de desdém, de menosprezo, desprezo

verachten: zeer negatief oordelen over iemand

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson is amazing. I kind of stopped watchin Idol after her season. She and Fantasia were just remarkable that year. This performance from Dreamgirls always makes me emotional.

Love is my Religion

He just makes me so happy. Love is probably the one true religion.

Beach in Hawaii

Ziggy Marley, Beach in Hawaii. Makes me so happy.

Yummy

Josh Holloway, ice cream and chocolate. Sign me up. Please!

Escapism Via Austen

Pride and Prejudice on A&E, produced by the BBC and shown on most PBS stations. One of my favorite adaptations. The locations, scenery, costuming, writing and acting are all A++.

There is so much more humor in this series than I remember in Jane Austen's novel. It has given me a new appreciation for Austen, as well as for fine actors.

Some of my standouts from the cast list:

Benjamin Whitrow turns Mr. Bennet into a funny, sarcastic, witty and warm father. I want to see more of him, especially his interactions with Mrs. Bennet. Their chemistry and timing is a delight.
Alison Steadman is so wonderful as the gregarious, silly and nervous Mrs. Bennet, that I don't know if I could ever picture her as another character or picture the character through a different actress. She plays the part perfectly.

The infinite attraction of Colin Firth. He smolders and still comes off as slightly off-balance and charming. For a character that isn't supposed to gain any sympathy in the beginning of the story, he charmed me quite well. The nuances he gives Mr. Darcy make him attractive at once. His Mr. Darcy often seems surprised by his own emotion. Colin Firth has the talent, charm, and charisma that Hugh Grant wants but lacks.

Jennifer Ehle pulls out a fine performance of Elizabeth. Her Elizabeth is gorgeous - even prettier than Jane - but considers herself bookish and second in line. Even thought she seems perfect, she is relatable and makes every viewer a friend and fan. I wish I could deliver witty lines the way she does. Jennifer Ehle is exactly what Elizabeth should be.

Crispin Bonham-Carter was so well cast in this role! He is perfect as the optimistic and cheery Bingley. He also pulls off Bingley's lack of "cajones" without making it seem a failure or fault. He is perfect for Jane, as in the novel. And he physically looks the part - sweet, cute, but never a danger.

And a side note to the casting - Lucy Scott is far too pretty to be Charlotte Lucas. I noticed that right off. She does a good job with the part, especially the scenes during her marriage with Mr. Collins in Kent. But, she is so pretty - too pretty for Charlotte.

Even though he is my least favorite character, I have to comment on the portrayal of Wickham. Adrian Lukis does a good job with him. He seems skeevy right away, and the viewer wonders why Elizabeth is so smitten with him. The looks he gives, so many side eyes and pauses, make him shifty from the start. Well done with this performance.

Joanna Davis does a brilliant job as the aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. If only we all had an aunt like her soft, kind and intelligent Mrs. Gardiner. And she is a very handsome woman - Austen lingo. No one could ever think ill of her. When she and Mr. Gardiner tour Pemberly with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, my first thought is always, "What a perfect day with the perfect company."

Honestly, I could go through the entire cast and pay compliments. It was wonderfully casted and acted. One character and actress, however, really stands out for me. Anna Chancellor as Miss Bingley. Perfect casting. Perfect casting. Had to say it twice. Plus, whenever she is on screen, you follow her every move and nuance, waiting for her next attack on Darcy, Elizabeth, whomever.

I am enthralled by both Anna Chancellor and Anna Chancellor's nose. The size, the angles, the originality. I have never in my life come across a nose so interesting. Every time I watch Pride and Prejudice I find myself following her nose from scene to scene. The first time I watched this series, I didn't think her nose was real. I thought it was some type of add-on to make her character stand out more.

Please don't get my wrong, I mean no ill will; I just can't help studying her nose. It is constantly changing as she moves her head and we find her nose at a new angle of observance. It the most peculiar and beguiling nose I have ever seen. From what I have read, she is of aristocratic lineage. Interesting...

I May Be Strange, But

"I may be strange, but, " is how I start many sentences, comments and long blowhard treatises that no one really wants to hear. So, when I make my comments about this next subject, I know I am most likely in the minority. Then again, if no one ever reads this, I am in the majority!

I hate Las Vegas. Waste of water in the desert is how I would explain it. OK, maybe I don't hate it, I just don't feel any interest in it and I don't understand why anyone would. It has a vibe that is not even close to natural.

First off, there are far better places in the world to find and have sex. So if the whores and strippers are what brings you to Vegas, we can agree to disagree. Just walking through the lobby of any one of the hotels makes me feel an urgent need to shower. Picking someone up in Vegas, or even paying for sex just strikes me as sad and kinda greasy. Sex is wonderful, sex is good; not everybody does it, but everybody should - just not in Las Vegas. (Thank you, George Michael.) As for gambling, I have nothing against it or the casinos. I understand vice; gambling is just not one of mine. If I were a gambler, I would still prefer better surroundings than Las Vegas.

The theme park atmosphere that has developed in the last ten or fifteen years is the thing that puts me off the most about Las Vegas. It is an overabundance of kitsch, plastic, food, drink, and junk in the fantasyland for adults. I lived in Orlando, I have to admit that. I had season's passes to Disney and Sea World, and I really enjoyed the parks. I enjoyed Canaveral National Seashore more, but I still enjoyed the theme parks. What is different, however, about the theme park atmosphere of Vegas is that, like a city in the desert, it is a facade.

The facade started as a cover for what made Las Vegas - greed and desperation. The filth needed to have a nice clean shine on it and, oh yeah, something for the kiddies, too. Nice expensive shops for the tourists, pretend canals and pirate ships and super-sized swimming pools that can be sectioned off as "family friendly". Of course, the topless pools and prostitutes and strippers are still there, too, they just got a nice facelift. A nice, clean, shiny, plastic and fun wrapping for a city that exists purely out of greed and desperation.

Why go to Paris when you can stay at the Paris Las Vegas right on the strip! You can partake of the all-you-can-eat gluttony at Le Village Buffet, or have a nice American steak at Les Artistes Steakhouse. So much more convenient than flying across the world to see the Eiffel Tower - you can get a room with a view of it from your minibar! And the souvenirs are so much better, too. Berets, t-shirts, and bedazzled fanny packs, oh my! With your daquiri, you can get a plastic cup with a straw that can be used over and over again - and it says Paris on it! Tres chic! You also don't have to worry about speaking the language when you ask directions to the nearest metro stop to the Arc de Triomphe - the hotel has its own right at the entrance! Phew - no walking though a historic city today! Let's go to the pool! And thank goodness (merci!) that the hotel has their own Louvre. I would hate to have visited Paris Las Vegas without enjoying some French culture. And my "armoire" has a tv with pay for view movies - I feel so....French! Josephine Baker would feel right at home, non?

I may be strange, but Las Vegas is stranger.

Which Would You Rather?

This is a good game to play on a date. In my opinion, it is a great barometer for who the person sitting across the table from you really is. Of course, they could lie if they think they know what you want them to say. That deciphering is up to you.

Would you rather stay at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit Venice, Italy?

Would you rather stay at the Orleans hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit the French Quarter in New Orleans?

Would you rather stay at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas,

or, visit the Forum in Rome?

Would you rather stay at the Rio hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit Rio de Janeiro?

Would you rather stay at the Stratosphere hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit the Space Needle in Seattle?

Would you rather stay at the Tuscany hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit the Tuscany area of Italy?

Would you rather stay at the Sahara hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit the Sahara Desert?

Would you rather stay at the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit the Luxor site in Egypt to check out a sphinx or two?

Would you rather stay at the Excalibur hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit Tintagel Castle in Great Britian, a proposed site of the Camelot Castle of Arthurian Legend?

Would you rather stay at the Imperial Palace hotel in Las Vegas,
or, visit the Imperial Palace in Tokyo?

Would you rather stay at the Paris hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit the Eiffel Tower and Paris?

Would you rather stay at the New York New York hotel in Las Vegas,
or, visit NYC and the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France in 1886 to the USA?

Would you rather stay at the Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas,

or, visit Dead Chest Island in the British Virgin Islands - the supposed setting that inspired the novel Treasure Island?