Thursday, November 6, 2008

Dennis Quaid Wants a Coffee!

OMG-- I laughed so hard when I watched this. 



You have to go HERE to watch the first half of it.




Survey!

1.Song that alway​s makes​ you sad?​:​
Probably New American Classic by TBS or The Moment I Said It by Imogen Heap.. I tend to enjoy sad songs, so actually making me sad is a big deal, I guess.

2. Last thing​ you bough​t?​:​
Pizza with Chrissy!


3.Last perso​n you argue​d with?​:
I honestly don't remember. 

4.Do you put Butte​r befor​e putti​ng the jelly​ on?:
I only eat peanut butter sandwiches! sometimes with bananas, but never jelly!

5.One of your stuff​ed anima​ls'​ names​ as a kid?​:​
this is a tough one...Eddie the bear. 

6. Did you ever own at one time a Nysnc​ Cd?:
haha yes I did, the second album I believe. 

7. Favor​ite day of the week?​:​
THURSDAY!

8. Favor​ite Sunda​e toppi​ng?​:​
Sprinkles. 

9. Did you take Piano​ lesso​ns?​:​
never. I've always wanted to though.

10. Most frequ​ent song playe​d?​:​
In the last few weeks, probably Bad Things by Jace Everett..in the last few days, track number 8 on the new Matt Nathanson cd.

11. T.V. show you secre​tly enjoy​?​:​
most of the shows I enjoy are no secret, but I am still coming out of the closet about American Idol. 

12. Would​ you rathe​r play baske​tball​ or hocke​y?​:​
seeing as I can't ice skate for more than 2 seconds, BASKETBALL.

13. Date someo​ne older​ or young​er?​:​
Always older unless it's Daniel Radcliffe.

14. One place​ you could​ trave​l right​ now?​:​
IRELAND. LONDON. ITALY. You name it! Even New York in the fall would be nice. 

15. Do you use umbre​llas?​:​
If I have one and I need it, maybe. Sometimes rain is fun.

16. Do you know all the words​ to the Canad​ian natio​nal anthe​m?​:​
I don'​t know any of the words​ to it. No disre​spect​ to Canad​a.

17. Favor​ite Chees​e?​:​
cheddar, asagio, swiss..kinda depends on the situation. 

18. Distu​rbed or My Chemi​cal Roman​ce?​:​
oh jeez. Disturbed. MCR, I mean... GET DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS! 

19. Do you prefe​r Blond​es or Brune​ttes?​:​
Usually brunettes but I like all guys, blue, brown, blonde, or orange.

20. Best job you ever had?​:​
Hoover's. 

21. did you go to your high schoo​l prom?​:​
yes, I went to a few of them. 

22. perfe​ct time to wake up?:
9:30-10:30 

23. perfe​ct time to go to bed?​:​
anytime after 1 am

24.do you use your queen​ right​ away in chess​?​
nope. pawns and bishops. I wouldn't say I have a winning strategy though.

25. Ever been in a car accid​ent?​:​
I have been the passenger in several. 

26. close​r to mom or dad.​.​.​or neith​er?​
Mom. 

27. what age is this excit​ing life over for you?​:​
93. or when someone decides to cryogenically freeze me because they think I would be more useful in the future.



29. Favor​ite shoes​ you have EVER owned​?​:​
my grey suede chucks. RIP. my checkered vans, still own, but...I don't wear them out in public. 

30. Do you have an artic​le of cloth​ing you have had since​ you were in high schoo​l:​
quite a few actually. My Sum 41 and Bert is my homeboy shirts survived almost all four years + college so far, as did my corduroy khakis and the pair of jeans that people wrote on. "You are my home cheese and crackers" - "HULAROO" - "BAND GEEK 4 LIFE" etc. 

31. Were you in track​ and field​?​:​
no, I did that hardcore sport, you know, ROWING? I'd say a bit more intense.

32. Were you ever in a schoo​l talen​t show?​:​
nope. I'm talentless. 

33. Have you ever writt​en in a libra​ry book?​
yes. 

34. Aller​gic to?:
Olives. 

35. Favor​ite fruit​?​:​
probably the pear. 

36. Have you watch​ed sex and the city?​:​
I've seen one full episode. ​




37.Baseb​all hat or toque​?​:​
how about no.

38. Do you shamp​oo first​ in the showe​r or soap?​:​
hair first. sing. then soap.

39. Wet the tooth​brush​ or brush​ dry with the tooth​paste​?​:​
uh, wet the toothbrush.



40. Pen or penci​l?​:​
I prefer fine tip (preferably .5 or micro) black pens or a pencil.

41. Have you ever gambl​ed at a casin​o?​:​
Yes! Star Wars SLOTS!


42. Have you throw​n up on a plane​?​:​
yes. I've landed curled around the lavatory toilet. 

43. Have you throw​n up in a car?​:​
Not because of car sickness, and technically there was a garbage bag out the window to catch my...

44. Have you throw​n up at work?​:​
hmm nooo. I've had to clean up throw up, oh wait, no Andrew did, haha. I refused. 

45. Do you screa​m on rolle​r coast​ers?​:​
Depends. 

46. Who was your first​ prom date?​:​
Junior Year, Tony Granelli. 

47. Who was your first​ roomm​ate?​:​
Nicole and Courtney, in ITALY!

48. What alcoh​olic bever​age did you drink​ when you got drunk​ for the first​ time?​:​
Cape Cod. 


49. What was your first​ job?​:​
Movie theater! 


50. What was your first​ car?​:​
2000 Chevy Malibu, champagne. "ADRIAN."

51. When did you go to your first​ funer​al?​:​
My Grandpa, 2001.

52. How old were you when you first​ moved​ away from your homet​own?​:​
um...5 or 12? I lived in Virginia for 7 years. 

53. Who was your first​ grade​ teach​er?​:​
Mrs. Finley! 

54. Where​ did you go on your first​ airpl​ane ride?​:​
Kenibunkport, Maine. (sp?)

55. When you snuck​ out of your house​ for the first​ time,​ who was it with?​:​
Courtney Drew to go see the fourth Harry Potter movie. 


57. Where​ did you live the first​ time you moved​ out of your paren​t'​s house​?​:​
hahahahahahaha. Oh how sad my life is.



that's the last question? UM okay. 

Polaroids








Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Gay's Anatomy

SERIOUSLY? I can't believe this . I had high hopes for Grey's Anatomy this season, but things just seem to be spiraling out of control over at ABC. This season was supposed to be the start of the character Callie Torres' exploration of her bisexuality, starting with the Cardio surgeon Dr. Erica Hahn.... but ABC JUST FIRED THAT ACTRESS! 

To quote the show, "SERIOUSLY?" It's not just that, but another actress, who used to be on Alias, was being brought in to play a new intern that would be flirting with Callie. Now they are axing that entire story line as well. 

THAT'S TWO CARDIO-THORASIC SURGEON's that they have fired! First Burke (Isaiah Washington) and now Erica Hahn. 

Why did ABC exec's do this, I wonder? Hmm do you think some people were uncomfortable with where Callie and Erica's story line was going? Personally, I found it hilarious and somewhat heartwarming.  PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH LESBIANS? REALLY? 

Anyway, I find it all quite upsetting because Isaiah Washington was fired for calling T.R. Knight a gay slur. Why isn't the creator and producer of Grey's fighting for her actors or her story-lines? 

Blurb: Rafe Spall




One of my favorite British actors, (he's in a tie with Dan Radcliffe), is Rafe Spall. Son of famous actor Timothy Spall (most recently Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films and Nathaniel in Enchanted), I first saw Rafe in the Masterpiece Theater remake of A Room With A View (or so I thought). Rafe was actually a supporting character in one of my favorite movies, Hot Fuzz (if you haven't seen this, drop what you are doing and rent it now or illegally download it). He played one of the mustached detectives (the one on the far left). And he plays one of the frenzied fans in [Green Street] Hooligans, starring alongside Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam (also a big fan of both). 



Recently though, in my research of London plays, I found that he is quite the stage actor. While I wanted to go visit my cousin in England and see WICKED, he saw it before I could. Then I wanted to see Equus (in which Daniel Radcliffe strips down) but now it's in New York. SO in researching to see if Rafe was still doing the Stage Play Hello and Goodbye,  

I found out a few tidbits about him that made me relate to him. 

"No one who's overweight is happy with it. I had always been big and when you start that way as a child you only ever seem to get bigger. Inside there was always a slim me waiting to get out."
the interviewer asks: "Any vices?" 
"I love beer and drink a lot of it. "
MARRY ME! 

A lot of the buzz around the net is that he would make a good replacement Joker for Heath Ledger. Maybe...he has a few films and tv show/mini series coming up, IMDB him, and if you happen to catch something he's been in, let me know what you think. I have a feeling he's going to be big in the next couple of years.

Michael Crichton

The writer of Jurassic Park and one of my favorite books, Timeline, Michael Crichton, died today at age 66 after a private battle with cancer. Crichton, of course, is most famous for Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain books and movies. (Timeline was made into a film, but...alas...not as good as the book). I took this quote, attributed to him, from a Yahoo!NEWS article: "I have a lot of trouble with things that don't seem true to me," Crichton said..."I'm very uncomfortable just accepting. There's something in me that wants to pound the table and say, 'That's not true.'"

What an amazing personality. Read more here.

A new book might be released soon from his publisher. I only wish I could become half the writer he was. 

My love hate relationship with S.F.

How can such an amazing city be so wrong sometimes? I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO! I love Powell Street and North Beach and Pier 39 and MOMA, etc, etc. 

There were two things on the ballot in the city that were just ridiculous. 

One---a prop that would legalize prostitution.

Two---a prop to name a water sewage plant after George W. Bush 



seriously though? They didn't pass, of course. 


If it wasn't so entertaining......I might actually be upset. 

Hoover's no more?


My parents have put the family's cafe and cabins up for sale! Paradise no more!

For the past 10 years, Marysvale, Utah, has been the only steady home away from home that I've had. While it has been constantly changing every year, with new additions and remodeling, it is still home. When I lived in Virginia, over a period of 7 years, my mom and I lived in three different places. Then we spent 6 years in an apartment in Pleasant Hill, and now 2 years in our home in Martinez. 

The Cafe is HOOVER's NOT HOOTERS! Will it always be that way though? I've worked there on and off since I was 12 years old when I helped my sister Ashley with dishes. It was founded by my step-great grandmother more than 60 years ago. I spent most of my summers care- free (except for last summer of course, while I slaved away in the cafe) and

enjoying the great outdoors with my family and friends. It was a tradition to put off the 24th of July (and sometimes the 4th of July) fireworks in the cafe parking lot. Paiute and Sevier Utah are not the same as Lake Tahoe! There aren't crowds of people rushing to get to South Central Utah on all the major holidays...yet it is just as beautiful, if not more so. Bullion Canyon is one of my favorite places in the whole world, right up there with Florence and Rome!



While I respect their decision, I am still upset, and still hoping to squeeze in a few more visits before, *gasp*, a sale might go through.  My Grandma Joan, I'm sure, will always live there, so I'll always be able to visit, but it's just not the same. 




A picture of me and Korey in the cafe last February for my Dad's 50th birthday party.

Mr. President Elect

Well, well, a junior senator from the state of Illinois, Barack Hussein Obama has been elected President, on...yesterday, November 4, 2008. This is an historic time in America's history for sure, because he is the first African American to be elected to the executive office. How soon we forget another great man from Illinois who changed our country for the better. Let us hope a President Obama will accomplish great things and leave a lasting legacy that both Republicans and Democrats will appreciate in years to come. 

While I am a registered Republican, and while I did not vote for President Elect Obama, I must say after the initial breaking of my heart (not just for McCain but for my local candidates, none of which won), I can appreciate and take pride in this moment. This is monumental--and one of those moments where 50 years from now I'll be saying to my grandchildren, "I was there", when our country took a massive step forward. 

Who is to say what the future will bring? Will a President Obama govern to the center or to the left? Will he push semi-socialist agendas through a Democratically controlled congress? Who knows. I believe he will take the time to consider the 48% of Americans that voted for someone else, I have to hope that he does. As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people take away the rights of the other forty-nine." 

I hope while all eyes are on our great nation, Barack Obama governs well, and with the ease and respect with which he has campaigned. He is an amazing speaker, there is no doubt. 

Has he proven to me that he will be able handle the office of the President? And get things done in a bipartisan fashion? No. 

But I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Since I didn't vote for him, that's all I can give.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Wind That Shakes the Barley


A couple of years ago, my Mom and I ventured over to Berkeley to see an Irish made Independent film called The Wind That Shakes the Barley. I wanted to see it for three reasons: 

1) it had Cillian Murphy in it--who at the time I had seen in Breakfast On Pluto, Batman Begins and Girl With the Pearl Earring. 
2) it was filmed in Ireland, and from the trailer, had some very beautiful cinematography 
3) it was about the Irish war for independence and the civil war

The film was frightfully depressing, yet beautiful. I loved it, even though I had trouble understanding them speaking for the first half of the film. 

It's been on TV the last few days, and so I've watched it again (with subtitles) and I just wanted to recommend it. It's not much of a love story, though there is one, and it's not comical at all.

It's an impressive drama that enlightens upon a subject few of us know much about. 

The trailer, for your viewing pleasure:

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Craving Some Limeade

Even though it's rainy California weather and getting much colder, I am craving some summer Limeade! I know Simply Limeade is pretty good, but this sounds better. 



Recipe: 

7 Key Limes or 3 Regular Limes
1 Cup Sugar
6 Cups Water

Cut limes in half (into quarters of eighths if smaller blender), put all ingredients into blender, blend on HIGH for 2 minutes. Pour through wire mesh strainer into a pitcher, add ice and ENJOY!
  


EDIT:

wouldn't this be marvelous in Louisiana? Still no word from UL!

Popcorn Palace

It wasn't until I worked at a movie theater that I truly appreciated good popcorn. I had never really understood the big deal about going to the movies and getting popcorn. During my two years at Cine Arts, though, I perfected my popcorn making skills making regular popcorn by adding different amounts of salt/flavoring and oil, and doing the butter shake (in which you have layers of butter and you shake the popcorn around in the bag). 

Now, microwave popcorn just isn't the same to me... 

Now when I go to the movies, I usually switch between Kettle Corn and regular popcorn, because my theater didn't serve Kettle corn, so I never got sick of it...

About two months ago, one of the kids in my neighborhood delivered a package of gourmet popcorn to our house. My mom failed to mention that she'd ordered it and so it was a surprise to me. Even though I am quite a popcorn connoisseur--at least when it comes to movie theaters--or popcorn snob ("That is so not real butter.")--I have never understood the gourmet popcorn appeal. 

During the holidays, it seems that gourmet popcorn is a common gift or handy snack. I never really liked it or understood why. Popcorn, by itself, and even with some salt and butter, isn't too bad for you...in moderation, of course. But adding sugar and caramel (I don't like "Carmel")? Is that necessary? 

My answer now is, YES. I was surprised to find that Popcorn Palace (from Chicago's Navy Pier), the brand of gourmet popcorn my mom had ordered, was delicious and dare I say, mouthwatering. Cookies & Cream was the first flavor I tried and was delighted to enjoy. They have other flavors like White Chocolate Cinnamon, Peanut Butter Drizzle, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. I can't even imagine eating pumpkin pie or apple cobbler with bowls of those sitting around! 

This is something I'm sure to add to my notorious "Christmas Wish List: Guaranteed Satisfaction" for 2008.

Captain Compete!



read more about it here

A Taste of Ink

There's a new blog in town! Just what I need, another thing to update--but this is for my writings. Check it out if you dare, there's not much there because I've only posted the first chapter of one story. You might notice one of my stories has the same title as this blog. (I stole the name from my story.)