Happy Halloween!

We saw this on our drive home from work tonight! 

Here are a few pictures of me dressed up from last weekend's Halloween Costume Party: 

As you can see, I was of course, a bedazzling GYPSY woman! I spent a long, bitter hour and a half on my hair, which was wonderful. 

Also, please observe the intricate  authentic gypsy gemstone studded waist design on my authentic turquoise gypsy skirt: 

While I didn't end up pulling off a Maleficent costume, I spent absolutely no money on the Gypsy Woman costume! It came together last minute and worked out perfectly. 

Kevin McKidd is back on Grey's

The Army guy from the first or second episode is back tonight--and I read in an older article from before the premier that "McKidd's storyline in the series would be a lengthy one" (USA TODAY). I loved Burke the most out of all the male characters, but I think I might like McArmy better! We'll see!

Not So Silent Night!

There's a huge show in December called Not So Silent Night--featuring the Killers, Jack's Mannequin, Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, and Bloc Party!!!

Bloc Party, Death Cab and Jack's Mannequin are all bands I listen to daily...I'm so excited! I'm going to get the pre-sale!

Writer's Block

I know it's been a while since I've posted ANYTHING and as I just started this whole blogging thing, I really need to keep up with it. 

I've been so busy lately, I haven't even been keeping up with my regular, fictional writings, which I try to write at least, AT LEAST 5 pages a week. 

 Not to mention my nights are filled with endless distractions: election coverage, Thursday nights (Life On Mars, Grey's Anatomy), or anything onDemand, really, like all the Bond movies... also essay writing, history reading, and of course sheer exhaustion. Also CR meetings are taking about 2 hours of prep time--and creating a lot more stress. 

So I've been thinking that I'm going to focus all of my attention on a new story that I came up with a few days ago. Since I have a plethora of other stories filled with plot lines and character names that rival the Bible, I need ideas for good character names--and maybe a few plot lines. I have a basic idea already, a touch of the supernatural, of course, and I've decided to post it in the other blog I have. So give me some input and you may be rewarded! 

Jury Summons!

I've been summoned! AH!

The Fall Season

We are in the kickoff of the Fall TV season and so I would just like to rant a bit about some of my new (and old) favorite shows.

First of all, TRUE BLOOD! On HBO, which is spectacular. I watch every episode at least once. Definitely something a bit different since I'm not used to watching uncensored television. I'm glad it got signed for a second season! 

The latest episode addressed some of the stereotypes and prejudices against flamboyantly homosexual men, using one of my favorite characters, Lafayette (the guy in the picture, only add lipstick, eyeliner, and a strut). He is a played by Nelsan Ellis, who said in an interview how weird it was seeing himself in lipstick. This week--he embarrassed a group of prejudiced rednecks and the scene was hilarious. I love the show's ability to compare the prejudice against vampires side by side with the prejudices we know today. 

Grey's Anatomy: Last season, I was mostly disappointed with the show. This season seems like it will be better. Tonight is the second episode in which the entire hospital will get flooded for some reason. Exciting! I still miss Dr. Burke but---there may be a new doctor in town played by Kevin McKidd (Journeyman, and Rome). So far, he has only been in the first episode, and I don't think he has been in any episode's filmed so far--but I have hope. He played an army doctor about to go back to Iraq. He was also Sandra Oh's character, Cristina's, love interest. 

I also have watched the first two episodes of Private Practice which stars Kate Walsh. She played McDreamy's wife/ex-wife on Grey's Anatomy and this show is her spinoff. Addison was one of my favorite characters and of course, they seem to like getting rid of my favorites (Denny, Burke, etc) over at Grey's. Last season I preferred P.P. to G.A. but this season, I think Grey's will be back in full swing. Nothing too exciting has happened in Addison's world and I think I might hold off on watching until it does. There's always episodes online! 

Life On Mars is on after Grey's tonight and I am looking forward to it! A cop gets sent back to 1973! "I need my cell," he says. A cop replies, "You need to sell what?" If the cast and crew (which includes Harvey Keitel and Lenny Kravitz ex-wife) can pull it off, and I think they can, it will be a great show for at least this season. 

The Mentalist is on CBS, a network I have never really invested much time in. Sure I watched Joan of Arcadia and Moonlight, but JoA got boring and Moonlight got booted (but I will admit they tied up the loose ends and gave it a nice ending). This show, The Mentalist, is good. I'm not too into crime shows, except the Law & Order reruns that can suck you in for 3 straight episodes before you knew what hit you--this show seems good. The first episode really reeled me but I'm not going to continue to watch the show. Simon Baker is cute but he's not that cute. 

I am very torn with Fringe. I liked it so far--from what I've seen: the first epi and parts of the third. I LOVE Joshua Jackson and the leading lady is a great actress. I love the weird stuff going on even though it sometimes made me cringe. It's almost LOST (the shows share the same creator: J.J. Abrams) except Fringe is not on a weird island and instead of castaways we see the FBI and a crazy scientist trying to figure out all the weird stuff going on. So, while I love the show on the surface, I'm not sure if I can handle another show like Lost--a show that makes you think, and makes you love it and hate it at the same time. I mean, Lost is starting up in "early 2009" so I have time to sink my teeth into Fringe. However, when they are both airing, if I must choose between the two, all I'm going to say is DESMOND. 

My Mom is really into Dirty Sexy Money. I watched the first episode last week, and I must say, it was fabulous. I love the show, wish I had watched it last season, and dearly want to watch it this season.  It's on the list. 

My new favorite show this season, which tops the rest, is Raising the Bar. It's on TNT (WE KNOW DRAMA) on Monday's at 10. It goes up against Boston Legal (which used to be Tuesday nights) and this pains me because I must choose. Raising the Bar is onDemand, but they're being slow about putting them on there the next day. The show is about public defenders in New York City and it stars Mark Paul Gosselarr (Saved By the Bell, NYPD Blue) and Jane Kacsmarek (Malcolm in the Middle).  I did not recognize the annoying Zack Morris all grown up! He is an amazing actor! He plays Jerry Kellerman and is constantly fighting for the truth in the court system. It's pretty much your basic court case show, however, it's got a lot of heart--and it was created by Steven Bochco, who has done too many successful (an unsuccessful) television shows to name (NYPD Blue, L.A. Law?, etc.). WATCH THIS IF YOU CAN!!! 

While there are many other good shows (Gossip Girl, House, Bones, the new 24, Brothers & Sisters) these are the ones I am really excited about. It constantly changes, so I'm sure I'll be updating the list and discussing anything major going on. 

And anyone who enjoys fantasy shows, or has read Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth series (starting with Wizard's First Rule) there will be a syndicated show based on the novels starting in November. From what I remember reading, the guy who did Xena and Hercules is doing it...so we shall see. I haven't heard anything else about it. 

Happy viewing! 

Boys Boys Boys! and Girl.

My sisters are having boys! My oldest sister Keara, who has two girls, Jenna and Ellie, thinks she wants to name hers Jackson--a wonderful name, if I say so myself. And Ashley, the next oldest, is also having a boy, but isn't sure on the name. 

I like the name Jackson. There's a character named Jackson on All My Children... I, myself, was named after a character on All My Children. 

I like the name Greenlee (another name from All My Children)... she is played by Rebecca Budig, see to the right. Do you think this is a horrible name for a female child? A lot of people I know think this, but I've fallen in love with a tradition of naming a daughter a name from AMC, and I can't let it go. 

I'd always have the name "Lee" to fall back on. There a quite a few girl Lees out there, especially musicians from Nashville. 

Puppies!

This post is devoted to my fabulous dogs, mostly referred to as puppies, though they are almost 5 years old. They are miniature poodles. 

Luciano "Luci" Pavarrotti (Loo-chee) is the black dog (he's mine!), though he's turning grey more and more every day. He's intimidated by all those Nice N' Easy ads on TV. He likes long walks down the street, acting like a Labrador, eating food, being covertly cuddly, and being mistaken as the only male dog in the family. 

Mr. Bingley is the white dog. We usually just call him Bingley, or as my mom has taken to call him lately, The Bingster. He's her dog, 100%. He's what you think of when you think poodle: neurotic, shaky, frail, feminine, squeaky...etc, etc... however, he is quite lovable, a bit too lovable sometimes. Last week at dinner, my cousin Clint and I were discussing the puppies when I said, "Luci is the good one!" and he replied, "That's what Bingley wants you to think!" 

This photo was taken a few days ago and shows them "watching". They like doing whatever it is you are doing. So when my mom was going back and forth from the living room to the guest bedroom, they didn't know where to be and not be in the way...so they parked it at the best view.

I will post a picture of them when they are groomed. They look quite different. Still cute, but very poodle. 

Hilarious!

On the way back from a Cub Scouts meeting, my grandson asked my son the question. "Dad, I know that babies come from mommies' tummies, but how do they get there in the first place?" he asked innocently. 

After my son hemmed and hawed for a while, my grandson finally spoke up in disgust. "You don't have to make something up, Dad. It's okay if you don't know the answer."

-Harry Neidig, from "Our 50 Funniest (True!) Stories", Reader's Digest September 2008

I laughed so hard.