A Great Way to Unwind...

Music has always been a great way to unwind, but I'd like to specifically recommend the soundtrack to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". The recent Johnny Depp/Tim Burton remake. The soundtrack is by Danny Elfman, and it's so quirky, and the tunes are so catchy, you can't help but "fall into them". It's great for just forgetting the day and loosening your mind...

Oscar Predictions!

Figured I'd make my Oscar predictions since it's only about 3 weeks away (and me, being a procrastinator, would probably make my predicitions a week after the event, if I wasn't going to do it right now.)

Best Picture
Capote

Best Director
Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote

Best Actress
Felicity Huffman, Transamerica

Best Supporting Actor
Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain

Best Supporting Actress
Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener

Original Screenplay
Good Night, and Good Luck, George Clooney & Grant Heslov

Adapted Screenplay
Brokeback Mountain, Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana

Best Animated Feature
Howl's Moving Castle

Best Foreign-Language Film
Tsotsi (South Africa)

Art Direction
Memoirs of a Geisha

Cinematography
Memoirs of a Geisha

Costume Design
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Documentary Feature
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Documentary Short
God Sleeps in Rwanda

Film Editing
Cinderella Man

Makeup
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Original Score
Munich, John Williams

Original Song
"In the Deep" (Crash), music by Kathleen "Bird" York & Michael Becker; lyrics by Kathleen "Bird" York

Animated Short
The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation

Live-Action Short
Ausreisser (The Runaway)

Sound Editing
King Kong

Sound Mixing
War of the Worlds

Visual Effects
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

There you have it, folks. If I'm right on all/most of them, and you placed any wagers based upon my predictions, I require a 10% cut of all the winnings.

If you place any wagers based upon my predictions and lose, well, what's wrong with you?! Listening to me... yeesh. You need to have your head examined...

In case you need a list yourself of all the nominees in all the categories, go Here (E! Online).

Get Ta Know Me!

Reposted (with my own answers, of course) from Shrew's blog.

welcome to the 2006 edition of getting to know your friends (& relatives). what you are supposed to do is copy this entire thing and paste it into a blog entry. change all the answers so they apply to you. youre supposed to send this to a whole bunch of people including the person who sent it to you, but instead, ill post the answers here [ i know, lazy girl that i am! ]. the theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends, if you did not know them already.


here we go....


1. what time did you get up this morning? 2pm. I've been very tired/sick lately (might be my weakened heart)
2. diamonds or pearls? Neither
3. what was the last film you saw at the cinema? Chronicles of Narnia
4. what is your favorite tv show(s): CSI, Family Guy
5. what did you have for breakfast? I had a leftover empanada (the caramel apple ones from Taco Bell. Yeah, I know, bad for me, but since I've hardly eaten all this week...)
6. what is your middle name? James
7. what is your favorite food? cuisine? I'm almost inclined to borrow Shrew's answer. I love sushi (and it's many variations thereof), and I do love Penne Ala Vodka. But traditionally, I'm a sandwhich man :) (one of my faves though, I used to get for lunch when I lived in NH was the steak tips sub, with cheese and wilted lettuce).
8. what foods do you dislike? I don't dislike foods, they dislike me.
9. Do you like to play the skin flute? Yes and no.
10. favorite sandwich? steak tips sub with melted cheese and wilted lettuce :)
11. what characteristics do you despise? dishonesty, self-martyrdom, I don't mind know it alls, as long as they actually do. I dislike the ones who insist despite any and all evidence that they are right and you are wrong. Trollism (if you read usenet/newsgroups, or frequent message boards, you'll know what I mean).
12. favorite item of clothing? probably my one pair of jeans, but that's more because of lack of alternatives.
13. if you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Ireland
14. what color is your bathroom? White I think. Last time we needed to paint it (badly), so we just used the paint we had on hand, which was either white or a slightly grayish white.
15. favorite brand(s) of clothing? I'll say "faded glory" (Kmart brand) because I can usually get tee shirts for 3-5 bucks apiece :Þ
16. where would you retire to? If this is an "anywhere" question, I'd probably say "San Diego", otherwise, just some place that's nice, but not too humid in the summer, but preferably doesn't average 6 feet of snow per winter!
17. favorite time of day? When everybody else goes to bed, and I have the apartment all to myself.
18. where were you born? almost in a toilet (seriously), but luckily mom got to the bedroom in time where my father delivered me on their bed.
19. favorite sport to watch? baseball
20. who do you least expect to send this back? spamspamspamspam :Þ
21. person you expect to send it back first? Just to buck the trend, I'm going to send this to myself first.
22. what laundry detergent do you use? whatever's on sale.
23. coke or pepsi? I like coca cola, but sugar and caffeine are no longer part of my diet.
24. are you a morning person or night owl? night owl without a doubt.
25. What size shoe do you wear? 10 wide
26. do you have pets? 2 cats and a dog that I call my own, but we have another cat in the house as well (belongs to my sister, but he's friendly enough for everybody).
27. any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I was diagnosed with a heart condition. Not that it's "exciting" per se, but it does qualify as "significant".
28. what did you want to be when you were little? an Paleontologist. I loves me some dinosaurs!
29. candy bar? again, can't have 'em, but if I could, Reeses PB Cups, all the way!
30. what is your best childhood memory? I don't know what my "best" is... I have a few that I remember, but not for anything significant...
31. what are the different jobs you have had in your life? worked overnight at a grocery store (technically, I was the cashier, but I did stock, product ordering, basically everything!), Comic book colorist/penciller, Postal Employee.
32. what color underwear are you wearing? black. Whenever I feel bad enough that I think a hospital visit might be in order, I wear dark/colored underwear.
33. nicknames: fungus, or several other derivatives thereof.
34. eye color: olive green
35. who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? Nobody's. I'm not a stalker. Honest I'm not... *hides zoom lens and camera*
36. last person you went to dinner with: My best friend, Pat
37. what are you listening to right now? "The Towering Inferno" on the TV, and my dog barking at me to give her more food.

On a Personal Note...

This is my little kitten, Cleo. I always consider my pets as pretty much, "the closest I'll get to having real children", until I actually have kids myself. That being said, she likes to lay side by side with me, with her head resting on my outstretched arm. When I was a kid, I used to do that with my dad. I find the fact that she does this to be bittersweet. Simultaneously reminding of one of my fonder childhood memories, enjoying the moment as is, and making me think of what possibly may never be. It's one of those past, present, future things I guess...

For All My Friends on Valentine's Day

To share this with others, just copy this link: The Flash File

EDIT: It seems Internet Explorer doesn't like the embedded object linked remotely, so you have to click the link above to view it (it views fine as an actual URL, just not embedded). Sorry for the inconvenience.

EDIT AGAIN: I fixed it. IE and other browsers have no problems with embed tags, but IE doesn't seem to care for object tags. So it's been fixed. Enjoy :)

Finally, a Quiz that gets it right...

I don't usually post these type of blogthing quiz results, but this one was so right on, I just had to share:

Your Musical Tastes Match: Weird Al

What Celebrity Matches Your Taste in Music?

An observation, and the evil that is "Valentine's Day"

I'm sure like all of you, 90% of your inbox is merely spam. Even with the filters in Thunderbird, some of them get through. Well, this one subject line caught my eye today:

"Former President Klinton uses Voagra"

and dang it, the only thing I could do was guffaw and say "well he's using the wrong dang thing, Boseefus!"

Why I did that, I'll never know, but the memory of which still gives me a chuckle (you had to be there).

So what's the deal with Valentine's day? Seriously... I mean, I'm marginally aware of the history of Saint Valentine, but to be honest, shouldn't everyday with your loved one be a mini-love fest? As if this day needs to be "especially special". Why? Because Hallmark said so? Sorry, just ranting. It's actually not a horrible day if you do have a loved one (let's face it, we don't celebrate the loves in our lives often enough, at least let this day force us to remind us of that). I think the thing I despise the most, and it's the same thing I despise about most holidays, is the commericialism. When I did have a sweetie, at the time she was living in NC and I in NY, I called 1800flowers, and had a custom bouquet sent to her. It had a small white teddy bear (I think it had a custom message on the t shirt as well), and a small bouquet that had one dark rose (I'd have prefered purple/blue, but I think red was the darkest they had available) surrounded by half a dozen white roses (that's my 'specialty bouquet', I think it is a fair representative of myself, as presented to my love in flower format), and it cost a small fortune.

I did learn though, that if you wait for the end of the day (or if it's on a sunday, all day is fine), you can usually get flowers cheaper (but forget the delivery) as many places usually overcharge, and find themselves with overstock. Hey, it's still the thought that counts. Isn't it?

I can't comment on the candy, because I always found that the most fascist part of valentines day. We always found toilet paper (usually in the large 12-24 roll pack) to be a more practical gift, as well as saying, "even when you're taking a sh*t, I got your ass covered."

Isn't that what real romance is all about?

Just a Quick Note...

Since I know most of the people who read my blog are women (I'm not being chauvenistic, I just happen to know that most of the people who read this and generally respond are female), I want you all to do me a favor:

If I ever become the subject of one of those "I love you but you don't love me back" type posts (or poems, or whatever), please smack me. Seriously. Even if I didn't even have a clue, feel free to clue me in. I think the only worse thought than not ever experiencing love again, is to find out that there's someone out there who does want to share her love with you, and you (I) were either oblivious, or just didn't care. And if (and honestly, I can't imagine why) there does happen to be such a lady out there, please let me know. At the very least I want to acknowledge it (even if I honestly can't share it, I don't want to be that 'unrequited love'). That being said, I find the prospect of such a being being out there remote and even preposterous at times, but hey, all things are possible, who am I to turn a blind eye? :)


In case you're wondering, I wrote this because there's a couple of blogs I frequent (and many more I've read in passing) that basically deal with this issue (the blogger caring deeply for someone who barely acknowledges her existence), and frankly, it saddens me that such things occur...

Okay, enough sentimentality. Where's my damn beer, woman?!

Three Week - The End

Well, I'm actually cutting it off at day six for several reasons:
1] spending friday in the hospital¹, I missed a day in the cycle.
2] Technically it was a week (from sunday to sunday).
3] Even though I did have a seventh topic (Three School Memories), I honestly can't remember what I had in mind when I chose the topic (aside from a girl borrowing my chocolate milk, so she could fill a condom with it and hit someone with it).

Is it a cop out? Maybe. I don't think so. We got 6 in, and I think the project was interesting. I intend (hopefully) not only do do a "Three Week" every year, but come up with other blog projects (blojects? <- you read it here first!) for my own use, and that of other blogging buddies.

That being said, I'd like to thank everyone who participated (or intend to participate). It's an interesting (but hopefully non-intrusive) way to get to know the people we blog with. And if you see "Three Week" pop up on MySpace, you can blame me ;)

¹speaking of hospital visits, I hear Shrew (the Taming ) spent a few days in one. Hope you're feeling better now dear, if not, get well soon!

Three Week - Day Six

Topic: The first time you "discovered" underwear, list three things that made it a discovery.

The colors, oh the colors!


Up until this time, I thought underwear only came in white. Imagine my joy upon discovering black, navy, olive, burgundy and other colors! Okay, it may not seem like a big deal, but being paranoid as I am, especially since we had to change in the lockerroom in front of other guys, this was a Godsend.




Midway aka Boxer Briefs.


Boxers are too rough/uncomfy (I've never had a pair of knit or silk boxers, so I can't comment on those), and sometimes "tighty whities" tend to ride up too much (and they were much worse in the summer, when we used to play ball almost daily). Then I discovered underwear that was as soft as briefs, but allowed for the same thigh protection (not to mention anti-wedgie protection) as the too-rough boxers. So now when people ask me, "Boxers or Briefs", I tell them, "Both, at the same time."




Lacey Panties.


I've never worn woman's underwear (honest!), but I'm pretty sure that there's no greater underwear discovery in a boys life than woman's underwear! Ironically, I think this contributed to my *trouble* drawing women. I happen to think that all women are beautiful in their own way, but there's just such a natural accentuation of that beauty when a woman is in her underwear. When drawing, I feel so intimidated trying to capture such beauty...

And just so nobody has to scroll down unnecessarily:

My "Three Week" tags:
Reciprocal - Beginnings
Chelle - It's my Escape
Shrew - The Taming
Brenda - Planet Brenda

Three Week - Day Five

You all got a little reprieve, as I spent the day in the hospital.

Topic: List three marketing promotions that you've seen in your lifetime that stick out in your mind.

Herb (Burger King)


This was a mid-80's promo that incorporated a middle aged bald guy who would appear randomly at restaurants around the country, and spotting (and identifying him would win you about a million bucks. Needless to say, I feel sorry for the balding, middle aged man who was apparently not Herb, that I harassed when I was 12, trying to convince him that he was indeed, Herb, while he was trying to enjoy a solitary meal.




Bigfoot "You Ain't Got No Camera" (Cingular)


This one is only a few years old, and I've only seen it twice, but it's just about the funniest commercial I've ever seen. It was used to promote some of the first camera phones. A lone hiker comes across bigfoot in the forest, who then proceeds to mock him with a dance, and the repeated chant noting, "you ain't got no camera!" The hiker then takes out his cell phone and snaps a few shots of bigfoot. Needless to say, he tries to convince the hiker to give up the cell phone.




Godzilla (1998)


Who could escape (especially if you lived in NY or Los Angeles) the gigantic, "His _____ is as big as this ____" posters and billboards? Being the big Godzilla fan that I am, I would drool at each sighting (sadly, for the scrapbook I was making, I never took any photos of these ads). This, coupled with the totally unexpected teaser shown with "Men in Black" (which started the whole "let's show trailers more than a year before the movie opens" trend), I couldn't possibly have been anymore hyped for this movie than I was.

Honorable mention: The "Independence Day", Blow-Up-The-White-House Superbowl commercial that had people talking for weeks (and practically overshadoed the game itself)

And just so nobody has to scroll down unnecessarily:

My "Three Week" tags:
Reciprocal - Beginnings
Chelle - It's my Escape
Shrew - The Taming
Brenda - Planet Brenda

Three Week - Day Four

Topic: Aside from the obvious (watch/wallet, etc), list three items that can be found in your pockets or purse.

Lip Balm


Usually Chapstick, but I'm not above going for the flavorful alternatives. The last three pack I bought had french vanilla, citrus, and almond scents. And no, they weren't lip gloss.




Albuterol Inhaler


I don't actually have asthma, but I am prone to breathing problems (usually due to GERD or anxiety). So it's not as effective against those (I had to use it when I had severe bronchitis), but it still helps sometimes (unless it's GERD).




Old Receipts/Scraps of Paper


and lots of them! Mostly paper, or a card with my last few doctors appointments, etc. I only tend to clean out my jacket pockets when I need to put something in them and there's not enough room.

And just so nobody has to scroll down unnecessarily:

My "Three Week" tags:
Reciprocal - Beginnings
Chelle - It's my Escape
Shrew - The Taming
Brenda - Planet Brenda