Mercury... in Retro..wha'?

Blast it all. That's my opinion... I'm pretty snarky these days... It's been over 100 degrees pretty much the whole month... not a lot of money, and someone does this...


Nice... And with our own bricks no less. Someone had to go behind our house pick up the bricks that were leaning up against our fence, go back around the block, angrily hurl said bricks (sounds like a bad party night) at a very specific car, and then plunge a blade or screwdriver into the front driver-side tire on MY car... ugh...

The weird thing was, the police officer who took the report said "must be that Bush sticker" I didn't think too much of it, as Earl said the same thing... then the Tow-truck driver came and said..."must be your Bush sticker"... OK, this got me... I said "why do you say that?" he went to his truck and produced a brick of his own, saying: "this is the one that smashed my window last week, I've got a Bush sticker too..." Creepy... I'm all for freedom of speech, but speak to ME, not my car, at least that way, I'll know WHY you're such a weenie!!

Earl set up video cameras last night in the front and back of the house, just to see what we can see. I liken it to our own "reality TV"... Ahhhh... We'll never have to leave the house. Pink Dot! Where are you??? (they closed, and now, we have Deli-to-go... nowhere near as cool)

Julie stopped by, her gas is off, and she wanted to take a shower. Watching Earl hook up the video camera, she (jokingly, I think) said... "we're broke, we've got cameras, a shower and the internet, lets make some money!" I had to laugh, as she said that her friend even considered elicit activities as a last-resort to make some money...
At least we'll always have... eBay.

"Irritated" a mild word for my state of mind. All things considered, I have to say, whatever deity or spiritual consciousness you believe in, they'll get theirs. I have that to comfort me.

I'm working for a great woman now. She's got her own PR company, and we work out of her house. She's got a wonderful attitude, her effervescence is contagious. I love working with her. I work, part time, while Earl watches Nora. I know it's not the perfect set-up, but it's working for now.

I'm not feeling very clever today, yesterday was worse, I got almost NOTHING done at work, but I was fortunate, because my boss was feeling the same way. She thinks it's the air-conditioning fumes making everyone silly and the heat wave outside. Could be.

Got to talk to Ray Harryhausen last night. I like his wife, and talk to her more than him whenever they're in town. Diana Harryhausen said of Nora "I could just eat her with a spoon" (Given her husband's movies, that almost unnerves me) I told her I thought we'd keep her, and she informed me that if we didn't want to... to send her to their house... (OK, Earl this is it! There's the IN with the Harryhausen estate!)

Also got to watch the Movie version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.... LOVED it... (maybe because I listened to the tapes from start to finish as I drove across the U.S. in my Dad's old car after his funeral... Surreal, but something I'm not soon to forget. Anyway, I loved the movie, GREAT casting, and even better creaures. Henson's shop... of course. The CG was awsome too. I wish they'd do The Resturant at the End of the Universe.... that would be worth watching... Although, I don't think it made it's money back..

I've still got to go see Pirates of the Caribbean (I always spell that wrong... I'm not sure why)...
Soon... hah.... That word has new meaning when you have a child.

And What about Baby Suri? Why HAVEN'T we seen her? IS she L.Ron Hubbard's freezer-burned love-child? Who knows...Who cares... Why bother...

I'm off to try to put Nora to bed... hahahaha... no, really. She's an all-nighter, and sleeps until 9:30am. I can't wait for Kindergarten...

Comfortably numb...

Can you stand it? It's not pretty... But Earl's family home is in the video... almost right smaack dab in the middle of the video if you need to fast forward. It's the blue house in the middle of the street with the "wicked witch of the west" (with little boots spray painted on the bottom of the house) on it. It's hard to watch, but I think it should be mandatory for people who decide to ignore the warnings when they get them... LEAVE TOWN! It's kinda like when the poltergeist says "GET OUT!" and you don't... who's really to blame? Tough call... There's something to be said for stubborness, at the right time... and in the right place...

Good Morning Sunshine!

It's a beautiful sunny day in California! Sadly tho, the rain has gone away for the moment... Nora got up extra early this morning... I'm hoping for an early nap... for both of us.

Not too much on the books for today, but tomorrow is my first "Yard Fard" contest. Should be fun. If you want to know what on earth a Yard Fard is, just look it up on eBay or Google. Pretty funny.

I can't believe that the little girl that used to live here in our house, Casey, is getting married! She's not 20 years old yet... no... She's not pregnant. I'll be interested in meeting her betrothed... And give him "the talk" ... You be mean to her... We rough you up... Capiche? She's either getting married in the Mormon Temple in San Diego or in L.A. I'm hoping for the L.A. one myself, I'm not into another drive at the moment. Maybe I'll be up to it in June... in time for the scheduled event.

Talked to Kirby yesterday... She had put one kitty to sleep... Now only 12 in the house... But not to fret, this week she adopted a puppy! Pit Bull, Dalmation mix... Stay tuned.

Going to apply for a job today. As a window dresser for a Christian book store. (I'll just leave you with that mental Polaroid!). Oh the fun I could have! I'm not sure if they're ready for me.... We'll see.

Still trying to post some photos... But more concerned about eBay, so off I go!

TTFN

It's raining...!

I love the sound of the rain. I used to have a tin roof on the front window of my old apartment, (where Julie lives now) on rainy days, I would lay on my couch and just listen to the rain tapping on the tin... ahhhh such a joyful noise! I miss those times. Now, we have a sliding glass door and I can watch the rain from the comfort of my comforter. Now, there's an aptly named item! I would love to live in England or almost anywhere in Europe where it rains a L-O-T, and just sit for a while, then go out puddle jumping.

I found a pair of learners ice skates at a yard sale this weekend. Nora was inspired by the Olympics (I got to watch a bit of the closing ceremonies... ummm.... OK.... I REALLY got wierded out when an entire marching band, dressed up in full clown regalia (including John Wayne Gacey makeup) played while young aviator-attired dancers mimed the movements to The Village People's Y.M.C.A... There was SOOO much material there.... Too bad no one would know what you were talking about, because almost no one watched it. I'm still twitching over it...
Anyway.... Nora is inspired to ice skate. So, I'm going to take her to see how many times she can fall, before becoming REALLY determined, or quit.

That's about it for this morning. I'll write more soo... in a while.

TTFN

The only thing you'll find is your own Tombstone...

Trying... to...Remember..how...to...post..photos...Uggghhhh. Still not there. OK, really... O. K. coral.. As in the Gunfight at the O.K. Coral. Yes, Nora had her FIRST official ROAD TRIP. I'm exhausted, and can no longer recite "Old McDonald had a farm" without convulsing uncontrollably.

Just so you know... this post will be stream-of-consciousness (like all the rest, only through a sleepy-fog), so... onward and upward, you have been warned!

We decided to leave for Tombstone, AZ to check up on Lil' Kirby, as I felt that she was in need of a friendly face or 3. We rented a car (a Pontiac Vibe - very weird layout, but good on gas) and off we went. Have I mentioned that it's (according to Mapquest) 8.5 hours to Tombstone? I need "MomQuest" because when you add a newly potty-trained 3 year-old, it works out to about 15 hours. We tried to make it to Tombstone on Sunday night. We had to stop for sleep in Phoenix.. Nora was SO bored with being in the car that she bounced on the bed for about 30 minutes, before winding down to sleep.
The week has been filled with comfort food... So much for the diet, I've officially lost 15 pounds, although, I'm terrified of the scale at the moment, as Tombstone is the carb capitol of the world. I ate bread, potatoes, and everything else on the forbidden list of the SouthBeach diet. Oh well, I needed the break. I DID buy my first 2-piece bathing suit in years, it's just 2 pieces, like a tank top and shorts, but it really makes one feel a tiny bit younger... and thinner.

Ahem, I digress (remember, you were warned!). Oh! I forgot to tell you! We went to Cabazon and got to walk around inside the big dinosaurs that have been a roadside attraction for the past 60 years or so. SO cool. I've never actually been INSIDE them! GREAT gift shop. I'm a sucker for roadside kitsch. I'm still looking forward to seeing the Worlds Largest Ball of Twine. (I've started my own at home). In Cabazon, we also got Hadleys famous Date Shakes (the official start of my dietary downfall this week.) YUMMMMMY! Back on the road and (and NOW, back to Phoenix...) Spent the night there and then off to Tombstone. Spotted an Ostrich farm, and having missed the exit (yes, it was MY fault) made a note to stop by on the way back to feed the overgrown chickens and see what ostrichware could be obtained.

Arrived in Tombstone, greeted with the owner of the Trailriders Inn (www.trairidersinn.com) with his thick English accent saying "we left the room open for you last night!"... Yes, yes, but now we have.... NORA... Time and schedules have no meaning.

Got a hold of Kirby, she had to go to the vet to have one of her cats put to sleep. Very sad, great cat, but had kidney failure and was in misery. At Least Richard has company now, that's exactly what Kirby and I both thought. Then off to dinner with Kirby, and a friend she had met, a client of hers who was on vacation form England (yes, TWO Brits in the same hotel in Tombstone AZ!) his room was right next to ours and he tagged along. Nice bloke and keen on Tombstone, had Kirby tattoo Doc Holliday on his arm. Kirby seemed in a (justifyable) fog...

Over the next few days, we toured around the 6 block town, soaking up local atmosphere, and musing what it would be like to move there, at least for the winter months (I can't see living there in the summer... tooo hot) and also wondering what it would have been like to live there ... back then... We went to the Bird Cage theatre... The place where Kirby and I visited on my first trip to Tombstone. Very cool... very haunted. I tried to talk to Nora there, to see if she noticed anything, but too many people were in the room, it was too crouded. We did take photos, which I'll try to post later. You never know what we'll get!

As an amusing aside, I now have 2 new rings! BOTH for my thumbs (hahahaha, no, they didn't have ones that fit my fingers, that's why they're for my thumbs!) One was in a grab bag (remember those? I've not seen anyone offer a grab bag since I was a kid and for .50 cents who could go wrong? ) it's nice turqoise. The other is magnetic, and .99 cents both cool, until I bonk them into something and break them, so for now it's a bit of nostalga.

Back on the road, we stopped at the ostrich farm. Brewster Cogburn's Ostrich farm, about a zillion ostrich and not a brain between 'em. for $3 you can get a cup of feed and take your chances! They'll peck your eyes out! And remember Ostrich have no lips, so food flies everywhere... Nora mooved on to the less freakish deer, feeding them was in her words "slobbery" they seem to be all lips. Good for kissing, but not for feeding (although there was no deer-kissing offered) she claimed one coughed on her and slobbered on her hands. she kept her distance after that, simply dropping the food just out of the deers reach, saying "there you go!" and moving on, until her cup was empty.
We did buy an ostrich egg to bring back to our local diner, and had them make us a few omlets this morning. I didn't notice too much of a difference, but chef noted that it was equal to about 20 chicken eggs. I've officially tried my new thing for the day. Ye-haw Cowpokes!

I've got to go for now... I've got to take the cat in to get her stitches out tonight. She had a run in with a dog... 10 stitches and the cone of silence/misery... she's not a happy kitty. It's nice to be home in my own canapy bed under my fluffy comforter snoozing with the kitties.

TTFN

Wednesday, Feb. 15th, 2006
While reading My friend Julie's (yes I'm going to use her REAL name!) blog, she challeneged me to fill out this survey... so, I copied and pasted it, and will attempt to match levety...


4 Jobs I've Had:
1. Popcorn-pusher at a movie theatre (then turned into a sullen-teen ticket maven)
2. P.A. (Production Assistant, not Prince Albert) for film work. A.K.A. " Go-fer"
3. Personal A.ssistant to the rich and sarcastic.
4. Mommy.

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:
1. "The Princess Bride"
2. "The Thin Man (all of them)"
3. "Arsenic and Old Lace"
4. I'm going to cheat here, - Anything made before 1945, or starringPaul Williams, Rutger Hauer or Cary Grant. (and throw in a bit of Eddie Izzard).

4 Places I've Lived:
1. Burbank, CA
2. Pasadena, CA
3. Canoga Park, CA
4. St. Louis, MO

4 Places I've Vacationed:
1. New York
2. London, England
3. Berlin, Germany
4. The Ucatan (Merida)

4 Shows I Love:
1. "7th Heaven" (It's the last season, and a guilty pleasure)
2. "SpongeBob Squarepants"
3. "Unwrapped"
4. " MXC" on Spike TV

4 Favorite Dishes:
1. Mashed Potatoes + ALMOST anything
2. A really good Chicken Chop-suey
3. Cheese pizza with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and basil
4. Thanksgiving turkey

4 Websites I Visit Daily:
1. http://www.lileks.com
2. http://www.eBay.com
3. http://www.boreme.com
4. http://www.yahoo.com (to check mail)

4 Places I'd Rather Be:
1. London, England
2. Catalina Island
3. Disneyland
4. On a cruise

Next....

What were you doing 10 years ago?
Uggghhhh. What WAS I doing 10 years ago? I think I was just starting out at 7th Level, working on Monty Python computer games, living in Burbank, in a tiny rented house with about 800 cats. I was a sure sucker for strays and hard-luck cases, so I had my hands full finding homes for them. Some stayed... I hadn't yet started working with Eric Idle, nor had I left this continent... Ahhhh the things that can happen in a decade!

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Again... A bit blurry... Trying to figure out how to be a mom and still be me (still working on that). Much to the chagrin and often amusement of my family and friends, I decided to become a Christian (not like I was when it was forced upon me as a child). A VERY interesting time... I think a year ago was when I had to tell a group of women I was studying with, all of my past transgressions... It's a LOT harder to talk about when you're not bragging... Try it sometime... it's an eye-opener.


Five snacks you enjoy?
1. Chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips (homemade) with whole milk.
2. Cheetos (twists)
3. Guacamole and chips
4. Life cereal

Five songs to which you know all the words?
Okay, I hate to be That Person In The Car, here, but I'm one of those annoying people who knows the words to Pretty Much Everything. So I'm just going to free associate and see what I get:
1. "How How" -by Yellow
2. "Old Souls", Paul Williams (from Phantom of the Paradise)
3. "Oh Mr. Johny-Rebeck" (from my childhood. Earl hates me to sing it to Nora... something about the machine grinding up cats and dogs bothers him....)
4. Any Boingo song
5. Nick Cave's entire collection

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire?
1. Pay off all of my debt. To society and everyone else, or pay someone else to pay off my debt to society.
2. Honestly, I'd like to help people... Not giving people on the street a $100 bucks, that always seems to backfire... something more effective.
3.Get a Duesenberg
4. Travel
5. Buy myself the star on the Walk of Fame right next to Jean Harlow's (it seems you don't have to EARN them anymore, so why not?!)

5 bad habits?
1. food
2. I'm a project-starter, working on being a project-finisher
3. Avoiding exercise at all costs
4. Forgetting to crack the windows on summer days when I have the kids/animals in the car and I go in to the store to shop for a few hours (that one is for J2) (no, it's not true BTW)
5. "Forgetting" to floss

5 things you like doing?
1. Napping
2. Singing
3. Watching old movies
4. Overnight Road Trips
5. High Tea

5 things you will never wear, buy, or get again?
1. An Epilady (that "redness" you see? It's your own blood!)
2. Tickets to a Pat Benatar concert
3. A size 7 (I'm not built for it, and I look and feel better as a size 9)
4. Shoes that are too narrow, just because they're "cute".
5. The chance to do the right thing.. so don't mess it up the first time!


5 favorite toys?

1. My new MP3 player (total cost $29 on eBay!) Love it!
2. Our G4 with DSL
3. Cable TV (Thank God for Noggin)
4. My cute little Suzuki Samurai
5. My pay-as-you-go cell phone!

Okay, now I'm supposed to do something odd and list the last 3 blogs , add mine and toss it to another, right? So, since I don't know other people's Blog names, I'll toss it to whomever is reading this site (you know who you are!) and email me with your URL!)

Visit Shandyland
Sassy's Up Late Again
A Valley Girl's Progress
Wedges Of Light


Whad' I win?

Rudy-y Valentino

I watched a really interesting movie last night. I thought I had seen it before, but apparently, It was only in one of my adolescent fever-dreams. Earl suggested that we watch the Sunday-Night Silents on TCM (as we often do), only to find the epic (and I do mean epic) The Four Horsemen of the apocalypse starring Rudolph Valentino in his first real starring roll. Apparently, the women of the day swooned when he did the Tango in this film. I seemed to remember the Tango scene, so we watched on...for almost 2 hours.... OK, for a silent film, OK... an AMERICAN silent film, that's a wee bit long...about an hour longer than most of the silents I'm used to seeing. I'm no Valentino fan, but he was watch-able here. (in my best Indigo Montoya voice) Lemme explain... no, there is too much, let me sum up... Ahem...
Our hero is he spoiled brat grandson of a wealthy Agentine cattleman. Grandpa dies, and leaves his money to his 2 daughters, one married to a Frenchman who fled the draft, and is forever ashamed (Our hero's father), and the other married to a German goose-stepping-overly-dramatic Alan Hale Sr. (Real life father to Alan Hale Jr. A.K.A. " The Skipper" from Gilligan's Island, and they look almost identical). who has 3 sons who are all Hitler-Youth.
Both families move back to their respective "Fatherlands". Valentino, now living in Paris, falls for a beautiful young-thing, but alas, she's married... in a loveless marriage (of course)... He tells her after her "Tango lessons" that they could go to his artists studio, and "I promise to be good", to which he breaks the 4th wall and raises his eyebrows to the camera, in a beautifully subtle way. (I had to rewind and watch that twice and laugh, it WAS good). She agrees, they carry on, until someone sends a note to her hubby that something is rotten in Paris, (and it's not just the annual bath!) The hubby demands a duel, but concedes to a divorce. The next morning we see the husband, joining the resistance against the Nazis. He's off to war!
Our hero is not required to go, as he is, as we all remember, Argentinean... (and bordering on foppish, it's a wonder he ever got a girl). He lounges while the Frogs fall. (there were too many jokes I thought of during this film...) His sweetie decides to become a nurse to help out. Rudy, unlike most males, doesn't want to look at her in her nurses outfit... Can't...bear...to...look...she takes it off, they kiss... (aha! the REAL man comes out! just take it OFF! I get it...)
Of course, she leaves him to do her patriotic duty, and he runs off to find her... As fate would have it, she's pushing her estranged hubby in a wheelchair... he's now blind. She feels that "he needs her" and can't leave... (I think I've head this story line somewhere before!) very dramatic. our hero decides to make her proud and join the military. They pine for each other... a lot. Longing looks, kissing of photos... But they both put on the brave face and do what's right and noble. They're both miserable, and just as she writes her hubby a note saying that she's leaving him.... (how he's going to SEE the note, I don't know...) cut to our hero being blown to bits, face to face with his Aryan cousin, just as they're about to shoot each other. Then a smoldering, ghostly image of Rudy in uniform visits the girl, her bags in hand, shaking his head, and pointing her back to her battleworn spouse. Love is gone, but devotion reigns! (I'm pounding the side of my head at this point, but it was probably because it was almost midnight, and I had gotten sucked into this movie! Earl had LONG since walked off to do his thing, but there I sat, watching a train-wreck).

Yes, there were 4 horsemen, and an apocalypse... Nice effects, matte paintings and hanging miniatures.... but for once, I got sucked into it for the story... I KNEW how it was going to end.... Everyone knows.... It's very story-book. But for once, couldn't it work out that the reformed hero gets the girl? I suppose not. That doesn't make good press. That's how it ends, one dead, the other living in servitude.... Not very uplifting... I think I'm going to go out and see "Brokeback Mountain" to cheer me up....

Ciao