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....

Can we move on now?

I sooooooo don't freakin' give a crap about this reality couple divorcing.
Will this go away now?



Jon and Kate plus 8 - who cares?
Ok, maybe I feel a little bad for the kids.
But hey, their lives were never gonna be normal anyway, right?

Obviously someone let fame (and seriously - why are they famous?) go to their head...

Maybe we can finally put them behind us and get back to the regular dumb ass crap I'm sick of, such as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Ugh.

Give. Me. A. Break.

The darker side of celebrity

I'm sorry, but I think actually jumping and latching onto a celebrity while he is walking down the street borders on psychotic behavior.

Poor Robert Pattinson cannot even walk down the street in NYC without fans mobbing him.
I think this is rather frightening, actually.
I wonder how he even sleeps at night - I'd constantly be seeing these rabid fans attacking me when I closed my eyes.

How pathetic.
Is it not enough to just appreciate the work he does and let him live his life?
That goes for all celebrities.
Sure, they've got money and fame.... but also the constant worry that maybe - just maybe - someday someone will pull a Mark David Chapman and it will all be over.
Maybe it's not worth it.

When have things gone too far?
We've learned nothing from the Princess Diana thing. But hell, even the paparazzi don't jump the stars. Good thing Rob Patz has bodyguards or these fanatics might have taken him back to their lair - who's to say?

No wonder some stars become so ungracious and/or reclusive.
I really can't blame them when they hide away on their private island or don't come out of their homes for weeks on end.
I might do the same thing.
Fame can be a real cross to bear.

Thoughts on Oscar

I'm a little late with my Oscar rant, but hey - such is life.



So, the 81st Academy Awards were on sunday.
As I expected (along with anyone who has seen any awards shows this entire season) - the movie to win Best Picture was 'Slumdog Millionaire'.



No, I haven't seen it.
And no, I really don't have a clue what it's about....something regarding a poor Indian dude who both falls in love and wins a gameshow or something.
Sounds like afternoon television at its best, eh? Game shows and love. Ahhh....
Oh, I'm sure it's a good movie. It better be.


Our lovely host was the Sexiest Man Alive.
No, really.

Hugh Jackman was an apt host, I thought. Much more fun to look at for three and a half hours than say, Whoopie Goldberg or David Letterman, right?

I was in favor of a few other changes they had during the show as well, including when five previous winners came on stage and spoke directly to each nominee. I thought that was appropriate simply because the acting awards are what people actually watch the show for.
Sorry, makeup and documentary short...

I liked the opening montage of songs by Jackman, which kinda hearkened back to the Billy Crystal days...(shedding a tear here) Nowhere near as brilliant as that, but a start.

I also thought the stage looked better than it ever has. The in-the-round effect was much more personable than the stiff theater style that was the norm for so long.

Loved, loved, LOVED the skit by James Franco and Seth Rogen of them reprising their Pineapple Express stoner roles. Them watching clips of some of the best comedies of the year actually made me laugh out loud. More than once.

Liked seeing nervous nelly Robert Pattinson presenting. But hey, that's just me.

And I thought the Jimmy Kimmel commercial with Tom Cruise was freakin' hysterical. Hope you caught it.

Now for the bad stuff :(

Didn't like Queen Latifa singing 'I'll be seeing you' over the In Memoriam pictures. Matter of fact, I hated it. For one thing... dumb song to sing. No, you won't be seeing them. They're dead.
Also: with the cameras doing the wide-out (no offense Queenie), you couldn't even read the names on the screen behind her. I don't know what it was like at the Kodak Theater, but I can't imagine they could see it any better than us.

Hated the stupid production number in the middle of the show with Jackman and Beyonce (does she have to be every freakin' place these days or what?) and the stars of High School Musical (blah) and Mamma Mia. The hodge podge of musical themes being abruptly cut off every two seconds was choppy and poorly planned and executed. So yuck to that. And yuck to Beyonce's huge thunder thighs. Can someone please tell her she's not all that and a bag of potato chips.

And while they spent the time with that musical fluff (and folks, I do like musicals), they completely botched the musical score section - I didn't hear one fluent piece of a congruent tune in any of that crap. And original song? Don't get me started. I can't get past the fact that they snubbed Bruce Springsteen's original song for 'The Wrestler'. Bad academy, bad! Boo!

The winners.

Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, Penelope Cruz

I, for one, was truly psyched that Kate Winslet won Best Actress. I've been a long time fan of hers (yes, even before Titanic) and after 5 nominations, she was a most deserving winner.

And kudos to Penelope Cruz for Best Supporting Actress. She's been around for a long time and has worked hard to get where she is - one of the most respected actresses to come from outside this country. Best Spanish born actress ever, IMHO.

Sean Penn. Best Actor. What can I say? Superior acting skills all around.
Was a bit surprised that Mickey Rourke didn't win, but if he couldn't, then Sean is a worthy substitute.

I have not seen any of the films that these actors won for (The Reader, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Milk -respectively)...but I have, indeed seen Heath Ledger's Best Supporting Actor performance. A tour de force, as I have previously stated on this very blog.

His Joker was some of the best acting I have seen, and not just this past year.

It was heartwarming to see Heath's family accept his award so humbly. It had to be difficult for them.
And if there was anyone out there that actually believed Heath wouldn't win that Oscar, they should eat their shoe.

RIP Heath.

I wasn't too impressed with the fashions this year, but then again, I'm no fashionista myself.
But for me, best dressed (and winning 'most beautiful' as well) was 'Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto.

Kate Winslet also looked nice.

But it seemed like pretty much everyone else was wearing white or a shade thereof.
Or in Angelina's case... a wicked black. Makes sense, right?

So anyway... that's my take.
Soon as I actually see any of the nominated films, I'll let you know.

Evolution of Dance, Part 2

Because the first one was so funny...



And just in case you feel the need to be reminisce:
The vastly superior Part One:



You gotta admit, that puts a smile on your face no matter what kind of day you've been having!

2008 memories

So... as the year draws to a close, what about 2008 am I thankful for?

Besides the usual family, friends and good health rap, I thought I would take the time to give props to some of the things that kept me sane and made me happy in 2008...

*The Twilight Series/movie/soundtrack - I would be utterly remiss if I didn't mention how much I have enjoyed finally discovering this pop culture icon.... reading the books (twice), seeing 'Twilight' brought to film, and discovering music acts I didn't know before on the movie's soundtrack.



*Curlin - Despite Big Brown's herculean efforts to win the Triple Crown, I was more impressed with the steel horse Curlin becoming the sport's biggest moneymaker. Team Curlin!


*OBX vacation - What can I say - always a high spot of the entire year! Mini-thanks to the Orange Blossom cafe in Buxton for their stellar Cranberry Orange Muffins, and to Ocracoke Island beaches- simply the best.

Hatteras Light


Orange Blossom Cafe


Ocracoke Island


*My unemployed husband- While most people wouldn't be thankful for that, I am happy that he got the much-deserved break from the hard labor and the bullshit he put up with for nineteen years at his low-down, outsourcing, butt-wipe former employers.
And a extra thankful shout-out to him, because when the wife is away at work... the hubby builds things. Many things! Thanks for my new window seat w/bookshelves most of all, honey!


*Sour Cherry jam from Stonewall Kitchen - Delish! On a crescent roll, a piece of homemade bread - or just to lick off the spoon.




*Bond, James Bond - Daniel Craig rocks my world as 007.



*Oliver's first full year - The little scamp is the world's most loving kitty-cat - and he's mine



*Riding the Harley - The freedom can't be replicated in any other way. Those who know, know.



*My iPod - not a day goes by that I don't listen to my iPod for at least 2 hours. Most work days, it's at least 10. It takes a licking and keeps on... playing the soundtrack of my life.



*'Fringe' - Best new show of 2008, hands down. Makes me miss 'The X-Files' less.



Best returning show? 'Criminal Minds'. Consistently outstanding.


'House' comes in a close second.


(While I'm on the tv kick, thanks for LOST, Bones, American Idol, Sons of Anarchy, Nip/Tuck, CSI, and repeats of MASH, too. You have all made my couch very happy. )

*Strawberry milkshakes from the Dairy Queen. God knows I've consumed a boat load of them.


*David Cook, Paramore and Iron & Wine - Cheers to the first rock winner of American Idol, the band fronted by live-wire youngster Hayley Williams, and the folksy Samuel Beam (a.k.a. Iron & Wine). Mini shout-outs to Ingrid Michaelson, Flyleaf, Blue Foundation, Plain White T's, and The Black Ghosts - all of which I just discovered this year.








*Subway cookies & Mountain Dew - rarely at the same time, but both are always delicious.


*Bath & Body Works 'Twisted Peppermint' cream - cause it just smells so darn good.


*Our new 40" Sony Bravia Flat Screen - my movies look so much better! Johnny Depp in HD - always a good thing.


*Speaking of Johnny Depp - Because they'll never be a day that I'm not thankful for him....

(whoo-hoo!)

*Exedrin - Curing headaches since 1960. More importantly, my headaches since at least 1998..


*My brother's senior recital - A real class act.


*Dexter - My recent discovery of Dex has me contemplating a subscription to Showtime. Almost as much as True Blood makes me want to get HBO. Thank heavens for Netflix.



*Netflix - See above. Keeping me satisfied 24/7, 365.



*The Pittsburgh Steelers - Say it with me, people: The. Best. Defense. In. The. NFL. (period)


*'Supermassive Black Hole' by Muse - Mini-thanks to Stephenie Meyer for introducing me to this song. It just makes me rock out. My favorite song of the year.
Runner up: Decode by Paramore




*My hubby's Shepherd's Pie - the main reason for my 10 pound weight gain when my hubby was off work.



*Bloodhorse.com - Keeping me in the know about my addiction to Thoroughbred Horseracing.
My most visited website.




*Vampires - Because this was the year of the vamps. 'Bout time they get their due, those blood sucking leeches. Face it, they suck (but in a good way;)

Is it just me, or are vampires getting better looking??

*Books: I've read way too many to name here - but a few faves might include the aforementioned Twilight Series, Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain, 99 Coffins by David Wellington, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Hex Marks the Spot by Madelyn Alt, Bitten & Smitten by Michelle Rowan, The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff, Dead Until Dark (and the rest of the Sookie Stackhouse series) by Charlaine Harris...

*DVDs: a few of my favorite dvd rentals/purchases from this year: 30 Days of Night, P.S. I Love You, The Other Boleyn Girl, Rogue, Iron Man, The Strangers, Atonement, I Am Legend, The Mist, The Visitor, and The Dark Knight...

And as far as movies on the big screen: Loved Twilight (of course) and Quantum of Solace. Liked The Ruins and Nights in Rodanthe, Tolerated Saw 5.


See? I have alot to be thankful for this year - how about you?

Too freaking funny!! - A Twilight Christmas!