Is it me, or has it become the socially conscious thing to do to announce, "Yes, I'm sick - but it's not HN1?"

Dollhouse's live viewing numbers for Friday night are >1.0 in the 18-49 range. I <3 this show, and am frustrated more people don't <3 it with me. I'm thinking the way to solve it is much more shirtless Victor and Ballard. (Sexist but true)

On the plus side, my other passionetta for the season, Glee,has already been given a full 22-run season. Which is awesomeness squared, as this show has provided me a bunch of new songs on ye olde iPod this season. It's so refreshing when what I watch is also what America watches. And so much less lonely.

Saw ToyStoryand ToyStory2 this weekend in 3D. I'd give it a solid B. The 3D wasn't nearly as extreme as anticipated. At times, I could take off the glasses and things looked perfectly normal. Sadly the audience was not: who the hell brings BABIES to a theatre?? They need to enforce strict NO ADMITTANCE UNDER AGE 3 rules. And if your ankle biter starts acting up, you need to take it and LEAVE. Sorry, I know that's harsh but seriously? I paid +$10 to see this. I'd like to be able to emjoy it without the non-dulcet sounds of your child.

I'm cranky. I'm not sure why. Except I'm kinda in pain. That could do it. I see the surgeon on the 14th. Let's keep our fingers crossed, no serious hack and saw in 2009!!

Because not everyone gets Lifetime. I don't think they even realized it was missing from their lineup until season 6 Project Runway. And I get that: it's not like everyone's a manic Army Wives or Drop-Dead Diva fan. (Though those are perfectly lovely shows. I think. I never watch them.)

Anywho. I am also keeping a weekly score sheet for anyone who wants to play. No, you can get in now! But I think I will do this for future seasons as well, 'cause it's just so fun.

And did I mention Ra'mon works at Kohl's? He's a designer for Mudd, I think. What I'm unclear on is if he works from the Corp office here or in NYC. I do know I saw him hopping a car to the airport from in front of the offices on Friday, so my money in on his working in the NYC offices.

Without further ado - The Recaps

( Week 3 - Air Date 9/3/09: )

( Week 4 - Air Date 9/10/09: )

Next week: Perhaps we finally get Michael Kors and Nina Garcia back?

If a kindergardener yells at a teacher in the middle of class "YOU'RE A LIAR", I believe most parents would agree that said child is in need of a time out to learn and understand why that behavior is unacceptable.

Why should we expect any less from our elected officials? I'm not saying drag the poor man out in the streets and flay him. The official "time out" of Congress is a censure. So censure Wilson and be done with it. His constitutents can decide come election day whether he deserves the right to stand for them in that most august hall of power, and cast votes in their name.

I realize it's very hard to hear this: neither political party comes off like a rose lately. But it would be great if they could at least come off as more mature than the kindergardener I described.

In other news, Serena, Serena, Serena. Are you having a selective amnesia attack? You know there are videos rollong all over the court at the U.S. Open, this not being a local high school game of tiddlywinks. So when you're caught, ON TAPE, Verbally abusing a line ref, at least man up. It was out of line, YOU WERE OUT OF LINE, take the censure.

Lastly, OMG Kanye. Why is he even allowed on the VMAs anymore? Has he ever been and not made an ass of himself? But what he did tonight - interrupting a teenage girl's dream of accepting a VMA award? Was beyond wacky. It was hurtful to the extreme. Taylor Swift is, what, 17? 18? She showed herself much more mature than her years, or mine, as I'd have bonked Mr. West on head with my Astronaut/popcorn award thingie and asked him who the hell he thought he was dealing with.

But we also got to see some incredible grace lately:

When the gentleman from SC yelled "You Lie!" at the elected President of the United States, during a joint session on Congress, the world kind of spun for me. For a second, I thought I was watching coverage of the British House of Commons. But no, it was us and ours. And President Obabma, like a tired father used to dealing with teenage hooligans, kept right on rolling. For that I say, nicely played sir.

Beyonce, who looked STUNNED at what she was seeing on stage, kindly brought out Taylor Swift at the end of the show to allow her a chance to finish her award's speech.

We need more of this kind of behavior. One that shows the kind and correct way to be. Not the angry, vitrol spilling, water-cooler "OMG, did you see that crazy!" kind.

And to the folks of MTV, you gave Andrew Dice Clay a life-long ban, I don't understand why Kanye doesn't have the same.

My findings of funnies on teh interwebz:( Read more... )

I just know I laughed 'til I cried.


see more Fail Blog

Three hours and I still can't seem to get my airport express talking to my new iMac. At this point, I give up. I've connected the machine directly to my cable modem, and will call Apple to discuss.

Just finished my first ever Skype call, with Miss Babs. It was awesome...I could wave at Nessie and research flights and gab...oh Skype, where have you been all my life?

I'd type more but my brain is of the fried variety. Sleepy now...off to zzz-land.

When are people going to learn that banning books? Makes no sense.

Well, maybe if the book was called, Here, Read This if You Want to Learn to Put Together a Pipe-Bomb and Take Out Your Cafeteria. Then banning would make sense. But so would NOT CARRYING IT IN THE LIBRARY.

You know what, that comparison didn't even make sense. I've just attemted to make a funny involving books that condone violence, and books that (gasp) include scenes of rape, homosexuality and abortion. NOT THE SAME THING.

In short, we carry books that cover all topics, to include serial killers and cult leaders, in most school libraries. Why are they ok? Why aren't books such as the ones DorisTLC mentions, along with all others that have been censored through the years (HP, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill A Mockingbird, Brave New World, Slaughterhouse-Five, etc etc) not ok?

I do remember my mom doing her nut in elementary over a Judy Blume book. I think it was Forever. She didn't want it banned from the district, just from the elementary school. I know she didn't win, and to be honest, that's a good thing. Contrary to popular belief, children in elementary school do need to know about sex...their bodies are capable if it, and blah blah insert unloaded gun reference here.

Anywho, for your reading pleasure: Courtesy of the HP Alliance (Go Doris!)

Hmph. See below for Herb Kohl's reply to my email re: horrific situation in Iran and the government's denial of basic liberties, The:

Dear ~jords:

Thank you for contacting me about the state of affairs
between the United States and Iran.

As you know, tensions between the United States and Iran
have run deep for almost three decades. President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad has maintained his nuclear program and opposition
to Israel. On March 3, 2008, the United Nations Security Council
passed Resolution 1803 in response to Iran's refusal to suspend its
nuclear program. The resolution requires Iran to cease all uranium
enrichment and immediately suspend its nuclear program or face
tighter economic and travel sanctions. Iran escalated the situation
with missile tests and its continued refusal to end its nuclear
weapon program. Recently, Iran announced the successful testing
of a missile capable of reaching Israel and regional U.S. military
bases.

I appreciate your concerns about the situation. Please be
assured that I support all efforts of the United States and
international organizations such as the European Union to find a
diplomatic resolution to the situation. I will keep your thoughts in
mind as progress continues.




Sincerely,


Herb Kohl
U.S. Senator

So, that tells me....what? Nothing can be done? Stand by and be horrified? Well done, Herb, I've been there and done that. As a former Civics teacher, I think I just died a little inside...

(PS: Ahmadinejad is a bad man? Really? Um, no foolin!)

Please note, this are my opinions, no one elses. Oh, and I've had 2 glasses of wine tonight, and as such, may be louder than usual.

I made the mistake of flipping on CNN for a bit tonight (or as I've come to call it, "the station desperately attempting to Cover It's Ass for its shoddy coverage of yesterday's events so we could discuss Palin vs. Letterman at length") and one person had written in asking if they could cover something else, as they were sick of hearing about far-away elections.

To this person, you know who you are, I am ashamed to share an o-zone with you.

65 years ago, 160,000 men stormed the beaches of Normandy to tackle an oppressive empire who had silenced the voices of freedom-loving men, women and children across the Continent. They selflessly attacked in the face of overwhelming odds so that the vile dictator behind so many attrocities might be forever silenced.

Earlier this week, at a museum where so many have gone to remember those voices silenced by that same oppresive regime, a vile man slaughtered an innocent guard because hatred reigned in his mind and in his heart.

And this weekend, millions of voices raised as one to denounce another evil regime, and the actions of another whose mind and heart are ruled with hatred.

Honor our forefathers who gave of themselves so generously 65 years ago. Honor those who fight for freedom now. Honor those who worked daily to ensure the next generation knew the truth of the horrors men are capable of.

Support the brave men and women of Iran in their quest to free themselves from their evil government! Wear Green tomorrow and every day this week!!

I've been following the news re: the Iran election on Twitter, and to say the least, it's heartbreaking. The shots of so many students who are fighting to bring a change in their world, and literally being beaten down? Horrible, Horrible, Horrible.

The fact our media in the U.S. is barely giving it any coverage? Outrageous. Enraging. Eye-opening.

These words of Dumbledore's have been my guiding inner light the last 2 days:

"Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." (GoF, pg. 723, Scholastic)

Freedom, and the longing for same, are great unifiers. I have watched the Twitter 'verse positively EXPLODE with news and updates, encouragement and battle cries, since early Saturday AM. Even when CNN and Fox failed in their duties to report this momentous occasion, the average man, woman and child stepped up and accepted the call.

It is events such as these that prove Anne Frank was correct. "Despite everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." In light of the events of this week, I take strength from her words of wisdom, and pray we can see the fall of this evil regime, and the advancement of a people longing to be free.

And I'm not going to try and do so at the moment. I need to try and pull my thoughts together and explain why this was such an amazing weekend for all involved. No one on their staff reads this journal, but I'm throwing my thanks here out into cyberland in the hopes they may somehow hear them.

To MJ, Stephanie, Addie, Kim, Lisa, Lizzie, Doris, Nick and everyone else at TLC, thank you thank you thank you a hundred thousand times over for such an amazing weekend. It really was "the most fun you can have with your robes on." I have only 2 regrets: why didn't I go to one of these before, and wow, 2011 seems far away.

I somehow managed to have my left eyelid balloon up and almost completely block my sight early this morning. It's better, but still looks like I hit the doorframe with my face. Hopefully my constant application of cortisone cream and ice will make a dent. I just took 2 Benrdryl....I have interns starting tomorrow, facing them looking like I was stuny in th eye by a swarm of bees? Not really part of the picture.

I have much to catch up on, not the least my girl janebo and her myriad of medical malfunctions. Dear sweet butter pecan, what is going on in the Carolinas???

Off to apply more ice! *wanders off bitterly cursing eye*

*insert general sounds of happy here*

After last spring's debacle with Jericho, Moonlight, etc etc, I had pretty much given up on studio execs as utter idiots.

When Dollhouse ratings were low, I vowed not to let my scars from last year interfere with my love for this show. Partner that with my newest addiction, teh evil that be Twitter, and let's just say, poor Fox.

Well, miracles can happen. Fringe was renewed. Castle was renewed. DOLLHOUSE WAS RENEWED.

I can't wait to read the "but, what....we said....makes no sense" from the media. Yes, you fools, it does. Neilsen is broken, we all know it, they're like the newspaper industry of entertainment. I realize Madison Ave has not caught on yet, but give them time.

In the meantime, a passionate, vocal AND WILLING TO SPEND THEIR CASH ON THE DVDs fanbase? Worth not pissing off...especially when it would be strike 2 against the legion of Jossfans for Fox.

I'm so happy. I lack words. I may actually have a drink to celebrate.

In other news, I finished all my presentations for summer inters today. So that's good. 'Cause now I need to focus on the awesome that will be LeakyCon!

It's a good thing I don't have children, because I suspect their needs might get in the way of my pop-culture obsessions.

I've been walking around with some mystery movie score stuck in my head all weekend, and been making myself seriously crazy trying to place where it came from.

I finally figured it out, by closing my eyes and trying to remember the dialogue it was with. Lo and behold, it was The General's Daughter, which I caught again on Cinemax a few weeks ago.

So, as I am a soundtrack/movie score junkie, off went I to iTunes. No joy. Amazon had it, and let me know that if I liked that music I should be sure and check out Twilight (yes, that Twilight) as it had the same composer.

And it's true! Carter Burwell write "Bella's Lullaby" and all the rest of the score. I think "Bella's Lullaby" is hauntingly beautiful, and rank it up there in my top 10 musical scores. (The top ten including "Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams, the theme to "Elizabeth" by David Hirschfelder, "The Wardrobe" by Harry-Gregson Williams, the theme to "The Last Emporer" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Slayer's Elegy" from Christophe Beck, you get the idea.) Long story short, this too shall soon be mine!

I spent some serious thought time this weekend on why my geek obsessions (HP, Buffy, etc) mean so much - why did they have such pull over me when some other well-known stories (Twilight being the frist that jumps to mind) did not? I think I figured it out.

All stories revolve around the theme of love, and how that emotion plays into the choices we make. Buffy chose to sacrifice herself time and again to save the world for those she loves. Lily chose to offer her life to save Harry's. Angel chose to sacrifice his ties to his son in order that his son could grow up safe and happy. River chose to save her brother and the rest of the crew by diving through those blast doors to take on the Reavers/throw Simon his medical bag/close the blast doors. Will and Lyra chose to close the openings between the worlds to prevent any more Dust from escaping/Dust's destruction. Rose choses to walk away from the Academy in order to hunt down Sergei and bring him a measure of peace. All choices. None of them easy. Proof that heroes are defined as those who make the choices the rest of us never could.

And people wonder why I cry at trailers?

So...Miss Babs is coming out for a visit in 2 weeks. So excited - we're going car shopping! (Well, she was here when I went house shopping, she's my personal goodluck!charm when it comes to spending massive amounts of money) And seeing movies, and eating Kopps, and generally being silly. The Babs needs that...she's spent the last several months doing NOTHING besides taking care of the Nessie.

I don't think I could be that self-less. 'Cause I'm just not built with that much goodness in me.

Anywho, silliness. Need movie recommends, folks! Rentals or Theatre, both are good!

She'll leave Tuesday AM. Mom and Dad get here Thursday afternoon. Thank God my housekeeper comes every other Thursday, or I'd be in trouble!

Mom and Dad are here for a long weekend on their way to Michigan. Yes, I realize that geographically that doesn't make sense....They're driving PAST Michigan to get to Wisconsin. These are the people who said they'd stop in and see me on their way to the Grand Canyon. (Map a line from Harrisburg, PA to the Grand Canyon....does it go anywhere NEAR Wisconsin? Now you get the idea!)

THEN....(insert stirring dramatic music) it's only a few weeks until Memorial Day Weekend, when I'm off to Boston and LeakyCon! I get to be all spastic with Flounder and La! I may force Flounder to sing "Hero of Canton" just to be silly! (You figure that many geeks in one location, there has to be a few other Joss-fans!) So excited - still no clue what I'm wearing. I'm not feeling the costume love (even I have limits) so it may be a weekend of funny Cafe Press t-shirts.

I'm feeling so much fam love. Probably because it's Easter weekend. And because I haven't seen anyone since the Holidays.

Remind of this emotion when StoryBook Mom arrives and makes me crazy in less than 30 minutes.

I'm still scraping the bits of my brain together to expound on its awesomeness! So much happened, so much set in place, so much more shifting to new places.

Have decided I'm sicking November on the Fox studios if they cancel....and arranging for deliveries of nothing but green flowers.

My userpic in no way reflects my mood, but it's the only one with Andy Hallet I had.

Andy Hallet, aka everyone's favorite Karaoke manager, aka the only one to get away with calling Angel "Angelcakes" to his face, passed away due to heart failure. He was 33.

The world is a much less fun place without him.

This entire exchange:
Topher: What are you doing?
Adelle: Doing?
Topher: Besides being ...
Adelle: Being what? Sarcastic? Controlling? British?
Topher: It's an animal.
Adelle: Where?
Topher: No, the word.
Adelle: Still, you have to admit, I am very British. I don't say hard R's.
Topher: You know what I like? Brown sauce. What's it made of? Science doesn't know!
Adelle: It's made of brown.
Topher: Bro-own. Mined from the earth by the hard scrabbled brown miners of North Brownerton
Adelle: Oh my god. I find lentils totally incomprehensible.
Topher: Hee hee hee hee ... That's got nothing to do with the drug. Which means our problems are huge and indomitable
Adelle: Oooh, I could eat that word. Or a crisp? Do you have any crisps?
Topher: You haven't seen my Drawer of Inapropriate Starches!
Adelle: Oh my god, I'm having such a terrible day.

Or this one:
Boyd Langton: Would you like to have a treatment?
Echo as Alice: No.
Boyd Langton: Hey. Wow. Did not maintain control of that situation. (throws back head and laughs)

Or these one liners:
Topher: I have a whole phalanx of machines that go 'Bing!"

Topher: I have another call! I have a better call!

Adele (from her trampoline): Say "Hi" for me!

Dominic (stroking his jacket): So soft. Like a kitty.

Adelle: How do you explain the man who lost his brains down his shirt?

CANNOT. BREATHE.
TOO. JOSSIAN.

I did next to nothing productive, unless cooking, laundry, and cleaning out select sections of the freezer count. IMO, they don't so...yeah.

Things accomplished this weekend:

a.) Watched Friday's episode of Dollhouse through three times. Yes, it was that good, but I was also trying to look for clues to new theories. Or else I just like seeing Tahmoh shirtless. Your call.
See here for a link to an interview with Joss on all things DH.

I know, I squee and yelp a lot about the House of Dolls. And not just because I love it, even though I do. I am also trying to run a one-woman campaign to raise interest, and therefore viewer numbers, all in the hopes that Fox won't yank it. I have little hope of success, but miracles have happened before. I mean, they did give Eli Stone a 2nd season, yes? (Oh, wait that was ABC. Forget it, we're screwed.)

b.) Read Rhett Butler's People which is supposed to be the authorized sequel to Gone With The Wind. I'm confused by this statement, as I thought Scarlett, that glorious Harlequin-wannabe mess by Alexandra Ripley was the authorized sequel. Whatever. I read it, and it was good...sorta. I did like the redemption arc for Belle Watling. And found the focus on Tara much more realistic than "Scarlett runs away to Ireland and buys a manor and gets involved with politics" b.s. that Scarlett delivered. Still, it would be nice to know which Rosemary Butler is the REAL authorized Rosemary.

c.) Watched Twilight. (I know, finally, right??) It was much better than I thought it would be. The sparkledy vampire premise still cracks me up, but mostly I thought they did a.) A good job with the story despite the "OMG!ILOVEYOUNEVERLEAVEMEORI'LLDIENOREALLYDON'T" of the whole plot. The cinematic quality of the story was fabulous; I even liked the credit sequence. Nice work, Hardwicke, shame we won't get to see your vision for New Moon.

d.) Rewatched a considerable chunk of Band of Brothers, but mostly because it was in HD. Well, that and the fact I don't think I've ever been able to NOT watch BoB when it's aired. Where did we find such men? *fangirls Dick Winters*

e.) Caught up on L&O, SVU, and I forget what else on my DVR.

f.) Watched Step Up that incredble light-weight hip-hop dance movie (also by Summit, who owns "Twilight") on TBS. It's so light plot-wise it practically levitates, but whatever - cute boys dance and look alternately hot and dorky in their earnestness. I think I drank about 6 cups of tea while hearing my brain turn to sludge while viewing this hot mess, but at least I was relaxed.

Laney has been positively noisy this weekend. Normally she's silent, with her main noises alternating between purring and snoring. This weekend, she chirped a number of times, and made her unhappy known at others (like if I rolled over in my sleep and disturbed her highness) with actual meow noises. This actually has me sort of worried, as it's a definite change in her usual behavior. I'll have to keep a close eye on her for a few more days to see what has brought this on. Perhaps she just discovered her vocal cords after 10 years? Or maybe she just likes having Mom home, but was unhappy that Mom's attentions were elsewhere? **ponders**

Must fly! (Coach)