Merry Christmas!

Have a great holiday weekend!

Congratulations Bill !

Couldn't let the occasion to go by without a mention:

My brother graduated college yesterday! (woot! woot!)



Graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Music Education from Clarion University, he now has the daunting task of finding a job in this lovely economy of ours. But I am absolutely sure that no matter what, he will touch the lives of whomever his path crosses.

He'll kill me if I get too sentimental on such a public forum, but suffice it to say, he has been and continues to be one of the single most important people in my life - and I am utterly proud not only of his academic accomplishments, but of the outstanding individual he has become.
Warm, witty, honest and just down-right swell. Ask anyone, they'll agree.

Thankfully we were able to witness his big day, considering Mother Nature decided to dump a Nor'Easter in our laps this morning. So thanks be to my Jeep, as well as my careful hubby.

Since I forgot my camera (duh!) I have no pics of him in cap & gown yet. (My future sister-in-law to be has promised me some!) But I will leave you with this one, taken by yours truly way back in the day.



Congrats, Bill !!
And all the best awaits you, I'm sure.
Love ya.

Taking time to realize...

I originally saw this on Facebook and thought it was a rather good year-end kind of post.

So here goes:

1. I've come to realize that my chest-size... Must be very popular because I can never, ever find a bra in my size when I'm shopping for one.

2. I've come to realize that my job... should have been as a librarian

3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving alone... I swear like a truck driver at practically everyone else on the road.

4. I've come to realize that I need... to finish my damn Christmas shopping.

5. I've come to realize that I have lost... all the serious joy that the holiday season is supposed to bring. And just where did it go? I think I dropped it in the Wal Mart parking lot.

6. I've come to realize that I hate it when... It's Sunday night around midnight and I know the weekend is over.

7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk... I cannot tell a lie.

8. I've come to realize that money... is the root of all wealth, not evil.

9. I've come to realize that certain people... make me want to pull out all my hair one strand at a time, and they always will.

10. I've come to realize that I'll always... have my nose in a book.

11. I've come to realize that my sibling(s)... has grown up to be just as sarcastic and cynical as his sister.

12. I've come to realize that my mom... makes some mean Swedish meatballs.

13. I've come to realize that cell phones... seem to be attached to most people like ticks.

14. I've come to realize when I woke up this morning... that I slept in and was going to have to kill myself to be ready on time

15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep... I stayed up way too late trying to get my holiday shopping done online.

16. I've come to realize that right now I am thinking... I'm staying up too late again.

17. I've come to realize that my dad... lives for sports and should have worked in that field in some capacity professionally.

18. I've come to realize that when I get on Facebook... I really want to scream at all the Farmville and similar updates I see. Is everyone on earth doing the Farmville thing?
Note to self: hide updates.

19. I've come to realize that today... was just one day closer to Christmas and one less day I had to get ready.

20. I've come to realize that tonight... was a good night for tv. First Criminal Minds, then Casablanca (with no commercials on TCM) and after that, American Psycho on IFC (again no commercial interruptions)... someone up there likes me.

21. I've come to realize that tomorrow... is our work Christmas party and I'm already thinking about taking on Mr. James Beam as my dance partner.

22. I've come to realize that I really want to... write novels for a living.

23. I've come to realize that life... passes you by if you let it. But I don't.

24. I've come to realize that this weekend... my little brother is graduating college. I am officially OLD.

25. I've realized the best music to listen to when I am upset... Copious amounts of Rob Zombie. Played loud enough to coax the neighbors into calling the cops.

26. I've come to realize that friends... are best when you've had them forever.

27. I've come to realize that this year... is finally over and I'm fairly happy about it.

28. I've come to realize that my ex... is probably in jail on a narcotics charge

29. I've come to realize that maybe I should... try reading something other than a vampire novel in the coming year.

30. I've come to realize that I love... being a part of my horror-blogging community.

31. I've come to realize that I don't understand... why some toilet paper is scented. Why is that necessary? I shudder to think...

34. I've come to realize my past... really doesn't haunt me. Some people always complain that their past haunts them. Not me. My past was just fine and dandy.

35. I've come to realize that parties... make me exceedingly uncomfortable

36. I've come to realize that I'm totally terrified... that I'm not living up to my full potential.

37. I've come to realize that my life... is still my own and I will continue to live it that way.

As the world turns...and no, I don't mean the soap opera.

I haven't posted in awhile, but I've been so busy over at Fascination With Fear lately that it doesn't leave me much time to think anything but horror. Generally, for me that is not a bad thing:)

But as I was perusing the internet this morning I found the following little tidbits, all of which made me guffaw or tsk out loud.

*James Harrison (Steelers linebacker)'s mom is rowdier than her son. Apparently
she kicked the crap out of someone and got arrested.



Perhaps she should join the obviously threadbare offensive line and help protect our tattered and apparently vulnerable QB!!

*Miley Cyrus withdrew her song, The Climb, from Grammy consideration. I'm having a great deal of problems understanding why on earth it was actually being earmarked for a nomination in the first place.

*A 98 year old woman in a nursing home in Massachusetts was indicted on murder charges for strangling her 100 year old roommate. Apparently the centenarian had been "taking over the room".
(You can't make this shit up.)

*The New England Patriots' mascot was arrested in a sex sting.



Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. (But if you're a Steelers fan like myself, it's pretty darn hilarious!)

*Tiger is taking a break from Golf. What happened? Did I miss something? (snark snark!)

*The Duggar family had their 19th child three months early. You know, best wishes to them and everything, but how about you stop having children now? This is like a circus. Are they trying for a football team (offense and defense, apparently!) or what?
Are they Amish?
Stop. Having. Kids.

*What the heck is up with this chick's hair?



Perhaps she is trying out for an 80's hair band?



Aaarrrggh!

*I still have absolutely no desire whatsoever to see 'Avatar'.
Ever.
Never ever.
With cherries on top.

*Al Qaeda apologizes? Read it here, and stare in disbelief and extreme doubt, as I did.
I'm thinkin' no.

CNN's Hero of the Year (2009) was pickpocketed in Manila.
What a world, what a world....

Quote of the week...

"I'd love to get married again. I have to find a really rich woman so I can stay home and read books all day."
~ Alec Baldwin

Happy Turkey Day!

EAT AND BE MERRY....

(for tommorrow is Black Friday...and you might not make it out alive...)

I need your vote!

Here's the deal:

Most of you know I also am the writer/editor of a horror-themed blog: Fascination With Fear.

Well this last year has brought me some actual recognition within the horror blogger community.
Earlier in the year I was invited to join The League of Tana Tea Drinkers (LOTT D for short)- which is a group of both amateur and professional writers who host horror blogs. There are around forty of us now I think, and the group is a real hodge-podge of horror-based opinions, reviews, news, complaints, rants and loves.

One of those bloggers has what is arguably the best blog in horror these days, at least in my humble opinion. Brian Solomon of The Vault of Horror. I've gotten to know him through the group and on the always popular Facebook, and he's witty, smart, and always on top of the very best the horror genre has to offer.

Brian is hosting the "Ms. Horror Blogosphere 2009" competition, and has been kind enough to include me in the nominations. So I need everyone who reads this blog to head over to Brian's site and give me a vote, please. Even if you hate horror, just vote cause you love me!!

I don't expect to win (and I pretty much know who will..but I'm not telling!) - but I don't want to make too poor a showing! So head over there and vote for me, and if you have even a passing interest in horror, reading both the entries and the blogs of the nominated bloggers is entertaining! Everyone had to answer a list of questions - such as why we got into horror, blogging, and what our thoughts on the genre are comprised of.

So I'd appreciate a little love here, folks.

Thanks in advance!

Quote of the week...

"They seem to drag me out at Christmastime. I'm kind of like a snowplow."

-Jim Carrey, on being in holiday movies

This just in...

YES!!!

First star to take the "honor" twice in one decade... and only the third celebrity to do it twice (Brad Pitt and George Clooney being the other two)....
All I can say is -

Yum...




Yum...




Yum...

Randomness...

*All this worrying about 2012 - is it really necessary? Maybe the Mayans just ran out of stone or bark paper to write on, okay? And even so - if it does happen to be true, there wouldn't be anything we can do about it. Bruce Willis is not gonna save the day on this Armageddon.

*I totally miss True Blood. My sundays haven't been the same since the season ended.

*I still see my high school mega-crush every morning at the post office. Imagine that. And while 25 years ago my heart would have fluttered if he even looked my way, he now always speaks to me - but it's just so routine and small-town that I don't even think about it. Or care. Even though he still looks pretty damn good. Not as good as my honey though;)

*Who is this Lady Gaga anyway?

*If I was choosing a last meal, it could quite possibly be an entire Chef Boyardee pizza and a bowl of strawberry ice cream with hot fudge on top. Washed down with Mountain Dew, naturally.

*I pre-ordered the new Stephen King book (Under the Dome) a month ago on Amazon cause there was some sort of price war going on between them and Wal Mart. The pre-order price was only 9 dollars. NINE BUCKS for a new hardback. It came the other day, and may I say I doubt I've ever had a bigger bargain in my lifetime. The book is 1074 pages long. I don't have a calculator in front of me, but that seems like less than a penny a page to me.
Oh, and sorry folks - it's now $17.50 both places - you snooze you lose.

*Why do people complain about getting lime jello at the hospital? I like lime jello, dammit.

*I've read over 70 books this year (I've kept a list, so I'm sure... and that's three times as many as last year, at least) - and 99% of them are paranormals/horror/fantasy. I'm a freaky kind of girl.

*Oprah should not have exploited that poor woman who was attacked by the chimpanzee. I will not post a link so you can see her face. Look it up yourself if you are that sick. I saw it accidentally and wish I wouldn't have.

*I'd like to have our first big snow before Thanksgiving. So sue me.

*Why aren't there cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Scooby Doo anymore? If there were, perhaps I'd still watch.

*I hate the little forks in my silverware set. Those ones you're supposed to use for salads or whatever - they seem, at first, like a regular fork - but the handle is like, two inches shorter and I feel like one of the Munchkins when I accidentally get one. Contrary to this, my husband feels it necessary to use them. I wash them, annoyingly, and hide them in the very back of the silverware drawer, but somehow they seem to find their way back in with the regular ones. Seemingly a trivial complaint, but I gotta say - I'm thisclose to pitching them all out!

*If I were a flavor of ice cream, I'd be rocky road. Do I really need to explain?

*Why does it seem like the Steelers fall apart without Troy Polamalu in the lineup?

*I told myself I wasn't going to watch a new tv show this year (with the exception of The Vampire Diaries - that was a given) ... but I went against my better judgement and started watching Eastwick. It turned out to be a quirky, fun, light-hearted show that I didn't want to miss. Hence, it was cancelled. I friggin' hate ABC. They did the same thing two years ago after they hooked me on Men In Trees. I am therefore boycotting ABC. I will not watch LOST this winter until it comes out on Netflix. Screw you ABC.(Sorry, I'm exceedingly bitter on this one).

*Frosted Mini-Wheats needs to make a peanut butter flavored variety. And a cheese one that you could just snack on, not coat with milk of course.

*Is anyone as sick of Taylor Swift as I am? I mean, I'm happy for anyone who can make a ton of moola at such a young age...but let's face it, folks - the youngster can't really sing all that well. Simon would have kicked her ass to the curb in the first round on Idol.

*I love my DVR. What did I ever do without it? I get to watch so much History Channel these days that I could almost teach a class on the Ancients and/or Jack the Ripper.

*Speaking of Ancient times.... NO, I still do not have a cell phone.

*Can we just possibly wait till after Thanksgiving to start the inevitable decline into Christmas madness? Please....just once? And can we NOT turn on our outdoor Christmas lights yet either? UGH.

*Does James Cameron's new movie 'Avatar' look really strange to anyone else but me? I think that is a major SKIP for me. Matter of fact, I doubt I'll even add it to my Netflix queue.

*Black Sharpie markers give me a faux high. And I don't like it.

And lastly: Ten things I am unbelievably tired of (besides Taylor Swift):

1) "Balloon Boy" & family
2) The health insurance fiasco
3) Jon and Kate & the great debate
4) Scientology
5) Brad/Angelina/Jen (let it go, people!)
6) H1N1 (please SHUT UP about it, ok?
7) Commercials for male-member enhancing products, lawyers who can get money for YOU, violent video games, and car insurance
8) The New England Patriots and their weasel of a coach
9) Sarah Palin and her damn book
10) The Kardashians. Why should anyone care about these people? Just cause Daddy (RIP) was O.J. Simpson's lawyer and BFF? That alone should be reason not to care. How bizarre.

Quote of the week...

"[God] gave her the talent. But he hit her with a f--king ugly stick."

-Sharon Osbourne ~On Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle

Thank you.

HAPPY VETERANS' DAY.....

You gotta Zenyatta!

It was all Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday at Santa Anita Racetrack for the 26th running of the World Thoroughbred Championships.

photo : NY Times

And it was the first time a filly has ever won the Classic.

Also a compelling fact: Zenyatta has never lost a race. She is 14 for 14, undefeated and more than likely on her way to retirement and no doubt the leading contender for Horse of the Year honors.

In the post parade, Zenyatta reacted to the thousands of "Girl Power" signs in the crowd and did her typical expected prancing thing. She has this crazy little prancing thing she does all the time. She walks around, strutting her stuff - looking like a Tennessee Walking Horse. She paws at the ground constantly with her right foot. Perhaps she is counting out her numerous wins for the crowd, I don't know. But it is hilarious to watch. She is very full of herself. Maybe she knows that at over 17+ hands high, she towers over the rest of the competition. In comparison, Secretariat was only 16+ hands high. She's big, folks.

The race had a forboding start when Quality Road (#12) had absolutely NO desire to load in the gate. He jumped, he bucked, he kicked... the jockey dismounted....he was backed out, put back in for more combative protesting...he was blindfolded to no avail....then he was taken out through the front when it was clear there was no way he was standing in that gate come hell or high water. He bumped the gate in several places, was checked out by a vet, and ultimately scratched to become the first horse in the history of the race to scratch at the post.
Whoa.

So all this time, the other twelve horses were hanging in the gate.... so, as is customary, they backed every horse out again, reloaded, and then they were finally off.

Zenyatta didn't really break too well, starting off on the left foot instead of the usual right. But her jockey (Hall-of-famer Mike Smith) settled her down off the pace and they sat back in last place for quite some time till she finally got down to business, flying up on the outside to pick horses off one by one.

And these were quality horses - the best from the year in racing. Including Mine That Bird (the Kentucky Derby 50-1 longshot winner), Summer Bird (Mine That Bird's half-brother and the winner of the Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup), Gio Ponti (the leading American turf horse this year), Colonel John (winner of the '08 Travers and Santa Anita Derby) and Einstein (7 year old multiple grade 1 winner and the richest horse in the race)...as well as some leading contenders from Europe.

The only glaring omission from the race was the great 3 year old filly, Rachel Alexandra.

Rach.

Her owners opted not to race her because they don't like the Pro-Ride (synthetic) surface.

Rachel has been a tour de force in her own right this year, winning the Preakness Stakes, the Kentucky Oaks, the Haskell Stakes, and the Woodward against older males).

Zenyatta is by Street Cry out of a Vertigineux mare. Her owners named her after the early 80's record by The Police, Zenyatta Mondatta. I remember this album and always thought it was the stupidest damn name for a record ever. Sounds pretty good for a horse though, right?

FYI - Owner Jerry Moss is the co-founder of A&M Records - the record label of countless famous acts, including The Police. Imagine that. He also owned the 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, who was named after Sting's son.

owner Jerry Moss, jockey Mike Smith, Ann Moss, and trainer John Shirreffs.

In all reality, it should be a two horse race in the Horse of the Year honors.

To some, Zenyatta has not proven herself simply because she has not run out of the state of California and has only raced on synthetics. Whereas Rachel has run on 8 different tracks in 6 different stakes, against both the girls and the boys (including a race against older males), and on synthetic as well as traditional dirt tracks. She has also set many stakes records - including 3 fastest times and two largest winning margins.

That being said...

Rachel has lost - 3 times. But she only landed off the board once though. And we must consider she is only three and has raced 14 times. (Rachel started racing at age 2).

Zenyatta is 5 years old but did not race until she was 3.
She has won all 14 of her races. It is most likely that she raced her last race today, and will be retired. I mean, what else does she have to conquer? She won the premier race for fillies and mares last year by winning the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic, so they upped the ante this year and ran against the boys. A fine thing to do for all us crazy horseracing fans.

So what about Horse of the Year honors?

Case in point - any horse that wins every start is a freak. It just doesn't happen, especially in this day and age, and not in such considerably impressive fashion. Zenyatta has an astounding turn of foot, and crushes her rivals in such a profound manner that watching her race becomes almost a religious experience.

Rachel is pretty much equally as awe-inspiring, and if I'd tell you I wasn't taken aback at her formidable wins this year I'd be lying. When she won the Preakness Stakes I was practically screaming my lungs out in glee.

But Rachel didn't come to the Breeders' Cup. And I like an analogy I read in the Daily Racing Form today, which basically stated - "If you won the AFC Championship game you wouldn't not go to the Superbowl cause you didn't like the field where it was being played." Touché.

I have to concur.

To not have brought Rachel to California for the Championships was perhaps a tactical move by Jess Jackson (owner) in part. My feeling is that if any other horse besides Zenyatta (with the possible exception of Summer Bird) had won the Classic, surely Horse of the Year would be in the bag for Rachel Alexandra. For seriously... if a horse such as Awesome Gem or Girolamo would have won, they really would have no case for H.O.T.Y.

Just a thought.

So Jackson says she's done for the year, and that they'll be no showdown between the filly powerhouses - which is indeed what any racing fan worth their salt wanted to see.

The excuse about the synthetics is just that. An excuse. She already won a race over a synthetic track at Keeneland last year.

I do think Rachel needed a rest after her vigorous campaign this year, but I still believe she absolutely should have made every effort to get to the Breeders' Cup for that race against Zenyatta. Hey, if you've got it, bring it!

When interviewed by the press, Zenyatta's owner said he felt it important to be there, not just for the race itself, but for the horse because "she deserved it" and for the fans, because they've shown her so much love (obsession) in her career.

So, how should one vote if one were to consider HOTY accolades?

If it were me, I'd go with Zenyatta.

As impressive as Rachel was all year (and I was totally leaning her way until I found out she wasn't coming to Santa Anita), Zenyatta put it all together where it counted the most.

After all, these are the World Championships, people.

To me, you gotta be in it to win it.

Fab filly Zenyatta is the only horse to have won two different Breeders' Cup races in two different years.

Another tiny factor for me would be that Zenyatta will no doubt retire now, and Jess Jackson has already said Rachel will race next year (and a big thank you to him for his stellar sportsmanship in that area - he also raced Curlin as a 4 y/o and wouldn't have had to...).

Give it to the Big Z!

photo of The Big Z: Sarah K. Andrew

Lassie speaks up...

Have a good one!

Wednesday humor.

Ha!

Shopping with sarcasm

Things I observed on thursday when I went shopping and to the movies.
Sorry in advance, but ranting is my job.




*There are still some people out there that don't realize the left lane is the passing lane. They just put their car on cruise and hang out in the left lane the entire time. Twice thursday I actually passed people while I was in the right lane.

*On Route 28 South to Pittsburgh, there were four - count 'em, four - places where there were "End Road Construction" signs only to be followed in less than five seconds by another "Begin Road Construction" sign. Please tell me why they don't just place a sign that says "Eternal Road Construction" at the entrance to the South 28 exit. And keep in mind I only went as far as Tarentum, so there are no doubt four more signs (or more) on the remaining 12 miles into the city itself.

*Would it be entirely rude to outright slug those lotion hockers at those kiosks throughout the mall? No! You cannot ask me a f**king question. My hands are smoother than a baby's ass already so leave me alone. Damn!

*I witnessed a Middle Eastern woman (in traditional Indian/Muslim garb) buying a book about John Adams at Borders. She spoke with a horrific accent I could barely understand, so I don't think she was actually an American. I don't know why but I thought that was weird. She also bought a lined tablet. Taking notes, perhaps?

*It took two salespeople and one manager to make my Borders coupons go through at the cash register. And the coupons were sent to me directly through the Borders website cause I have a Borders Rewards card. Should I say DUH here or just chalk it up to casual stupidity and incompetence?

*It should come as no surprise to anyone that there are a lot of books about vampires right now. You can't swing a cat in Borders without coming in contact with reading material about the famous fanged folks. (Not that I mind, but wow - what a trend!)

*Did you know Bob Dylan has a Christmas CD out? I'm serious. You just can't make that stuff up.

*Marble Slab Creamery was closed on thursday due to some kind of machinery malfunction. Hope no one lost a hand in the ice cream maker. 'No, that's free raspberry swirl. Everyone gets some, it's today's special!"

*I'm always amazed at the people you'll find at the theater on a random thursday afternoon. The assortment included three teenaged boys (it was 12:45 pm - did they not have school?), an elderly gentleman carrying TWO containers of popcorn and a small drink, a middle aged couple dressed in winter coats (it was 70 degrees out), a 30-ish woman pushing a rather large old woman in a wheelchair, a college aged couple, a guy with a Hulk Hogan mustache, and yours truly. Frankly, an eccentric arrangement of strangers sitting down together to watch Paranormal Activity.

*Speaking of Paranormal Activity, the tag line on the poster says: "Don't see it alone!"
Whoops.
No one reprimanded me (or the other two loners) at the ticket window for coming alone. And I was still allowed to go in. AND, I lived. (Though the nausea I incurred due to the hand-held camera effects throughout the film had me about wretching in the aisles and popping Dramamine - thank god I had some in my purse! - about mid-way through.)
Demons and Nausea - what a combo!

*Upcoming movies that look worth it: The vampire film 'Daybreakers' (the return of scary vamps!)... 'The Road' (Viggo, Viggo, Viggo!) ... 'Disney's A Christmas Carol' (with Jim Carrey in the title role) ... and 'Sherlock Holmes' (I'm lovin' Robert Downey Jr. as the famed detective!). Soooo not worth it: 'Ninja Assassin' and non-movie 'Steven Seagal: Lawman!' (a new tv show coming to A & E this year..... didn't A & E used to stand for Arts and Entertainment?) I mean, WTF?

*I've decided there are no stores in Pittsburgh Mills that I enjoy going into except Borders. I've actually been known to go down there and not go into any stores except that one. I think I've just basically decided that I no longer like shopping.
Except for books.

*As unbelievable as it sounds, I actually heard 'Silver Bells' emanating from the Bon Worth (or Worthless, I rather think) store. Christmas cards are on sale at Borders. The Hickory Farms sign is up at their little piece of Xmas-time mall real estate. All the Xmas scents are out and packaged up all pretty-like at Bath and Body Works. And the Christmas trees are in the windows at American Eagle.
Can we really not wait until after Halloween? Is it possible to wait at least until The Spirit of Halloween store is closed for the season?
PUKE.

*Wal Mart is an ever-lovin' nightmare. Ah, but you knew that, right?
Between the dude that stole the Granny Smith apple I was just about to take to the cart that was resting ever so elegantly against my Jeep when I came back out to the parking lot... that place is a chamber of horrors. I just wish I was loaded so I didn't have to shop there.
Then again, I did just blow $200 on groceries and cat litter!

*There was a guy in the liquor store pushing a cart of alcohol down the aisles. A cart! A quick look from me at his purchases and I noticed he had all the makings of a very good party. Or a helluva hangover. I guess I never realized they had freakin' carts in the State Stores. Wow. I'll keep that in mind for when I buy my vat of wine at the holidays.

*The ride home had me listening to my CD purchase from Borders. And no, it wasn't Bob Dylan.
I have since decided I like the soundtrack to Twilight better than the just released New Moon. But then again, I've listened to the Twilight one about 4,756 times. And just once for New Moon. I am, however, really liking the Muse tune: 'I Belong To You' - very catchy! And the tune by Alexandre Desplat (who is obviously scoring the film) called 'The Meadow' is absolutely gorgeous. More of what I expected from Twilight's score but didn't get. If the rest of the score album is like this, it will be my fave score of the year.


*When I got home, I had to drag fifteen Wal-Mart bags and a ten pound container of cat litter inside. I think that's the part I hate the most. All those damn plastic bags. Each one with like, three items inside.


Okay, rant over.

Stirring up a storm of controversy...

I just heard something really weird.
The Weather Channel is going to start showing movies.

The. Weather. Channel.

Yep, you heard correctly.

Apparently this is going to be their new big thing for Friday nights at 8pm.

I read the lineup of some of the upcoming flicks: March of the Penguins. (Huh?) Deep Blue Sea. (Really?) Misery.

Yes, I said Misery. The Stephen King - Kathy Bates - James Caan fright fest. Hmm. I guess there is a snowstorm in the beginning. But wow, hope the kids aren't tuning in to check the weather for trick-or-treating when Annie Wilkes is slamming Paul's foot with a sledgehammer.

And what will happen to "Weather on the Eights"? Will this be their idea of commercials?

I did hear of one rather appropriate movie - The Perfect Storm. Okay, I get that one.

But Deep Blue Sea? That is essentially a horror movie. Sam Jackson gets eaten by a shark in the first hour, folks. But hey, there is an ocean in it. And frozen ice for March of the Penguins.

May I suggest more appropriate weather material?

How about Twister for God's sake? (Then we could all wonder if it was live or Memorex!)

Dante's Peak? The Day After Tommorrow? Hard Rain? Volcano? Firestorm? Wind Chill? Earthquake!

And if we're stretching? The Fog. The Mist. The Storm of the Century. Groundhog day? The Weather Man? Alive? (The dudes in the plane crash who had to resort to cannibalism...yeah, it would have helped tenfold if they hadn't have been stuck in the freakin' snow-covered Andes!)

How about Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. Naaah, too new.

Or try these other ones for the kids: Eight Below. Cool Runnings. Snow Day. Alaska. Arctic Tale....
Hey! The Wizard of Oz had a great tornado.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - a superior maelstrom if I've ever seen one.

You like romance? Hell, Nights in Rodanthe had a hurricane. Lots of rain during the best part of The Notebook, girls. A couple got struck by lightning in Sweet Home Alabama for God's sake. Now that's something you don't see every day, am I right? And I think it snowed somewhere during the course of When Harry Met Sally.

Some of the aforementioned movies above are horror. In addition to those, it rained throughout a greater portion of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, didn't it? Bad weather impairs ALOT of people in horror. It was raining to beat the band when most of the counselors in Friday the 13th got killed. Ditto that for the end of Poltergeist. All those dead bodies in the mud.
Lotta rain in Psycho, too. Poor Marion never would have went off the road to the Bates Motel if it hadn't have been raining cats and dogs.

That family in The Hills Have Eyes would have faired so much better if they hadn't have been stuck in the desert heat. Oooo, and I almost forgot the mega snowstorm in The Shining. And The Thing. And 30 Days of Night. And The Last Winter. Do we include Jaws and Open Water because of the ocean? The sci-fi flick Sunshine? I mean hey, the earth was going to crash into the sun, people. Big news.

On that note, I used to know what the weather channel did last summer.

They told you the everlovin' forecast, that's what they did.

And if these movies aren't going to star Jim Cantore and Mike Bettes - I simply don't want to see them.

A random footnote: Sadly, I think I own quite a few of those movies listed above.

I'm so pathetic.

Lambert + Mega Movie + big hit x2

Just heard the 'to-be-released' song by Adam Lambert for the upcoming disaster flick 2012.
Sounds like it has the potential to be one of those "Man, am I really sick of that song" songs.
But so far, I like it.
And the movie looks tempting as well.
Check it out:



Clip courtesy : www.ew.com

Just a Saturday laugh

For all you romance novel devotees:



Bwaahahaha!

I found a bunch of these, so this is perhaps first in a series...

Recommended read...

First off, let me start by saying I'm not easily impressed by Hollywood stars (or any kind of "star" to be honest). Sure, I like the work of alot of actors/actresses, and just like everyone else, I follow along with their movies and all the unfortunate quips about their personal lives. After all, it's plastered all over the magazines at the checkouts, on the internet like a virus, and even on the National news when they think it merits attention.

But I'm not one to have a strong emotional response of any kind by a certain actor. (Well, except in the case of Johnny Depp, but I think you all are well aware of that addiction - and the emotional response for that matter!)

Fame is fleeting, and most actors (and by that I mean actresses as well) are utterly ridiculous. Complaining about their pay when they make hundreds of thousands - and even millions - of dollars for their work. (Hello? You're entertainment. You're not curing cancer or finding the remedy to rid the world of pollution.) Buying a purse for four thousand dollars or staying in ten-thousand-dollar-a-night hotel suites when most people could live off what actors spend on milk bones for their dog each year!
Let alone the promiscuity that begets the entire Hollywood scene. Seems someone's marriage is breaking up due to someone else's infidelity on a daily basis. Ugh.
My admiration is short-lived for people like that.

However, a select cluster of actors does have my respect. Such as Paul Newman (married over fifty years? Unheard of), Tom Hanks (long marriage, fantastic career choices on most counts), Johnny Depp (though quite a hellion in his younger years I have to admire his eccentric personality and devotion to only making the films he wants to), Clint Eastwood (well...it's CLINT, people.), and Leonardo Dicaprio (who, for a relatively young actor he hasn't had any of the tabloid crap and is a fantastic actor). As far as actresses, I'd go with Meryl Streep (for obvious reasons), Kate Winslet (superb choices, stellar acting), and Reese Witherspoon (who despite a rather public divorce still seems to be a genuinely decent person).
I'm sure there are others.

But to bring this long preamble to a close, what I'm trying to say is that alot of people in Hollywood (and by that I am speaking of NYC and everywhere else) are fickle, money-hungry, fame-seeking, embarrassingly unstable individuals.

So when I find someone whose acting I enjoy and whose personal choices I respect, I'm jazzed.

I've always liked Patrick Swayze. Loved his movies and had great respect for his long marriage (lengthy by even regular standards, not to mention Hollywood).
Not long ago on this very blog I waxed poetic about his accomplishments in cinema after his untimely death.
Knowing he had been writing an autobiography in the months before his death, I knew it was something I would want to pick up. Sadly, it was published post-mortem - but that only makes the tome more poignant and meaningful in my opinion.

"The Time of My Life" is written by Patrick and his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi. It is the story of his life, as one would assume.

Some of the highlights:

*Patrick was a Texas high school football star and was sitting on a possible college scholarship when his knee was ripped to shreds in a nasty hit. He was in a hip to toe body cast for months.

*He rehabilitated and then focused on gymnastics - intending to go on to the Olympics - but his knee wouldn't hold out.

*His mother was a famous dance instructor and had her own studio in Houston. Patrick danced from the time he could walk. He had every intention of having a ballet career and lived in NYC most of his early twenties, studying at a famous studio and making a life with Lisa, also a dancer.

*He met Lisa at his mother's dance studio when she was 15 and he was 18. She totally ignored him...at first.

*It was only when he turned down a lucrative ballet job (and an opportunity to dance alongside Mikhail Baryshnikov no less) due to his knee that he started to seriously consider an acting career.

*He has a passionate love of horses, and has even shown Arabians professionally until his fame from Dirty Dancing made it impossible to continue. He has also bought several of the horses he rode in various movies, including Red Dawn and North & South.

*His nickname from the time he was a small child was "Buddy" - his father was also called Buddy, so Patrick was "Little Buddy" for years.

*At one point in L.A., he and Lisa were so broke they had to survive on peanut butter sandwiches and oranges off a tree in their backyard.

*He was known for elaborate pranks on set.

*Lisa traveled with him to most movie sets over the entire course of his career - both because he wanted her there and in some cases she was also acting, or helping with choreography.

*Ironically enough, the small role he had in an episode of M*A*S*H was about a soldier who finds out he has cancer.

*His mother found out about Patrick's cancer from a National Enquirer reporter on her doorstep.

*His ranch near L.A. is called "Rancho Bizarro". He also owns another in New Mexico.

*He and Jennifer Grey both starred in Red Dawn - years before Dirty Dancing would catapult them both into super-stardom. She actually didn't like him much till near the end of the Red Dawn shoot.

*Patrick wrote 'She's like the wind' way back in 1979 - so when it hit the charts as a number one single in 1987 and someone else tried to take credit for writing it and sue him, Patrick had only to find the demo recorded back in '79 to set those claims to rest.

*He explains just exactly what a 'gender bender' is, and how much he hated it.

*Contrary to popular belief, he did not wreck his airplane in 2000 because he was drinking. He had hypoxia caused by a change in cabin pressure. He nearly died.

*He filmed the entire season of the recent AMC drama 'The Beast' while undergoing chemotherapy, also refusing to take pain killers while on set because he thought it would interfere too much with his acting and take away (or perhaps give him?) his edge.

Seeing as how I read (almost exclusively) horror/paranormal/fantasy and mystery/thrillers, I found this book refreshing, interesting, funny, and finally - ever so sad.
Actually, just reading the prologue (which includes prefaces written by both Patrick and Lisa) had me tearing up. Books never affect me like that - not enough to cry. But knowing that he lost his fight just weeks ago, it was kinda tough to take.

For me, there were so many reasons to enjoy this book. Tidbits of life on a movie set provide an insight you've probably never heard before, his open and honest feelings on his love of family just pour out, his great passion for horses is brought up throughout the book - obviously having a profound effect on his life (hell, there's a horse on the cover!), and most of all - his enthusiastic and lasting love for his wife comes through literally on every page. They had alot of tough times but they made it work, and work well.

Overcoming adversities at nearly every step, Patrick Swayze had an eventful, inspiring life. I'm generally not too keen on autobiographies, but this one I can recommend in a heartbeat.

Steeler-mania!

Steelers vs. Titans
Week 1 - September 10, 2009

So, after all the Steelers games I've been to in the past, I finally got the cahones to take my camera. I'm always afraid I'll forget it, lose it, break it, or have it confiscated. I don't know why.
But after I finally got my new camera last year, and it's so small - I decided to give it a whirl.

And right off, I have to thank the random dude in the Limus Sweed jersey for picking my purse (with camera inside) up off the damn sidewalk down by the river and tapping me on the shoulder to hand it back. My purse strap had broken and I didn't even know it. (And no, I wasn't that drunk!)
So, thanks random Steelers fan. You're the coolest of cool!
Steeler fans rock, by the way.

Okay, first off we have a few pics of the fandemonium that is Steeler football. What a bunch of lunatics. The walk to the stadium (from where we park way back at the parking garage near Firewaters Restaurant, which is a hike - past PNC Park and on) is a nice one if you take the route by the river.

There are tons of boats, ships, yachts - whatever. This is just a small example:



Just inside the entrance to Heinz Field:



Once in the stadium, I took this pic from the first level, looking down on one of the gates as the fans are going in:



One of the many parking lots where folks tailgate and such:



My uncle Shawn was there, playing before the game with the Kittanning Fireman's Band:



A beautiful shot of Heinz Field just as people are taking their seats and the players are warming up:



Another shot of the stadium:



A shot of the beautiful city of Pittsburgh:



The Steelers bench during the National Anthem:



Troy Polamalu on the jumbotron. Couldn't resist:



Ready to go...
And yes, the seats are high up there in peanut heaven, but man - you can see everything from up there:

The big, bad Steeler "D" (had to get Harrison #92 in a shot for the hubby):

A difficult shot of the stadium, taken by merging three photos. Not great, but you get the jist of it:

Shot of fans whooping it up:

Offense on the move:

Waiting for the next play, or possibly a tv commercial break:

Huddling:

Another commercial break?

Most popular jersey?

#43 - The jersey I also wore.

GO STEELERS!!!!