Monday, May 25, 2009

Happy Memorial Day Musings.....hmmm..."Happy" doesn't seem right though, does it?


MENU OF THE DAY:


on iTunes: Ray LaMontagne "You are the Best Thing"


Just finished reading: "Beautiful Boy" ...ANYONE struggling with children who are doing drugs, or who you think might be headed that way should read this book. I read it in 24 hours. Really well done.


Last movie watched: "Reservation Road" - i THOUGHT i had rented the Leonardo di caprio movie "Revolutionary Road". BUT in the end this movie was really good. Great acting by Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly, and Mark Ruffalo.


Idol Stuff: Adam Lambert did not win American Idol as i wanted and expected, (along with the millions of other folks). But i'm fine with that because now he doesn't have to do the cheese. The Idol finale was one of the best Idol shows ever. Santana, Rod Stewart, Kiss, Cyndie Lauper, Queen , Black Eyed Peas, and Jason Mraz were on. Adam is indeed my favorite of any Idol ever on the seasons. Kris Allen, who won, was indeed very good, but not in the same caliper. I liked them both though. So i was not whining over Adam not winning.


(If someone knows how to link video here without the link, let me know. Here is Adam Lambert singing Sam Cooke's "A change is gonna come" - it is so freaking awesome. I rewound it immediately before the judges even spoke. There is one over the top shrieky moment, but otherwise i think it's brilliant.)





***************************
1. I was thinking that i would just come here and ask three questions: AND because it's Memorial Day i would start with .... Who are three people you are missing?
2. What are your last three favorite songs that come to mind. Not exactly your favorite in the world, but just 'current'.
3. Last three books that you read that you would recommend. (Again, not necessarily your favorite, but just books you might think others would like.)
4. Three movies you would recommend.
5. Can you list three surprises?
6. Three things you have accomplished lately.
7. Three things you would rather be doing.
8. Three favorite famous people.
9. Three famous people you cannot stand.
10. Finally three things you like about yourself.








28 comments:

jojo cucina cucina said...

1. Three people you are missing?
*my sister
*Dorothy from our condo
*my husband's father, Bert

2. What are your last three favorite songs that come to mind. Not exactly your favorite in the world, but just 'current'.
* "Hello in There" (Jeffrey Foucault's version)
* "Mad World" (Adam Lambert's version)
* "What Love Can Do" by John Hiatt

3. Last three books that you read that you would recommend. (Again, not necessarily your favorite, but just books you might think others would like.)
* "Little Bee"
* "Beautiful Boy"
* "Columbine"


4. Three movies you would recommend.
* "Rachel Getting Married" (disturbing - it makes you cringe, it's that good and that real.)
*Vicky Cristina Barcelona" - makes a non-traveler nearly agoraphobic like me want to get on a plane and travel to Spain.
*"Away from her" a very poignant movie about marriage and alzheimers. (Julie Christie is still beautiful.)

5. Can you list three surprises?
*No. But then i don't like surprises so much.

6. Three things you have accomplished lately.
*cleaned out all the kitchen junk drawers and dining room hutch. (I used to have 5 junk drawers. Now i have none.)
*cleaned out my closet and got rid of old clothes and shoes. Packed away the winter stuff.
* Can't think of a third, unless i am allowed to itemize the drawers if organized. THEN i have 5 things.

7. Three things you would rather be doing:
* flyfishing on a perfect river.
* reading any good book that i can't put down.
* saving someone's life and then humbly telling King 5 News reporter, Jim Foreman, that i am no hero.

8. Three favorite famous people.
*President Obama
*Simon Cowell (i can't help it, i love edgy brutally honest people. Maybe because in comparison i feel more sweet.)
*Ryan Adams - i never get tired of his songs, not matter how many times i play them over and over. I hope he stays clean and sober.


9. Three famous people you cannot stand.
Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Karl Rove
(maybe Nancy Pelosi too.)

10. Finally three things you like about yourself.
* i stand up for what i believe, even if it might get me in trouble.
* i'm very resourceful.
* it might not seem like it, but i'm actually pretty low maintenance.

jojo cucina cucina said...

Okay y'all. Add your own THREEs.

sam said...

1. Three people I miss: My dad, Mary Ann, Beth (also known as Tacha from Gumbo)

2. Three favorite songs:I'm listening mostly to contemporary Christian music these days and, like when I was mostly listening to Country, I can never remember the titles, just half the words.

3. Three books: The Alchemist, The Time Traveler's Wife, and Angry Housewives Eating BonBons

4. Three movies: Disney's Earth, Don Juan De Marco,

5. Three surprises: Emily (she's 7) put dinner away last week when I was sick, The hateful neighbor brought my escapee-terriers back without griping, a mother's day card with a visa gift card from my little kids (but really from a wonderful family from church who made sure the little kids had something to surprise me with)

6. Three accomplishments: got all the laundry folded AND put away, cleaned out all the kitchen cabinets, bought AND planted new perrennials in the front yard.

7. Three things I'd rather be doing: traveling, working with my husband, buying new, smaller, clothes

8. Three favorite famous people: Dave Ramsey, Ellen Degeneres, Michelle Obama

9. Three famous people I can't stand: Rush Limbaugh,

10. Three things I like about me: I know my limitations, I'm an excellent friend, I can sleep anywhere.

equeyaya said...

To do a hyperlink, first type the text as you want it to appear, e.g., Adam Lambert. Then highlight that text and click on a green button on the blogger toolbar, near the upload photo button. The word "hyperlink" should appear when you hover your mouse over it. Once you click it, a box will come up and you paste in the link there.

I'm not good at these questions. My mind always goes blank.


1. Who are three people you are missing?
my grandmothers
my grandfather

2. What are your last three favorite songs that come to mind. Not exactly your favorite in the world, but just 'current'.
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley version
Everybody Hurts- REM
A Horse in the Country - Cowboy Junkies

3. Last three books that you read that you would recommend. (Again, not necessarily your favorite, but just books you might think others would like.)
Lonesome Dove
East of Eden
Water for Elephants

4. Three movies you would recommend.
The Green Mile
Shawshenk Redemption
Lord of the Rings Trilogy (is that cheating?)

5. Can you list three surprises?
the crunch of my bumper as I backed into the tiny garage parking space at the doctor's office last thursday
melanie buying me a birthday present that i love
flowers from my trainer on my birthday

6. Three things you have accomplished lately.
completed my will
refinanced our mortgage
raised a child to adulthood!

7. Three things you would rather be doing.
riding
reading
sleeping

8. Three favorite famous people.
Obama
Jon Stewart
Naveen Andrews

9. Three famous people you cannot stand.
Cheney
Limbaugh
Bush

10. Finally three things you like about yourself.
sense of humor
creativity
being a mom

Lynnie said...

My brain freezes when it comes to making lists.

So I'll have to think on this for awhile.

But in the meantime, I just wanted to tell Jo that "Away From Her" is so poignant that I can hardly stand to watch it, but I've watched it several times already. It affects me in the same way that "Awakenings" with Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro does: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099077/

Julie Christie continues to be one of my very favorite actresses (ever since "Billy Liar" and "Darling" in the mid-'60s) and yes, she is just gorgeous. I always wished that I could look like her (instead of being told that I look like Patty Duke! Yes, people have told me that, including my ex-husband ~~~ one more reason that he is my "ex!" At least my present husband tells me that I look like some combo between Diana Rigg when she was in "The Avengers" and Jacquelyn Bissett. I much prefer that.)

Lynnie said...

1. Who are three people you are missing?
Aunt Mart, Val, Cathy

2. What are your last three favorite songs that come to mind. Not exactly your favorite in the world, but just 'current'.
I don't know current songs. I'm stuck in the past with R E M and Talking Heads and Jefferson Airplane/Starship . . .

3. Last three books that you read that you would recommend. (Again, not necessarily your favorite, but just books you might think others would like.)
"Daughter of Time"
"The Once and Future King"
"Bless This House"

4. Three movies you would recommend.
From the '40s: "Out of the Past"
From the '60s: "Darling" (Julie Christie won the Oscar for Best Actress)
From the '80s" "Awakenings"

5. Can you list three surprises?
We don't do 'surprises!'

6. Three things you have accomplished lately.
Seasoned 3 iron skillets
Pulled weeds (but not enough)
Laundry

7. Three things you would rather be doing.
Eating out more
Swimming
Singing

8. Three favorite famous people.
Barack Obama
Jon Stewart
Julie Christie

9. Three famous people you cannot stand.
Karl Rove
Dick Cheney
Rush Limbaugh
(with Dubbya as #4)

10. Finally three things you like about yourself.
I make strangers feel comfortable
I can make people laugh
I'm pretty smart

WHEW!!!!!!

louielouie said...

I'm an underachiever so I can't do three

3 people I miss:
my dad
my ex-mother-in-law Leah

3 songs
"Closer To You" Brandi Carlile
cause that's where I am today but I think all time is James Taylor's"You've Got a Friend" sorry jo said current..

3 books
Right now I'm reading Crucial Conversations. Should have read it years ago

3 things I've accomplished
last night I made homemade gingersnaps and brownies with dried cherries to serve this afternoon at a meeting with worn-out teachers. washed all the dishes. My daughter made an apron (like the one I made Jo) for a friend

3 surprises
unexpected I love-yous from my kids

3 movies
I'm not a movie fan but saw "The Visitor" recently and liked it a lot

3 famous people I would like to meet:
Sonja Sotomayor but not Clarence Thomas
Edgar Martinez but not Alex Rodriguez
Elizabeth Dole but not Elizabeth Edwards

3 things I would rather be doing
not my homework; I'm not doing it
sewing
sleeping in
crossword puzzles

3 things I like about me
I care about people
I work hard
I laugh and I want you to laugh too

Modern Hippie said...

first -- I watched the link I do like Adam's voice -- but I dont like his look! he looks so creepy! and he looks pissed when he's singing!! and thats supposed to be a positive meaning song. but i like his voice. why does he stick out his tounge when he belts a note? that was werid haha

--

1. Who are three people you are missing?
Ashley, You, mom&dad (as one word)

2. What are your last three favorite songs that come to mind. Not exactly your favorite in the world, but just 'current'.

ray lamontage - you are the best thing
paolo nutini - angeline
paolo nutini - jennie
(i know the paolo songs arent that new, but i never listen to the new new songs i listen to them after months and months. i also dont know if those are the names but im guessing so. lol)

3. Last three books that you read that you would recommend.

what would audrey do?
stupid and contagious
the dive from clausens pier


4. Three movies you would recommend.

breakfast at tiffanys (everyone should see it in their lifetime)
Frost/Nixon
Religious

5. Can you list three surprises?

i surprised my family with getting a dog, a dramatic new hair cut and Oliver surprises me every morning with kisses

6. Three things you have accomplished lately.

life. and everything it consumes is a daily accomplisment.

7. Three things you would rather be doing.

im perfectly content right now, im laying in bed with Oliver watching Edward Scissorhands (i've never seen it in my life!)

8. Three favorite famous people.

Audrey Hepburn, Barack Obama, Andy Warhol (the 3rd is a tough class between a few other choices.)

9. Three famous people you cannot stand.

Iunno, i just dont pay attention to the ones that dont engage me, i dont do tabloids and i dont think we ever know famous people... so thats just a wasted emotion... and what a waste of energy on someone you dont even know or like!

10. Finally three things you like about yourself.

hmm, i like my personality, i dont know if you can do that but i do. i like my skin, i have pretty good skin its soft and really doesnt ever get acne or things liike that and hmm i like my eyes. they change colors between blue and green. lol.

jojo cucina cucina said...

Sam, i could never just sleep anywhere. How do you do that? I liked Angry Housewives Eating BonBons too. Thought it was gonna be too chick-lit for me, but it wasn't.

eque, thank you, i'm gonna try your link notes next time. And i so forgot about Water for Elephants. THAT is an amazing book. How could i forget. And 'Everybody Hurts' is an amazing song isn't it? I included it because you included a couple of REMs on my mix cds you sent and i thought if you didn't have this, you should. It's pretty old, it came out in the early 90's i believe. At least before 1995, because i remember i used it for a song for my sister's tape.

Lynnie, i used to be told i looked like Hillary Clinton back in the 90's. It had something to do with the dark brows and the same long hair with bangs that she had back then. I would rather be told I look like Patty Duke! and you're right about that movie, Away From Her.

for allofyall. Sarah/LouieLouie is SO lying. She is an overachiever! I know because we've been friends for 30 years. And she does work hard. Sarah/Louie i LOVE your three favorite people lists, very clever and i agree, except i would rather meet Elizabeth Edwards over Elizabeth Dole. (I'm just starting to read up on Sotomayor and hope Newsweek does an article/front page story on her, cause, though i trust Obama's judgement mostly, i want to know more for myself too.)

Kylee, you're so awesome. I love you. and i miss you too, but i forget we don't see each other so often, since we keep in close touch. Videos even! (I was thinking more of people who aren't alive anymore when i answered. and i love that you chose your sister too.) I hope your dog Oliver is not chewing up your beloved shoes. I love that you love Paolo Nutini. Have you seen how cute he is? Also i didn't know you read "The Dive From Clausen's Pier" - that is such a good book that really makes you think about what you would do if you were that main character.

Lynnie said...

I forgot to list David Duchovny as one of my 3 famous people. I guess that means that Julie Christie is going to be #4, because I can't replace Obama or Jon Stewart.

And "Everybody Hurts" really is an awesome song. But my absolute favorite R E M song is "Night Swimming" (from "Automatic for the People.") It's not new, but it touches me deeply for reasons that I can't begin to explain.

louielouie said...

I would rather meet Jon Stewart than John Kennedy

I would rather meet Kate Gosslin than Cate Blanchett

I would rather meet Tim Gunn than Tim Geithner

Elizabeth Edwards can grieve and write her book if it helps her, but her kids don’t need to hear all about her pain and marital anguish, in her voice, on national TV. It never helps kids to have their mom bad-mouth their dad or talk about their suffering. I don’t want to meet her.

Elizabeth Dole has more class.
Looking at my list above, I may not have much class either

jojo cucina cucina said...

(LOVE that show Jon and Kate Plus Eight, but don't always remember to watch.) I've been taking up for Kate Gosselin for a long time now when folks talk about what a controlling bitch she is. She HAS to be to raise that many kids cause you know her 'good cop' husband lets her do all the heavy lifting. (I like anybody that makes me look sweeter in comparison anyway!)

I forgot to mention Jon Stewart too. How could i forget him? I watch him every week.

I guess i agree about Elizabeth E. i hadn't considered her book and didn't know it was that much of a tell all. But i guess Kate Gosselin is also guilty of putting her kids through worse, so there you go. Money....

GREAT idea LouieLouie - here are mine:
1. I would rather meet Bono than Sonny Bono.

2. I would rather meet Anderson Cooper than Keith Olberman.

3. I would rather meet Rachel Maddow than Bernie Maddoff.

4. I would rather meet Mac kid on the Mac vs. PC commercials than the Verizon wireless geek.

5. I would rather meet Sawyer from Lost than just about anybody.

if anyofyall are still checking, come play!

Modern Hippie said...

oh im so upset with myself! i cant believe i didnt say Jon stewart over andy warhol! it'd be Jon stewart before any of those people (and id only choose jon over obama because he'd be easier to meet lol)oliver chooses random little things but he hasnt touched my shoes at all yet, but i make sure to put them in the closet when i leave for work or school, but even so just when were here together, he doesnt chew them. he naws at little things but nothing destructive...yet. oh im obsessed with Paolo right now! i just found a cd you made me of him from a while ago, i love. yeah i loved that book -- it was so hard to think of yourself in that situation, it was a very good book, i recommend that one more because i sometimes like werid odd books lol

you should read stupid/contagious though its all set in seattle its pretty cool. its a quick read.

equeyaya said...

OK, I loosely interpreted "current" to "currently in shuffle on my ipod." Speaking of which, jo, that photo reminds me of the early ipod commercial with the silhouettes dancing with their earbud cords hanging down, even though I know that's really your camera strap. Cool.

My dad has always kept a little packet of scrap paper, all cut to perfectly the same size, and folded neatly in his pocket protector, so he can write lists and little reminders to himself in his precise, small engineer handwriting. Lately, I've been thinking about how I should get a little notebook to keep in my purse for that because I'm always forgetting things.

My new iphone(!) has a "notes" feature that does that for me! I'm keeping a list of songs I hear on the radio and on the Comcast Music Choice station, because when I load up itunes I can never remember what I thought I should buy.

Last three "current" songs on my list:

1. Dave Matthews "Funny the Way it Is"
2. Paolo Nutini "Candy"
3. Deathcab for Cutie "Grapevine Fires"

The "rather meet" thing will have to wait for another day! I'll take "notes" when I think of stuff, lol!

jojo cucina cucina said...

eque, i always keep a little book in my purse. And i keep one by my bedstand and at work too. I have about three or four of them with little lists. i love that your dad did that. I like to think that when i die someone will find them and treasure those little lists. They include quotes from books (MOSTLY) and things i read in the newspaper and stuff i just thought of. My most recent one is from a song lyric.

Have you checked out Paolo Nutini's website? he has so many songs on his site with video that i just streamed them at work and listened to them while doing other stuff. Every once in awhile i had to check out the video though because he is SO FREAKING CUTE. I told Kylee i want her to marry him. He has a new cd out but i'm not sure i'll like it from what i heard. His accent is so thick it almost sounds like another language and i can barely understand him at times.

I gotta go check out the Death Cab song you're talking about. Haven't heard it.

Kylee/Modern Hippie, you and me both. I couldn't believe i forgot Jon Stewart either! I would not normally choose Simone Cowell over Jon Stewart but i was thinking 'current' and Idol had recently ended.

I do still like Simon and he is someone i think i would like to meet in real life if i had to choose a celebrity to meet.

equeyaya said...

lol, you called him "Simone" ~snorty!

jojo cucina cucina said...

LOL..... I actually have a friend named Simone and she is nothing like Simon.

actually eque, now that i think about it, you should get a pocket protector for your little notes! LOL....

jojo cucina cucina said...

i forgot to add that i DO like that Death Cab song, i clicked on the video on itunes, the video looks really cool. And that one song "I will possess your heart" that you sent me for my birthday cd 2008 with the really long intro did grow on me. At first I wanted them to hurry up and get into the song, but now i really like it!

equeyaya said...

yay.... i do have a cover for my iphone, but i'm really not the pocket protector type. that side of my dad always kind of bugged me.

equeyaya said...

Is this the part where you wait for 25 comments before you post an update?

jojo cucina cucina said...

eque....LOL...yeah, i'm thinking that's a good rule. Then i don't have to feel guilty about being lazy when i change it. I can blame it all on y'all!

IslandPearl said...

Can't possibly catch up -- just doing my part to get you to 25.

Have to consider blogging zero sum for now.

Enjoyed reading though!

equeyaya said...

23....

taking a quick break from graduation party preparations. melanie is sulking and being a brat because she can't take a car to college. sometimes being a parent is a thankless job.

i'm going to take the dog for a walk before my bath, and hopefully then the backyard will have dried out enough to set up the tables and chairs.

i made a poster of all of her school photos and grace wrote con"grad"ulations, mel in calligraphy. the "grad" was not intentional, she's just a bad speller, so we added quotes to make it look intentional. i'm going to set it up with sharpies for everyone to sign, on a table with balloons and a digital photo frame loaded with photos of her through the years. and i'm putting horse stuff, and music stuff and theater stuff and writing stuff around it. I made playlist on my ipod of 300 songs that she likes (or at least i think she does).

but i'm a bad mother because i won't give her a car.

can you tell i'm feeling a little bitter?

sam said...

eque, we're all bad mothers. Except for jojo. She had the sense to have only imaginary children. I can tell you, though, that she'd be a bad mother, too, because she wouldn't be giving her daughter a car for college either.

I'm currently a bad mother because I won't let my son store his old crappy car in my driveway anymore. The son is 29 years old and can deal with it himself. I'll be a really bad mother when I have to call the city and call it an abandoned vehicle. You'd think he'd of learned by now that you don't mess with your mother.

equeyaya said...

you go, t-sam!

hey jo -- 25 comments!!

louielouie said...

We can make lists without jo-

10 reasons I’m a bad mother:
1. I stopped my maternity leave early to go back to work to get away from my baby
2. I don’t own (and never did own) a video camera
3. I didn’t make a single scrap book/ memory thing
4. I never let my kids have sleep over birthday parties with more than one friend
5. I bought all the birthday cakes from Baskin & Robbins
6. My daughter wore hand-me down clothes from her older brother- she kind of liked it though
7. I taught my son the facts of life by explaining dirty jokes.
8. I told my daughter her boyfriend should buy lubricated condoms
9. My daughter thought crap was a worse word than shit “because mom never says crap”
10. My kids call me on April 20th at 4:20 to sing the “lets go smoke some dope” song, but my son forgets to call on Easter
11. I think my kids are smart because of me, not their dads
12. My kids are both smart asses
Oops that’s 12

jojo cucina cucina said...

i always say the best moms are the moms who question their parenting and believe they have failed their children in ways that i know they didn't.

the parents that i think really hurt their kids are the ones who NEVER deny their children anything and in order to do that, deny themselves of a life.

louie/louie, one of the reasons we are such good friends and have been such good friends for 30 years is because of your list. and you how much i like your kids and if they weren't decent, interesting and smart and funny human beings, i wouldn't.

You, sam and eque are all so real about your parenting.

equeyaya said...

OK, this list isn't necessarily why I'm a bad mother, but why I'm different from other mothers, good, bad or whatever...

1. I have a career, and sometimes it conflicts with being a mom. Deal with it.

2. I go on trips with my friends and leave my family at home.

3. Sometimes I bitch about having to go to school concerts and stuff like that.

4. I get a little obsessive and paranoid about them getting kidnapped or dateraped and they think I'm over protective.

5. I make them do their own laundry.

6. I drink in front of them and sometimes embarass them in front of their friends.

7. Sometimes I don't let them do things because it involves me having to drive them or do something I don't feel like doing.

8. I don't keep track of whether they do their homework, nor have I ever helped them with homework.

9. I'm making Melanie take college loans because she chose a private college over a state college. And I'm on record as not wanting her to have a car at college.

10. I do feel bad that they see me put up with some bullshit that I would not want them to put up with, mainly because I'm not brave enough to make a major life change. And that has exposed them to being treated in a way that isn't good for them.