Movies To See This Holiday Season

I had the pleasure this Fall to see some awesome movies with Chelsea. She had an internship with IndieVest that allowed her the opportunity to add me as her +1 on the list for a bunch of special screenings.

We saw...

The Visitor
With a Q&A with Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, and the film's producer, Michael London.

Amazing movie, go see it. I give it an A-, at times a little slow, but has a message and is well done.






Then we saw the new Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman movie, Last Chance Harvey. The two stars were also at the Q&A with the film's writer/director, Joel Hopkins.

Maybe it's because I'm younger than the intended audience for this film (I assume) but I found it to be mostly ooogie. Dustin Hoffman has done far better, as has Emma Thompson. Hoffman was mostly stalkerish through the whole thing...which Emma Thompson's character was supposed to like? I didn't get that.
But sitting through the movie was worth it to see the Q&A, they were both DARLING. Hoffman had little interest in what some of the audience's questions were, but in a funny way, and Emma was so delighted and tickled pink to be there that she was goofy. They did have wisdom to impart on us. I need to find clips of it online so I can remember exactly what it was they said.

Next, we saw Milk. I'm not even going to comment about it here because I've done that already below, scroll down and read that entry.

This past weekend, we did a mad dash to Beverly Hills to see Revolutionary Road starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. See, at first, we went to the wrong theatre...it was definitely not at the Arclight Theatre...but at another one. Whoops. We hopped in the car and made it as the LAST people admitted into the screening. Tight.

The movie itself was AMAZING! So good. Sam Mendes out did himself. The acting was so real, and so truthful. I haven't read the book, but the movie was full of catchy dialogue and pregnant silences. It dables in the realm of unhappiness and questions sanity from minute to minute. My absolute favorite shot in the movie is one with Kate Winslet's character, April sitting at the dining room table centered in the frame, with Leo's character, Frank, standing in the living room behind her shoulder out of focus. He's yelling at her, but she's stonecold.

Kate looks absolutely GORGEOUS in this movie. Absolutely gorgeous.

The Q&A had Kate, Leo, Justin Haythe the screenwriter, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon, and Kathryn Hahn. Kate, Leo, Justin and Michael all seemed like they agreed with the serious nature of the questions and all answered very seriously. Kathy Bates and Kathryn Hahn on the other hand were COMPLETELY out of their element. They both felt out of place, you could see it on their faces, in the posture and in how they answered the questions directed at them. It was weird. All the ladies looked beautiful though.







And now...a movie I know I'll be seeing with my family, or well...my sister and Mom at least...




My sister really wants to see this movie, The Tale of Despereaux. Since we'll be in Canada on Christmas Day...maybe we'll have to take our cousins to see it! I think I remember this book, we read it at Day Camp to the Campers one rainy day. Good book, Great Story! So glad to see it's a movie.

Have you seen the list of people who lent their voices?! Dustin Hoffman, Matthrew Broderick, Emma Watson, Tracy Ullman, Kevin Kline, rounded out by Stanley Tucci and William H. Macy!! YAY!

Awesome...go see it.

Movies are fun, good movies are better.

Romantic Comedies

4:25:13 PM js: I kinda wish my life was a romantic comedy
4:26:10 PM ma: you have the power
4:26:19 PM ma: the guys always have the power in RomComs
4:27:12 PM ma: the girls are helpless oafs that sit around waiting for "Serendipity" to smack them in the face
4:29:00 PM js: damn... that's true isn't it...
4:29:05 PM js: stupid movies
4:30:27 PM ma: hahaha
4:31:04 PM ma: that's the trap about RomComs...is that no matter how independent the chick is in the movie and throughout the movie, her life is never complete, and the movie not over, until they live happily ever after
4:31:48 PM js: There's gotta be some romantic comedy that's flipped those roles around...
4:32:02 PM js: hmm...
4:33:46 PM js: But the thing about romantic comedies is that the guy never actually has to take any risks, its always made obvious to him, either by the girl herself or the plucky (and/or gay) best friend, that the girl loves him. So then its just all about him doing something about it
4:47:06 PM ma: right
4:48:23 PM ma: but the girl doesn't have an active role, it's the guy that must decide she's worth it and must risk everything
4:48:34 PM ma: she doesn't have a decision to make
4:48:36 PM ma: it's made for her
4:49:18 PM js: well, I suppose presumably she made a decision to love the guy?
4:50:59 PM ma: but the suspension of disbelief is that her life without a man is absolutely miserable and unbearable
4:51:20 PM js: True, stupid movies

Milk, it does a body good

Chelsea managed to grab 2 tickets, or well, let’s call it what it is…she allowed me to be her +1 to a screening. So far I’ve ridden Chelsea’s coattails to see “The Visitor”, an amazing movie about illegal immigration and finding oneself in another’s plight. I highly recommend that movie, beautifully done on all accounts.

She also brought me to see Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman in their newest movie “Last Chance Harry”. That movie was…not as great as I would have liked it, but the Q&A after it was the best part of the experience and well worth sitting through the movie for. I’ll post clips of it here once Variety.com decides to edit it and post it all. Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman said some amazing and insightful things about life, love and living life and love. I didn’t have a notebook with me and was too busy snapping 100+ photos of their facial expressions to write any quotes down.

But what I really wanted to write about was the latest movie she brought me to see, “Milk”. This movie is about the political life, and as the screenwriter described it, about a movement surrounding the man that was Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk was a politician and political activist in the late 1970s. Look him up on Wikipedia if you don’t know who he is or what he’s about.

I was anxious throughout this movie. It could have been that the opening shots reveal that Harvey Milk was murdered, shot in cold blood. It could have been the subject matter, gay and lesbian rights that made me uneasy. But I think more than anything, it made me uneasy that this movie didn’t feel like a period piece the way it was intended. It scared me how much of today’s world, today’s hate, bigotry and misunderstanding was paralleled in what was supposed to be the past.

THE PAST!

This movie took place 30 years ago. Thirty years ago a proposition was defeated in California that would have proclaimed that any homosexuals (as determined by who?) would be banned from the public school system of the state. If you even so much as supported any gay cause, it would be grounds for termination.

The protests were a little too familiar; the chants drove home.

Why is it that 30 years ago we were learning the tools for success that were not implemented this time around with Proposition 8?

I hate to be drawing the parallel, so many more people will because it’s SO blatantly obvious. Thank goodness these filmmakers chose to remind us of the past, so we can learn and grow from its example.

This movie might not sit well with everyone. I know that, these filmmakers know that.

Another thing. Chelsea and I discuss it quite often. We’re completely different people living in different worlds, more or less. She’s a black lesbian, and I’m a white straight girl. I don’t know what it’s like to be a lesbian. I won’t know. She won’t know what it’s like to be a straight female. She can pretend, but neither of us really understands the battles we each need to fight. I started to understand, through this movie, that I would never fully understand what it’s like to be a gay man either.

Milk’s relationships in this movie seem shallow, at first. Some grow in depth as time and energy are spent with them. But the ways in which Milk meets and nurtures the relationships with his companions is very different from how I approach relationships in my life. I don’t think that picking up a guy in the subway is a great way to choose a life partner, but I also have to look at the medium. It’s a movie. Let’s make it simple. The end.

Ok…that’s movies. I totally am a TV kid though. Love ya movies, but sometimes you take me deeper than I want to go. I didn’t mind this particular movie taking me so deep though. I think that’s a sign of a great movie, when I can still escape while at the same time bringing some substance into my existence.

Best Photos

So I just got a new camera, and I love it. Here's a few of my favorite photos so far! I just wanted to post some. Yes, this blog has become lame. I'm aware.

A reason to LOVE this season

Have I mentioned that I love a man in a Gap Sweater?

Because I do.

Case and point:

Friends and not-so-friends

I've been doing a lot of thinking.
Maybe it's because I'm headstrong or stubborn, but this is my belief:

I believe that a friendship is not strong until it has survived trials.
I believe a relationship is not strong until it has survived trials.

This is where I find myself. I'm at a crossroads in a number of relationships in my life. There's a choice on both sides of a relationship, I must choose to forgive and forget or to move on without that person in my life.

I think the best relationships in my life, the best friends that I have, the friends I've had the longest have endured these trials and lived through them. That's why these people are my absolute best friends, because we've managed to work through and be there for each other when we most needed it.

I have the best friends in the world. That's something no one can take away from me. I know I have people that would be there for me in a heartbeat if I needed them, because they have been before.

Thank you, you know who you are.

Men!

All I want to say right now is...

LIFE!!

LOVE!!!

MEN!!!

UGH!!!!!!!!

Amy and Maggie take over the Kitchen with Razz-Misu!

At least a month ago...maybe longer...Amy, her friend from San Francisco Aaron and I went on a day trip to Santa Barbara Wineries. We came home with more bottles of wine than we anticipated among them a Raspberry Desert Wine that has an intense flavor. At the tasting, we decided we should get together again to make some Tiramisu with this crazy raspberry port at a later date.

Last night was that later date.

Here's what we came up with:


Layer #1 -- Lady Fingers -- The perfect cake egg cookie

INGREDIENTS

• 4 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 7/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Splash of Vanilla Extract
• Confectioners sugar for dusting
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with wax paper.
   
2. Place egg whites in bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. In another bowl beat egg yolks and remaining sugar. Whip until thick and very pale in color.
3. Sift flour and baking powder together on a sheet of wax paper. Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites and a splash of vanilla extract. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet, spread evenly.
4. Bake 8 minutes. Dust with confectioners sugar. Cool, then cut to desired size.
   

Layer #2 THE SYRUP - Coffee/Raspberry Goodness:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup of raspberry port (we recommend Mosby Sofia Raspberry Dessert Wine)
  
• 1/4 cup very strong brewed coffee

Layer #3: THE FILLING-- The heart!

• 1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
• 1.5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup amaretto
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups heavy cream

Extras...

• 2 (1 ounce) squares dark chocolate, grated (we recommend Hershey's Special Dark)
  
• 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (again, Hershey's does quite nicely) for dusting

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the syrup, stir together sugar, boiling water, coffee and raspberry port until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Wasn't that easy?
   
2. To make the filling, combine mascarpone, confectioners' sugar, amaretto and almond extract in a large bowl. Whisk together until completely smooth, scraping the bottom of the bowl to remove any lumps. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream. Whip with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stop whipping when the mixture shows the first sign of graininess.

ASSEMBLY!
We had all the layers together...so we've got the lady fingers, our syrup, the filling and our extras (chopped up Hershey's Special Dark and Cocoa powder).

Start with a layer of lady fingers, and drizzle syrup over them just to get them moist. Add a thick layer of filling, add your extras as you like them, another layer of lady fingers but this time soak those suckers with the syrup! The last layer is more filling! But top it off to look pretty with your toppings...a little chopped chocolate goes a long way!

We made 4 mini-bread pans of this stuff. To enjoy our first one right away we assembled our first tiramisu and stuck it in the freezer while we cleaned up and finish assembling the rest of our little loafs of goodness.

The strength of the flavors diminishes a bit in the settling/cooling process, so this step is important. Let your tiramisu cool in a fridge or freezer for a period of time to allow everything to mix and party.

And then...
enjoy!

Netflix 1 MONTH free trial codes

So I thought I'd post these here to get it to a wider audience.

Netflix sent me these 4 codes and said that for every one that gets activated, they'll send me a bonus DVD from my queue!

So:

Here's what you do.

1. Go to http://www.netflix.com/tellafriend

2. Then enter one of the following codes:

M476376797585
M426336797935
M416336797595
M456386797945

ENJOY the ONE MONTH (usually it's just 2 weeks) FREE trial of Netflix!

Rock ON!

Paul and I are Racing!

Hmmm...here's the deal. Paul and I are racing! Nike+ style!

Free Hugs Campaign. (music by Sick Puppies.net album out)

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4
I

Sent from my iPhone

2pm bus from NYC to Boston

I just wanted to tell my story in hopes of improving your service.

Today I arrived with plenty of time at the bolt bus stop on 34th st
and 8th ave. When I arrived there seem to be mass confusion as to
where each bus was going when where to go and the like. There was one
bus with its doors closed and with the driver inside there was another
boltbus about a block up there street also seemingly just waiting. No
employees to sort though the crowd or create any semblance of order.
No one knew which bus was for Philadelphia and which bus was for
Boston. Or whether we could stay here and wait or if we were to meet
the bus up the block.
This mass confusion could have been relieved with one bolt bus
employee offering information and direction. Also a clearer sign on
streetlevel would have allowed your customers to make sure they are
getting on the right bus.

The crowd shifted and got impatient when another full bus pulled up.
The driver of that bus was not able to help answer questions and did
not know where the 2pm Boston bus was. Since the Philadelpia bus had
already pulled away we all felt frustrated that not only had the bus
up the street disappeared 20minutes earlier but that our bus was late.

Finally the bus did arrive. Although once we started driving I'm not
exactly sure why the driver chose the route he did. It was riddled
with construction and surface streets like Amsterdam ave and central
park west do not seem like the ideal way of getting out of manhattan.
He was also zig zagging up and down surface streets in a seemingly
futile way of avpiding traffic? After over an hour we were only at 144
th street.

Not to mention this particular driver's ability to use his brakes and
gas pedals too much. This has been the least pleasant bus trip I have
taken inbetween ny and Boston. Mainly because it has made me sick to
my stomach with motion sickness from the stopping and speeding up this
driver is doing.

It seems unnecessary for your drivers to follow other vehicles as
closely as your driver currently is.

Thanks for the wifi though I used it to send this complaint.
-margaret brockmann

Sent from my iPhone

I Blame the Gap Ads

How I love, LOVE a man in a form-fitting sweater. It's a very beautiful thing.

There once was a boy at a concert I went to that sat in the corner of the bar with a keyboard in an argyle sweater and glasses. I couldn't keep my eyes off him. Went up and met him after his band played, super cool dude. Turned me on to the Weakerthans. Guys in sweaters. I'm telling you. SO BEAUTIFUL, SO HANDSOME.
GORGEOUS.

There's just something very innocent and warm about a man wearing a lovely sweater. Well, especially when John Krasinski wears them, and especially in a Gap ad.

So hot. So handsome. I just want to jump onto a couch with a sweatered guy and a fireplace. That would make me so very happy.

It might be the knitter in me that appreciates sweaters and understands the time and energy that does go into making and designing an amazing sweater. But I totally love to see beautiful sweater on a beautiful guy.

Can't get enough.

Let's cuddle is all those Gap ads say.

"Let's cuddle in a cold December afternoon."

Thank you Gap, thank you.

The Rules For Politely Using Wired's Antisocial Gadgets

Wired.com came up with a list of the 5 Anti-Social Gadgets That Should Be Banned. Here's some guidelines worth heeding when you want to pull out one of these 5 gadgets. 

1. Speakerphones - Wired cites the example of someone using this to play music on a train. That in itself is rude. DON'T DO IT.  In any Train situation...don't do it. No one should hear you, period. If you must listen to music, grab some headphones. Speakerphones themselves are useful in situations where you don't have your bluetooth headset, or don't have one at all. Especially useful is this feature if you find yourself in a state that requires headsets while driving, like California, New York or Connecticut. 

Rule of Thumb: Keep it to yourself, unless in an enclosed car.

2. Bluetooth Headsets - Again, something that, I believe, should be reserved for the long commute to work, or when you find yourself driving alone. Not only is it weird when someone looks at you and is on their bluetooth headset, it also says to the general public, "I have no time to give you my full attention because I'm talking to someone else." Even rude to the grocery store cashier. C'mon...give them your full attention.

Rule of Thumb: Save it for the drive home, or drive alone.

3. Customer Ringtones - Customer Ringtones are like the answering machine of the future. Remember when it was fun to leave crazy songs or slogans on your answering machine simply because you wanted to be different? Then your boss calls or a future boss calls? Not so funny anymore to hear 50-Cent cursing before the beep. Same goes for custom ringtones, only with ringtones you're standing right next to the cell phone when it rings BLARING "Sexyback", or "When I Grow Up." While fun and customizable, I say keep it simple stupid. You don't need 50 ringtones to distinguish people's calls, necessarily. Choose one, stick to it, and make it something you won't be embarrassed about if your grandmother were standing next to you when it goes off, or if it went of in a job interview. Don't deny it, you will be judged based on your ringtone choice, so choose wisely.

Rule of Thumb: Keep it simple, stupid.

4. E-Books - I completely agree with Wired on this one. Totally unromantic is the Amazon Kindle. Also, what's to say for eye-strain and fatigue? Real books you can hold in your hand are much much more fun and lead to much more interesting adventures. I bought a couple of copies of one book at a local used bookstore for some co-workers because I had raved about it so much. When I sat down to read the first few pages of one of the copies, I noticed a note on the inside cover. This is another side of the romanticism taking place here. The scroll is no substitute for handling the pages in your hand, or noticing the notes your grandmother or a previous reader made. This is what makes books all the more special. They're treasure chests with worlds inside. Crazy huh? So don't do it, I say! Don't do it!

Rule of Thumb: Save it for the morning paper on the subway and that is IT.

5. Satnav (who calls it that anyways? ) GPS Navigation Systems - I once had a co-worker who got lost while driving between a hotel and the film set with a GPS, iPhone with Google Maps, and a set of paper directions with her. Not only that, she had done that route before. So even with all those aides in hand, she was still lost for 30 minutes. This is an extreme example, but the same holds true with a lot of people. They rely SO much on these GPS systems that they forget where they are! One of the most valuable tools my Mother ever taught me was how to use a map. Don't OVERUSE it. That's the problem. The information is really only valuable when you don't know where you're going. 

Rule of Thumb: Save it for getting to new places.

I would also like to add a new rule: When in social situations DON'T USE YOUR GADGETS!

If you are in a room with more than 2 people, why do you have a need for checking your e-mail on your Blackberry/iPhone/Sidekick? Why do you need to send a text message just to send a text message when you're at a friend's house? Why do you need to IM someone when at the movies? or at a Party? A show? Really?

If you do feel the need to use your gadgets...use them to stimulate conversation, engage the group and overall add to the social situation instead of subtracting from it. Google the actor someone mentioned, or can't remember the name of. Once you find the name, PUT IT AWAY. Send a quick Text Message to someone who's running late, but MAKE IT QUICK. 

If it has little or nothing to do with the scene you are in at the moment, or is not a Life or Death situation...IT CAN WAIT. 

All in all, use your gadgets responsibly and bloggers will have no need for these articles at all. Use common sense and take advantage of the people sitting right in front of you.

Los Angeles vs Chicago vs New York

Los Angeles needs more Runners!!



Help us out, don't let Chicago win!

My Lazy Sunday

My lazy Sunday yesterday consisted of the following:

- Ikea shopping
- Mall shopping
- Movie - Bottle Shock
annnnnd...
- Dollar Used Bookstore Shopping

Shop shop shop is what I say!

The mall was weird yesterday, I don't know what was with it. I went into Victoria's Secret and they have this new bra they're asking everyone to try out. I get it. I fend off one salesperson, "No, no thank you, leave me along with the lacy things." when another approaches me, and asks if I need anything, I told her no, I'm good. She then proceeds to tell me about their new bra, how many women, of all sizes like it and blah blah blah. She then says "Oh yeah! I'm wearing one right now!" and pulls out her bra strap.

Thank you, but no thanks, I say, you probably don't even carry my size. I am blessed, but Victoria's secret is that she doesn't cater to the more endowed ladies of the world. She might try, but it's always a last ditch effort. The salesperson kept going about how lots of women love this bra, it gives them what they need. Now, she's holding one in her hand and I can tell by looking at it that it won't work for me. The thing with the VS bras is that they push everything out and to the middle. This type of thing doesn't work for those of us with larger than a C rack. It doesn't. There's only so much pushing together you can do before they spill out the front and it looks like you've got 6 breasts your hiding under your shirt.

It just doesn't work.

So Victoria's Secret...no, I don't want to try your new bra. Not until you come to realize that not EVERYONE can wear the same bra. Design a different bra for the larger cup sizes and then, maybe, and only maybe, will I try your bras again.

It made me very uncomfortable and defensive for some reason. Once I fended off the saleslady, who was really nice otherwise, I tried to be polite about it, I couldn't stand it. I walked out of the store in a huff. I kind of wanted to cry out right then, "YOU DON"T GET IT, YOU HAVE AN A CUP!! I CAN"T WEAR ANY OL' BRA!! SHUT UP!"

That leads me to the Dollar Bookstore. Love this place. I don't think I've gone in there without walking away with a large armful of books I had to think twice about buying. But, c'mon they are each only a dollar! And books are magical.

When I walked out, I imagined all the characters and joy inside the pages I was buying. I bought a few Young Adult books for my cousin. Some books I thought she should have in her collection. I had been talking about this one book at work, so I bought 2 copies of it for my co-workers. I sat down last night and started to read one and noticed a transcription on the inside of the front cover...this is what it said.

This is one of my favorite books because it reminds me of my feelings when I had just turned 15 and went to live with Janet Mumford and her family in my beloved Laguna Beach for the entire summer of 1968. It was like living a whole lifetime in one summer.

That's all it says. No name, no date, nothing. I loved that. This book found ME. It chose ME. So sorry co-workers, this one's mine copy to keep.

That's the magic of used books. They are well loved. Finding writing or notes within books is a little slice of life, a slice of something beautiful.

I'm going to keep buying used books.

It's only funny because it has SOME amount of truth

Paranoia

paranoia |ˌparəˈnoiə|
noun
a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality.
• suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification : the global paranoia about hackers and viruses.

From a quiz on Tickle.com

You are a Sporty Girl

Which Spice Girl are you? That's easy — Sporty Spice! Fit, energetic, and ready to go for a bike ride or head out for a weekend backpacking trip on a moment's notice, you probably have more old trophies than your brother. Not to mention a closet full of athletic gear that you actually use. Your uniform is a sports bra and running shorts, and guys find you irresistible in sweats with your hair in a ponytail. Men love your tolerance for sporting events and can't believe you're willing to watch a game or two on TV. Spontaneous and open, you're friendly but not intentionally flirty. When you're on someone's team, he can't help but feel like a champ.

Wha? Sporty eh...ooook...not really...but okkk...

Pot Luck Pro??

9, originally uploaded by icmags.

I took a Design quiz here:
http://mydeco.com/imagini/test/

And came out with the Pot Luck Pro distinction...hmmm... Here's what it's supposed to mean:

Your home certainly stands out from your neighbours'! There's nothing average or ordinary about the place, and that's just the way you like it. You have a maverick approach to interior design and decoration, gleaning ideas, inspiration and objects from the unlikeliest of places. Over the years, though, this has synthesised into something unmistakably 'you'. No one dares tell you how to furnish your home: you've got your own set of unique guidelines and that's all that matters.

Living Room

You go for a fusion of styles that express your taste and personality. In the wrong hands, an eclectic approach can end up looking like a living room of leftovers. The great thing is that anything goes (well, almost). The challenge is to seamlessly pull everything together. Build up the elements of the room around key pieces of furniture, and exercise some discipline: lucky dips are all well and good, but what if you end up with the proverbial bad penny? By accessorising the room with broadly retro-style pieces you can help pull the look together without ruining the impact of key pieces of furniture. Bold splashes of colour indicate a confident sense of style, while glamorous prints and patterns are fun and stylish. Make comfort the priority in your living room: it's where you naturally go to watch TV, relax and de-stress.

Bedroom

You're in retro heaven in your bedroom. Sleep is fundamentally important to our well being. In busy towns and cities, noise can often hamper a good night's sleep. Soft furnishings really do absorb sound, and touch is such an important sense in the bedroom, from crisp, linen sheets to wool or even sheepskin underfoot. You show a quirky sense of style in your bedroom, using light, bright colours to create a refreshing retreat that's easy on the eye.

Dining Room

You're a clean slate waiting for a dash of spice. Different meals and types of food lend themselves to different styles of dining. Think about how you live your life and even the sorts of places where you like to eat out, and use these to create a dining area that suits your needs and reflects your personality. When it comes to entertaining, you like to make an effort for family and friends.

Home Office

A little of what you fancy does you good -- even when you're working. Gone are the days when the home PC was the preserve of nerdy geeks. These days, most of us need a home office: a simple table and chair in one corner of the room with adjustable task lighting and adequate filing is all it takes (and may be all the space you can afford). Your innate sense of style will probably lead you to creating a work space that's as individual as the rest of your home. Just bear in mind basic ergonomic principles, especially when choosing a desk and chair.

Conclusion

You revel in the juxtaposition of furnishings and objects that have caught your eye. Who needs rules when you've got great style?

True story.

I agree.

Back to work.

The Best Damn Daily Show ever!

Brian Wiliam + kick ass election coverage promo + opening headlines = kick ass-ness!

JB in the House!

Jonas Brothers Fan I, originally uploaded by odibusmacsimus.

I recently learned how to play "Burning Up" on my guitar.

Sue me.

I like it. ;)


And i have to admit, c'mon how ADORABLE is Nick Jonas? And Joe? AND KEVIN! Makes me want to set them up on dates with my cousins...;)

Be Ira Glass!

Be Ira Glass!, originally uploaded by frank-c.

Our cable offer recently ran it's course, Shannon renegotiated with Charter to get us Showtime for roughly the same price we were paying before our offer ran out.

I've been watching "This American Life" on-demand. LOOOOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this series.

I can't even begin to explain.

I just watched the first 2 from the second season, well episodes 6 and 7 I think. The first episode entitled "Escape" is all about people trying to retreat away from where they are. The second "Two Wars" is the one I loved the most. This one made me smile, laugh, cry, concerned, and also made me want to take a stand.

THAT"S GOOD TELEVISION!

CHEERS IRA, CHEERS!

I have so much I want to blog about!

Oh my goodness...so much to blog about, so little time.

First of all a rant:
I went to the Americana today in Glendale...big outdoor-type mall/theme park celebrating shopping and consumerism. I spent what was probably too much money in H&M there. I pulled out my parking ticket - ya know...the kind that they give you upon entering - and the cashier's response was this: "Oh, we don't validate."
"WHAT?! WHAT do you mean!? I parked here...yes you validate."
"No actually, we don't."
"I parked here in the Americana Parking Lot, you must validate! Your store is IN THE AMERICANA!"
"Well, we don't validate."
Me: *FUMING* "I JUST SPENT BLANK DOLLARS HERE AND YOU CAN"T VALIDATE MY PARKING?!"

SO I walked over to Barnes and Nobles and bought an Iced Tea for $2 and got my parking validated by the Cafe inside the bookstore...which...which...is even a store INSIDE another...and they freakin' Validate?! WTF H&M?!

And then...the cashier at H&M wouldn't accept my American Express Credit Card. ????

I am YELPING that.

So annoying.

Another thing...on a totally and completely different subject...maybe I'll just post another entry for this one because it has a COMPLETELY different tone and subject matter.

Only a few things make you feel more important than this...

From: noreply@twitter.com
Subject: Barack Obama is now following you on Twitter!
Date: July 28, 2008 10:55:12 AM PDT
To: myemail@myemail.commmm


Hi, icmags.

Barack Obama (BarackObama) is now following your updates on Twitter.

Check out Barack Obama's profile here:

http://twitter.com/BarackObama


Best,
Twitter

--
Turn off these emails at: http://twitter.com/account/notifications

Quiz Time!

In the right situation, hellz yeah I'll turn on the water-works!


Um...these are the shoes that DEFINE MY ENTIRE PERSONALITY!?


Don't forget this one...it's vitally important.

I had to share this

and





You have to love that they name-check themselves a million times. The obligatory wet/shower shots...lovely. Running on the beach...c'mon.

Also, probably the original version:

Village People Sex over the phone
Uploaded by scorpiomusic

City of Angels

Los Angeles Skyline, originally uploaded by mnerd.



I like it here. I do.

I have had time to talk to a few friends from High School here and there. By that, I mean I've talked with 2 girls, briefly. I've heard stories of friends that have found partners and gotten married or engaged to be married. I'm all very excited for them. I am.

At the same time I wonder what would have happened if I had stayed in Texas. First of all, it would have been completely out of character for me to stay there. But...if I had...what would have happened?

When I begin to think of it, I cringe. It's just not me.

This makes me happy with the choices and paths I've taken to get where I am today. I am happy with how life has turned out for me so far.

I have a lot more living to do, but I like living here.

So thanks Los Angeles, City of Angels, City of Broken Dreams...you've kept my dream alive, one step at a time.
Thanks.

My Avid Keyboard

iFlickr, originally uploaded by icmags.

Like a kid in a candy store!

They've given me free reign! Why would they do such a thing? They don't know me. They don't know where I've been, what I've done. But none-the-less I have been entrusted with an editing station.

Not ONLY that...but I've also been trusted with an Exterminating Job to String together, otherwise known as putting the story together. HOW FUN!!?

So far so good. I'm having a good time of it. Thank goodness this opportunity came along. I was starting to get bored.

When you know you've got it right...

As a single straight woman, I have learned that the best compliments come from attached Gay Men.

You have to understand that gay men with a boyfriend or partner (we'll call them that if they're more than boyfriends) have nothing to gain by complimenting a single straight girl.

They're not trying to get in your pants, like a straight guy might be.

And, they're not complimenting you to find out how they can get the same shirt, or skirt or to learn your secret, like a straight girl might be.

After the journey to my new haircut was finished, I wasn't totally sure of it. The first girl I went to at the Paul Mitchell School really didn't care at all about the cut she was giving me. She hacked away at it and didn't spend the time to do it right. I'm pretty sure that her scissors were dull too. A C- student if I ever saw one. Once I went home and started to flat-iron my hair...I saw the chunks! The awful chunks she had hacked off of my head. I hated it, and it made me anxious.

I called another salon and went to see a new stylist. Yelp.com as my guide, I went to one in Burbank the next day. Paid good money and got a cut that's better, but that I hadn't completely warmed up to yet.

I hadn't been wearing it comfortably, or all that confidently.

Don't get me wrong, I had gotten compliments on the finished cut. Each one cut away at the insecurity I had about the new cut. Until...

Ron, the partner of one of my co-workers (whom I had never met) said that he really liked it and likened it to Natalie Portman. (again!) ;)

My reaction..."Really?!??!!" *sigh of relief*

On another note...Pat's boyfriend Louis told me I had great eyebrows. ?? Thank you?

Shear Genius 2 - Episode 1

CreditsSG201, originally uploaded by icmags.

Here's the screen shot from the first episode!
Shannon and I kick ass and take names.
Well...this is super cool to be in the credits of a show you watched religiously in its first season.
Super cool.


Sometimes its all worth it in the end.

THAT"S MY NAME!!!

Shear Genius 202, originally uploaded by icmags.

For real ya'll...this is me.

Rockin'!!

How cool is that? There's the proof. I was there. ;)

Lock it up!

Photo-0011.jpg, originally uploaded by icmags.

Lock it up girl. Lock it up.

Shut it down. Shut it down.


Keep it going.

I chatted online with an old old friend from the Film Camp I went to in High School. She more or less came out to me, and although I've had friends that were lesbians, never had any of them talked to me about their relationships.

She did.

Same problems. Same issues, different gender. Relationships are all the same. The best thing she said during our conversations was this:

"i've learnt three things in the past year, when it comes to relationships... be cool when you're in it... break shit when its over... and the world is not just"

I also discovered some fun lost videos of the PAs and Production Crew of Shear Genius. I don't think I'm allowed (by the confidentiality agreement) to post them here...in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm not. Seeing as how I don't want to get sued...maybe I'll just post a few screencaps of people's faces so you can see the faces behind the scenes. Maybe? Eh...still don't want to get sued. The drama!!

There's also a shakedown about to happen at work...after the holiday we'll see what happens!

Self-Conscious

Self-Conscious, originally uploaded by icmags.

I feel very self-conscious and anxious today.



I need to find a center.

Makes Me Smile

SmILe, originally uploaded by BidWiya.

I dare you NOT to smile when you watch this all the way through:


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.


Dare you.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman - Cannes 2008, originally uploaded by Jose Mª Ruiz Garrido.

One of the Night Assistant Editors calls me "Natalie" because he doesn't remember my name, but he thinks I look like Natalie Portman.





I don't argue with him.

Documenting Lives

Shannon and I watched "Capote" this past weekend (thank you netflix!). All we had really heard about the movie was that it was good, and Oscar worthy. So we sat down, and pressed play.

There's something I've been subtly exploring and thinking about that this movie brought out. The difference between a documenter's (whether a journalist or writer, filmmaker, reality tv producer, or photographer) and their subject(s).

It's an odd relationship.

The documenter's goal can be ultimately selfish. He/She wants to complete a project in a demanding medium documenting the life or reaction to life of someone else. Most of the time the goal is not to befriend someone, it is not to get to know them better, or really help them, the goal is simply to document.

Here are my examples:

Reality Shows: In my short career, I've watched a few interviews conducted and I've noticed that Producers are very adept at drawing out the individual while keeping their own lives at arms length from the subject. They don't get too personal. Some use a gushing tactic to pump up the ego of the subject into a false sense of importance, to allow them to say what they were actually thinking because, obviously, it's important to the audience.

The subjects/contestants/reality stars can be skilled character craftsmen. Once comfortable with his interviewer, I watched one subject proclaim, "I have some GREAT one liners for you! Just wait!" before the camera had started rolling.

Positive reinforcement can be a great motivator in this way. If it cracks that candy-coated shell we all walk around with, all the better for the viewing audience and choices for the Story Editors.

It can work the other way around, though I wouldn't use this tactic: negative reinforcement. I've seen other producers (on a completely different show) use this to get some interesting interview responses. One interviewee was pissed off at the producer and gave an almost hilarious interview simply because all of her answers were coming from a place of anger.

Another problem the documenter runs into is being objective. Journalists probably struggle with this the most of all people that document. That's their ultimate goal, objectivity. Filmmakers, like Michael Moore, don't have to worry about that as much, they can pick a side and it seems already know the result of their search before they start. Or...well...already believe whole-heartedly that their hypothesis is correct.

I'd say that's probably true for most of the documentaries I've seen. The hypothesis is generally correct, and even if the evidence might prove otherwise, the filmmakers will manipulate you to feel the same way they do.

"My Kid Could Paint That" was interesting in the way that the filmmaker really couldn't make up his mind. He had no idea what was happening. No clue. The only real conclusion you can make about these people is that it's unsettling what happen and is happening with their daughter, but you feel the torment of the filmmaker. You want to believe the family SO much, but all your better judgment tells you not to.

So herein lies the truth, for me anyways...documenting someone else's life is TOUGH on the documenter. It takes a toll on both parties involved, but at the same time, it's an odd and beautiful connection that two people or a group of people can share and then share with the world.

I think that's the world I want to be in.

Dave Barnes 6/10

Dave Barnes 6/10, originally uploaded by The Roxy Theatre.

Have I mentioned how amazing this show was? Like, really?

When a Heart Breaks: Dave asked the crowd to sing along and like whoa...we were automatically The Dave Barnes Choir.

Thanks Dave. I had a great time. Come back to LA soon. We love you here. ;)

Dave Barnes

Dave Barnes, originally uploaded by lovemusicredo.

Thank you lovemusicredo for your AWESOME photos of this great show! Don't you just love the internet? I love taking photos, but sometimes I just want to enjoy the show and not worry about capturing the moment.

Now I need to see if someone didn't record the sound...I'll link to it if I can find it. ;)

Curtis Peoples

Curtis Peoples
Originally uploaded by lovemusicredo

So, I have a problem. I'll admit it. That's the first step towards recovery. I have this 14-year-old girl inside this 23-year-old body that just screams out of me during shows like this...oh Dave Barnes...you kill me.

This is awful and hilarious at the same time

Hilary mcrae

Curtis was a sweetie And this chick rocks

Curtis peoples

Thats who he is love it