I choose to be skeptical!

I was just watching Good Night and Good Luck, the very good (but overrated) directorial effort by the very dishy George Clooney and starring the even dishier David Strathairn. The movie concerns the McCarthy hearings and the communist 'witch hunt' of the early fifties. I've always been interested in this odd bit of history and appreciated the film for its great camerawork (more than 90% of the movie is shot in closeup), excellent music, and impeccable acting-particularly by Straithairn. The story was actually very easily followed by simply looking at old news footage and brought little fresh stuff to the table. However, I did appreciate one very valid point . That television has become our (and by 'our' I mean developed society) only window to much of the outside world. It's true that we tend to remain wholesomely skeptical of things we hear on tabloid shows like Entertainment Tonight or the like, but when it comes to 'news' footage, how many of us truly question what we see? Locally, this isnt really an issue but on the worldwide scale-I sometimes wonder. Of course, in the US we only get portions of the worldwide news and where there is little actual footage, it is usually generously supplemented w/ predjudicial subtext. We are not a people generally capable of researching every news item we hear, so we tend to say 'well, it's on the news so it must be true' and let it go at that.

Things that were stated as 'fact' 20 years ago have since been, in many cases, disproved-so why do we except things so blindly now? I have made it my personal vendetta to refuse to take things at their face value unless the facts are clearly presented. And I need to understand the facts and all their terminology.

I want more evidence as to why we know so much about dinosaurs from staring at their bones! How much of this stuff is manufactured? Why haven't we been back to the moon? Why is the rest of the world content w/Americans being the only ones to do it? How can we put so much stock in Carbon Dating when it still so imperfect? How do we KNOW how old the earth is?

I find myself thinking along these lines almost every time I catch the news. It seems so glossy and exaggerated these days. Half the time, I almost think I catch a smirk on the anchorman's face.

So, I will continue to be skeptical about things someone cannot explain sufficiently. Because I think it's natural to be that way. And because it's lots more fun.

The quiz of five thingies-adapted

A fellow blogger had a great entry today consisting of a quiz-to self. I liked it. I'm adapting it. I hope she doesnt mind...heh heh.

Five things I've been called:
naive nelly (it's a little more endearing w/ the 'nelly' attatched)
optimistic
loud
funny
self-absorbed (sigh)

Five things to my name:
Ashley-is overly concerned with how people feel but remains obvlivious to the fact that she is sometimes the one that did the hurting
Ashley-is content but not complacent.
Ashley-hates buffets and all they represent.
Ashley-psychotically loves her children but would prefer never to babysit anyone else's
Ashley-thinks her husband is cocky, a little rude, but always wonderful.

Five places I've been:
Disneyworld
Hawaii
New York
California
Gatlinburg (I'm a local girl)

Five things I've learned in my life:
Boys are more fun than girls
Jehovah knows what you need, even if you don't
Money is a nusiance
Natural Childbirth makes you feel omnipotent
Listen-instead of thinking about what you'll say next

Five things on a short-term 'TO DO' list:
Finish reading my dad's screenplay
Create a 'finished' house
Increase service time
Bump up fitness level
Hand-write a letter

Five things on long term 'TO DO' list:
Prepare my children's book, 'Albert', for husband's art
Teach 6 yr old to swim
Go to Europe or Japan
pioneer
Learn a foreign language

Five words I like saying:
brilliant
purty
kooky
theocratic
loverly

99.9 Jiggawatts of looooove

Meet Marty. He is the newest addition to the household and my oldest son's special pet. We found him on Saturday after field service in the Wal Mart parking lot. The Humane Society of Smith County sets up there every Saturday and we always like to go by and look at the dogs they have scattered throughout the grass. But this time they had kittens and my six year old fell inlove with this little ball of cuteness.

We told the lady present to hold onto him while we went inside the store for some kitty necessities. On the way in, I asked him- 'So, what are you gonna name your kitty?'
He thought a second and said 'Tiger?'

"Tiger?" I said, "that's such a boring name. Lots of people have kitties named Tiger...why don't you name him something unusual?

"well, what can I name him then?"

" I don't know. You got him at Wal Mart. You could name him Wally.'

"Or Marty-yeah, I like Marty."

So, Marty he is. Of course my husband would rather say he was named after Marty Mcfly, being an avid Back to the Future Fan. He just calls him 'Butthead'.

Jane Austen-at the movies

This is a doozy of a post...mainly for the girls.

I just finished watching the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice for the second time and realized as it was ending that Jane Austen has had a really good run of movies lately.

The six hour miniseries from 1995 definitely impressed many. Jennifer Ehle was such an exquisite interpretation of Elizabeth Bennett and Colin Firth certainly made a dashing Mr. Darcy. Our mothers and grandmothers had witnessed Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier in those roles many years before BBC attempted it's mammoth adaptation, and they were understandably leery. The 1940 film was stately and romantic. Olivier was gorgeous and Greer Garson is hard to beat in the looks department. But the great thing about the miniseries is that it never tried to compete w/ the classic film. It stayed extremely faithful to the book and in accomplishing that, succeeded in winning over its audience. Ehle is lovely but human. Her 'fine eyes' are always speaking, even when she is not. Firth is handsome but always a little awkward, an endearing trait. He stays austere but still manages to draw the viewing audience in, making them completely understand Elizabeth's quandry.

Pride and Prejudice is such a satisfying love story that it is difficult to screw up a film adaptation of it, as was evident in last year's shamelessly romantic version starring Keira Knightly. I went into it expecting to be underwhelmed but was every bit as enamoured of Knightly as I was of Ehle. She was a little more giddy and vivacious but still retained that wonderful intelligence I love, with an absolutely beautiful smile. The scene where she sees Pemberly for the first time is my favorite of both movies, I think. It was my favorite part of the book (oddly enough) and translated perfectly to film. I loved Matthew MacFayden as a darker, brooding, Mr Darcy...a little more to my physical taste as well. The romantic atmosphere was prevalent throughout the movie; lots of figures standing against sunsets, emerging from fog, enjoying the elements. Once again, Jane Austen SCORES!

Let's backtrack a bit. To another Jane Austen classic, Mansfield Park. The book was not my favorite of Austen's works. I found Fanny to be a tepid, bland sort of heroine. But lo' and behold! Here comes Frances O' Conner to prove me wrong. The 1999 film is a sheer delight, in spite of the quiet story from which it comes. Some fans of the book have really given me a dirty look about this, but there it is. The movie gave Fanny a new voice, a very hot love interest in Johnny Lee Miller, and a formidable family that you just love to hate. There were some liberties taken with the story that got alot of flack, but I actually enjoyed the slavery angle. Not the slavery itself, mind you, but the human quality it gave some of the more one-dimensional characters of the book. Another Touchdown for Jane!

Backtracking a little more: Sense and Sensibility was nominated for 7 oscars in 1995. And for good reason. While I don't believe it merits the same consideration as a book that Pride and Prejudice does, I believe this movie is one of the five best of the nineties. Every time I watch it (and we're in the double digits now, people), I am more impressed. Ang Lee has proven himself to be a brilliant director (gay cowboys aside) and this is , I believe, his best film. If you haven't seen this movie, if you hate Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant gets on your nerves, if you aren't a hopeless romantic, if period dramas aren't 'your thing', you will still love this movie. The screenplay is impeccable, the acting is superb by everyone involved (even Hugh Laurie's tiny role is standout), and it's gorgeous to look at. It's hard for me to pick out another movie that succeeds in making you love as many of its characters, as this one. GOAL!

And then, there's Emma. Emma of the muddled mind and good heart. Yes, the book is brilliant even if the lead character does make us shake our heads a few times. And all the movies are worth watching. I say 'all' because since 1995, there have been at least 3. Clueless, starring Alicia Silverstone is the loosest adaptation of the story. But it still, despite all its silliness, tugs at the ol' heartstrings a little. This could partly be due to Amy Heckerling's deft handling of superficial teen angst (ala Fast Times at Ridgemont High) but I credit most of it to the timeless story of a young rich- girl attempting to better herself through matchmaking.

In 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Beckinsale both tackled the role; Paltrow in the much touted cinematic adaptation and Beckinsale in the A & E version. While Paltrow was very good in her first (of many) british accented performances, Beckinsale was the winner here. Why? Well, there are a few reasons. The beautiful, pastel landcape and costumes of the big budget version are very appealing and like I said, Paltrow was very good. But the rest of the cast falls a little flat. Jane Fairfax was sadly overlooked in this version and barely says two words while Harriet (ably played to a klutzy turn by Toni Collette) is a bit too wide-eyed and klunky for the waifish Harriet of the book. Alan Cumming was sufficiently smarmy in his role but it was overdone for comic value...a little too overdone. Northam is beautiful and was every bit the stately aristocrat he should have been. But he and Paltrow both came up a little short in their ability to provide a 'human' quality to their characters and chemistry. And Ewan McGregor (with his dreadful hair extensions) was horribly miscast.

I can speak quite freely about that movie because, in my opinion, the A & E version is so superior in every way (excepting the aesthetic). Beckinsale is fantastic as Emma, providing just the right mix of priss and philanthropy. She's a wonderfully human, endearing, and coquettish little snob. Mark Strong lacks the physical good looks that Northam posseses but his Mr Knightly is absolutely engaging. I was truly in love with him by the end. Olivia Williams as Jane and Samantha Morton as Harriet are both perfect. They are given large, meaty roles that truly require intelligent delivery. Raymond Coulthard's 'puppy' of a Frank Churchill is so memorable that I am astonished I've never seen him since. And Mr and Mrs Elton are two of the funniest 'baddies' to grace the screen. Jane shoots-she SCORES!

Persuasion starring Amanda Root and Ciarin Hinds was also released in 1995 and is another worthy film. I saw it once, the year it was released, and it isnt fresh enough in my mind to justifiably review. Suffice it to say that Jane Austen would be proud.

So what about Northanger Abbey? I'm sure in the next few years we will hear it is indeed being adapted, possibly w/ Joel Schumacher at the helm and Lindsey Lohan tackling Catherine Morland (ach-can you imagine?). But until then, we will patiently wait.

Because hey, it's bound to be good.

My space, shmy space!

So many of my friends weere joining my space that my initial aversion to it has waned and now I'm a registered member! I'm so gullible.

Anyway, visit me at myspace.com/jewlover2

Now get outta here!

Closing in on Duran-Duran

So, how is my journey to Barbarellasville? For those of you who checked in at the beginning of the year, my physical goal was to get fit, namely-to look like Jane Fonda at her bulemic best...without the bulemia, of course.

This little update is more a note to myself than readers so bear with me:

How am I doing? Well, I was approximately ten lbs over where I wanted to be. I joined a website called dietwatch.com that provides meal plans (if you want them) and also (for a small fee) allows you access to a great little calendar where you can enter your food consumption, weight log, and exercise agenda for each day. Being a chronic list-maker who revels in organization, I felt this was my best bet. I have stuck to it pretty well and have now lost my weight (admittedly with the help of a couple of nasty viruses). Getting toned and such is of course more difficult but I have a pretty good workout schedule that can be suited to my routine as well as the inevitable changes having a job, house, and kids will bring.

I've discovered a wonderful work-out show on Fit Tv called Cardio Blast. The instructor is Cathe Frederick, a fitness enthusiast with a tight little body and poofy eighties hair. Her workouts are EXTREMELY difficult and because there are so many, I don't get tired of them. I record them on my dvr and do them whenever Nathan is napping during the day. My goal is to get up around 5am and get my exercising out of the way before the kids wake up but I'm not quite to that point yet...heh heh. All Star Workouts is another good hour-long Fit Tv show that I appreciate but the routines are sometimes confusing and dont seem to work my body as well as Cathe's.

Typical week of exercise goes:
Monday-Cardio (step, kickbox, etc)-usually high/low impact one hour
Tuesday-Weight Training (full body or upper body) depending on what I feel like-one hour
Wednesday-Cardio (again w/ the step, kickbox etc.)-one hour
Thursday-Weight Training (full body or lower body)-one hour
Friday-Conditioning (hour-long pilates or stretching techniques. Occasionally I do a good core workout if I havent gotten much of that in during the week)
Sat-22 minutes Pilates (dvd)
Sun-22 minutes pilates (dvd)

If I miss a day of cardio, I do cardio plus strength training the next day since Cathe has several workouts that mix the two.

Anyway, that is where it currently stands. I'm not super optimistic about the visual results because I'm not really super-strict with my diet (though I do count the calories) but I feel great and am really happy to be back in a routine.

Look out Duran-Duran! I'm a-comin!

"This is YOUR life...!"

Sometimes seeing your life and family in pictures can give you a whole new sense of 'being'.

An old shoebox suddenly appears from a long-forgotten hiding place and now your very existence is validated. Yes. This is me. This is my family. See? You were there! And you were loved and so were they!

Questions come up. 'Now, why exactly did mom think that was attractive? ' or 'Where were we ?' or better yet, 'Who was taking it?'

How is it that I could possibly have felt left out in this group of loving and obviously overjoyed people? What got us so tickled?

Sometimes, a memory completely eludes me. It's almost there, on the tip of a neuron, and then it slips away. But, find a photo, and here it comes prancing back as if to say : "see? I knew you could do it! You aren't crazy. That DID happen...only, not quite as you thought it did."

Cameras became such a novelty. It got to where we were taking pictures just to have them, no matter how rediculous. This one was actually the sanest looking one in the bunch...remember Heather? Remember loading yourself down w/ sports equipment? Posing with 'Aunt Sally'? The shower picture? WHAT were we thinking???
The thing that will always make me happiest is knowing that even though the pictures speak of times and places far away, there are so many more to come. And knowing that friends like these are likely to be present in those as well...it's just ...just...(sigh).

The Violet Hour

Since my little cousin Violet was just born on Friday, I've devoted this little post to her. This is one of my favorite poems by the indomitable Longfellow:

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Children's Hour

Between the dark and the daylight
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.
A whisper, and then a silence:Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!
They climb up into my turret
O'er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!
Do you think, o blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.
And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!

Walt and Me

A dear friend posted an entry today about her favorite vacation. I hadnt really thought about a vacation in so long that when I read her comments about Mexico, it immediately got me thinking about my favorite place...the 'happiest place on earth...Disneyworld.

Now some people may think that is a very bold and naive statement but may I just say...ehem. When I think of vacationing, I think of Disneyworld. And Walt. And the smells, sounds, and sights that automatically make me feel young and innocent.

My love of Disney started when I was an infant. I saw The Rescuers at the theater and became completely inconsolable at the sight of Madame Madusa who scared the pixie dust outta me! My mother carried me out crooning Wish Upon a Star in my ear, hoping against hope that I would not be forever scarred by the apparition of that crazy red-haired woman and her pink slipdress. Now, when I see it, she still gives me the willies. But I digress. I grew to love other Disney classics that are so appealing to little gals: Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc. I also became very attached to Swiss Family Robinson and Mary Poppins, still am actually. Disney appeals to two of my many sides...the artistic and the whimsical.

When my husband and I went to Disneyworld on our honeymoon it was such a singular experience...and somewhat surreal. We were only 19 and kept looking around for our chaperone the whole time, feeling kinda naughty for being on our own, free to canoodle and cuddle as much as we liked . Something about the place made me feel even younger than I was which resulted in my skipping about like an pea-brain most of the time. I remember so well the smells of Epcot, the sunburnt raft ride and cold chicken at Tom Sawyer Island, the song on The Carousel of Progress, the mickey mouse ice cream bars.

On our one year anniversary, we visited again, this time with family and friends. The memory that stands out the most is riding a six-person bike at The Boardwalk Resort, endlessly honking our horn and annoying all of the retired guests. I've never laughed so hard...kind of like the giggles you get when you jump on a trampoline. Touring the 'world' with my brother and his wife was even more fun that it had been on the honeymoon because their energy added a different vibe to the trip.

On September 11th of 2001, three of my girlfriends and I were trying to figure out why terrorists had to choose the date of our vacation to attack. We were supposed to leave for Disneyworld on the 12th and planes were grounded. When we finally did leave, on the 19th, we were understandably scared to death to fly. My palms were sweating as we landed and I truly felt that this trip was a mistake. It turned out to be the best so far. The staff was endlessly helpful, the guests more determined than ever to be happy, and the lines nonexistent. We did all the girly things like night-clubbing and shopping to our heart's content. Our hotel was within walking distance of Epcot and my most precious memory of the trip was strolling around The WOrld Showcase by myself in the dark during Illuminations. Only if you've been there, do you know how that feels.

Finally, in 2003, I took my three year old son. And seeing The Magic Kingdom thru his eyes was just as fabulous as people say it is. Now I did all the cheesy things like take pictures with the characters and watch the silly 'Broadway-style' shows without feeling like time was being wasted. The Swiss Family Treehouse seemed bigger, the animals on the Jungle Cruise seemed real, Splash Mountain was terrifying suddenly, and playgrounds were crazy-cool! The pool at the hotel was actually visited multiple times and nobody hurried. Naps were taken during the day. Ice cream was eaten at leisure. Parades were viewed for the first time...and thoroughly enjoyed! Disneyworld with a child is a wonderful thing.

Now I find myself planning my friend's vacations there when I'm not going on one myself. Something about planning out their trips makes me feel like I'm still a guest. I'm always reading up on new 'hidden mickeys' and reading the Unofficial Guide.

To sum up: I know there are many other places in the world to visit. I know I'm missing out on so much by spending my vacations so single mindedly. But when I look at my photos I'm immediately grasped by a strong urgency to visit again. And you know what they say: 'If it ain't broke...'

Plugging my new Blog

So. I got this idea from a fellow blogger and after careful consideration, I've decided to undertake it as well.

I'll be posting one page a day of my favorite book Victor Hugo's 'THe Man Who Laughs' for your reading pleasure.

Enjoy.
http://www.themanwholaughs.blogspot.com/

I'll be adding it as a link as soon as I figure out HOW!

...to get BUSY again!?

heh heh.

A friend of mine brought to my attention a little google 'game' called '(blank) wants...'

The challenge (her word,not mine) is to type in your first name and the word 'wants' into the google search engine . Seriously, these are the first three that came up:

'Ashley wants to get BUSY again!' (yes, the capital 'busy' was theirs, not mine)

'Ashley wants help for hockey'

and my favorite:

'Ashley wants to know what we're doing'.

It was kind of funny. Take a stab at it. It might be worth a snort or two.

Absence and Arbitrations

It has been a while since my last post, I see. Not much has occurred. We are still settling in to our new house and last weekend I made a much needed trip to Memphis to see my neglected family and allow my husband time to paint the open areas of our house. I was able to see little friends I've missed alot, the panda exhibit at the zoo, an old friend that I have not seen in years, the parents of me, and (gasp) the mall. It was nice and I rented a new Impala so the trip was smoooooothe like a speed-boat ride.

I have a dread of driving because of a couple of wrecks (no such thing as a car ACCIDENT, people!) I've been in and the nice, big, car was a pleasure and lent me an air of confidence I wish I always had.

In 1996, husband and I (and a friend ) were on our way back from the meeting and a lady in a tan Nissan Quest decided to make her left hand turn across our lane w/out checking first. We smacked into her really hard and my purty new Civic was utterly destroyed. We received a little settlement and eventually another car but I was severely rattled by that. Then, in 2002, another friend and I were hit by a gentleman (this time I was driving the tan Quest...wierd huh?) who decided to run a red light in Memphis and though physically my injuries were limited to a mild concussion and twisted ankle, I was really messed up emotionally by the unpredictability of most of the drivers with which I'm forced to share the road! My attorney insisted that I pursue the matter and so here I am, in 2006, attending an arbitration for the very first time.

Technically, an arbitration is like a cross between a mediation and a formal trial. The arbitrator (or judge) sits at the head of a conference table and gets to decide the outcome of the proceedings.

I walked into the Court Square building in Nashville yesterday, well dressed and sweaty palmed, and not even a little sure of what was going to happen. My attorney is young but sounds old and bitter (like Joe Don Baker) so I was impressed. This time though, looked windblown and uncomfortable in his ill fitting suit , a fact that perturbed me since the arbitrator lady (whose named was Tracy) was also sure to notice.
But lo and behold! Tracy is a man...a sexy older man w/ piercing blue eyes and an understanding head-bob that was instantly appealing. Not at all what I'd imagine a judge to be like.
State Farm's attorney was also young but dressed immaculately w/ wire-framed glasses that I wanted to steal. He never looked at me (not used to that, I must say) and this was irritating, obviously. My attorney was quick w/ his opening statements but I was again impressed by how matter of fact he made the case sound. Hey, he convinced me.

I was asked a million questions about the accident, both by my attorney and the cross-examining one, and eventually the arbitrator asked for closing statements. Both attorneys were equally succint (unfortunately) and made a great case for themselves. State farm does NOT want to give me any money. But, we'll see the way that turns out. Blue-eyes is supposed to contact my attorney on Tuesday and finally this rediculously long ordeal will be over.

My feelings on court proceedings are a little more positive than previously. No longer are 'opening remarks,' 'objections', and 'closing statements' relegated to the realm of tv-land. I feel like I've been thru the trenches and come out w/ a better understanding of the weaponry.

But I hope to never have to go thru it again.

Decompressing

Wow. I never thought I would be the woman on the 'verge of a nervous breakdown' but, there it is. Wednesday of last week I had a now hilarious 'mommy meltdown' in which I found myself sobbing to my six year old and being far too impatient w/ the baby. Thursday night I had a pounding stress headache and was incapable of dealing w/ even small disruptions. My husband relocated the couch and I found myself lying on the floor in tears about it! Yes, I was finally cracking up. I can say this light-heartedly now because today is altogether different. Friday morning at about 2am I lay awake w/ my small son's feet in my ribs and realized I needed to decompress in the biggest of ways!

I woke up my husband at 5am crying once again and completely unraveled. It was like all the bottled up stress that I thought I was handling so well over the past year came out in one fell swoop. He held me like a daddy and patted my back. I told him I needed to get away for a whole day and maybe a night too to relax and reflect. 'I vant to be ahlone'. We agreed that I should go to Nashville Saturday, visit a salon, and stay at a nice hotel. I also made plans w/ some girlfriends to meet up on Saturday night for a few hours.

Although it probably isnt necessary to post each detail of this little sojourn, each detail actually contributed to the finished product so post it I shall.

Friday night the old man came home w/ a bottle of extra dry Korbel and ran me a hot bath by candlelight. Have I mentioned how much I dig him?

Saturday morning I enjoyed breakfast w/ the boys, packed a little overnight bag, and headed off to Nashville and my salon appointment (after making a quick stop at Marti and Liz for a darling pair of ballet flats...ha). Salon Fx in Nashville is a somewhat upscale full-service salon that excels in great customer service. A plump little lady w/ a soothing scottish accent gave me a collagen facial (girls w/ dry skin...you MUST TRY). The room was dark and warm and smelled of lovely eucalyptus-type extracts. As the collagen mask melted on my face I thought about small things. Things that tend to be pushed aside when you're stressed like my dislike of buffets and my love of Grace Kelly. The pedicure that followed was even more relaxing though I seem to have become more ticklish in my old age. I sighed my lazy way to my car and decided it was much too dirty to escort my queenly personage so off I went to the local 'crackhead carwash' where the personell is a bit raw but the services superb. In my now clean automobile, I headed to the Hilton and was thrilled to discover warm cookies and cold milk at the check-out desk. Need I say that I'll be visiting this hotel again? The room was nice and immediately after dropping my stuff I headed down to the hot tub which was completely empty and super hot. I read my current C.S. Lewis Chronicle and watched the sun set in brilliant hues of red. Already I'm a different person.

Saturday night, a dear friend and I made a little detour to Opry Mills where I allowed myself the further freedom of purchasing a few sale items at Banana Republic. My retro style was wholly satisfied by their new spring collections...who knew? We left there to meet other dear friends at The Flying Saucer, a loud and cozy (yes it makes sense) beer emporium downtown. Flying Dog Pilsner is my new favorite brew, by the way! Afterwards it was dancin' time at Decades, a club that caters, evidently, to older yuppies w/ a fetish for the eighties. There were some youngns there too but did they know all the lyrics to 'Footloose' and 'You Give Love a Bad Name'? I think not. My awkward left feet were in their element for sure. But by one a.m. I was burned out on that stuff and pretty happy to discover that the others were too. I returned alone to my hotel and drank champagne and read until my Opry Mills friend returned and chatted w/ me until 4am.

8A.M. Sunday. I'm lying awake wondering if I would be better served by a couple of extra hours sleep or another dip in the hot tub. I opted for the latter and Friend accompanied me down to the otherwise empty pool area. When we were significantly pruny, we made our way back up to the room and prepared to check out and get breakfast.

By 1pm I was back in the lovin' arms of my family and completely rejuvinated. Was this really enough, you may ask? Well, yes actually. I don't know that any more time away would have been beneficial as I was already missing my boys dreadfully and I'm equally sure that any less time would not have been sufficient.

The hotel time in the hot tub seemed the most therapeutic though the facial and pedicure run a close second. The dance club and its patrons only reaffirmed my appreciation for my own early-to-bed life. The frivolous mall inhabitants seemed shallow and swarmy. The buzzing city and its crackhead carwash made me hunger for the clean smells of cow patties and cedar trees. As I drove back home w/ my friend talking of prayer and important things, I felt calm.

And yesterday afternoon, a manchurian ring-necked pheasant wandered in our back yard. As we stared at it silently and in wonder, I couldnt help thinking that this was a very positive thing. No matter where it came from, could it possibly find a better place in the world to visit? Nah.

purrr-teee

So here is the view from my front door. We've been here a week now and it was very nice this morning to wake up to a light snow. We were promised 3 to 6 inches and though it's still coming down pretty hard (which may or may not be evident from the picture), I doubt that's gonna happen. I think it was a little too warm at about 34 degrees. Anyway, I have never been so happy with my surroundings before. Being raised in the suburbs has its advantages but views are hardly one of them. And now, I feel I'm in my element w/ this view from my bedroom window and another equally pretty one from the bathroom.

I took advantage of my gargantuan tub this morning for the first time. Lying in the steamy hot water (finally the water heater can accomodate a full bath!) and staring out the window at the snow was something I never expected to experience in my own house. Sigh.

But there is still a lot to do and I am supposed to be pulling boxes out of the basement as I type, so off I go. More later?

Notes from the past week: The Grammy's were a disaster. Is music really this mediocre? And is it sacriliege that I enjoyed Kelly Clarkson's performance more than the much touted 'reappearance' of Sly Stone? At least she stuck around for the end. I thought the lost look on all those big stars' faces when he took off was pretty great though. And the blonde mohawk was classic stuff, of course. Anyway, the show itself had a few high points (Madonna's legs-good lord) and a significant ammount of low (Christina Aguilera trying to wrap her tonsils around a jazz classic and failing miserably) so all I can say about that is -thank goodness for Tivo!

'Ten Years We've Been Rusting'?.....

I recognized a pretty obvious mistake in Disney's Beauty and the Beast today. My youngest has developed a love for it (ALMOST as much as Seven Brides...) and so I'm treated to the chorus of Belle and Be Our Guest repeatedly throughout the week.

I have to say, I am pretty fond of Beauty and the Beast. I remember seeing it for the first time at the theater and thinking the opening sequence was the best I've seen yet. The lovely english voice telling the story of the spoiled prince is really enthralling, as are the stained class story pictures and the moving shot of the Beast ripping up his beautiful portrait. Remember that portrait? The young man w/ the blue blue eyes and the shoulder lenth locks? I've always loved that part.

Anyway, I was listening to the lyrics of Be Our Guest and recognized quite a big goof. I guess the screw-up is more the fault of the lyricist than the artist but, who knows? In the lyrics to the song, Lumiere says : 'for ten years we've been rusting/ needing so much more than dusting', right?

Well, the story goes ' the rose was actually an enchanted rose that would bloom until the Prince's twenty-first birthday. If he couldnt learn to love and get someone to love him in return; he was doomed to be a beast forever.' So the BEAST is not yet 21. If they've been 'rusting' for ten years wouldnt that have made him about 11 at the time the spell was cast? Does that prince at the beginning look like a child to you? Hmmmm......


OOPS! (I love finding stuff like that. Such glee.)

Vargas

I've recently become very attached to the incomparable art of Vargas.

Though I've seen it for years, it wasnt until recently that I really began to research his style and more obscure works. This, for instance, was one of the legacy nudes of his career and truly showcases how brilliant an artist he was! I don't think anyone else has been able to capture the female form w/ such exquisite (and forgiving) detail before or since. His ideal ladies were not too thin but very human and altogether gorgeous!

Bettie Page and others of her generation of pin-up model used Vargas girls' to set the standard and small wonder. Thanks to Sabina and Heidi Van Horne (whose respective sights are super stingy w/ photos or I would have posted some eye candy for the boys) for keeping the image alive!

Viva La Vargas!

The Last Leg

So, some of you may be wondering what is going on w/ our 'house' sitch-ee-ayshun'.

We are finally on the home stretch. Our deadline is Monday and we are doing the 'finishing' touches right now, though we will barely just make it.

Today we have painters and carpet-layers coming in. Tomorrow we will finish up the plumbing and Friday the builder is coming in for his final carpentry products like built-ins.

This has definitely been a learning experience and we have run into a few major hurdles along the way but I can honestly say that I now have my dream house! There isnt one inch of that I don't love! Though there are some things concerning the process that I would have changed; the actual finished product is exactly what I wanted. The paint colors are all completely satisfying (ranging from a very deep peacock to a soft sea-green) ocean colors and I was able to splurge where I liked and get the granite countertops and lovely hardwood floors I always wanted. The fluctuation of golds, greens, and blues seems to convey exactly the soothing feeling I wanted. I have very traditional taste in most respects so the majority of my decor is along those lines but I also have a deep attraction for mid century modern design so I gave in to that when I liked. Therefore, my kitchen has granite countertops and pale wood cabinets but the floors are black and white tile and the fixtures are 'fifties-chic'. It's wonderfully incoherent. I made the most of my ebay membership by buying the majority of my new furnishings over the past year from different ebay stores that offer great deals on clean, modern furniture and window coverings. Bamboo shades are my absolute favorite thing and I was able to purchase them cut-to-order for a fraction of what most companies charge. Thank you payless decor!
I have one more major purchase to aquire: an oriental rug for my front room (the room that will house all of my grandfather's precious art). I am very picky and and holding off on this intentionally, to see what the paint, pictures, and furniture will require once everything is put together. I also don't want to hide my ash floors too much.

So, that is that. I'm looking forward to finishing up the decorating when we move and finally getting settled in. I feel like my life has been on hold for so long!

Then I can 'sound my barbaric YAWP over the rooftops of the world' from simple relief!

WWCND

There is absolutely nothing to say about this. But I strongly suggest that you do yourself and everyone you love a favor by visiting this site.

Evidently, the fate of the world may well be at stake!

http://chucknorrisfacts.com/

The Perfect Childrens' Movie???

When my six year old was about two, he noticed Bambi. Every day he wanted to see Bambi two or three times. Later on, he became obsessive about Dumbo. When he was about 3, Star Wars was his favorite thing in the world and I was greeted w/ the Imperial March on a daily basis (which I don't mind actually...great movies, all). My point is, kids seem to thrive on repetition. They find a thing they love and then they want it all the time. Usually by about 2 years old they become super stubborn in this area and woe to the one who stands in their way. And eventually most of us find that giving in can buy us much needed 'me' time.

Since I work at home, I've kind of been on a mission to find the ideal 'distraction' for my 19 month old. He has a much shorter attention span then his older brother had at the same age. I've tried every Disney movie I could find and the tried-and-true Star Wars saga as well. Nope. He will have none of the 'sitting still' thing (meetings are CRAZY)! Then, last week, I discovered IT! The only movie that my little one will watch almost to completion and stay as happy as a clam. What is this 'balm' of Hollywood, you may ask?

It is none other than the silly, colorful, and somewhat rediculous (but marvelously fun) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers! The moment Howard Keel starts to belt out 'Bless Your Beautiful Hide', I can count on at least 40 minutes of quiet time from the child who would initially only give me about five. Yay Stanley Donen!

"...they ain't even Old Timey!"

Sure am lovin' this stuff!

The Old Crow Medicine Show have been around for years but it's really a shot in the arm to rediscover them. Their cover of Bob Dylans 'Wagon Wheel' is nothing short of brilliant but it's their 'old timey' stuff like 'Tear it Down' that really gets the 'mule kickin' in my soul.

Visit the site provided and enjoy some samples!

http://www.crowmedicine.com/