Thomas and other trains…
Tuesday was a birthday around here, and we had a ball. I baked a cake, my husband bought our son a life size Thomas the Train, and he wouldn’t ride on it. Anyway, so we got this crazy train, and it made the baby cry if we put him on it. So he just pushed it around. Which he loved.
I was not in favor of this present.
Oh well.
I also took care of most of the Christmas shopping yesterday, thanks to the Real Simple gift guide. I bought almost all the gifts I still needed online. Awesome. I found great stuff at Portsmouthtea.com, moma.org, and spoonsisters.com. I also really liked port authority clothing. I just have a few more gifts to finish making/buying. Luckily, lots of family is coming here, so I have a little more time with their gifts. I just need to get the rest of the packages and cards in the mail early next week.
whew!
After a whirlwind 8 days of travel, family and friends, I feel like I need a vacation! Isn’t that always the way? I’m short on time, but here are some topics I want to discuss in the next few days:
- Lisa Williams - I love her.
- Gossip Girl - too raunchy?
- Snapfish gifts - photobooks all around!
- My new job!
- Spa treatments and my related awkwardness.
Hope all is well in your world. More soon…
My Hollywood Experience
Yesterday I drove to Hollywood for two tapings of So You Think You Can Dance. My Tom Tom didn’t work properly, so I got a little lost and was late, but they still let me in. The first taping at 9 a.m. was for the ensemble performance that always starts the results show. The dancers performed the Wade Robson routine about 25 times, so that they could be captured from every angle by 20 different cameras. I got bored with the dancers after the 2nd or 3rd go, but I was super fascinated by the cameramen - especially the hand held cameras and the steady-cam.
Television may not be quite so magical after seeing all the inner workings, but I certainly appreciate a good close-up of a twirling, flailing dancer MUCH more!
The first taping ended around 11:30 am, and I was able to meet my good friend Damien for a coffee. He lives and works in Hollywood, so it’s always a nice treat when we can get together for a little while.
On my way to the second taping, I walked past some outdoor tables in front of the Whisper Lounge and I spotted my first star! Sally Pressman, who plays Roxy LeBlanc! She’s my favorite character!!! So I stopped and told her that I loved the show, and she said thank you and that she was with the creator of the show! I tried to figure out that lady’s name from the Lifetime website, but I couldn’t. Anyway, it was exciting.
Then I headed off to the taping of the results show that will be aired Monday night. This was WAY more fun than the earlier taping. First of all, Hok, Dominic and Benji came out and danced to get the crowd excited. Also milling about were Jamie, Jesus, Faina and Anya. It was so cool to be in the same building as Debbie Allen because in my fantasies, I still go to the School of Performing Arts, and she’s my dance teacher. We also got to see each dancer perform a solo, which was very fast and exciting. I thought we would get to see who is kicked off, but we didn’t. They did this whole weird fake out taping like each person was safe, then they kicked us out and announced the results with a closed studio.
Overall, I was most impressed by Neil and Lauren. Through all the full out performances they had to do in the morning, it was those two that my eye was drawn to again and again. I’d be happy if either one won.
On my way back to my car, I passed another star - Leslie Jordan, who plays Jessie Jo on Hidden Palms and played Beverly Leslie (Karen’s nemesis) on Will & Grace. I couldn’t think of anything to say to him, so I didn’t bother him. I really wanted to ask him if Hidden Palms is cancelled, but I thought that wouldn’t be nice if it was.
Overall, it was an exciting day. Can’t wait for the Ellen taping!
Barack Obama Bill Richardson Chris Dodd Democrat Debate Democrats Dennis Kucinich hillary clinton John Edwards Mike Gravel presidential candidates: Brian Williams Chris Matthews MSNBC presidential candidate book challenge Presidential Debates Uncategorized
by Blabby
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Presidential Debates on MSNBC
First of all, if you haven’t seen the debates, I hope you’ll go to MSNBC and watch them. They’re broken up into short segments, so they’re easy to view. (Although I wish you could rewind.)
I also want to preface this by saying that although I liked Brian Williams and Chris Matthews, I felt that there was obviously more time and questions given to some candidates, and some candidates were clearly ignored. For example, I would have loved to hear more from Fmr. Sen. Mike Gravel on the Democratic Debate.
I would like to say that I’m on the fence, and giving both sides - dem and rep - equal time. But I’m not. I watched the whole Dem. debate, and although I was sick of Iraq and terrorism by the end of it, I was interested in what each one had to say, possibly with the exception of Gov. Bill Richardson. More on that later.
As I started the Republican Debate, I was instanly annoyed with their answers. Then as I moved onto the segment concerning abortion, and they all said, (paraphrasing, of course) “down with Roe v. Wade” - with the exception of a wishy-washy stance from Giuliani, I couldn’t watch anymore. There’s no way I’d vote for any of them.
I will go back and watch because I want to know what they stand for. I will go back and watch because I’m sure they will make good points, have valid ideas, and offer solutions that Democrats will not. But not today.
Here’s my snapshot take on each of the Democratic candidates (links go to their official election sites)…after the jump.
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
I found a wonderful blog, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, via my friend Allison’s new book blog, LibraryLove.net.
I had already added them to by blogroll and subscribed to their feed, but I had to add a link to today’s post. They make a good case for romance novels, which I believe everyone should read. Here’s an excerpt:
The judgments people render against romance novels try to dismiss the question of why romance is so popular, and why so many millions of people spend so many millions of dollars on their choice of reading material. But even against the certainty that romance is “dreck,” or “chick porn” or just lowbrow popular culture loved by dim women in puffy paint sweatshirts, the questions that we ask about romance push back against judgment and assumption to celebrate the questions romance novels ask about human emotional and sexual experience.
Check it out!
Harper Collins First Look
I’ve mentioned it before, but Harper Collins has a cool program called First Look where they send you advance reader copies of books and you give a review. Well, I just found one of my reviews on their website!
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060854232/Storm_Runners/index.aspx#readerreviews
Exciting! Everyone that likes to read should sign up. Although, I hope they pick me to get the free books, too! (It’s kind of a lottery system).
