Introducing

It's that time again peeps, time for Dancing With The Stars! And while I know the contestants are judged and eliminated based on personality and popularity and controversy and not in any way (often) related to their dancing ability and the judges make inflammatory statements and fight merely for ratings and the best dancer is not necessarily the one who wins...knowing all of that, I watch the show anyway. Why you ask? For the dancing. The real dancing. Whatever the other reality shows are pushing this one has professionals who show off what the real REAL thing is like. And for that alone I subject myself to Bruno (ick) every single week. Well, that and Tom Bergeron. He's so cute. (He's like the Chairman of Iron Chef, always slightly amused with what he gets paid to do.)
That being said I present the list of stars who will be dancing and their professional partners and my not-at-all professional or even informed opinion of them all.

• I'm predisposed to dislike Melanie Brown simply because she was 'Scary Spice' of The Spice Girls. Further not in her favor there's the whole paternity mess with Eddie Murphy. So yeah, I'm expecting a whole lotta attitude but not a lot of talent. She may surprise me being paired with Maxim Chmerkovskiy. He's a tough guy who can handle the attitude. It may also blow up in our faces with the drama.
• Again, not going into this really liking Sabrina Bryan. As a member of The Cheetah Girls and with bit parts on soap operas I don't have a lot of faith in her fortitude. She seems young and...poof-y. The chick has her own paper doll. C'mon. I don't know her partner Mark Ballas at all, this is his first season, so we shall see if he can handle it. And her.
• Helio Castroneves is a race car driver. Don't know if that means he is in good shape or not. He looks okay from the pictures. He's doesn't stink at his career - he's won the Indy 500 two years in a row. The biggest drawback, at this point, for me, is that his partner is Julianne Hough. I don't like her. I didn't like her last season, I don't expect to like her in this one. She's very stereotypically blond and something seems less than upfront about her.
• Now this is interesting. Rather than bring the athlete, they bring the OWNER of the athletes. Mark Cuban is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks which is a basketball team I see. He's way rich, but he had to work for the money - entrepreneur and all - so that may be in his favor. He's not old either which I find to be favorable because his partner Kym Johnson seems nice and I like her.
• I admit it. When I hear Jennie Garth, I think Beverly Hills 90210. What can I say? I was 14 when it premiered. But she's not only Kelly. She's moved on, done other things, she has a life that's not smeared all over the tabloids. I can like her. Her partner being Derek Hough (Julianne's brother) is an iffy thing. Hopefully he's not as annoying as she is - though considering last season's exhibition number I can't count on it.
• There's a danger with supermodels like Josie Maran. The bad possibility is they can be snobbish and all full of themselves. Very I-can-not-bear-to-look-at-you-because-I-am-better. The good possibility is she could be like Paulina from last season who was very sweet and self depreciating. I'm going to hope for that. And she's dancing with Alec Mazo (fiance of Edyta who we like) who looks like Cillian Murphy who we also like. It's all good.
• Cameron Mathison is a soap opera star...ehn. Can't say I am expecting great stuff from him. But. But, but, but. The man is young and hot - two things that we are happy Edyta's partner is. Also he seems to be a family man - has two kids, by the same woman, who he's married to. In this day and age this is not a small feat. There is potential here.
• Suddenly we are on a boxing kick over at the DWTS office? Not to say I didn't love Laila but these people get all knocked around and it's a miracle they can walk straight when they finally retire. Not a fun career as far as I can tell. However, "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather thinks he's got what it takes. On the upside he's fairly young. He's won a lot too. But if Karina thought Billy Ray was a tough partner...
• Heh. As my sister said, "Isn't Wayne Newton dead yet?" Surprisingly Mr.Las Vegas is only 65. He has been singing there (Las Vegas that is) for 40 years. He seemingly doesn't like to pay his income tax though. Interesting. The fates finally realigned in making his partner Cheryl Burke. She's had three amazing guys in three seasons. It's about time.
• Marie Osmond will be fun I think. I hope. She's in her 40's so I hope she doesn't become the 'vote for the older woman' advocate. Vote if she's a good dancer. That's all I ask. She's not likely a snob though she might be perkier than is comfortable in a competition. We shall see. I'm partially in favor of her because she gets to dance with Jonathan who is oh so cute and has thus far been stuck with chicks who couldn't dance.
• A male model. Huh. Would not have thought they'd be into this sort of thing. Especially Albert Reed. From the looks of his advertisements he's the dark, brooding, not quite stereotypical bad boy because he has a lot of money, but motorcycle riding, too cool for stuff like ballroom dancing kind of guy. Could be good. He's young, really young. Sam better watch her comparisons this time around. Anna's a good teacher though and this boy is good looking and likely to be a favorite with the younger female crowd - who, frankly, are the ones most likely to vote.
• And Jane Seymour. I'm predisposed to like her. Yes, I watched Dr.Quinn, Medicine Woman. Every episode, every season. She's pretty, okay gorgeous - she WAS a Bond girl. She's talented. She's nice. What more can you want from a star? She does look amazing her age, which is higher than you'd think. Working with Tony, who loves ALL his partners equally - he's very fair - will make for a nice pair to look at and also hopefully a well scored pair.

This is me getting ready for Season 5. Woot.

Hoo-ah!

Aaaand we're back.
Onesome: "Over-- the Rainbow" Has someone 'Somewhere' done the song better than Judy Garland did in the movie? ...or does she still 'own' it in your opinion?

• Judy most definitely owns "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." Hands down. The only version that comes close - and the reason I like it is because it doesn't try to BE Judy Garland - is the mix by Israel Kamakawiwo`ole. He does a very original, and sweet, mix with "What A Wonderful World." It surely is the original but it's also not...and that's what's good about it.

Twosome: the-- best all time album in your collection? ...or one you'd like to have? Sure, the Go-Gos count, but hey...

• Hmmm. That probably changes depending on my mood. Love my soundtracks. Wicked would be my favorite based on most number of times listened to. Kristin Chenoweth's As I Am is gorgeous. Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy's title album is my favorite for dancing. There's Awake, Josh Groban's 3rd...oh I don't know. I love them all! I can't choose a "best."

Threesome: Rainbow"?-- As sung by Billy Ray Cyrus? (Yes, on his latest album.) Who has done the best "cover" of a song you like to listen to? You know, better than the original artist...

• Does it count as a cover if the writer wrote it for a group and then sang it himself as well? I heard 'Red Red Wine' first by UB40 and I suppose they are the original artist even though Neil Diamond wrote the song and performed it himself. (Same for 'I'm A Believer' made famous by the Monkees) I tend to like the first version of a song I hear, and think of others as the covers though that's not entirely accurate. Witness 'Ticket To Ride' by The Carpenters and The Beatles. Love The Carpenters, not so much love for the Beatles. But my mom is the total opposite. Can I count Mannheim Steamroller's 'God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen' as a cover? Because I LOVE that song. Way better than any other version of the carol.

This is me needing to listen to more music.

Next Round

As promised we have taken the challenge, bit the bullet, girded our loins (what a weird phrase) and went to see some more movies and now out of the goodness of our hearts we offer our opinions so that you will be guided in your quest to see quality filmage.
**I have got to say - I think the "we" phrasing is silly. The boss says when talking about projects I shouldn't say "I" because "in this business we never do anything alone." Uh-huh. Why shouldn't I say "I" did it when I did all the work, made the copies and the scans, emailed it out and then made the corrections and dealt with the unreasonable client as well? Strange business this architecting. Whatevs.**
So. We saw Stardust which was - as expected - a fairy tale. Cute. For me, the best part was Robert De Niro, hands down. Charlie Cox, a realative newcomer, played the wide eyed and innocent well. He definitely needs the longer hair. I couldn't see him being the love interest when the movie started. Also as mentioned previously Michelle Pfeiffer does a really good bad woman. My only beef would be near the end - why would she tell him like that? Seems VERY sudden and anti-climatic and rushed. Almost like...well he's got to know and there's no dialogue here yet so have her say it then. Otherwise it was good. Not tired or overdone - had some twists to it. Definitely a date movie.
-->Favorite Quote: "we've always known you were a bit of a whoopsie sir..."
From Netflix came Nannie McPhee. I can see how it was trying to be a children's film but I don't know that it suceeded. It was very...Dr. Seuss-ish. Lavish colors, not right angled and very fantastical. Sweet concept though, and Emma Thompson was wonderful. I like Colin Firth usually but he plays a bit of a dodo in this. Again, my issue is with the revelation at the end. Why didn't they ask Dr. Brown first? The audience knows how she feels - why make her say it first? Otherwise, cute. Little weird. Maybe British children's humor? Love, love, LOVE Angela Landsbury. That woman is a-MAZE-ing. Who has played so many roles, so well, for so long? She's been a bombshell, an airhead, a teenager, a loose woman, a witch, a wacko, a queen, an evil genius, an overboard mother, a pirate, a spinster, a sage, a murder mystery sleuth, Mrs. Santa Claus and so many more. She's just fantastic.
-->Favorite Quote: "I did knock..."
Then this last weekend we saw Rush Hour 3 in the theaters. Not sure what we see in the trilogy. The movies are crude, slapstick comedy, unrealistic and silly. And yet so very funny. I expect it's Jackie Chan that makes the difference. When he said "you down with that Snoopy?" my head started hurting from laughing so hard. Maybe it's because Jackie Chan's character isn't TRYING to be funny that it's so funny. I don't know. Chris Tucker's character certainly IS trying to be funny and he almost isn't, though he delivers most of the jokes. He does get to beat up a few more people in this installment.
-->Favorite Quote: "...everybody was kung-fu fighting..."

This is me re-viewing.

Mornings

So apparently when I take my car to the Automotive Shop and ask them to change the oil, find out why the fan stays on after I turn the car off and check it out because it passed 70,000 miles, there were too many words to follow. What I should have said was: MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T BREAK DOWN TWO DAYS LATER. So much easier.
After the oil change etc. on Saturday and all day yesterday it ran just fine but THIS MORNING my car would not start. Well it mostly started, but it couldn't complete the exercise. What's so special about Monday morning? Monday morning when I don't really want to go to work anyway so I'm dragging my feet getting out the door and once I've determined that since I have to go I might as well get going...the car won't start. It's enough to make a girl just call in sick and go back to bed.
Luckily I have Tarzan.
He let me borrow his car so I would not be tremendously late to the office and offered to get it towed to the shop. (Thank you AAA) His school doesn't start until Wednesday and other than defeating all the nations of the world, which he can do on his laptop, he does not have any pressing engagements today. And he sent me an e-card with flowers. Because he's sweet that way.
This is me, a lucky girl with a busted car.

Late, late, late, late, late.

Crappers. I hate being late.
Onesome: Calculators-- and such: are you good with numbers? Do you have a calculator built in? ...or does the presence of a second column demand some help from something electronic?

• Calculators definitely have their uses. There's no way I am figuring out areas of circles in my head and let's not even get into sine and co sine and all that fancy stuff. But when I go to the grocery store I don't need a calculator to figure out how much the 3.5 lb bag of tomatoes is going to cost or if I got the right change back.

Twosome: may not be-- where you left them. Hmmm... What have you misplaced lately? You know: the item you are flat positive you left in one spot but somehow mysteriously migrated to another!

• SO mad. So, so, so mad at myself. Can not find the swimsuit. STILL can not find the swimsuit. I know where I was SURE it was and I know where I thought it was and it's not in either of those places. Grrr. That's huge though. As for small things...I forget where I put my cell phone quite often, or where I laid my book down last. For the most part, when I am sure I put it in a place, it's in that place when I go back.

Threesome: Used-- cars? When you buy, do you buy new? ...or do you go for those with a few thousand miles on them?

• We have bought only one new car in our lives, separate or collective. Shortly after we were married (in 2000) Tarzan's bucket o' bolts 1982 Chevrolet Citation (that isn't even manufactured anymore so it was tres hard to find parts) finally bit the dust. We were so tired of the uncertainty and anxiety we bought a brand new Saturn with the extended warranty and everything. We actually love Saturn. They're a nice company and they make a nice product. The car still runs well and we did buy a second slightly used car as well as we've gotten smarter and more sure of ourselves. We might not buy new again but at the time it was certainly worth it.

This is me late, I am ashamed.

Humor

Got to remember to get milk on the way home from work tonight. Cheerios without milk are not so good.
In case you are having a week like I am, I offer some of my favorite jokes:
*******************************************************************************
A woman walked up to a wrinkled, little old man rocking in a chair on his porch.
"I couldn't help noticing how happy you look," she said. "What's your secret for a long, happy life?"
"I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day," he said. "I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods, and never exercise."
"That's amazing," said the woman, "How old are you?"
"Twenty-six," he said.
*******************************************************************************
Years ago, the Seattle Symphony was doing Beethoven's Ninth under the baton of Milton Katims. At this point, you must understand two things:
1. There's a long segment in this symphony where the bass violins don't have a thing to do. Nothing. Not a single note for page after page;
2. There used to be a tavern called Dez's 400 right across the street from the Seattle Opera House, favored by local musicians.
It was decided that during this performance, after the bass players had played their parts they'd quietly lay down their instruments and leave the stage rather than sit on their stools looking (and feeling) dumb for twenty minutes.Well, once they got backstage, someone suggested that they trot across the street and have a few brews. After they had downed the first couple rounds, one said, "Shouldn't we be getting back? It'd be awfully embarrassing if we were late."Another, presumably the one who suggested this excursion in the first place, replied, "Oh, I anticipated we could use a little more time, so I tied a string around the last pages of the conductor's score. When he gets down to there, Milton's going to have to slow the tempo way down while he waves the baton with one hand and fumbles with the string with the other."
So they had another round and finally returned to the Opera House, a little tipsy by now. However, as they came back on stage, one look at their conductor's face told them they were in serious trouble. Katims was furious!
And why not? After all (get ready, here it comes...)
It was the bottom of the Ninth, the score was tied, and the basses were loaded.
*******************************************************************************
(Some Mormons get a kick out of this, some do not...I do.)
A man dies and meets St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter offers him a tour of heaven which he accepts. They walk down a long white corridor and St. Peter shows the man a door and says,
"This is where the Catholics stay." The man looks inside and sees a lot of people playing harps, reading the Bible and taking communion. Everyone seems happy and peaceful.
"Hmm," thinks the man "that's really nice." They continue down the hall and St. Peter offers him a glimpse through another door.
"This is where the Protestants stay." The man sees people singing, shouting and raising their arms in the air and he thinks this is also okay. After viewing a few more rooms St. Peter whispers that they need to be really quiet here and they tiptoe past a door. Once they're down the hall the man asks St. Peter who was in that room.
"That's where the Mormons are." St. Peter says.
"They think they're the only ones up here."
*******************************************************************************
Thank you, thank you, you've been great - I'm here all week. Try the veal!

Ode to a RHM

Happy Boithday RHM!!!

Editors Note: RHM is neither from Brooklyn nor a Warner Brothers cartoon but it seems...right...somehow that I should wish her Happy Birthday that way.

Perhaps next year we will be up there for the party - perhaps next year it will be a surprise party....ooooh, *making mental note* Perhaps next year I will get the card and present mailed on time for her to actually have ON her birthday. (I make no promises.) So, to let her know that I totally did not forget her special day - even though the card and present are WAY late (This whole YEAR has been late, I tell you, not a single birthday/anniversary card went out on time - I didn't even DO Christmas cards - I haven't left the house for work on time since January - sheesh I'm a slacker)

I present to you an Ode for my best girlfriend.

(We've discussed this before, I have a lot of sisters but no close female friends - except RHM - why she's hung around so long I can only attribute to her sado-masochistic tendencies.)

(An ode usually rhymes doesn't it? Well I stink at poetry so it'll be prose, but Ode sounds fancier than paragraph.)

Some history: RHM and I went to the University of Southern California together. We both graduated in architecture and share fond (and not so fond) memories of Dean Timme, God rest his soul, Dana, Koenig, Dimster, Le Greco and all the rest. We also survived five years with 'our boys.' We love our boys (Fleighund, Smurfy, Qwan and Cogent) don't misunderstand me, but they're...well...boys. Boys just don't get when they're being dorky or nerdy or slovenly. One needs a female comrade to sympathize and commiserate with about the nature of boys. I thanked heaven above for RHM many times during those college years.

RHM is a marvelous person - she doesn't believe me when I tell her, but she is. (For one, she's not late with the birthday card and present mailings.) She's kind, she's smart, she's dedicated. She looks after her younger brother, her mother, her grandparents, the neighborhood animals, my sister who's going to school in her town, me. She does an excellent job with her kids at school. (Unlike myself she was smart and got a job that means something, rather than coddling clients who don't understand what they're asking for. RHM is a special needs teacher at a junior high school.) She's patient and understanding. She strikes the right balance between disciplinarian and social worker AND she deals with the parents too. The kids adore her. The administration adores her. *I* adore her!

She touches people's lives far more than she's aware of and they feel better for having known her.

This is me wishing you a Happy Birthday RHM!! Hope it's a good one.

**Clarification: it's actually been almost um...twelve years (!) with 'our boys.' Five in school and then the seven since then. Crap, I *AM* getting older.

Is it something I read?

Has anyone else experienced the phenomenon where you find a blog you like and decide to start at the beginning of the archives to "get to know" this person better and so you laugh and cry and try not to snort out loud at the office as you grow to love this blogger who you will never meet and then you've finished all the back issues and you can't wait to find out what happens next and even though this person blogged a few times a week in the early years suddenly they stop and only post once a month and you can't figure out what's happened so you go looking for other things to read and find another blog that you like and start the process over only to have this person ALSO cut their posts way down and so you are forced to have an ever increasing number of blogs to follow where they only put up new information once in a blue moon and you consider what made you become involved with this wacked community anyway?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Maybe it's just me...

This is me needing my SUPERCRACK!

Foodstuffs

Today we are asked:
Onesome: Going out-- means what? Deal with this and plan that and...? ...or can you just leave and hit it ... where? Hmmm... Where is "out" for you?

• 'Out' has a multiplicity of levels. There's 'out' to do errands. And 'out' to church or Scouts. And there's 'out' with family. And 'out' with Tarzan. Obviously the last is the most relaxing and enjoyable. The first is most boring and the most common. The others are necessities - sometimes fun, sometimes stressful. Usually we have to schedule time out. Occasionally, like Tuesday, we can be spontaneous. I had a meeting in down south of The Jungle and stopped at his library on the way back for lunch. We went 'out' then.

Twosome: "...to-- the dogs?" Is that just a strange expression? ...or do you 'get' it? What's the most curious expression you've heard or you use and others don't 'get'?

• It's an older expression - I think it refers to the days when animals, dogs particularly, ate leftovers, table scraps, slept in the barn, or out in the weather - so if something was "going to the dogs" it was less-than-acceptable-for-humans. It's used not as much anymore...in this day and age we feed and treat our pets better than we do ourselves in a lot of cases.


• The one I use that others have to think about (or sometimes just ignore) is..."where are we going? and why are we in a hand basket?"

Threesome: Dinner-- bells and chuck wagon triangles: what sound means food to you? Okay, okay, sure, the ice cream truck counts.

• What sound(s) mean food? I don't think I have an aural trigger that means eating should commence. We had a bell in grade school, but it was the same bell that meant recess and dismissal...same for high school. College wasn't an eating kind of time. My mom used to yell "Dinner!" out the back door when we were kids if that counts. Even the ice cream guy had a song (It's A Small World) that meant something other than what he was bringing. Now smells, when the question comes to smell I have a lot of answers for that.

This is me responding to the weekly meme.

Reviews

Sitting in the theater last night, watching the credits roll (that's the rule in The Jungle, one must watch ALL the credits because everyone you know is in some way connected to the movies and you never know when you might see someone's name on the screen - or at least someone with the same name as someone you know - there's a Smurfy listed as a music mixer quite often) and sure enough: the construction coordinator for Hairspray is probably related to me, distantly. Same last name. And ours is not all that common a name - like Smith or Garcia say, so the chances are real good we're second cousins or such. Apparently he's also worked on A LOT of other movies too. (Thanks IMDB) Nice. I have an 'industry' relative. Wonder of he can get me tickets to the Oscars?
There has been some serious film viewing in The Jungle lately. Hairspray, natch, and it was really enjoyable. Tarzan definitely did NOT want to go, so my sister and I went last night, which was Scout night for him. I think he would have enjoyed it though. It is a musical - be forewarned - but it worked. I have never seen the stage production but I did read all the newspaper reviews of the movie so I had heard that it was hard to forget that John Travolta was playing Edna. But the other review was true too; it was okay that you couldn't forget. I mean, for a guy who's riding Harleys in the next theater, John looked mighty fine in pink sequins. OMG Elijah Kelley - such the next Sammy Davis Jr.!! So hot and the boy can dance. Christopher Walken. Such a strange and yet endearing character. Nikki Blonsky was quite right for the role. Self confident, idealistic but innocent enough that the evil-ness of the von Tussles worked. Michelle Pfieffer does a good bad woman. Brittney Snow does well playing a teenager dancing live on TV. (American Dreams anyone?) Amanda Bynes was really funny. I hope her character was supposed to be because it really worked. Totally did not realize until A said something that James Marsden - playing Corney Collins - is also CYCLOPS!! (From X-Men) I know! What a character shift. THAT's why he looked so familiar though. Queen Latifeh probably has issues, a past, troubles, horrible, campy, movies she made while trying to break into the business, but she seems to be a classy lady. I really like her. All in all a great flick. Happy but with a point. Well acted, fun and funny and sweet. So glad I saw it.
-->Favorite Quote: "These knots may...was your mom in the Navy?"
The Prestige came from Netflix last week - and we finally got around to seeing it over the weekend. (Can I just say; David Bowie ends up in the weirdest places.)That is one spooky movie. I don't watch horror movies, too gory and not so much about point, just terror. (Imagine!) But I read a lot of psychological thrillers (James Patterson primarily) and since it starred Hugh Jackman and was about illusionists...(I dated a 'magician' in college and it's cheesy I know, but I love David Copperfield - the man flies, come on that's cool!!) It seemed like a good pick. It certainly was not gory, or violent, but holy cow the games it plays with your mind!! Freak. Even knowing how it ends and reading all the FAQ from IMDB I still marvel at HOW they played the audience. Tarzan thinks it was poorly written but I'm not so sure. It's just very complex and subtle. But that may be the sucess of the movie. I want to see it again and again to figure the freaky little details and foreshadowing out. Wolverine (also X-men) seems like a random pick for Hugh Jackman, his other characters are such wack jobs. Can you say obsessive? Brrrr.
-->Favorite Quote: "Exact science, Mr Angier, is not an exact science."
All I can say about The Bourne Ultimatum is h*** yeah Jason! Well, I can say more. First the bad. The camera effects were loose, very loose. I think it was supposed to emulate perspective of a person in the actual movie but really, it was kinda nauseating. A had to leave for a bit in the middle because she got motion sickness. Not so good. The good was much better. Finally Jason Bourne started to be proactive about it. In the other two movies he was very much confused all the time. "Who am I?" "Who are these dudes trying to kill me now?" A step behind and having to react to stay alive. In this, the third movie (and there's no doubt there will be a fourth), he was more "Oh yeah? Well try and kill me now you turkeys" Interesting to see Pamela Landy as the "good" government this time. The stunts were bigger and the chases more outrageous - got to ratchet the action up - and some of them were pretty implausible. The boy drove a car off a roof. Backwards. And walked away. Dude. Julia Stiles had a larger role and good character development. The end scene was excellent.
-->Favorite Quote: "If you were in your office right now we'd be having this conversation face-to-face."

Still to see: Stardust, Rush Hour 3

This is me, reviewing some summer shows.

ABCs

Thanks RHM!

[A] - AVAILABLE: Depends for what
[B] - BIRTHDAY: October 15
[C]- CONFUSED ABOUT: A LOT of stuff - mostly hypocrites
[D] - DRINK YOU LAST HAD: Water
[E] - EASIEST PERSON TO TALK TO: Tarzan
[F] - FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP/BAND: So if individual performers don't count...Big and Rich or ABBA
[G] - GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS: bears, totally
[H] - HOME TOWN: The Jungle
[I] - INSTRUMENT: X-acto blade
[J] - JUICE: orange
[K] - KISSED TWO PEOPLE IN ONE NIGHT: Almost in the same hour
[L] - LONGEST CAR RIDE: - The Jungle to almost The Frozen North
[M] - MILKSHAKE FLAVOR: Vanilla
[N] - NUMBER OF PETS: six
[O] - ONE WISH: world peace
[P] - PERSON WHO CALLED YOU LAST: Tarzan
[Q] - QUIET OR LOUD: Totally depends on what else I have to do at the time
[R] - REASONS TO SMILE: Tarzan
[S] - SINGLE: Nope
[T] - TIME YOU WOKE UP: 7:05 AM
------> What happened to U?
[V] - VIOLENT: only verbally
[W] - WORST HABIT: picking my nails and cuticles, dropping hair on the floor
[X] - X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD: teeth only
[Y] - YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL(S): cats, but babies of any species
[Z] - ZODIAC SIGN: Libra

This is me wondering, am I doing too many memes and not enough Tarzan and Jane?

My Five

Many people have a list. I'm sure you've heard of these lists. Friends did a whole episode on Ross's list. This list is a list of five living celebrities that their significant other would 'allow' them to sleep with should the situation present itself - because in all likelihood one would NEVER meet these famous persons. Now understand, we live in The Jungle and the possibility is MUCH higher than in other cities, except maybe The Big Apple, that one would chance to meet a star. (Remember I work next door to the place where Edward James Olmos ate breakfast one day in March.) So.
A list of five men Tarzan would allow me to kiss should the situation present itself. (I am a bit of a chicken, so I temper my list with the caveat that I'd probably just kiss them.) My list is not so much the Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt type as the more substance, less glitz kind of hot mens. In no particular order they are:

• Richard Dean Anderson (heellllooo, McGyver)
• Jason Carter (more Babylon 5 and less vampire, though that could be kinky too)
• Hadley Fraser (have you heard the boy?)
• Scott Bakula
• Matthew Perry

I think I have a thing for British accents. Do you have a list? Do you feel like making one now? Share, share, share. I wonder what Tarzan's looks like?

This is me, and my list.

Three In A Row

Here we go...

Onesome: Swimming-- along? Do you swim? Can you swim? Do you like to swim? Do you have a place to swim? I'm drowning in questions here!

• I don't swim a lot. I can not drown but it isn't a strength. Probably should take a class or something. If we are ever blessed with kids I'd want them to learn and it's good exercise. I do love the beach and pools though. We don't have a pool - maybe one day - when I learn to swim...and we get a lot bigger than a postage stamp...and we win the lottery. And there's the whole swimsuit issue...

Twosome: Pool--? ...or billiards? Have you played either one? ...or would you like to learn?

• My gut reaction is: pool! I played a fair amount while at USC. The guy I was dating at the time taught me on an old table in the rec hall at church. (Hee hee, I love that I belong to a church that has pool tables) Oddly enough, considering my choice of profession, I can't always see the best shot on the table BUT if I am told what needs to be done, I can do it nearly every time. The aforementioned guy, the one who taught me to play, and I would clean up when we doubled because he's tell me what to hit and I'd clear the table. I haven't played in a long while though. I would LOVE to own a table. It's in the dream house that exists in my head. I would also love to learn billiards. My sister-who-lives-in-England says it's cool.

Threesome: Pump--ing iron: is that in your reps? ...or does the thought of that style of working out just do you in? Inquiring minds and all that...

• Not so much with the pumping iron. I don't really need to get any broader if you know what I mean - mostly cardio and toning is what I like: aerobics, step, jogging, spinning - and I just like saying yogalates.

This is me - yogalates!

L is for Loser

So.

I shouldn't discuss work issues specifically but let's just say that some people are stupid and some people are really annoying and some people can't wait to retire and some people should have retired ten years ago.

This is such a blah kind of week. The weekend was good, brutally short, but good. Met up with some friends, hung out in The Northern Jungle at the Theater Friday night. Saturday was the usual (what's the short of that? Uge? Ush?). Sunday more of the same, some new people at church, with kids, which is cool.
How are you?
Comment dangnabit peeps! How else do I know what you want to hear from me? Should I mention Brittany Spears or TomKat so I get more hits? Is that a valid blog subject - more visitors? Whatevs. Speaking of, I got my statcounter report this week and I have 17 new visitors this month. Probably people visiting from new computers or something. It's wild what loops a person travels to end up at a blog or website.

1. Someone in New Jersey Googled "Marcus Chait" and ended up here. Interesting. (If I use Google to search blogs for 'Marcus Chait' one of my posts is 6th in the list - cool)
2. And apparently someone in Atlanta, Georgia (rocketgirl?) Googled "Tara Lipinski" and "donut"?!? and came here. Weird.
3. AND, even better, someone in Ann Arbor, Michigan Googled "indecent proposals - child board game" and ended up here...say what now? Wacked dude, just wacked.

This is me not making the connection.

Regular

From here:
Onesome: Writing-- on the web: Do you consider yourself a writer, in that you provide a narrative of some sort? ...or a responder, wherein you primarily work the meme circuit?

• Writer. It's not particularly exciting, unless I'm talking about SJB or HF, but it's my life and I like it.

Twosome: your-- place: did you do your own design? ...or did you pick out something from the established templates?

• It's from the pre-ordained set of blogger templates. One day I'll have the time to make up and try out my own, but for now...it'll do.

Threesome: Blog-- this! What's your favorite type of thing to run across that you just can't wait to get to the computer to post? Photos count, but for the photobloggers (like Laurie and me), what is it that you just know you won't be able to hold on to for even a day?

• Oooh, tough one. I find myself whining a lot here...so I make an effort to post the good stuff too. Pictures I love to post because of my family and friends all over the globe who might like to see. I like to post an interesting meme.

This is me writing regular, like I'm part of a group. Woot!