It's on my list of stuff to do: Change my blog. So here i go.

Menu of the Day:

iTunes: "The Freshman" by Verve Pipe

I feel good about: cleaning out my frig. (It took over two hours! ) It was also on my list of stuff to do.

Still Reading: "The Reader". (Still like it.)

Looking forward to: next weekend is out with my galpals, Julie and Sarah. Food, wine, talk, puzzles, walks, DVDs.

Best DVD i've seen lately: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona". It's a GOOD Woody Allen film.

Mood: Healthy, happy & relaxed.

1. Probably my favorite Woody Allen film of all is Annie Hall. I remember i wanted a white Volkswagen convertible beetle after seeing that film.

2. I also liked Hannah and Her Sisters. I seem to remember a funny scene when Michael Caine is holding a vinyl record album and he is having a passionate conversation with Barbara Hershey (who i think was his lover) and while making a gesture with his hands, the vinyl record album flies out of the sleeve across the room. But i'm not sure if i remember that correctly or not. I think I also remember the vinyl record he was holding was some really cool classical piece.

3. I used to so want to be Barbara Hershey. She's so beautiful. Of course, equeyaya relates, because Barbara Hershey is Sayid's girlfriend in real life.

4. One song i never ever get tired of: Celtic New Year by Van Morrison. We put this song on my parent's 50th wedding anniversary video that Brian and i made. But even though we had to listen to it over and over as we made that video i still love that song. It came on today when i was cleaning out my refrigerator and i could still imagine the photo images from that video as the song went on.

5. Where is Kylee? And where is ummagumma?

6. Here is a photo i took of my husband today. Instead of going to his regular $8 barber, I made him an appointment with my own stylist because i knew he would like her (and he did). He was doing that Rudy Guiliani thing and not liking it and it took someone new to get him to take the plunge for a near-buzz cut. I like it so much better and does he.

7. It cost him $32 more than his usual haircut cost, but he didn't mind. He told me there was a lot of hair on the floor but i am not exactly sure how. (Even so, i didn't laugh when he said it, but i kind of wanted to.)

8. As we get older i appreciate that there is a balance between the genders: Men have to worry about their hair loss and women worry about their wrinkles.

I may come back and add a #10 through #15. But right now i'm tired and i just wanted to be able to cross this off my list of stuff to do. I think the only thing i have left on it is to clean out my linen closet and write a letter to my aunt.

OK, please write and tell us what is on YOUR LIST of stuff to do?

Let's try this one more time...Menu of the Day

Menu of the Day:

Music: Counting Crows "Los Angeles".

Good Book: Revolutionary Road. It's about a sad and angry marriage in the 1950's. But even thought it's of that era it still feel real to anyone who has been divorced. At least i think it would.

I am so pissed: I just posted a whole new blog post. Got it all proofed and everything. It took nearly an hour and when i went to post it a big old blogger error came on and all was lost. So i'm afraid it will happen again, but i'll do my best to recreate it.

Barb, you are a genius! Thank you. I forgot to look into the Dashboard under DRAFT! They were both there.

What i did today: Is better described by what i DIDN'T do, which is i didn't do my taxes. Instead i watched four episodes in Season Four of The West Wing. And in watching the episode called "Red Haven is Burning" i wrote down this scene between Toby Zieger and Sam Seaborn. Sam Seaborn is played wonderfully by Rob Lowe. His character is an altruistic and honorable idealist who has left his job as White House Deputy Communications Director of the White House to run for Congress in California. Toby Ziegler plays his principled curmudgeon of a boss (I LOVE Toby's character too!) who has come out to take over the campaign. I had to keep rewinding the DVD to get this down, but i did. Here's the scene which brought me to tears. So much of what The West Wing is about is loyalty, friendship, and standing up for what you believe that it often brings me to tears and like i always say, "I'm no cryin' woman". In this scene they are in a bar and Sam is getting ready to give a speech that he doesn't believe will do anything to help his campaign. (It took me awhile, but i actually found the photo that went with this episode.)

Sam: "You have me preaching to the choir."

Toby: "Yeah."

Sam: "Why?"

Toby: "Because that's how you get them to sing."

Sam: "The story will be it's over." (meaning the campaign.)

Toby: "No the story will be that you had the guts to stick up for what you believe and that you didn't cut and run. And people are going to remember that. I'm going to make sure of it."

Sam: "I'm gonna lose."

Toby: "Yeah."

Sam: 'There's no chance of miracle."

Toby: "No."

Sam: "Then why are you here?"

Toby: "You're gonna lose. And you're gonna lose huge. They're gonna throw rocks at you next week and I wanted to be standing next to you when they did."

The Best Thing That Happened This Week: I tutor math on Fridays to three 4th graders at one of the poorest schools in our district. I was alittle bit late yesterday and could see through the window that the lights were off and the kids were on the floor. I slipped in quietly and assumed the same position on the floor they were in: yoga position, eyes closed, legs crossed and their elbows loosely propped on their knees with index and thumb in a meditating position. A woman in the center was speaking softly to them about sunlight coming out of their fingers and toes and colors. I kept one eye open to watch the kids. I was amazed that they were so into this and well behaved (I found out later it was their first experience with meditation in the classroom) and except for just a couple of kids quietly giggling, they were actually doing it! I could see my kids Jesus and Jodeleine across the room totally concentrating. But Valerie was sitting directly next to me and so she and i kept sneaking smiles at each other. When the instructor was done and asked if any of the students wanted to share, nearly half of their hands shot up in the air. Their big testing is next week and she explained if they did this meditation in the morning when they woke up it might take some of the stress away from them.

I am so impressed when i go into the schools and i also get so pissed off that we mostly don't hear the good stuff going on. And there is a lot of good stuff. Just get out there and you'll see for yourself. It's not all bad.

We are working on double multiplication tables. Stuff like 47 x 56, that sort of thing. And they have trouble sometimes mulitplying in the right order and when they do that i draw little tears on the white board next to the "forgotten" number. They LOVE it.

What i wish: That i could be a teacher of a class size of three. But even so, i think i still want $70,000 a year. I don't know how teachers do what they do.

What else i wish: That Nick from "What Not to Wear" could cut and style my hair.

OK, what's on YOUR Menu of the Day?

testing testing testing.

I have no idea what i am about to say.

Menu of the Day:

What's playing: Ryan Adams "If i am a stranger".

In my glass: another glass of that cheap Australian Penguin chardonnay.

Quote: Saying ‘I’m sorry’ is the same as saying ‘I apologize.’ Except at a funeral.” - Demetri Martin (love that guy!)

The best thing that happened this week: Not much, but i don't take for granted these days that i am healthy, that i have a job & even that i have time to write this blog.

The worst thing: that my friend Sarah got me addicted again to, of all things, the Mary Worth comic strip. (It is so lame, and like Gumbo i broke the tradition of checking it out, until now.)

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1. Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot. (Again.)

2. Is Mitt Romney really the best looking Republican i can think of?

3. I'm thinking ....yes.

4. It's Read Across America week. I'm thinking Bobby Jindal gave his speech last week in celebration of Dr. Seuss.

5. I have no idea why i am writing about political stuff today because i have not even been watching MSNBC since i can remember. (Including Rachel Maddow.)

6. I work for public school unions. For 20 years i have believed in what i do. Until recently. These economic times are starting to make me see things alittle bit differently.

7. Should i buy the new U2 cd? (I heard they were on Letterman ALL week long, which has never been done.)

8. The only music i never get tired of is Ryan Adams.

9. I so hate washing my hair. If i were 20 years old I would wear dreadlocks. I have super thick hair so i think it would have looked cool.

10. Because i can't get into any books lately that i have bought, I think i am going to read East of Eden again. This will be my third time in the past 25 years.

11. I never did finish Edgar Sawtelle. And i am having trouble with the new book by that Broken for You author. And that Broken book was one of my top 10.

12. Some people deserve killing.

13. The above photo is one of me and Kylee taken at Crystal Mountain. I imagine this would be the summer of 1992 or 1993. (I love this photo! Brian took it.)

14. Here is a photo of her taken last month in her Seattle apartment. She's almost 20.

Rainy Day Monday Chardonnay Musings

Menu of the Day:

On my iPod: Hard Way to Fall by Ryan Adams

In my glass: Penguin chardonnay.

The Best Thing: Brian's band played again at The Swiss last night. AND my bowling average is getting better!

Exercise: Just ran for the first time after work where it wasn't dark when i was done! (This should be an added Best Thing.)

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I took the rainy picture last night on my way home from The Swiss. (We have a forecast of rain for 8 days in a row.)

1. Have i mentioned how very much i love this new D90 Nikon? I know i have, but i can't get over how much i love it. It's right up there with my iPod. Here is another photo of Seattle windows that I took a couple of weeks ago. I like it for the simplicity.

2. Something that touches me, because it's a small kindness, is when i drive down a road and see that someone has carefully propped up a lost hubcap in the hopes that the hubcapless car owner drives by and finds it.

3. I have never lost a hubcap on a car, but if i did it would so TOTALLY mess with my feng shui that i would immediately have to go out and buy a new one. (Or take off the other three. )

4. I sort of wish the Academy didn't honor posthumous Oscars. Why can't they just give a separate kind of award for the recent dead? I really liked Heath Ledger's performance (without loving the movie) but in a way it makes me more pissed off at him at his stupidity for dying so young and i don't feel like rewarding him. He robbed us of many other good performances. So i feel ripped off. I knew when i saw him in "Ten Things I Hate About You" that he really had something.

5. Anyway, i also wanted Brad Pitt to win best actor, though i would probably like Sean Penn in Milk, if i had seen it.

6. I haven't watched the awards but i do have them DVRd. I didn't like Angelina's black dress. I'm glad Kate Winslet won. I don't much care for Penelope Cruz though. I don't know why she doesn't do it for me. I can't stand her in the same way i can't stand Nicole Kidman. (Funny that they both used to be with Tom Cruise, another actor i love to hate.)

7. I just started tutoring at school again. (Last year i had to miss because the school was being rebuilt.) I have three really neat kids, i can tell already. One kid, Jesus, is a whiz at multiplication tables. You can toss out any numbers- throw out 6 x 7 and he answers quickly 42. He can multiply any of combination. Better than most adults. But to add 6 + 7, he counts on his fingers. He's adorable. They had trouble pronouncing my name so I said, "call me Miss B." And so we talked about name mispronunciations and I told Jesus "I bet people call you Jesus don't they?" (Pronouncing Jesus without the Spanish pronunciation) and he's is incredulous and exclaims, "HOW DID YOU KNOW?"

8. I had a Letter to the Editor printed in the News Tribune yesterday about all the legislative action in education. It's generated a couple of online comments. The funny thing is i quit looking for it because i had heard the house bill was dead anyway. These are the same editors who printed a very Pollyannish letter from "Donna Reed" a few weeks ago. (They need better researchers. )

http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/634647.html#user_comments

9. I just finished the West Wing episode where CJ's bodyguard and new boyfriend, Mark Harmon is killed in a convenient store and they played Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" at the end. I thought of you, Barbara. (You have to see that someday. It's so moving.)

10. Aaron Sorkin is a genius. Every episode in the four seasons he wrote are like watching little movies you would pay to see. There is not one wasted line or any filler. He's amazing.

11. I almost can't watch the news about the economy these days. I was complaining about the huge loss in my 401K to my boss in the office recently and then caught myself and felt embarrassed because a school bus driver overheard me and i felt like a total ass because i even HAVE a 401K with my job. (Especially since the bus driver pays my union salary.)

12. So ...lesson to all who have a savings and complain out loud about it: Be careful of your audience....some folks can't even afford to save.

13. Another kindness i like about strangers is how they leave you room when you need to pull out in your car. I wave like a maniac to them to make sure they see how thankful I am when that happens.

14. Did you know oatmeal only costs about 11 cents per serving? I read that today. (I don't have a clue why i just thought of that.)

15. Most people who know me, know that I hate when people talk about their dreams and try to analyze them in my company. (In fact as a joke for my 50th birthday, my nephew Adam wrote out a whole made up dream that went on and on.) Anyway lately i am dreaming about people who have died but are living in the dream and dreaming about living people who are dying. (one friend feel down an elevator shaft, don't worry Julie, it wasn't you.) So these dreams are giving me pause.

16. I think it's a menopause dream thing.

17. Has anyone seen Demetri Martin's new show on Comedy Central? I am so glad he got his own show. He's alittle bit like Mitch Hedberg with low tech props.

OK, y'all...what's on your mind? Come on lurkers too. Tell us your random thoughts! and if you watched, what are your thoughts about the Academy Awards?

Anti-Valentine's Day Chardonnay Musings

Menu of the Day:

Best thing that happened this week: My brother's bowling league just started again this week. I bowled a 153! This is a photo of my bowling bag which my friend Julie found for a buck at a thrift store. Obviously, the stickers are my own.

My favorite song this week: Thanks to Barbara, needtobreathe's song "Washed by the water"

Wine: just poured my second glass of a cheap Australian chardonnay called Little Penguin. It's good!

Latest Favorite YouTube: Those eTrade baby commercials. Seriously i could watch them over and over (and i have). Here's one 30 second link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhfl4mFH1No&feature=pyv

1. Let's talk about Valentine's Day, shall we? I hate this contrived and obligatory holiday. (Maybe if i liked chocolate more i would be into it.) I hate how it sets up men to be FORCED into being romantic. (And i also hate how it makes anyone feel who is totally single.)

2. My husband and I have an agreement not to celebrate it, not even with a Hallmark card. (ESPECIALLY not at Hallmark card, actually.) He might always forget to put out our recycle every other Wednesday, even as he walks by the soldiers of big blue bins from the neighbors on his way to his car, but the man brings me coffee every single morning (even during the 6 month period when he wasn't drinking it for awhile). That's enough Valentine-ing for me.

3. Can we talk about this woman with the octuplets for just a minute? I wish the doctor who agreed to inseminate her could be brought up on criminal charges and i also don't believe we should be expected to pay taxes for her kids. Let me make myself clear: I do want someone to pay taxes to take care of those kids because this is not their fault. (She's gotta be crazy so she can't exactly be held accountable.) So I vote that the doctor pay ALL of the taxes. Him and only him. And he should be made to pay for all 14 of those kids. (I also think maybe the 8 babies should be put up for adoption so they have a real chance to grow up in a healthy environment.)

4. I never thought i would be into this, but i have to admit that I love bowling. AND I love American Idol. They both happen on the same day. So i really love my DVR!

5. And yes i did indeed bowl a 153 (It was a fluke, but so fun!), my first two games were 92 and 95.

6. My husband shot a video of me bowling with my new D90 Nikon. I got to see that I DO have good form as people have told me. But i am still a pretty bad bowler.

7. It's sort of important to me to at least LOOk like i'm good at what i'm doing, even if i am not. I think i have come clean here before (or maybe that was on the Gumbo board) that i won't pretend that i am a person without ego and I won't act like I am humble either.

8. You know what though? I can't stand false humility. I would so much rather be around someone who is cocky and full of themselves (as long as they don't go overboard or get into drama). I was in hair salon today reading all those trashy US magazines (I LOVE THOSE, but i am too snobby to get a subscription.) I read a quote today from someone defending why they really liked Courtney Love simply because they loved being around "anyone with personality".

9. It made me think of people who truly seem to be without personality - because some are. They have no opinions, they try not to rock the boat too much or they have this incessant need to be liked. The more you need to be liked, the less i like you.

9. Tonight. for ummagumma.

10. American Idol is somewhat disappointing to me so far even though there is talent. (No rocker stand out so far.) The funny thing is the most interesting contestant so far is not even that serious because he is more like singing comedian, (he even has an AKA, "Norman Gentle", a name which totally cracks me up) - he is the reason to watch so far for me. I do love the show, but I am getting sick of their formula. The show is more set up than a plot in a bodice ripper paperback. For me Idol is much about Simon. I wrote down this quote from him last night after he booted one of them: "If it's any consolation, you wouldn't have won anyway."

11. HEY.....I think i should change my name to jojo Gentle, because i think it suits my personality.

OK, y'all. what are your coffee/tea/wine/water/koolaid musings? And what do YOU think about Valentine's Day. I want to know.

Things that Twist My Big Mamas

MENU OF THE DAY:

Music: Cat Stevens Where do the Children Play

Destination: A hotel in Seattle Center. A view of the Space Needle (sorta) and two very big ugly cranes blocking the view.

Wine: Sterling Central Coast Chardonnay.

Book: The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller (love it!) and They Told Me There Would be Cake (not sure, barely started it, but i wish i came up with that title.)

Exercise: I pushed a shopping cart around Safeway for about 45 minutes trying to find the right cheese and pate for our little excursion tonight. I'm countin' it as exercise.

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Here's what's on my mind lately. It's totally random. I have no idea what i am getting ready to type, but Kylee's rant on her own blog about how no one fills up the Brita got me thinking. (Kylee, your blog post is brilliant!)

1. I eat Yoplait yogurt nearly every morning and i hate when i pop off that foil top and the next thing i know i have Mixed Berry Fruit all over the front of my dry clean only blouse.

2. I don't know why it has happened more than once either, because usually i am a very quick learner. And it makes me so mad to make the same mistake twice.

3. What am i saying?.... I am a woman who was divorced twice by the time I was 35 years old.

4. I think i am too stupid or have some retention disorder in my brain that makes it most difficult to keep up with Lost on ABC. So yeah, Lost, with all it's millions of characters and thousand different plots is finally starting to piss me off. I liked it best when it was just Jack and Sawyer, Locke, Michael and Kate and the kid Walt? (i forget his name. ) And actually I really sorta kind of hate Kate.)

5. Someone wrote a Letter to the Editor in my local newspaper today defending Rush Limbaugh because Leonard Pitts took issue with Rush saying he hopes Obama fails. It made me want to take my dirty Big Mamas off and twist them around the letter writer's neck. A totally different Letter to the Editor was something very wholesome-y and positive (no wonder i cannot remember what the subject was, i just remember it was nice) was signed "Donna Reed".

6. It got me thinking. How old are the editors of my local newspaper anyway? And dammit, when did i get older than my newspaper editor, my doctor, my legislator anyway?

7. I hate it when people do not RSVP.

8. I hate it even more when they DO RSVP and then they don't show up.

9. What the F happened to manners anyway? I go back to my very first blog post. People don't even say thank you that often anymore.

9. I'm starting to think that many Baby Boomers make pretty bad parents.

10. My kids... those ones i didn't have... My kids, thank me every day for making that choice NOT to be a parent. I would have been terrible. I would probably have raised little Charlie Mansons, little kids just striving for control.

11. American Idol. Yeah i'm watching. But only for the Simon Factor. (pearl, you would love Simon as much as i do i believe. I wish you watched!) Anyway .... my point is this: More of us should be like Simon! Really. The world is too full of people who are too careful. Too polite. Too afraid of confrontation. Too lacking in honesty. To willing to sacrifice their own identify and values out of fear of what others may think. And people with a velocity for verbosity (like myself) often spend exhaustive time worrying how we offend people who are Non-Simons. (If i traveled in a world of Simons I would be a very popular person.)

Ok, so what twists your Big Mamas or thong or Jockey underpants?

I was trying to post a photo tonight of the Seattle Space Needle with the ugly cranes, but Brian's laptop doesn't seem to want to support my memory card so maybe later. (I came back to edit using eque's idea of a Big Mama underpants photo. These ARE really my favorite comfortable Big Mamas.)