I really have what I consider to be a limited amount of time to watch television. There are books to be read, the internet to be explored, shopping and running around to do. For some years now, my goal has been to reduce my tv viewing to the absolute minimum. Of course, my minimum always sounds so excessive when I talk to the working mom's at my school who apparently never have time to watch tv. (I'm not too sympathetic to the story of their laundry and homework until the wee hours because, hey, life's about choices and I intelligently chose not to reproduce because I'm extremely selfish.) Anyway--the thing that causes me trouble is that I keep finding new shows that I have to add to the rotation, so to speak. Like most people I sometimes watch whatever's on and I watch some shows occasionally but not faithfully--like What Not to Wear. But my faithful viewing habits are: Monday--empty. Tuesday--NCIS, Amazing Race, House. Wednesday--Project Runway, Apprentice (Martha's version), Bones. Thursday--Survivor, Apprentice, My Name is Earl; and Friday--Ghost Whisperer, Close to Home, Numbers, Reba, Monk. Saturday-- empty again. Sunday used to be empty because I like to cram in as much reading as I can before returning to work but now I'm hooked on Grey's Anatomy.
Grey's Anatomy is a relatively new tv fixation. FYI, The Season 1 dvd comes out February 14th. I'm definitely there because I've only seen Season 2 from November-ish on. I came into the series right after Derek's wife came to the show--whenver that was. The previews for the show that came on after the Super Bowl were tantalizing. Code Black. That's a bomb threat where I work. Yikes. A bomb. I was impatient for the Super Bowl to get over with (I'm not into football) just to see Grey's Anatomy. It did not disappoint. I was pretty intensely focused on the episode from start to finish. It also put me on edge. I mean, that screaming woman. Crima-nitly, I so would have slapped her hard. The two stupid re-enactors. How dumb do you have to be to get in front of a rocket launcher that didn't fire. Even I would have known better than that and I'm neither mechanical nor interested in things military. Bailey's husband in surgery. I was biting my fingernails.
Then there's the poor stupid schlep of a paramedic with her hand stuck in the guy's chest. Poor sacrificial lamb. Does nobody offer the poor girl a stool? Hey--don't move and by the way stand here till you pass out? When that anesthesiologist guy left her holding the bag I was incensed!! Where the heck was Burke? Where's the bomb squad. Oh, they're staring at x-rays that tell them nothing and taking their time chatting about how helpless they are. Why isn't someone interviewing other re-enactor guy to find out how the device was put together and and learning about its triggering mechanism? Is it even legal to build a bazooka in your backyard? How do you get the materials needed to make a mortar shell? My head's awhirl with all these questions. Back to poor schlep with her hand in the guy's chest...all alone but nobody knows, because Burke and useless bomb squad guys aren't in the same room with the unexploded device. Heck, no. Too busy talking and chatting. Are they even checking on the two people they think are in the room with the unexploded device? Nahh..what the heck? I say again!! My heart's a-racing and I'm grateful I remembered my blood pressure pill because otherwise I might be stroking out I'm so tensed up. Then the episode is over. Why didn't they warn me this was a two-parter? I hate waiting and wondering. I would (maybe) have saved the episode to view right before the one next week. Maybe. So we're left with a cliff hanger and more trauma to come because dork Meredith has put her hand inside bomb guy. What a doofus. She's so not my favorite character, I'm kinda hoping they'll blow her up. What a ratings boom that would be! I mean, she's whiny, obsessed with a married guy which doesn't stop her from sleeping with strangers repeatedly, and ick--way too thin. She needs to eat about 10 Big Macs a week just to get up to a normal weight. I'm also wondering what Yang was thinking to tell Derek during BRAIN surgery that his light o'love is in mortal danger. Yeah--he'll be focused on saving Bailey's husband now, fer sure, dude.
Personally, I think that I would have pulled my hand out a good while earlier than paramedic girl did and I'm all for letting the moron who was the author of his own tragedy just detonate. I've been called ruthless before, or maybe it was selfish. Whatever. It was true.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Poetry Sunday
When I was an over-emotional teenager I read quite a bit of poetry and I collected by favorite bits in a notebook. I'm not sure, but I think I may have finally tossed the notebook when I was cleaning things out for the move this past summer. Now that I blog, I regret that. Which just reinforces the idea that you shouldn't throw things away because when you do you'll discover you need 'em. That law ought to have a name attached to it--like Murphy's law does.
Anyway, I do know, not being senile just yet that Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess" is one of my favorite poems. It's a unusual monologue which leaves the reader thinking that the last duchess didn't come to a natural end, but maybe had some help from her arrogant husband. That's my inference anyway. I'm pretty sure the next duchess isn't going to be much better off, either. See what you think.
Anyway, I do know, not being senile just yet that Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess" is one of my favorite poems. It's a unusual monologue which leaves the reader thinking that the last duchess didn't come to a natural end, but maybe had some help from her arrogant husband. That's my inference anyway. I'm pretty sure the next duchess isn't going to be much better off, either. See what you think.
My Last Duchess
Robert Browning
Robert Browning
That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now: Frà Pandolf's hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will 't please you sit and look at her? I said
'Frà Pandolf' by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not
Her husband's presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps
Frà Pandolf chanced to say, 'Her mantle laps
Over my lady's wrist too much,' or 'Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat:' such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart -- how shall I say? -- too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace -- all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men, -- good! but thanked
Somehow -- I know not how -- as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech -- (which I have not) -- to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, 'Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark' -- and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
-- E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will 't please you rise? We'll meet
The company below then. I repeat,
The Count your master's known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now: Frà Pandolf's hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will 't please you sit and look at her? I said
'Frà Pandolf' by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not
Her husband's presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps
Frà Pandolf chanced to say, 'Her mantle laps
Over my lady's wrist too much,' or 'Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat:' such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart -- how shall I say? -- too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace -- all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men, -- good! but thanked
Somehow -- I know not how -- as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech -- (which I have not) -- to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, 'Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark' -- and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
-- E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will 't please you rise? We'll meet
The company below then. I repeat,
The Count your master's known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!
The Fantastic Four
It's a rainy Saturday here in the Baltimore area, a good day to stay home and vegetate. I watched some shows I had waiting in the dvr while my sister added more music to iTunes. Then we both settled in a watched a movie on demand. This is an unusual event, I decide must post about it because it gives evidence of the fact that I occasionally do something different. Wait, watching a movie on tv isn't really different from watching tv when it's regular tv, I guess. Rats.
Anyway, I've wanted to see Fantastic Four since it came out on dvd, because, well, it's the kind of silly movie I enjoy. And I did. Enjoy it, that is, even the silly parts. The silly parts are the stuff you get to make fun of after. Like now.
Silly part number 1: The "Hey-a storm is coming let's go into space and watch it up close tomorrow" plan. Couldn't they at least pretend like the trip took months to plan? I'm pretty sure they didn't just fling the space shuttle up into space on one day's notice.
Silly part number 2: All the angst. The Rock-thing guy's wife was a total loser who is so disturbed by his new appearance that she's all "Don't touch me!" after she runs out of her apartment into the middle of NY in a skimpy satin nightie and robe. So then he's all grim and unhappy through the whole movie. Then there's the weird way the rock-guy, who I thought was a former astronaut, starts speaking like he had never graduated from high school when he becomes the atrocious rock-like thing. I mean, you gotta figure that the guy has a least a master's degree to be an astronaut right? And a little bit of rock hard skin and internal organs and he's all "Kid, you done good." I don't think so. Ugly does not equal stupid anywhere except Hollywood.
Silly part number 3: So Julian McMahon's character (you didn't really expect me to remember their names, right?) has his really successful company go belly up after one trip into space? Why? Oh--that's right, they can't explain that part because we're too busy being all angsty about the love triangle between Julian, Jessica Alba, and nerdy scientist guy who can stretch.
Silly part number 4: Could the flaming guy be more immature and annoying? 'Nuf said.
Silly part number 5: These are in no particular order, by the way, why did the police assume rock-like guy was evil? Again just by looks. Wow, is Hollywood biased or what? And they think they're so liberal, too. Go figure.
So I would recommend Fantastic Four to my friends who enjoy movies that they can shred during dinner after the movie. Those movies have a place in our culture. I'm kind of hoping there will be a Fantastic Four-2 someday.
Anyway, I've wanted to see Fantastic Four since it came out on dvd, because, well, it's the kind of silly movie I enjoy. And I did. Enjoy it, that is, even the silly parts. The silly parts are the stuff you get to make fun of after. Like now.
Silly part number 1: The "Hey-a storm is coming let's go into space and watch it up close tomorrow" plan. Couldn't they at least pretend like the trip took months to plan? I'm pretty sure they didn't just fling the space shuttle up into space on one day's notice.
Silly part number 2: All the angst. The Rock-thing guy's wife was a total loser who is so disturbed by his new appearance that she's all "Don't touch me!" after she runs out of her apartment into the middle of NY in a skimpy satin nightie and robe. So then he's all grim and unhappy through the whole movie. Then there's the weird way the rock-guy, who I thought was a former astronaut, starts speaking like he had never graduated from high school when he becomes the atrocious rock-like thing. I mean, you gotta figure that the guy has a least a master's degree to be an astronaut right? And a little bit of rock hard skin and internal organs and he's all "Kid, you done good." I don't think so. Ugly does not equal stupid anywhere except Hollywood.
Silly part number 3: So Julian McMahon's character (you didn't really expect me to remember their names, right?) has his really successful company go belly up after one trip into space? Why? Oh--that's right, they can't explain that part because we're too busy being all angsty about the love triangle between Julian, Jessica Alba, and nerdy scientist guy who can stretch.
Silly part number 4: Could the flaming guy be more immature and annoying? 'Nuf said.
Silly part number 5: These are in no particular order, by the way, why did the police assume rock-like guy was evil? Again just by looks. Wow, is Hollywood biased or what? And they think they're so liberal, too. Go figure.
So I would recommend Fantastic Four to my friends who enjoy movies that they can shred during dinner after the movie. Those movies have a place in our culture. I'm kind of hoping there will be a Fantastic Four-2 someday.
This is why I don't go to bed early...
Sometime in the middle of last night, during my 2-4 am insomnia, I got up and posted a post about my insomnia. It wasn't high art, but I thought it was amusing and that my mythical reader would enjoy it.
When I awoke from the second part of my night's sleep, the 4-10:30 am part, I noticed a typo. I went into the guts of my blog to edit out that little one letter typo and poof! the entire entry just disappeared. It wasn't even listed as being a draft. Gone. Without a trace. (That would make a good name for a tv show.)
I've checked in time and again today, thinking that somehow the post is going to magically re-appear. Nutin'. I'm too lazy to re-create the blog and frankly, what gave the post it's unique flavor was the middle of the nightishness of it so I don't think a re-do would be the same.
So I considered; perhaps I should save my posts in a word file, just in case this ever happens again. Some of my recap posts are really long and take more than an hour to put together. I would be super-heated if I lost one of those after all that work. On the other hand I'm not exactly known for backing up stuff and being all prepared in the event of a disaster, so maybe I'll just post about the missing post instead. Yeah. I'll just post about it instead.
When I awoke from the second part of my night's sleep, the 4-10:30 am part, I noticed a typo. I went into the guts of my blog to edit out that little one letter typo and poof! the entire entry just disappeared. It wasn't even listed as being a draft. Gone. Without a trace. (That would make a good name for a tv show.)
I've checked in time and again today, thinking that somehow the post is going to magically re-appear. Nutin'. I'm too lazy to re-create the blog and frankly, what gave the post it's unique flavor was the middle of the nightishness of it so I don't think a re-do would be the same.
So I considered; perhaps I should save my posts in a word file, just in case this ever happens again. Some of my recap posts are really long and take more than an hour to put together. I would be super-heated if I lost one of those after all that work. On the other hand I'm not exactly known for backing up stuff and being all prepared in the event of a disaster, so maybe I'll just post about the missing post instead. Yeah. I'll just post about it instead.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Survivor Panama-Exile Island
Tonight marked the beginning of the new season of Survivor. Twelve seasons in and the show doesn't ever get old, imo. My sister and I observed that we don't care if the show never leaves Panama since one island is pretty much like another. It's the cast which creates the novelty from season to season. The producers throw in some change-ups every year and that helps too--but really it all comes down to a new cast each year. Perhaps more than any other show, Survivor depends on the personalities. This edition's twists are intriguing. First there are four tribes instead of two; two sets of men and two sets of women. The men and women are further divided into old and young. They've added the Exile Island mentioned in the title as a twist. One castmate will be exiled there regularly and forced to survive on their own and forego the opportunities to make alliances. There is an immunity idol hidden somewhere on Exile Island which can be used either before or after a vote right up until the final four. Supplies are sparce, in this edition as well, tribes get a flint, a pot and a machete, and that's it.Here is the breakdown of the Tribes:
Bayoneta: (young women) Courtney-Performance Artist (fire dancer?), Danielle; Medical Sales Rep, Misty; Engineer, Sally; Social Worker
Casaya: (older women) Cerie; Registered Nurse, Melinda-Singer, Ruth Marie; Director of Retail Sales, Tina; Logging Sports Promoter/Performer
La Mina: (older men) Bruce; Karate Instructor and HS Art Teacher, Dan-Retired Astronaut, Terry-Airline Pilot, Retired Navy Fighter Pilot, Shane-Entertainment Marketer
Viveros: (young men) Aras; a yoga instructor, Austin; a writer, Bobby; an attorney, Nick; financial sales
In this episode, "The First Exile", the tribes immediately compete in a reward challenge. The first three tribes to find one of the amulets hidden inside some skulls (hopefully fake ones) will receive flint for fire. The losing tribe will not receive flint for fire and one of their members would be exiled immediately. There is really a limited physical aspect to this challenge other than the race to the pile of skulls. The participants break open the skulls, unwrap some burlap and find either an amulet or a stone. Physicality or speed plays another limited role in that you need to hop up and get another skull quickly. Manual dexterity should have advantaged the women with their smaller and presumeably more agile fingers but it didn't work out that way.
Danielle runs for Bayoneta. Ruth Marie runs for Casaya, Terry runs for La Mina. Austin runs for Viveros. (Tripping a bit right out of the gate; nerves?) La Mina, Viveros, and Casaya return in that order and win the flint. Bayoneta loses and has to leave a member behind. Danielle volunteers to stay behind since she ran in the challenge and didn't win, the others don't agree and eventually resort to rock, paper, scissors. Misty is the unlucky exile.
At camp the older/younger theme of competences vs. imcompetence we have seen so often on other seasons shows up right out of the gate. We see the older women and men immediately begin to set up camp efficiently and effectively. Meanwhile, the younger men can't figure out how to make fire even with a flint. The younger women wander aimlessly trying to pick a camp site without regard for where the water well is located or where the best shelter could be built.
On Exile Island, Misty takes Jeff's clue about spending her time on Exile Island trying to figure out why fate chose to leave her behind as a clue that the immunity idol is buried behind where she was standing. Misty pokes at the dirt with a stick in a desultory fashion. She pluckily eats an earthworm to keep up her strength. Ick. She strategizes a plan to mislead her team into thinking that she found the idol while exiled. To that end when Jeff inferred that she spent a little time looking for the idol. She replied "Enough". Tricky. Now all the tribes are wondering if she found it.
The immunity challenge is partly physical and partly mental. Climb over a barrier, jump in the water, swim to a raft, release the raft from a hook mooring which is under the water, paddle to the shore, solve a rope brain teaser (directions are buried nearby) release the ring, grab the grappling hook with the ring and pull it to release your flag. First three teams to release their flags win immunity.
The teams go into the water and the younger men get significantly behind because they can't figure out how to release their raft from its hook. The older women have this problem too but solve it quicker. I note the older woman paddle casually and with no particular effort. They do make it to the beach before the younger men but they could have had a greater advantage. I am irritated by this lackadaisical effort. Hellloo, old ladies you have a disadvantage here---speed it up, I glare at the tv. The older men and younger women are on the beach and working at solving the brain teasers. They appropriately ration their resources. Two team members work on digging up the directions and two members try to solve the puzzle without the directions. The older women finally make it to the beach a little ahead of the younger men. They apportion their resources stupidly, 3 digging while one tries to solve the puzzle. The younger men follow the two and two division. The older women know that the younger men are getting closer to getting their flag but somehow don't get inspired to speed up. Hurry up!!! Stop arguing about the steps for solving the puzzle, you doofus women. The younger men are going to beat you! They do not hear my cries of frustration and they lose.
Now I'm disgusted with the older women--my natural allies, since they are in my age range. (Cagily, I do not give away my age of 45 to my readers...oops.) Anway, I am glad they have lost now, because they did not try hard enough. Ptew. They are not my favorite team anymore. I will root for the old guys. They have two military men. (Are NASA shuttle pilots military or civilian? Whatever they are very smart, for sure.) They are bound to be better. Except for the dork, Shane, who thought coming on Survivor was a good way to break a three pack a day smoking habit. I can tell already he's going to melt down soon under the double stress of Survivor and nicotine withdrawal. He's already been irritable on Day One.
After the loss, the older ladies begin the cannibalism process involved in voting someone off. Cerie wants to make sure it is not her. She works the other two women. Tina, helpfully, runs off to the beach alone to mourn her only son who was recently killed. This is a secret she is keeping from the others and so they view her self-exile as weird. Big strategic mistake, Tina, if you told them you are mourning your son and they would never vote you off. Is this callous of me to say? It's true, though, isn't it?
The tribal council was actually pretty funny. Melinda and Cerie are a hoot, admitting that they are not having fun. Melinda says, "I would say that I am in Panamanian hell right about now. This is by far the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. And it's because it is all-encompassing. It's mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually--I'm mean, that's why it's so difficult. You should try it."
Jeff skillfully (does he have a psychology degree or what?) leads the women around to who's working the hardest. Now Tina was probably already going to go because Cerie did her work very well, but then Tina helped Cerie out and pretty much gave herself the death blow, with this answer:
(To Tina) Jeff asked, “Do you think these other three are pulling their weight?”
Tina said, “Um, not as much as I would like to. I have a really huge work ethic. But I feel like if I keep saying let’s get more firewood, let’s go find a fishing spot, they’re gonna look at me as, as a bigger leader than I am and then my head is on the chopping block. So I just go off by myself and work hard and have a good life.”
That didn't set well with the other women, not surprisingly, and so Tina goes. Her exit comments are a little bitter. She basically thinks that she would have done better with a different (read: better) group of women. I don't think so. What little we saw of her she seemed loud and over-confident. Her social skills were a bit off. She was not sensitive to the effect her behavior (loud and inclined to isolate herself) had on the other women. Some people are "tone-deaf" in their people skills. The surprising thing to me is that they show up on Survivor pretty regularly. Tina also claimed that she had caught a fish to the other women, when in reality she picked it up off the rocks where it was stranded. Woohoo! Way to go-- picking up helpless fish. What a hunter-warrior-provider. Sure she was smart to pick up the fish, good for her, But ick acting like she did something especially difficult. That was not cool.
Next week the previews hint that Shane wants to go home--and lightning comes really close to striking him, maybe. You know the Survivor previews--they can be a liiitle misleading about what is going to happen.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Project Runway-Flower Power
I will be very interested in Tim's podcast which will hopefully explain how Daniel V. came to win yet again. Also, how Santino can design ugly and survive; while Andrae goes home because his design is "boring". Er, maybe I just answered my own implicit question.
These are the things I love and hate about PR. I love watching everyone scramble around to complete really difficult challenges with limited time and resources. (This one was the hardest yet, imo.) I hate not getting enough looks at the sketches and hearing about the process from the designers. (They need confessionals or something where the designers can spill their guts and from which the editors can pick tidbits to insert into the show at the appropriate moments.)I love the review of the outfits and the critiques by the judges. I hate that I don't hear more of what the judges really think. (Maybe the show should got to an hour and a half.) I love/hate that I care about who goes home. I love that Chloe and Kara survived especially after hearing the guys say at the beginning of the episode that they were competing amongst themselves as if Chloe and Kara didn't count at all. I hate that Kara and Chloe both had gorgeous designs which somehow didn't win because Daniel V. is the judge's golden boy. (I also think Andrae should have won last time, don't forget.) I love that Andrae said at the beginning that he wasn't going to be eliminated--thus, hoisted by his own petard. I hate that Tarah had to go home because Zulema stole her from Nick and then lost the next challenge. I love that the girls worked together to finish Chloe's design in beautiful feminine solidarity which is the antithesis of how women seem to behave in reality television. (Disagree? I offer the evidence of the Donald's Apprentice girl teams.) I love that Tim got to hear Santino doing his Timpression. I hate that we didn't get to watch his discomfort for longer. I hate that Michael Kors called Nick's design vulgar and implied that Nick has a vulgar edge frequently but didn't give examples. I love that the guest judges this week Badgley/Mischka appeared to have actually watched the show both this season and last and so were knowledgeable about the process.
These are the things I love and hate about PR. I love watching everyone scramble around to complete really difficult challenges with limited time and resources. (This one was the hardest yet, imo.) I hate not getting enough looks at the sketches and hearing about the process from the designers. (They need confessionals or something where the designers can spill their guts and from which the editors can pick tidbits to insert into the show at the appropriate moments.)I love the review of the outfits and the critiques by the judges. I hate that I don't hear more of what the judges really think. (Maybe the show should got to an hour and a half.) I love/hate that I care about who goes home. I love that Chloe and Kara survived especially after hearing the guys say at the beginning of the episode that they were competing amongst themselves as if Chloe and Kara didn't count at all. I hate that Kara and Chloe both had gorgeous designs which somehow didn't win because Daniel V. is the judge's golden boy. (I also think Andrae should have won last time, don't forget.) I love that Andrae said at the beginning that he wasn't going to be eliminated--thus, hoisted by his own petard. I hate that Tarah had to go home because Zulema stole her from Nick and then lost the next challenge. I love that the girls worked together to finish Chloe's design in beautiful feminine solidarity which is the antithesis of how women seem to behave in reality television. (Disagree? I offer the evidence of the Donald's Apprentice girl teams.) I love that Tim got to hear Santino doing his Timpression. I hate that we didn't get to watch his discomfort for longer. I hate that Michael Kors called Nick's design vulgar and implied that Nick has a vulgar edge frequently but didn't give examples. I love that the guest judges this week Badgley/Mischka appeared to have actually watched the show both this season and last and so were knowledgeable about the process.
PR2-Tim's Podcasts
I recently subscribed to Tim's Podcasts on iTunes. I hadn't done it previously because I was under the mistaken belief that it would involve a fee. Anyway--they are fun and give insider glimpses into the behind the scenes events. I listened during my tiny commute to and from work today and came to the realization that it makes more sense to listen and hang out at the PR website so you can review the designs as Tim makes his comments. The following is just info from--by no means a transcript--of the podcasts.
Introduction: Tim talks about the fun ahead and the difference between the (in my words) clueless first season participants and the more savvy, strategic second season participants. Tim felt that the two seasons have very different casts with different viewpoints.
Episode 1: Road to Runway. The casting was more daunting because of the sheer increase in numbers with the success of the show. Four cities: NY, Houston, Miami, and LA--each city is different culturally and thus, so were their designer candidates. In Season 1 70% of candidates were still in design school or recent grads, while in Season 2 the numbers are inverted--30% are still in design school or recent grads.
Prescreening of candidates was done by Seventh on Sixth. They looked at the work first, not the personalities of the candidates. Designers presented: three garments which they designed and made; a two-dimensional portfolio which could contain design illustrations and flats, a look-book of work form the past or current collection. 100 candidates made it to the semi-final stage. The 100 candidates were asked to return an (within 48 hours) autobiographical video--some got additional instructions. For example, Kirsten Ehrig was asked for more of her fashion because she had only presented bathing suits. Emmett was also asked to provide more info because of his menswear background.
After the 100 candidates were selected--the producers of PR and Bravo made the cut down to 30 candidates. Then everyone helped to cut 30 down to 16. They ended up with a cast of great diversity that adds to the quality of season 2. The Season 2 cast is better than the Season 1 cast which is no insult to the Season 1 cast. Tim found it difficult to predict winners and losers in Season 2.
Daniel Franco was the season 2 surprise. His collection was among the strongest seen in all four cities. Tim would put it in the top 3 or 4. Tim doesn't feel that Daniel F. had an unfair advantage based on his one day experience in Season 1. He insulated himself and didn't listen to others or use his resources in Season 1. Tim recalls how he boasted about spending only $4 dollars out of a $50 dollar budget, which was not too smart. Tim was a champion of his return, however.
I note Tim kind of hints that Nick stays with the show a pretty long time because he talks about the pressures Nick is under as time goes by and the competition becomes more intense to answer questions about how to do things by others because of his teaching background.
Episode 2-Clothes off Your Back How far are you willing to go for fashion? Chloe was at a disadvantage because she had so little to work with in the challenge. The designers were really thrown by the limitation on the materials and having to give up what were favorite clothes. Santino, with unbridled passion, was willing to do anything. Kirsten self-sacrificed by being obsessed with the Hermes scarf. Tim was disappointed to see her go because she had a unique background. Tim was moved by Santino's talk on the runway and he doesn't feel he's faking it.
Problems with time restraint showed up for the first time in this episode. Problems with strategic thinking. Problems with using materials wisely. Re-styling was not the goal; re-design was the goal. Tim marvelled at what Chloe was able to achieve with such limited resources. Santino's re-design was exuberant and had incredible attention to detail even with the time constraint. Tim was disappointed in Daniel Franco's dress' fit in the first episode. He is a masterful tailor and great designer. But Daniel's second design was a slight innovation from first. Diana's nickname was Dr. Sprocket. Her designs were gimmicky. Marla was disabled by the construction of the clothes, although deconstructing the clothes first should have helped to teach them how clothes are constructed.
Oops--gotta go the PR is starting now! Yeehaw!
Introduction: Tim talks about the fun ahead and the difference between the (in my words) clueless first season participants and the more savvy, strategic second season participants. Tim felt that the two seasons have very different casts with different viewpoints.
Episode 1: Road to Runway. The casting was more daunting because of the sheer increase in numbers with the success of the show. Four cities: NY, Houston, Miami, and LA--each city is different culturally and thus, so were their designer candidates. In Season 1 70% of candidates were still in design school or recent grads, while in Season 2 the numbers are inverted--30% are still in design school or recent grads.
Prescreening of candidates was done by Seventh on Sixth. They looked at the work first, not the personalities of the candidates. Designers presented: three garments which they designed and made; a two-dimensional portfolio which could contain design illustrations and flats, a look-book of work form the past or current collection. 100 candidates made it to the semi-final stage. The 100 candidates were asked to return an (within 48 hours) autobiographical video--some got additional instructions. For example, Kirsten Ehrig was asked for more of her fashion because she had only presented bathing suits. Emmett was also asked to provide more info because of his menswear background.
After the 100 candidates were selected--the producers of PR and Bravo made the cut down to 30 candidates. Then everyone helped to cut 30 down to 16. They ended up with a cast of great diversity that adds to the quality of season 2. The Season 2 cast is better than the Season 1 cast which is no insult to the Season 1 cast. Tim found it difficult to predict winners and losers in Season 2.
Daniel Franco was the season 2 surprise. His collection was among the strongest seen in all four cities. Tim would put it in the top 3 or 4. Tim doesn't feel that Daniel F. had an unfair advantage based on his one day experience in Season 1. He insulated himself and didn't listen to others or use his resources in Season 1. Tim recalls how he boasted about spending only $4 dollars out of a $50 dollar budget, which was not too smart. Tim was a champion of his return, however.
I note Tim kind of hints that Nick stays with the show a pretty long time because he talks about the pressures Nick is under as time goes by and the competition becomes more intense to answer questions about how to do things by others because of his teaching background.
Episode 2-Clothes off Your Back How far are you willing to go for fashion? Chloe was at a disadvantage because she had so little to work with in the challenge. The designers were really thrown by the limitation on the materials and having to give up what were favorite clothes. Santino, with unbridled passion, was willing to do anything. Kirsten self-sacrificed by being obsessed with the Hermes scarf. Tim was disappointed to see her go because she had a unique background. Tim was moved by Santino's talk on the runway and he doesn't feel he's faking it.
Problems with time restraint showed up for the first time in this episode. Problems with strategic thinking. Problems with using materials wisely. Re-styling was not the goal; re-design was the goal. Tim marvelled at what Chloe was able to achieve with such limited resources. Santino's re-design was exuberant and had incredible attention to detail even with the time constraint. Tim was disappointed in Daniel Franco's dress' fit in the first episode. He is a masterful tailor and great designer. But Daniel's second design was a slight innovation from first. Diana's nickname was Dr. Sprocket. Her designs were gimmicky. Marla was disabled by the construction of the clothes, although deconstructing the clothes first should have helped to teach them how clothes are constructed.
Oops--gotta go the PR is starting now! Yeehaw!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
University of Illinois Mascot Battle
I read today that the U of I is appealing the NCAA committee's ban on the use of Indian mascots and nicknames which it deems offensive. U of I's mascot has been controversial for years. Continuing to use the Chief, as he is affectionately known, means the U of I cannot host any post-season tournaments. The U of I has long limited their use of the Chief Illiniwek mascot to home venues only--he doesn't travel to road games. They've removed him from their uniforms, equipment and banners and they now use the big orange "I" seen to the left. They do continue to have the Chief dance during half-time at home games. With all those concessions to those who are offended by the Chief, one has to conclude that the NCAA is still not satisfied and feels it can sanction universities into complying with their particular view of political correctness. That seems a bit over-reaching to me.
The battle over Chief Illiniwek and the use of the Indian Head with Headdress seen in the right of the blog, has been ongoing on the U of I campus for years . For people who don't care one way or the other, it's a ridiculous fight. Personally I've never been interested enough in the argument to have a side. I would compare the passions on either side to how Democrats hate Bush and how Republicans hate Clinton. Neither side is willing to give in and so far there have been an even number of trustees who fall on each side so they University has done nothing but postpone voting on the issue over and over. Just to add more detail, the Illini Indians don't actually exist anymore, as I understand it. They died out long ago, but they originally populated the area of Illinois where the U of I is located.
In happier and less contentious news, I noted that Illinois is now ranked number 6 in the AP and Coaches' polls. Our record is currently 19-2 which is the same as Duke's record. I'm not making an assertion that we are as good as Duke. I can't know that unless/until we play them. I was surprised to see Duke drop to the number 2 spot, I need to read more sporting news because I have no idea what caused UConn to pole vault into the number 1 spot in the polls over Duke.
**Update** Illinois beat Wisconsin at Wisconsin. Woohoo! That puts Illinois in first place in the Big Ten and that's the second time Illinois has beaten Wisconsin in their house in two years. Illinois is the only team to beat Wisconsin at home in the last five years! Yippee! The only aggravating part of this news is that ESPN showed the darn game and I missed it because I didn't know it was coming on until I opened up this week's TV Guide. I couldn't find the stupid magazine at the grocery store on Saturday and so I bought it today at Target--too late to kknow about the game so that I could dvr it. Rats and mice! Oh, I wished I'd sprung for Full Court. I was too cheap.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Book Reviews
Yesterday I read Suzanne Enoch's Don't Look Down and Sylvia Andrew's A Very Unusual Governess. I enjoyed both, although they were very different books and one was a more compelling read than the other. I'm not going into the review business, probably, but here's the low-down from my perspective:
I read the regency period book AVUG during the afternoon and I picked it up and put in down several times. I didn't feel the need to race through to the finish and I had laundry to do after all. It was a charming book published by Harlequin Historicals. I don't usually read many of their historical line of books (for no particular reason, just not my habit) but the back cover caught my fancy. The gist of the story is about a bachelor caring for orphaned nieces and the governess he acquires who's really a well-born lady in disguise. Throw in charming secondary characters and a magic house and you have a pleasant read for a Sunday afternoon. I liked the hero and the heroine and the children. I thought the book ran out of steam toward the end when the only impediment to the hero and heroine getting together was just that the hero stubbornly didn't want to give up his bachelor-hood. Guess that reads somewhat true to life, now that I think about it which is a good reason for not using it in a, ahem, romance. The hero comes to his senses and alls well that ends well.
Later in the evening, (too late really) I started DLD. Now, in my typical OCD fashion, I like to read books in chronological order. So the fact that I broke this rule for this book is telling. I was just looking it over--it was late and I just wondered whether I should try to get the sequel from Amazon or if I could just meander to Borders later this week and see if the had Flirting with Danger on their shelves. Inconveniently, (it really was late) I was hooked from the very beginning.
As I mentioned in my previous post, the hero is a British billionaire (my personal weakness) but the heroine is a 'former' cat burglar/thief (my personal bete noire). I don't like to read about thieves. In fact, I detest reading about law-breakers because I spend all the book worrying that they'll be caught which kinda takes away from the story. Nora Roberts wrote a book years ago, Honest Illusions about magician/cat burlgar/thieves and I've never been able to get past chapter 1. I've tried--heck I bought the dang book in HARDCOVER and yet I haven't been able to read it. Nora Roberts actually signed the book, can't make myself read it. My niece swears it's her favorite Nora book--and still I can't read it. I just don't do thieves.
To get back to the point I left about 200 words ago, GREAT BOOK! I read and read and read and would have finished the thing in my younger days. But I can't really function on less than five hours of sleep so eventually I forced myself to stop reading. After work I picked it up again and finished it off. I liked Samantha Jellicoe and adored Richard Addison (did I mention he's a billionaire?). They have a great love story and I don't even know how it started! What fun reading is still ahead? The potential for many more books in the series is phenomenal as they figure out how to make a relationship between a former thief and still-addicted to adrenaline heroine and a billionaire control freak hero, who worries she'll end up in prison, work. I will definitely get the first book in the series and be on the look out for more.
Note to bookstores--you really would sell more books if when a sequel comes out you have the previous books in the series available on the shelves. It's annoying not to be able to buy all of them at once. I would think that idea was Selling 101, yet, time and again I'm annoyed by the failure of bookstores to stock backlist books. If I can find out a book has a sequel--surely bookstore employees can found out and order accordingly. Maybe this is a sympton of the fact that bookstores are wasting all their shelf spaces on "literary" sludge that hardly sells. I mean, seriously, romantic fiction supports the book publishing industry. It ought to be given more shelf space than "travel books" or "fiction" otherwise known as the books that win awards and which all the snobs think people should read but nobody really does read. Hmm, that's a bit intense. I think I'm not hiding that this is kinda of a hot button issue for me. I'll go lie down now. ;o)
I read the regency period book AVUG during the afternoon and I picked it up and put in down several times. I didn't feel the need to race through to the finish and I had laundry to do after all. It was a charming book published by Harlequin Historicals. I don't usually read many of their historical line of books (for no particular reason, just not my habit) but the back cover caught my fancy. The gist of the story is about a bachelor caring for orphaned nieces and the governess he acquires who's really a well-born lady in disguise. Throw in charming secondary characters and a magic house and you have a pleasant read for a Sunday afternoon. I liked the hero and the heroine and the children. I thought the book ran out of steam toward the end when the only impediment to the hero and heroine getting together was just that the hero stubbornly didn't want to give up his bachelor-hood. Guess that reads somewhat true to life, now that I think about it which is a good reason for not using it in a, ahem, romance. The hero comes to his senses and alls well that ends well.
Later in the evening, (too late really) I started DLD. Now, in my typical OCD fashion, I like to read books in chronological order. So the fact that I broke this rule for this book is telling. I was just looking it over--it was late and I just wondered whether I should try to get the sequel from Amazon or if I could just meander to Borders later this week and see if the had Flirting with Danger on their shelves. Inconveniently, (it really was late) I was hooked from the very beginning.
As I mentioned in my previous post, the hero is a British billionaire (my personal weakness) but the heroine is a 'former' cat burglar/thief (my personal bete noire). I don't like to read about thieves. In fact, I detest reading about law-breakers because I spend all the book worrying that they'll be caught which kinda takes away from the story. Nora Roberts wrote a book years ago, Honest Illusions about magician/cat burlgar/thieves and I've never been able to get past chapter 1. I've tried--heck I bought the dang book in HARDCOVER and yet I haven't been able to read it. Nora Roberts actually signed the book, can't make myself read it. My niece swears it's her favorite Nora book--and still I can't read it. I just don't do thieves.
To get back to the point I left about 200 words ago, GREAT BOOK! I read and read and read and would have finished the thing in my younger days. But I can't really function on less than five hours of sleep so eventually I forced myself to stop reading. After work I picked it up again and finished it off. I liked Samantha Jellicoe and adored Richard Addison (did I mention he's a billionaire?). They have a great love story and I don't even know how it started! What fun reading is still ahead? The potential for many more books in the series is phenomenal as they figure out how to make a relationship between a former thief and still-addicted to adrenaline heroine and a billionaire control freak hero, who worries she'll end up in prison, work. I will definitely get the first book in the series and be on the look out for more.
Note to bookstores--you really would sell more books if when a sequel comes out you have the previous books in the series available on the shelves. It's annoying not to be able to buy all of them at once. I would think that idea was Selling 101, yet, time and again I'm annoyed by the failure of bookstores to stock backlist books. If I can find out a book has a sequel--surely bookstore employees can found out and order accordingly. Maybe this is a sympton of the fact that bookstores are wasting all their shelf spaces on "literary" sludge that hardly sells. I mean, seriously, romantic fiction supports the book publishing industry. It ought to be given more shelf space than "travel books" or "fiction" otherwise known as the books that win awards and which all the snobs think people should read but nobody really does read. Hmm, that's a bit intense. I think I'm not hiding that this is kinda of a hot button issue for me. I'll go lie down now. ;o)
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Thoughts on Winter
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
Anne Bradstreet (1612 - 1672), 'Meditations Divine and Moral,' 1655
Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.
Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
One kind word can warm three winter months.
Japanese Proverb
Vera Bradley Purses
I was thinking about my handbag dilemma again this morning. Ever since we moved to Maryland, I've been getting ecstatic compliments about my collection of Vera Bradley purses. It's a little ironic. Everyone here seems to envy my purses while I pine with unrequited love for a Cole Haan.
Let me provide some backstory here. I'm a Navy brat and for the first 11 years of my life, my family moved all over the US because my dad was transferred to various naval bases or ports or whatever they call 'em. Hey, I was a kid. Anyway, eventually he retired (Chief Petty Officer, E-9 for those who care.) and we ended up in Indiana which was his birthplace. Those of you who are familiar with Vera Bradley purses just made the connection, right?
Vera Bradley is famous in Indiana. Their factory is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and you can easily find VB in Indiana. It gets a little harder when you leave the state. Their gorgeous bags are made of fabulous quilted fabrics. Every year they add new fabrics and retire old ones. My twin and I have about...30? 40? I've never counted. They do fill one long shelf in the walk-in closet though. In the spring, VB has a trunk sale which is amazing. People wait in line for HOURS, although I didn't because I'm lazy but that's another story. Anyway, they fill the floor of an arena with their seconds and overstock and you can pretty much go into a coma buying everything your heart has every desired VB. That's why I have so many purses, and totes, and duffle bags and wallets, and well, you get the idea.
Anyway, I had a Carrie Bradshaw moment this morning because I realized that the average cost of one of my VB's is $60 bucks--so for ten and a half VBs I could have had one Cole Haan. Hmm...should I regret my Vera Bradleys? I can't imagine it--they're gorgeous. They're art. I only wish Vera Bradley would somehow set up a program so I can send in my purses to have the handles replaced because they do take the hardest wear on the purse. Other than that little detail, I do adore my Vera Bradley purses. The second thought I had (whoa, two today--that's my limit!) was that even knowing the math, I still can't buy ONE purse for $650.00. I mean, I have more than 10 DIFFERENT purses for the same money from Vera and I get lots of praise for it as well as having variety galore. One purse for $650.00? Sigh. I am just too middle class.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Barnes & Noble Book Buy
After spending the morning working, my twin and I hopped in the car to have a late lunch. Always trying to work an angle, I suggest a trip down Reisterstown Road toward the B&N by proposing a visit to Trader Joe's and lunch at Panera Bread. (Gentle reminder, I have a fatal fascination with bookstores and am addicting to buying books which I do not necessarily read right away. This sometimes causes conflict with my sister's sense of economy.)
My sister--"Don't you already have all the books on your list? Is something new out?"
I reply--"Yes, that's just it. It will be a cheap trip because there's nothing I need to buy."
"Ok."
Yes! Score! Inwardly, I exult. I have convinced the poor patsy to hit the Barnes and Noble. As if I would ever visit a bookstore and come out without any books. Hah! I laugh with quiet glee, very quiet so she cannot hear me--we haven't actually gotten to the B&N yet and she is driving, after all.
In the parking lot, walking up to the cathedral of books, she says, "Here are the rules, you have to justify anything you buy and if you buy anything then I'm getting the Doris Kearns Goodwin book I've been wanting about Lincoln."
Casual me--"No problem. I already told you that you should just buy that." Hmm, I recognize that she hasn't really been fooled by my assertion that there's nothing to buy, maybe she's smarter than I think.
Inside, I hit the romantic fiction aisle after a quick trip down the Just Arrived aisle. I'm looking for the new Susan Kearney, "The Ultimatum". No luck. It's not out yet. I find the Georgette Heyer I've been waiting for the reissue on. As I stand there rather mournfully checking up and down the row, a lady with an armful of books approaches me. "So many books to buy, " she smiles. "Yes, but not the ones I want." With that comment she's off and running, suggesting authors that she has read and asking me for my opinion about authors. We feed off each other and I end up with an armful of books where moments before I had only one.
They were:
Georgette Heyer's The Quiet Gentleman. I discovered Heyer last spring/summer and her books are excellent and timeless. She is, after all, the originator of the modern Regency romance after Jane Austen.
Suzanne Enoch's Don't Look Down. I'm sold on the book the minute I read about the heroine's British billionaire boyfriend. The 3's bees that are best, imho--British, Billionaire, Boy. I'm suspicious though that this may be the second in the series. I check the flyleaf--the previous contemporary written by Enoch is Flirting with Danger. Barnes & Noble doesn't have that one the shelf. I'm aggravated because I'm convinced that that has to be the first book. Most romances just don't start with the heroine already involved with the guy she ends up with. (At home I check on Amazon--I was right. My instincts didn't fail me.)
Susan Mallery's Delicious. I read an excerpt of this in another book last month and I've been waiting for it. It's a romance and it's about a chef. Food and romance--another perfect matchup to my way of thinking.
Cathie Linz's Good Girls Do jumps into my hand when I read the cover quote by Jayne Ann Krentz, "The author that readers of romantic comedy have been waiting for." If Jayne thinks this one is good and funny that is good enough for me.
When I finally run into my sister again, I'm expecting a lecture about not buying books on speculation. I get nothing of the kind, however. She justs hands me two reprints by Betty Neels. Betty Neels wrote for Harlequin for a kajillion years and all her books are practically identical. They are littered with nurses, doctors, and the Dutch. I protest the purchase. (I know, hypocritical of me, but we have, like--a hundred books by Betty.) My sister insists she doesn't have these two--she doesn't remember a book with a nurse in Norway. She can't give me that same assurance about the nurse in England--trust me but I stop fighting the inevitable.
I'm still expecting her to pick up the DKG book on Lincoln, but another book has caught her eye. Striking Back The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel's Deadly Response by Aaron J. Klein. Okaayy--not in the romantic comedy theme but with Speilberg's new movie, Munich out there, it's timely I guess.
Final score-- Robin: 4 books at $26.96 Sister: 3 books at $34.93. Winner? Barnes & Noble.
My sister--"Don't you already have all the books on your list? Is something new out?"
I reply--"Yes, that's just it. It will be a cheap trip because there's nothing I need to buy."
"Ok."
Yes! Score! Inwardly, I exult. I have convinced the poor patsy to hit the Barnes and Noble. As if I would ever visit a bookstore and come out without any books. Hah! I laugh with quiet glee, very quiet so she cannot hear me--we haven't actually gotten to the B&N yet and she is driving, after all.
In the parking lot, walking up to the cathedral of books, she says, "Here are the rules, you have to justify anything you buy and if you buy anything then I'm getting the Doris Kearns Goodwin book I've been wanting about Lincoln."
Casual me--"No problem. I already told you that you should just buy that." Hmm, I recognize that she hasn't really been fooled by my assertion that there's nothing to buy, maybe she's smarter than I think.
Inside, I hit the romantic fiction aisle after a quick trip down the Just Arrived aisle. I'm looking for the new Susan Kearney, "The Ultimatum". No luck. It's not out yet. I find the Georgette Heyer I've been waiting for the reissue on. As I stand there rather mournfully checking up and down the row, a lady with an armful of books approaches me. "So many books to buy, " she smiles. "Yes, but not the ones I want." With that comment she's off and running, suggesting authors that she has read and asking me for my opinion about authors. We feed off each other and I end up with an armful of books where moments before I had only one.
They were:
Georgette Heyer's The Quiet Gentleman. I discovered Heyer last spring/summer and her books are excellent and timeless. She is, after all, the originator of the modern Regency romance after Jane Austen.
Suzanne Enoch's Don't Look Down. I'm sold on the book the minute I read about the heroine's British billionaire boyfriend. The 3's bees that are best, imho--British, Billionaire, Boy. I'm suspicious though that this may be the second in the series. I check the flyleaf--the previous contemporary written by Enoch is Flirting with Danger. Barnes & Noble doesn't have that one the shelf. I'm aggravated because I'm convinced that that has to be the first book. Most romances just don't start with the heroine already involved with the guy she ends up with. (At home I check on Amazon--I was right. My instincts didn't fail me.)
Susan Mallery's Delicious. I read an excerpt of this in another book last month and I've been waiting for it. It's a romance and it's about a chef. Food and romance--another perfect matchup to my way of thinking.
Cathie Linz's Good Girls Do jumps into my hand when I read the cover quote by Jayne Ann Krentz, "The author that readers of romantic comedy have been waiting for." If Jayne thinks this one is good and funny that is good enough for me.
When I finally run into my sister again, I'm expecting a lecture about not buying books on speculation. I get nothing of the kind, however. She justs hands me two reprints by Betty Neels. Betty Neels wrote for Harlequin for a kajillion years and all her books are practically identical. They are littered with nurses, doctors, and the Dutch. I protest the purchase. (I know, hypocritical of me, but we have, like--a hundred books by Betty.) My sister insists she doesn't have these two--she doesn't remember a book with a nurse in Norway. She can't give me that same assurance about the nurse in England--trust me but I stop fighting the inevitable.
I'm still expecting her to pick up the DKG book on Lincoln, but another book has caught her eye. Striking Back The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel's Deadly Response by Aaron J. Klein. Okaayy--not in the romantic comedy theme but with Speilberg's new movie, Munich out there, it's timely I guess.
Final score-- Robin: 4 books at $26.96 Sister: 3 books at $34.93. Winner? Barnes & Noble.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Same Same Santino
I have been surprised that nobody has called out Santino for his persistent use of the same style of bodice with skirt and adornments in several of his designs. Wondering if my memory was not serving me well, I reviewed all of Santino's designs. It appears to me that Santino can't make a dress unless he makes a fitted bodice and adds a gathered skirt.
Week One-the muslin dress. I don't know all the dress terminology but I see a 'baby-doll' or empire waisted dress with some kind of ruched trim making up the decoration of the bodice and acting as straps for the dress. The rag things hanging of the sides of the skirt are kinda different.
Week two: the clothes off his back became a leather skirt and a bustier-type top made out of what was his shirt. The bodice is heart-shaped and there is ruching down the front panel. This might be the most original design of the set for my money.
Week three: the Barbie dress in shades of purple. The bodice is accented by a tie in the center--a decoration which is repeated twice. The dress gives an impression of ruching although that may be a fit problem. Note the way the skirt is attached to the dress, with the seaming out and visible rather than hidden. The trim is in the shoulder straps reminds me of week one dress but the Barbie hair hides it somewhat. The skirt is point-y like a handkerchief skirt but not floaty.
Week four: Painful deer tormenting week. The trim lavishly applied to the bra and panties seems to again duplicate whatever trim Santino learned how to make back in the day when he learned to sew. It could be actual lace though. Maybe.
Week five: This week's dress is pretty but the bodice brings back memories of the bodices from week one, two, and three put together. The center gather provides form-fit and the trim has gone wild on top, although admittedly, the cord is a new touch. We see the heart-shaped neckline in its asymetric form for the first time here. The little knotted bow thingy in the center is just like the Barbie dress. Seriously, am I imagining that seen in a sequence the designs are not that fantastically different from week to week?
Week six- we will not include because it was collaborative with Nick which is the only reason the bodice is a halter, I believe.
Week seven: also known as weeping turkey week. Turkeys who gave up themselves--their feathers--only to be disrespected for their sacrifice. Note the ruched or gathered bodice. The skirt attached so that the seam and it's gathers are shown. It's also the third pointy-type, hankerchief hem if anyone's counting. (and I am.)
Week eight- Inspiration week. And Santino's inspiration is a dress that looks like it was inspired by all the things that had previously seemed to work in his other designs. The gathered skirt with the seam attached so that it showed. The bodice is practically right of the silver dress from week five. Asymetrical bodice--cups off-center, twisty scarf like trim wrapped and pinned down.
Now if I were more energetic, I'd do this very same thing with all the other designers sets. I am lazy however, and I still haven't written my synopsis of the Inspiration week show.
Week One-the muslin dress. I don't know all the dress terminology but I see a 'baby-doll' or empire waisted dress with some kind of ruched trim making up the decoration of the bodice and acting as straps for the dress. The rag things hanging of the sides of the skirt are kinda different.
Week two: the clothes off his back became a leather skirt and a bustier-type top made out of what was his shirt. The bodice is heart-shaped and there is ruching down the front panel. This might be the most original design of the set for my money.
Week three: the Barbie dress in shades of purple. The bodice is accented by a tie in the center--a decoration which is repeated twice. The dress gives an impression of ruching although that may be a fit problem. Note the way the skirt is attached to the dress, with the seaming out and visible rather than hidden. The trim is in the shoulder straps reminds me of week one dress but the Barbie hair hides it somewhat. The skirt is point-y like a handkerchief skirt but not floaty.
Week four: Painful deer tormenting week. The trim lavishly applied to the bra and panties seems to again duplicate whatever trim Santino learned how to make back in the day when he learned to sew. It could be actual lace though. Maybe.
Week five: This week's dress is pretty but the bodice brings back memories of the bodices from week one, two, and three put together. The center gather provides form-fit and the trim has gone wild on top, although admittedly, the cord is a new touch. We see the heart-shaped neckline in its asymetric form for the first time here. The little knotted bow thingy in the center is just like the Barbie dress. Seriously, am I imagining that seen in a sequence the designs are not that fantastically different from week to week?
Week six- we will not include because it was collaborative with Nick which is the only reason the bodice is a halter, I believe.
Week seven: also known as weeping turkey week. Turkeys who gave up themselves--their feathers--only to be disrespected for their sacrifice. Note the ruched or gathered bodice. The skirt attached so that the seam and it's gathers are shown. It's also the third pointy-type, hankerchief hem if anyone's counting. (and I am.)
Week eight- Inspiration week. And Santino's inspiration is a dress that looks like it was inspired by all the things that had previously seemed to work in his other designs. The gathered skirt with the seam attached so that it showed. The bodice is practically right of the silver dress from week five. Asymetrical bodice--cups off-center, twisty scarf like trim wrapped and pinned down.
Now if I were more energetic, I'd do this very same thing with all the other designers sets. I am lazy however, and I still haven't written my synopsis of the Inspiration week show.
Project Runway--Inspiration
Sorry to be slow slow about blogging the Inspiration episode. Work. Sheesh.
Our show opens with a confident Zulema telling us that "anyone could be eliminated." One senses she doesn't really believe it. Too bad. Santino, meanwhile, concedes that his outfit for Sasha Cohen was "ridiculous and horrible". He's not going to take any chances in the new challenge and see where that gets him.
Heidi comes out to explain the challenge. Wow! She looks gorgeous. I love her hair and makeup. "What drives your creativity as a fashion designer? What's your inspiration?" They'll be visiting Michael Kors at his shop to learn about his creative process but first the moment we've all been waiting for, Zulema wants a walk-off.
The reaction shots to Zulema's request are hilarious. Heidi, Rachel-the model, Andrae all could be in the movies based on their ability to convey shock, amazement and anger. Who made up Rachel? Ew, she can barely hold her eyes open she's wearing so much makeup. I've seen hookers in less blue eye shadow. Everyone is upset by the possibility of losing their model. I hadn't realized until now how interdependent the model/designer teams had become. After the walk-off, Zulema steals Tarah from Nick who is upset. Rachel is furious at being dumped but happy to go to Nick who is her favorite. Now we know the models discuss the designers. Zulema sums up her attitude to the whole thing, "I can't be concerned with Nick. Do a good job, win next week and take her back." Well, okay--maybe he will. So there.
We head for Michael Kors and hear about his process and Doris Duke then everyone gets digital cameras and an hour to take photos from which they will select one for their inspiration. One hour to take photos of anything you want in New York. That's not really enough time to go that far what with traffic and the limitations of walking. Guess everyone better hope their inspirations are close by.
Oh but, Daniel V. finds his inspiration while still at Michael Kors. He should win a prize for efficiency. Chloe focuses on buildings. Nick can't focus on anything but his sense of injury. Andrae shoots gutter water. Santino shoots to excess--would we expect anything else from Santino, whose name is now being used as an adjective in the show? Zulema struggles and finally takes a pic of an African woman in a red dress. Kara shoots signs.
The show spends a great deal of time with Nick who is nursing his sense of ill-use regarding the model switch. "If you're not kind, you're not going to get kindness back." He can't understand or respect Zulema's decision. He was inspired by his model....whine whine bzzz bzzzz....only now he has a different model....shouldn't that make it easy to be inspired anew? Apparently not. It was the OTHER model that inspired him. Nick, Nick...as Cher said to Nicholas Cage--"Snap out of it!"
We buy fabric we go back to the workshop. Now Tim Gunn brings in the big guns so to speak--he wants to have a come to Jesus talk with everyone. "Wake up! The work has been lack-luster!" Then he zeros in and gets personal.
Daniel-you excite early, lose momentum, fall short of potential. Ouch.
Chloe-push the envelope, step out of comfort zone, don't risk being a one-note. Okeydokey.
Kara-you haven't won anything yet, step away from work that we could buy on Madison Avenue. She didn't listen to that at all!
Zulema-take risks. She argues about time management. I thought she had great sewing skills--where's the time management problem coming from?
Santino-you're in serious jeopardy. Ya think?
Andrae/Nick-Be More Ambitious. Andrae handles that advice well'; Nick...not so much.
Our show opens with a confident Zulema telling us that "anyone could be eliminated." One senses she doesn't really believe it. Too bad. Santino, meanwhile, concedes that his outfit for Sasha Cohen was "ridiculous and horrible". He's not going to take any chances in the new challenge and see where that gets him.
Heidi comes out to explain the challenge. Wow! She looks gorgeous. I love her hair and makeup. "What drives your creativity as a fashion designer? What's your inspiration?" They'll be visiting Michael Kors at his shop to learn about his creative process but first the moment we've all been waiting for, Zulema wants a walk-off.
The reaction shots to Zulema's request are hilarious. Heidi, Rachel-the model, Andrae all could be in the movies based on their ability to convey shock, amazement and anger. Who made up Rachel? Ew, she can barely hold her eyes open she's wearing so much makeup. I've seen hookers in less blue eye shadow. Everyone is upset by the possibility of losing their model. I hadn't realized until now how interdependent the model/designer teams had become. After the walk-off, Zulema steals Tarah from Nick who is upset. Rachel is furious at being dumped but happy to go to Nick who is her favorite. Now we know the models discuss the designers. Zulema sums up her attitude to the whole thing, "I can't be concerned with Nick. Do a good job, win next week and take her back." Well, okay--maybe he will. So there.
We head for Michael Kors and hear about his process and Doris Duke then everyone gets digital cameras and an hour to take photos from which they will select one for their inspiration. One hour to take photos of anything you want in New York. That's not really enough time to go that far what with traffic and the limitations of walking. Guess everyone better hope their inspirations are close by.
Oh but, Daniel V. finds his inspiration while still at Michael Kors. He should win a prize for efficiency. Chloe focuses on buildings. Nick can't focus on anything but his sense of injury. Andrae shoots gutter water. Santino shoots to excess--would we expect anything else from Santino, whose name is now being used as an adjective in the show? Zulema struggles and finally takes a pic of an African woman in a red dress. Kara shoots signs.
The show spends a great deal of time with Nick who is nursing his sense of ill-use regarding the model switch. "If you're not kind, you're not going to get kindness back." He can't understand or respect Zulema's decision. He was inspired by his model....whine whine bzzz bzzzz....only now he has a different model....shouldn't that make it easy to be inspired anew? Apparently not. It was the OTHER model that inspired him. Nick, Nick...as Cher said to Nicholas Cage--"Snap out of it!"
We buy fabric we go back to the workshop. Now Tim Gunn brings in the big guns so to speak--he wants to have a come to Jesus talk with everyone. "Wake up! The work has been lack-luster!" Then he zeros in and gets personal.
Daniel-you excite early, lose momentum, fall short of potential. Ouch.
Chloe-push the envelope, step out of comfort zone, don't risk being a one-note. Okeydokey.
Kara-you haven't won anything yet, step away from work that we could buy on Madison Avenue. She didn't listen to that at all!
Zulema-take risks. She argues about time management. I thought she had great sewing skills--where's the time management problem coming from?
Santino-you're in serious jeopardy. Ya think?
Andrae/Nick-Be More Ambitious. Andrae handles that advice well'; Nick...not so much.
Tim reviews the designs with the designers. Dan's going for Japanese sleekness. Maybe I don't understand Japanese sleekness but that is not how I would describe what he ends up with. Santino thinks he'll try something tasteful and beautiful. That would make a nice change. Tim gets to Nick and suddenly we get a hilarious inside view of modeling that I didn't know was out there. Tim is horrified that Nick is stuck with Rachel and her "gumby legs" because she's an "elongated marshmallow" who walks stiffly. Strangely, Nick is not encouraged by Tim's reaction to his misfortune and continues to spiral downward mentally. Nick is "over it" and wants to "be done with it." Daniel, however, snaps him out of his lengthy funk and Nick resolves to go for it.
Zulema, meanwhile, spends some time sulking because she senses the dismay her actions have brought into the show. She thinks people aren't being nice even though they are being cordial. They are looking at her funny. She talks herself into defiance. She'll just keep switching models everytime she wins. Yeah. That's what she'll do. You know, if she wins again...
Santino's impersonation of Tim is hysterical. Dead on.
Tim advises Dan, "Don't get seduced by the Santino effect or we'll all crash and burn." Oops, Santino is right there! He overhears. He's bitter. "Now I see how you talk about me when I'm not here." Ahem, Santino--you do realize you've been impersonating Tim when he's not there, right?
At the end of day one Zulema has nothing, or nothing she likes anyway. Karma is quick, I'm thinkin'.
When the models arrive we see that Tarah is unhappy to be stuck with Zulema. She must sense this move is not going to lengthen her time on the show. She doesn't like the dress, it's unfinished and Z stuck her with needles while she was sewing her into the dress. Muy mal, si?
Rachel, meanwhile, has a giant-size grudge against Z. now, so she's going to model "extra-hard" for Nick. Hmm, model "extra-hard". I pause my dvr to consider what this can mean. Nope... still don't exactly understand it, so I proceed with the show.
Tarah, on the other hand, is jealous. Take heart, Tarah, Tim didn't say that you had gumby legs. That's gotta be a comfort, right?
The show proceeds:
Andrae-Love it, beautiful. The beading perfectly captures the inspiration photo.
Kara-simple dress with yellow diagonal stripe going around the hip.
Santino-I've seen the bodice before, the skirt looks like a garbage bag belted around her ribs.
Daniel-very couture. The collar comes up really high, the top is very pouffy. I don't like it as well as Andrae's but I recognize that the judges will love, love, love it.
Chloe-very cool dress with what looks to me like, complicated pleating vertically and horizontal ribbons of alternating colors. She has used her favorite blue again.
Nick-he talks about his model's walk the whole time. The outfit is a two piece; halter top with ruffle in a print and a solid navy fishtale skirt.
Zulema-she talks about Tarah's body and walk the whole time too. She thinks Tarah's look will complement her design. The dress is red, with a layered chiffon skirt and overskirt with a print.
When the models join the designers on the runway I can't look away from the sight of Chloe's model next to her. She looks like a red-haired giantess next to tiny Chloe. The effect is comical.
Critiques--
Dan-Beautiful, well-executed.
Chloe-Not geometric enough according to Jay. Nina likes the juxtaposition of soft and hard.
Kara-big talk which the dress doesn't match. Kara thinks her dress speaks volumes. Michael thinks the dress is very literal.
Andrae-Jay offers the opinion that this was the most inspired dress. He totally got the inspiration photo. Taking ugly and making pretty. Heidi thinks it's expensive looking. Michael thinks it's pretty great looking.
Nick-Paris Hilton? Mikonos? Oy, what's that about? Michael thinks the top is pretty great looking.
Zulema-Poorly executed for the THIRD time according to Nina. Z tries to explain the dress' relationship to the inspiration photo by saying she used a "western cut" and other elements like color...to get from there to here. Nobody's listening they are still to caught up with what a crappy job she did sewing the thing.
Santino-Jay says "Austin's scarlet Grammy dress". I haven't seen season one yet (still holding on to it.) Santino says, "oh my god" I am unconvinced, however, that he didn't know full well that he was using the same fabric. His reaction was so flat. He displayed no surprise. Heidi thinks the skirt is perfect for hiding a big butt. Michael compliments Santino for pushing past his usual thing.
In private the judges makes the following remarks which I'll follow with the end result:
Chloe's dress was pretty. Not fully fleshed out or finished, but pretty. She's in.
Kara's dress was a tube dress with a piece of tape. She's in.
Nick's dress was not memorable and just another fishtale skirt. He's in.
Andrae's dress is Jay's favorite. Finished, sophisticated, well-made, expensive looking and translated exactly from the picture. He's in. Did they edit out extra compliments for Andrae? The judges said nothing about how much they liked his dress and how he almost won.
Dan's dress is Heidi's favorite. Well-executed, sophisticated. Michael is a FULL DAN FAN. The dress is chic and great-looking. Dan changed our eye, it was unexpected. Dan is the winner!
Dan's dress is Heidi's favorite. Well-executed, sophisticated. Michael is a FULL DAN FAN. The dress is chic and great-looking. Dan changed our eye, it was unexpected. Dan is the winner!
Santino's dress is unfinished, not part of his usual shtick. He's in.
Zulema's dress is a nightmare. No inspiration from the picture, no energy and poorly executed. She's out.
I wonder if in hindsight Zulema wishes she hadn't introduced the model changing tension into the process because one has to wonder how much the opening of that Pandora's Box--so to speak--affected the outcome of the show. All the tension draining away creative energy and causing distraction. Zulema caused the upset sure, but she suffered from it as did Nick.
The other thought that I had was--if execution by which I assume they mean, sewing--meant so much. How did Z stay in so long over people who executed better and were equal in design ability. I'm thinking of Daniel Franco.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
It's not personal, it's just business
No time to post more on last night's eppy of Project Runway--so the key quote of the night will have to do for now. Zulema seemed surprised that karma came back at her so quickly. Needless to say, this episode rocked and I'll enjoy posting more tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Memory in Death
I spent last evening reading Memory in Death by JD Robb the latest Eve and Roarke adventure . I'll warn those who don't want to know any details, avert your eyes because I'm going to give some away.
I enjoyed MID, which was no surprise. As I've previously mentioned I really love all the characters who inhabit the world of Eve & Roarke. I could spend more time with the secondary characters and not mind a bit--Peabody & McNab, Mavis & Leonardo, Dr. Mira & Mr. Mira...they're fabulous. This book will be a particular favorite as time goes by, I'm sure, because it is quite a bit lighter on mystery and mayhem than some of the others in the series. I'm kind of a wimp, with respect to violence and suspense. I worry something bad is going to happen to a secondary character, it makes reading a little tense-making sometimes. MID, compared to the heart-wrenching Survivor in Death, (the scene in the morgue--I could cry thinking about it right now!) is a walk in the park. A lovely chance of pace--no serial killers--no injuries among our near and near--and more of Eve & Roarke at home, which I especially liked. For once, Eve & Roarke gave a party and murder didn't interrrupt it. We also got to enjoy Christmas at home. Usually the book ends with Christmas or weddings or vacations which then happen off-stage, so to speak. Not this time--yea! We get Christmas! We do learn more about Eve's backstory which, as always, has its painful moments. But whatever the woman suffered in her past, her present more than makes up for it with Roarke! (Yeah, yeah--I know it's fiction.)
Monday, January 23, 2006
Latest Reading and Women's Lib
In spite of all the new books I purchased just a week or so ago, I have once again been glomming an author. (For an explanation of glomming, go here.) A few weeks ago I discovered Anne Weale's blog "Bookworm on the Net" and was inspired to get out my collection of her books. I also discovered there were a few of her books that I didn't have yet. I don't understand how that can happen, since I carefully review lists of "coming" books online and in a magazine. It's a mystery. Whatever. So I ordered three of these books online and I'll keep looking for the one I could get. (Man, I love being able to order online--it's so convenient.) I was then further inspired to re-read some of my favorites.
Strange, perhaps to some, I have owned 10? or so books by Ms. Weale, some for years which I have never read. I like to think of that as both an example of my ability to delay gratification and as a way of stockpiling reading material against the possibilty of a disaster. Maybe the book industry will go belly-up, for example, and then I'll need all these books I've been hoarding for years and years. It's not as crazy as you might first think, with book readership down, that worst case scenario could happen! The books that I have been reading for the first time, are all early novels, written in the 60's. Reading books from this era has reminded me of the Dell Shannon 'Luis Mendoza' mysteries which are set in the 60's. I might have to start re-reading them next. I love when the book references the cost of things. For example, in a Luis Mendoza mystery--really wealthy widows (they're frequent characters for some reason) make like 600 bucks a MONTH. Whew. That's livin' the high-life, isn't it? I also like it when the books have the characters wearing hats or gloves it such a contrast to our current casual style. I digress, as usual. Anyway--reading these early romance novels by Ms. Weale, with their references to women's liberation have made me wonder. When did the women's movement start? I thought it was the late 60's at the same time as the sexual revolution. But even the book written in 1960 makes reference to women's equality with men. Oh, rats...I'm going to have to look this up.
Strange, perhaps to some, I have owned 10? or so books by Ms. Weale, some for years which I have never read. I like to think of that as both an example of my ability to delay gratification and as a way of stockpiling reading material against the possibilty of a disaster. Maybe the book industry will go belly-up, for example, and then I'll need all these books I've been hoarding for years and years. It's not as crazy as you might first think, with book readership down, that worst case scenario could happen! The books that I have been reading for the first time, are all early novels, written in the 60's. Reading books from this era has reminded me of the Dell Shannon 'Luis Mendoza' mysteries which are set in the 60's. I might have to start re-reading them next. I love when the book references the cost of things. For example, in a Luis Mendoza mystery--really wealthy widows (they're frequent characters for some reason) make like 600 bucks a MONTH. Whew. That's livin' the high-life, isn't it? I also like it when the books have the characters wearing hats or gloves it such a contrast to our current casual style. I digress, as usual. Anyway--reading these early romance novels by Ms. Weale, with their references to women's liberation have made me wonder. When did the women's movement start? I thought it was the late 60's at the same time as the sexual revolution. But even the book written in 1960 makes reference to women's equality with men. Oh, rats...I'm going to have to look this up.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
University of Illinois Basketball
Happy news, today, although not happy watching since I am living in the Big Ten basketball desert. Illinois beat Northwestern at Northwestern. That may seem like no biggie--Northwestern isn't known as a basketball powerhouse after all, but they can be tough on their home court. Two years ago, I think, they did beat us. It was mortifying but inspired greater effort after. Here are some factoids about Illinois basketball:
• Illinois is the second-winningest team in the nation over the past five-and-a-half seasons. Illinois has won 157 games since the beginning of the 2000-01 season, which trails only Duke (167 wins).
• Bruce Weber is the second-winningest coach in the nation over the past four-and-a-half seasons. Since the beginning of the 2001-02 season, Weber has won 131 games, recording 52 wins in his final two years at Southern Illinois and 79 wins in his first two-and-a-half years at Illinois. He trails Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (132) by one win over this time period.
• Illinois and Duke are the only two schools in the nation to win at least 25 games each of the last five seasons.
• Illinois, Duke and Oklahoma State are the only three teams to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 each of the last two seasons.
In other basketball news, Georgetown beat Duke--thus ending speculation about Duke's potential undefeated season. Take it from me, Duke fans, better now than the last game of the regular season which is what happened to Illinois last year. By then your run is BIG news and the team that takes you down is really obnoxious. Ohio--ick--they reaaalllllyyy enjoyed beating us. Georgetown was over the top happy today, I gather they stormed the court, but it would have been worse later in the season.
Meanwhile, I am interested to note that we played Georgetown earlier this season and beat them by 10. Does this mean Illinois would be a contender against Duke, the monolith? I can't say, but I can dream, can't I?
• Illinois is the second-winningest team in the nation over the past five-and-a-half seasons. Illinois has won 157 games since the beginning of the 2000-01 season, which trails only Duke (167 wins).
• Bruce Weber is the second-winningest coach in the nation over the past four-and-a-half seasons. Since the beginning of the 2001-02 season, Weber has won 131 games, recording 52 wins in his final two years at Southern Illinois and 79 wins in his first two-and-a-half years at Illinois. He trails Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (132) by one win over this time period.
• Illinois and Duke are the only two schools in the nation to win at least 25 games each of the last five seasons.
• Illinois, Duke and Oklahoma State are the only three teams to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 each of the last two seasons.
In other basketball news, Georgetown beat Duke--thus ending speculation about Duke's potential undefeated season. Take it from me, Duke fans, better now than the last game of the regular season which is what happened to Illinois last year. By then your run is BIG news and the team that takes you down is really obnoxious. Ohio--ick--they reaaalllllyyy enjoyed beating us. Georgetown was over the top happy today, I gather they stormed the court, but it would have been worse later in the season.
Meanwhile, I am interested to note that we played Georgetown earlier this season and beat them by 10. Does this mean Illinois would be a contender against Duke, the monolith? I can't say, but I can dream, can't I?
Thoughts on Happiness
The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase;
if you pursue happiness you'll never find it.
C. P. Snow
I think this is very true. Trying to be happy usually involves thinking about yourself a lot. What will make me feel better? I need to give myself something or do something just for me. Actively trying to be happy is the ultimate selfishness, thinking about me-me-me.
I do believe that people are mostly self-absorbed and at any given time their inner dialogue is about their place and comfort in any given situation. So consider that the baseline of the human experience, to think only of self. Now consider this question; how are people who are more highly developed in their humanity or personality (insert whatever word you think fits best here) going to show that they are more highly developed? That they are more than they started out being, that they have raised themselves from the baseline of me-me- me thinking. How is this demonstrated? By their ability to NOT think of themselves only, but by their ability to subsume self and think of 'other'.
So to become involved in something outside of, and perhaps greater than self reveals greater personal development. That something may be another person or people; lover, children, friend, the homeless; or music, art, quilting, blogging...whatever shifts your attention from the me-me-me to the outward.
As a society we make value judgements about the 'other' that people choose. We praise those whose 'other' is charitable or artisitic. We condemn those whose 'other' is trivial. So does blogging make me a better person? I'm taken out of self and into other. But wait, I blog about self. Rats. I'm the trivial...the less developed of my thesis. Maybe I should have taken a philosphy class in college and I wouldn't have written myself into this corner. Dang it. How do I get out of this trap? Well--it started out about happiness, right? So my opinion, when we have the 'other' we have happiness. And that happiness will be ours even if the 'other' is a toy train collection or volunteering in a Habitat for Humanity project. Society will think more of the volunteer, sure, but both will likely be happy. Maybe being happy ought to make us want to share happiness through charitible efforts but that's really taking me further in my post than I intended to go. Here's the big finish:
I do believe that people are mostly self-absorbed and at any given time their inner dialogue is about their place and comfort in any given situation. So consider that the baseline of the human experience, to think only of self. Now consider this question; how are people who are more highly developed in their humanity or personality (insert whatever word you think fits best here) going to show that they are more highly developed? That they are more than they started out being, that they have raised themselves from the baseline of me-me- me thinking. How is this demonstrated? By their ability to NOT think of themselves only, but by their ability to subsume self and think of 'other'.
So to become involved in something outside of, and perhaps greater than self reveals greater personal development. That something may be another person or people; lover, children, friend, the homeless; or music, art, quilting, blogging...whatever shifts your attention from the me-me-me to the outward.
As a society we make value judgements about the 'other' that people choose. We praise those whose 'other' is charitable or artisitic. We condemn those whose 'other' is trivial. So does blogging make me a better person? I'm taken out of self and into other. But wait, I blog about self. Rats. I'm the trivial...the less developed of my thesis. Maybe I should have taken a philosphy class in college and I wouldn't have written myself into this corner. Dang it. How do I get out of this trap? Well--it started out about happiness, right? So my opinion, when we have the 'other' we have happiness. And that happiness will be ours even if the 'other' is a toy train collection or volunteering in a Habitat for Humanity project. Society will think more of the volunteer, sure, but both will likely be happy. Maybe being happy ought to make us want to share happiness through charitible efforts but that's really taking me further in my post than I intended to go. Here's the big finish:
Happiness isn't something you experience;
it's something you remember.
Ocar Levant (1906 - 1972)
This n That
I worked late Thursday and Friday of this week, and now I'm heading off to put in a few more hours. This information is for those who think educators work a shorter day than the rest of the population and never put in overtime. Paperwork, documentation, reports; those are things every professional can never keep up to date on without extra effort, I suspect. After I put a few hours in on lesson plans and averaging scores and documenting service provision, I'll be heading to Target to return my dvd of House. Think I can't return a dvd that's been opened? I'll bet they let me when I show them that my box contains two disk 1's and no disk 2, along side its disk 3. Thus, was ruined my ability to view the House episodes in order. Yes, I could have waited to watch disk 3 until I had exchanged the faulty set for the new hopefully perfect set, but I'm addicted to House and I couldn't wait. I mean it, I couldn't wait.
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