Monday, July 21, 2008

Mama Mia

Dragged Hubby to see 'Mama Mia' on Saturday (after I convinced him that 'Dark Knight' would be too crowded this weekend). He thought it was okay (and it did provide an escape from the Texas heat), but I liked it. Must admit that I was frustrated by the way the singing/dancing scenes were shot/directed: mediocre choreography, cameras out of focus at times, and dancing scenes shot with little to no wide-angles. Why bother having dancing scenes if you are filming from the waist up? Overall, I left the theatre feeling happy with the movie, but disappointed in that it had the potential to be even better if it had been under the helm of a 'more-seasoned' director. If you enjoy ABBA music you'll like 'Mama Mia', if not, don't bother.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Mad Men Marathon

Today I'm surviving the Texas heat with the blinds closed, curtains drawn, ac cranked, and the television turned to AMC for a Mad Men marathon. I love this show and can't wait until the new season starts next Sunday. The writing is brilliant. Hubby loves to quote the beatnik's question 'How do you sleep at night' (upon discovering that Draper was in advertising) whereupon Draper replies, 'On a bed made of money.' I love how authentic the show feels with the art direction (costumes, set design, props) from the period. The countdown is on until next Sunday night.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Freedom of Speech

"The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market...I think that we should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe and believe to be fraught with death."

Oliver Wendell Holmes



"Western governments are becoming increasingly comfortable with the regulation of opinion. The First Amendment really does distinguish the U.S., not just from Canada but from the rest of the Western World."

Mark Steyn



How much do you value the freedom to express your opinion? Check out this New York Times article.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Royal Chef

On July 1st, as I was getting my daily dose of Tim and Meghan on Fox Good Day, I remembered that it was Canada Day. No, it's not that they mentioned it, but they did remind us that it would have been Princess Diana's 47th birthday that day. Yes, it is weird how I know that her birthday coincided with Canada -- although, what's even more strange is that I know Pamela Anderson's birthday also falls on Canada Day.

Fox 4 mentioned Princess Diana's birthday because they had her former chef from Kensington Palace, Darren McGrady, showing how to make her favourite no-bake cheesecake. It looked so yummy that I convinced myself that I should actually look up the recipe and try it at home.

The chef himself was quite personable (ie chatty) on television, but it was difficult to decipher the recipe. So, I had to Google him and find his website, which is called The Royal Chef. Apparently he has also written a recipe book -- which I might have to search for at Borders. Look under recipes and it is listed as 'Greek Yogurt and Strawberry Cheesecake'.

The only thing holding me back from trying it this week is that we are off on a roadtrip today. Plus, it involves using a food processor. Yes, I have a strange fear of my food processor. Okay, it really is not a phobia...more like I am intimidated by my food processor. I had big plans to use it all the time, but the blades are sharp...Maybe it goes back to the time I did props for a production of 'Noises Off' and I had to pulverize a concoction of shredded newspaper, water, and whatnot every night and shape it into tiny sardines on multiple plates. All for the Theatre.

Roadtrip

We're doing a roadtrip to San Antonio today and I'm so excited that I woke up early this morning. The only drawback is that I haven't packed yet...and I hate packing. Hubby has given me a high-noon deadline, so if I'm not packed and ready to go by then...well, he won't be happy. Guess he wants to make it through Austin before rush-hour tonight.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Bachelorette: What Was She Thinking?

Yes, I watch The Bachelorette. No, I do not take it seriously. It adds amusement to my life and I enjoy the man-candy -- I may be married, but I am not dead. But, after last night's episode I am not sure that I want to continue tuning in every Monday evening.

DeAnna's choice of final two men is bizarre. One is a divorced single father and the other is a snowboarder. She is only 26 so I can understand her falling for the snowboarder because he offers tons of fun and zero responsibility. Meanwhile, I question whether she has really given much thought to becoming an instant step-mother. The other strange thing is that I thought she didn't want to move far from her family in Georgia, and she has chosen one guy who makes a living sliding down mountains on a snowboard (not much snow in Georgia) and the other lives in Seattle --the exact opposite corner of the country.

Guess I was shocked last night when she said goodbye to Jeremy. He was the perfect guy with the perfect life, and a southerner to boot. What was she thinking? If she were 30, this is the guy she would have chosen.

The way she spoke to the 'cast-off' bachelors last night was harsh. None of those men deserved to be spoken to that way. They already had been sent home so why did she have to be Ms. Nasty. I hope she gets the life she picks and that karma comes back to bight her.