Resolutions: Content or Lazy?

This past weekend, Hubby and I kept talking about resolutions.  I’ve only ever made one resolution that I actually stuck with and that was to quit smoking.  It’s amazing that it stuck, but my desire for healthy children outweighed my need for a cigarette.  Other resolutions: to exercise more, save money, eat better, etc., would last for about a month and then fizzle out.  I’d pass a McDonald’s and say, “Just this once,” or I’d be too tired to bust out the Yoga video, or there would be a sale that I’d just have to blow my money on.

 

Resolutions are strange to me.  On one hand, it’s good to always strive to do better and be better, and perhaps the way to do that is to make changes here and there.  Once a year isn’t asking for so much.  On the other hand, you’re trying to change who you are on some level.  Aren’t we supposed to be happy with our station in life?  Aren’t we supposed to be settled and satisfied?  No.  However, you have to be realistic.  My husband always hears me say, “I want to be one of THOSE people.”  In fact, I say it so often, you might think that I hate who I am!  Honestly, I don’t hate who I am.  I’d want to hang out with myself if I wasn’t already.  So then why, oh why, do I want to be someone else?  I want to be the person who sends a birthday card to all her friends.  I want to be the person who calls her family every Sunday.  I want to be the person who has all family pictures organized.  I want to be the person who has towels and flowers to match the season.  I want to be the person who always has a dessert in the refrigerator.  I want to be the person who knows how to make such great mixed drinks, you’d swear I used to work in a bar.  I want to be the person who can cook without looking at a recipe.  I want to be the person who’s house always smells clean and fresh.  I want to be the person who has family pictures all over the house.  Will I be all this?  The answer is most likely no.  But I start out each year with my list of people I want to be and the first month goes by swimmingly.  All you people with January birthdays can expect a cute funny card that was picked out just for you.  We’ve succeeded with the seasonal flowers, but not the seasonal towels.  I made a dessert once for a week and it was delish.  I know Hubby would love it if I could keep that up.  I am the worst at mixed drinks.  In fact, I once made a Screwdriver for someone and poured half the bottle of Vodka in the glass and added a splash of orange juice.  The person passed out before 8 pm.  I have to look at a recipe when I cook, but I’m getting better about knowing spices and what I prefer in a meal.  My grandmother bought us some reed-smelly-thingys that I think will keep our house with the nice, fresh scent.  And we need to get frames if we’re going to put up the million family pictures that we have.

 

So, without a clear goal like “Quit smoking,” I think resolutions are hard.  I mean, I’ll TRY to do all these things, but I think I might be aiming a little too high.  Stopping smoking was really important to me because we wanted to get pregnant and I wasn’t going to be one of those moms.  I also didn’t want to be associated with the smell as far as my baby girl was concerned.  All these other things would just be icing on a really great cake that I already have.  If I don’t get to them, my life will go on and I will be just as happy at the end of the year as I am at the beginning.  Could that be the reason I don’t stick well to so many resolutions?  Or am I just lazy?  Oh dear…  Let’s go with me being happy.

 

Happy New Year!

Doubt

This past Friday, Hubby and I dropped off Bugaboo at daycare and decided to have a “date day.”  We went shopping that morning, ate a nice lunch at Los Cucos, and then topped it off with a movie.  We didn’t spend a dime of our own money – gift cards are the greatest gift!!!  We went to see Doubt.  The Hubby wanted to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but since I have some death anxiety, I thought it best not to see a movie who’s theme is death itself.  So, yeah, a movie about a priest MAYBE molesting a little boy seemed like the perfect solution…

 

The movie was good.  I can understand why everyone is nominated.  However, I think it’s MUCH better as a play.  There were scenes that were way too long.  I hated the cinematography (sp?).  The script is amazing and the message is wonderful – doubt is as powerful as faith.  Be careful.  I don’t think Phillip Seymour Hoffman should win.  I won’t be surprised if Meryl Streep does.  I think Amy Adams is underrated.  And Viola Davis is nominated because of one scene alone.  I can say that because she was only in that one scene.

 

This is a renter.  Or it’s worth sneaking into after you’ve paid to see something else.  The scene between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis is the absolute best and it will give you chills.

 

Those are my two cents.

104 useless facts

A while ago, my dear friend Katy wrote a blog for her 100th blog-versary.  I loved it and read all 100 things.  I’m now on my 104th blog entry.  I missed my 100th.  So, I will be doing a 104th blog-versary.  I have no idea if I have 104 things to say, but we’ll find out. 

1. Married to hubby for 3 1/2 years.

2. We have one daughter, Bugaboo, who is 15 months old.

3. I’ve been doing theatre since I was 6 years old (I’m the gray cat in the middle – first show).

4. I’m obsessed with Harry Potter.

5. I’m obsessed with The Office.

6. Instead of practicing my Tony speech in the mirror, I do fake interviews with Oprah.

7. I’ve worked in every possible company from trash collecting to funeral services.

8. My parents divorced when I was 3.

9. I’ve lived in Houston, Katy, Albuquerque, New York, and Chicago.

10. I’ve never traveled outside the United States.

11. I have one older brother who I’m finally friends with after 30 years.

12. Oh yeah, I had my 30th birthday not too long ago.

13. My favorite stuffed animals growing up were Ernie and Mighty Joe Young.  My brother bought my daughter an Ernie for Christmas.

14. We have two dogs: a Bichon named Valjean (we call him Bobo) and a Rottweiler mix named Gracie.

15. I’ve had the same best friend for about 14 years.

16. My greatest fear is sharks.

17. I have more nightmares than the average person is supposed to have (you’re supposed to have an average of 1 a year, I have at least 1 every two weeks).

18. Hubby is one of the funniest people I know.

19. One of my best friends is an ex-boyfriend.

20. Disney World is the happiest place on Earth.

21. There’s only one pianist I really enjoy singing with – that’s Mikey.  I enjoy others, but don’t have the same relationship with them.

22. I’ve played piano since I was 3 years old.

23. I played violin from age 4-10.

24. The first show I ever saw was Annie.

25. I ended up playing Annie in both Houston and Chicago at the ages of 11 and 12.

26. I used to dream of being on Broadway.

27. I have a very good memory.

28. I dyed my hair red at the age of 12 and most of it has stayed in for some reason – I was blonde before that.

29. My first boyfriend was in 2nd grade.

30. My first closed mouth kiss was in 3rd grade.

31. My first French kiss was in 5th grade at the roller rink.

32. The boy I kissed was not my boyfriend.

33. My best friend and I shared the same French kisser for our first kiss and we didn’t meet each other until 5 years later.

34. I smoked for 11 years.

35. My favorite show I’ve ever done was Tommy.

36. My least favorite show I’ve done was Carnival.

37. I used to be incredibly shy.

38. Hubby broke up with me 2 days before he proposed.

39. I talk to my mom at least 5 times a day, except on weekends, which is bizarre.

40. I’ve rediscovered my love for crayons and coloring since introducing my daughter to it this past weekend.

41. I listen to Rod Ryan in the morning on The Buzz, but I hate that station.

42. My favorite band is Counting Crows.

43. But I hate their most recent album.

44. I’ve seen Counting Crows in concert 5 times.

45. Once was front row center when they performed with my other favorite band Live.

46. Mine and Hubby’s first dance at our wedding was to “Your Song” by Elton John.

47. I once auditioned for American Idol (here’s my face when looking at the crowd of people there):

48. I run an American Idol competition every year for money.

49. One of my favorite places to visit is Hubby’s family at the farm in Louisiana.

50. I once farted backstage and I saw people’s reactions as it made it’s way to the other side of the stage – it was FOUL.  No one knew I did it.

51. I want 3 children, but will probably stop at 2.

52. I honestly don’t care if we have a boy or girl next.  I’d love a boy to have one of each, but I would love to raise sisters, too.

53. We already have names picked out if the next one is a boy or girl.

54. When I was 11, I had an 18-year-old boyfriend.

55. It’s still not strange to me because it seems like it was yesterday, but when I think of Bugaboo doing that, I get sick.

56. My favorite PBS series was I, Claudius.

57. I’m brutally honest, sometimes.

58. I can’t watch anything on TV where children get hurt.

59. One of my favorite shows is 24.

60. I’ve loved Kiefer Sutherland since his Lost Boys days.

61. I used to have a top 5 (people I could cheat on my husband with) that included: Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Kiefer Sutherland, Gary Oldman (I know), and Adam Duritz (I know)

62. Speaking of Gary Oldman, one of the greatest movies is Immortal Beloved.

63. I’m a HUGE fan of the movie Say Anything…

64. “She gave me a pen.  I gave her my heart, and she gave me a pen.”

65. Christmas is my favorite time of year, but it went by too quickly this year.

66. My birthday is 9/11 – it sucked in 2001.

67. I’m a Democrat.

68. I supported Hillary, but now completely support Obama and am very excited about the direction he could take our country.

69. Hehe… 69…

70. I love roller skating, but haven’t done it in years.

71. There are certain people in my life that are my absolute favorites that I think about daily and they don’t even know.

72. Two of those people read this blog, and that is Katy and Patrick.

73. One of my favorite things in the world is to see people fall.

74. I still crave a cigarette from time to time.

75. I love karaoke.

76. One of my favorite people to hang out with is O’Dell because of all the potential crap that might happen when we’re together (here we are with Melly).

77. I once drove drunk from Galveston to Houston.

78. You think that’s bad, one time it was from Austin to Houston.  I have no recollection of either of these.

79. I’ve been in 15 accidents and most have been with poles.

80. None of them have been when I was drinking, amazingly enough.

81. None of them have happened in the past 8 years.

82. The first one was when I was 11 years old and it was a pole outside my teacher’s house in my neighborhood.

83. I lost my virginity at 16 years old at about 10 am on a Sunday morning before seeing Grease with my mom.

84. I went to 3 proms in high school.

85. I once broke up with a guy because he was a bad kisser.

86. I think about death constantly.

87. I used to love driving, but now hate it.

88. I’m the Clark Griswold of holidays – I expect them to be much better and grander than they are.

89. My intentions are never bad.

90. I still have my diary from 2nd grade.

91. I once thought about converting to Judaism for a guy.

92. Since having a child, my faith in God has grown tremendously.

93. My first car was a Mitsubishi Eclipse.

94. It was a piece of crap

95. I miss it.

96. I have a secret desire to own a bookstore.

97. I love board games, but no one ever plays with me!

98. I’ve been to over 10 funerals – sang at 2 and played piano at 1.

99. I’ve been in 4 weddings, including my own.  Will be in my 5th wedding in March.

100. I don’t think there’s a climactic way to end this post, so I leave you with this: I sleep on the left side of the bed.

 

And there you have it.  100 things you could have cared less to know. 

 

101. I just realized I said there would be 104 things.

102. 104 KRBE used to be my favorite station way back when.

103. I love roller coasters.

104. One day, I want to take a cross-country road trip.

 

Alright, 4 more things you didn’t need to know.

Payback’s a bitch

We had our big Hubbard Family Christmas gathering yesterday, and I must say it was a smashing success!  We had the whole group – our family, plus my mom, her sister, and their dad, 6 of my cousins and their families, and my mom’s best friend (who’s been adopted into our family).  There were 3 kids under the age of 2 and then one 6-year-old.  Bugaboo went down for a nap that morning, but I made it really short so that hopefully, she’d go down for a nice nap in the afternoon while we ate our lunch.  That was a mistake…

 

Bugaboo is at an age where what’s hers is hers and she doesn’t want to share.  It’s to be expected and it’s perfectly alright – in fact, I think it’s great!  She’s establishing her territory and it’s giving us opportunities to teach her about sharing and helping her understand that it’s still hers even if someone else is playing with it.  Anyway, yesterday, two of the babies were playing with her stuff.  One had her favorite musical train and the other had her set of drums.  I was holding Bugaboo.  She wasn’t crying, but she was staring at these two ragamuffins with a look like, “It’s alright, you’ll get what’s coming to you…”

 

Later on, Bugaboo was playing with a big bouncy ball that my cousin gave her for Christmas.  She loved this thing and the higher it bounced, the better.  She bounced it between me and her daddy.  Then the babies came into the picture.  Next thing we knew, she was pegging one of the kids with the ball, and then turned her sights on the other.  Babies are much quicker than the fastest of adults, and we got to her by the time the second baby was pegged.  See the smile in the pic below?  This was shortly before it happened – she knew what she was doing… 

 

Bugaboo gave us a look like, “It’s done,” and didn’t bother them again.  The babies were alright, but looked a little shocked.  Needless to say, no one played with Bugaboo’s toys after that and she was perfectly content. 

Missing the bro at Christmastime

My mom flies in town today for a Christmas visit.  We’re meeting her, along with her sister and niece, at Escalante’s – home of the greatest queso.  Today, we’ll wrap up some Christmas shopping and hang out.  The same will be said of tomorrow.  Sunday is the big day.

 

On Sunday, we are expecting roughly 24 people at our house for a good old-fashioned Christmas celebration.  Earlier this year, we lost my Uncle Don, so this will be the first Christmas without him.  We’ll have the traditional turkey, ham, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, Nanny’s chocolate pie, and pumpkin rolls.  As long as the cooking is smooth, we can expect a successful party.  My cousins that I NEVER see are even coming in town for it.  The one person missing will be my brother, which totally sucks.

 

My bro and I did not get along when we were kids.  In fact, I could never wear a tank top because my arms were black and blue from him hitting me.  I worshipped him (as most younger siblings worship their older ones) and would agree to absolutely anything.  He’d invite me to play basketball, but only if I wore roller skates.  I’d do it.  He’d invite me to play football, but I was the football.  No problem.  He even dared me to jump off the roof once onto some pillows, acting like that would cushion the fall.  I did it.  Yes, my brother had it in for me when we were kids, but we always had a good Christmas.  We’d never fight on Christmas Eve.  We’d wait upstairs anxiously for Santa to drop off the presents so we could run down and open them.  That’s what happens when you come from a divorced family – you get a story about how Santa knows the situation and stops by early in the night with the presents so that you can spend Christmas Day with the other parent.  Bro and I would wait and then we’d run down as soon as Santa left.  We’d tear into our presents, each showing off to the other.  There would be laughter, the dog would be running around, my step-father would wear whatever ridiculous thing we got him, and my mom would be wearing her new robe.  It was perfect and that’s the way Christmas is supposed to be – family enjoying family.  (Here is my brother, along with our cousins Shawn and Kyle – and then me satisfying some sort of oral fixation)

 

 

When we got older, my brother and I actually developed a good sibling relationship when we both pulled out our Camels and reached for the same Shiner.  “You ARE my sister!” he said.  And now, I daresay we might be friends.  I absolutely hate spending Christmas without him.  I think this will be my third without him and it’s killing me.  Next summer, he and his wife will be moving to Austin, and that will have to change.  I can’t spend Christmas without my brother anymore.  (Here we are in a Christmas portrait we did for our parents about 11 years ago)

 

 

Luckily, my wonderful hubby and baby girl are the greatest family in the world, so it’s not like I’m hurting at Christmastime.  We’ll celebrate and get to experience it through the Bugaboo.  And then maybe she’ll have a sibling one day whom she can’t imagine being without at a time when family is so important.  (Last but not least, one of our family portraits from this year)

 

You better watch out…

Last weekend, we took our daughter to see Santa Claus.  I knew there was a chance that she’d be scared of him and hate us for life, but I thought we’d maybe get one picture of her at least looking bewildered.  That didn’t happen.

 

We arrived at the mall along with a hundred other shoppers since Christmas is just around the corner.  My best friend, her husband, and their baby were meeting us up there.  The hubby and I scouted the mall to see where Santa would be, and we found him right outside of American Eagle.  He had a big red chair, a mailbox, some packages, and a little house behind him.  The line wasn’t terribly long, so we went ahead and got in it.  Bugaboo immediately wanted to get out and walk around.  This would be fine if she’d hold onto our hands, but she wants to be independent.  So, her walking around consists of her constantly running into people, waving to strangers, pulling clothes off the lower shelves of stores, and screaming in delight the whole time.  Everyone watches the cute little girl in the blue dress and think, “Oh, what a happy little girl.”  Then her daddy would pick her up and she’d scream as if she’s being kidnapped and people would look at him like, “Why are you making that sweet little girl cry?”  I’d walk around with her and found myself constantly apologizing to people like the man in the wheelchair who had to maneuver through a tiny space to get past her; or the family who had to all separate because Bugaboo went straight through the middle of the group; or the man who really wanted to be alone, but instead had this little bundle of joy in his face, waving, saying “Hi!”  All I had to do was stand in front of her and hold my arms out for a hug and she’d run the other direction.  Soon, we caught on that we needed to get in people’s ways so that the little one would turn around and go bother someone else.  Needless to say, we were not popular outside Santa’s house that day.

 

Finally, we decided to put her in the stroller, let her cry it out (the mall was loud enough and the Christmas music kind of drowned her out) and let her drink juice and eat animal crackers.  We underestimated the wait time and it ended up being an hour and a half.  The last part of that was Bugaboo screaming at us, bucking if we held her, and hitting us to put her down.  Meanwhile, my best friend’s baby was looking around, smiling at strangers, and never made a sound.  Granted, he’s only 4 months old, but still.

 

It was time to see Santa.  Bugaboo was crying because her daddy dared to hug her.  I was trying to pull out the cameras and get ready for a tantrum.  The greeter tried to cheer up Bugaboo, but she was having none of that.  In fact, the only time she calmed down was to give said greeter a dirty look.  The greeter left us.  We went to Santa and for some reason, it was decided that I should put her on his lap.  I put her down and the tears started.  I ran back to the camera and tried to get her to smile, but we ended up getting pictures of her reaching out to the camera with her arms as if to say, “HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!”  We got some of her pulling as far away as possible from him as if to say, “You stink!  I hate you!!”  And then we got the one of her all tense with her mouth wide open and the tears streaming as if to say, “Why don’t my parents love me?!?!”  It was awful.  Scarring.  Traumatic.  And that’s just how the daddy and I felt.

 

Afterwards, we bought our picture to remind us that next year, we need to get her used to Santa before throwing her on his lap.  She rested her head on my shoulder as we checked out, but I could feel the resentment.  In fact, that night was one of the worst sleeps yet – first she threw up all over herself and the crib and then she woke up screaming at about 3 am.

 

We all need those pictures of us screaming on Santa’s lap, right?  Right??

 

Oh!  And afterwards we went to Friday’s for some lunch with the best friend, husband, and baby.  The baby was crying when we got there and they were trying to calm him down.  When I looked at Bugaboo, she was looking at the baby like, “What the hell is wrong with you?”  Then she looked at me, smiled, and stuffed an orange in her mouth.  Ah, that’s my little bugaboo…

Top 10 TV Shows of 2008

At the end of every year, an old friend of mine sends me two emails: one is listing the top 10 TV shows of the year, and the other is listing the top 10 episodes of the year (whether or not they made the top shows list is irrelevant).  I’m supposed to respond with my list, but I never do.  His is so detailed that it’s a little overwhelming.  However, there’s been a lot of good TV this year, so I will try to list the top 10 shows here, explaining my reasons why.

 

10. Fringe.  This show surprised me.  I really didn’t expect to like it and yet I had no idea what to expect from it.  What we got was a cross between CSI and X-Files.  Pacey, I mean Joshua Jackson, is back to his cocky, sarcastic, witty best as the ultimate under achiever who has to babysit his father while trying to solve bizarre mysteries that date back to his father’s research decades past.  Newcomer Anna Torv as Agent Olivia Dunham is compelling, but it has taken a while for her to grow on me.  What makes this show worth it is Dr. Walter Bishop, the kookie scientist who has spent a lot of time in a mental hospital and still has the remnants of a crazy person.  All his experiments could end in certain death and yet you trust the old man.

9. House.  The hubby gave up on this show a couple of years ago because of the predictability.  In every episode, someone could die unless they save them.  Well, it’s set in a hospital, so you can’t be too surprised by that.  What makes this show unique is the way House handles the patients and his staff.  He’s cantankerous, sarcastic, unforgiving, and smart as hell.  He has one “friend” and that’s Wilson, but even that isn’t a friendship.  It’s one-sided and House does nothing to help maintain the friendship.  If anything, he sets out in every episode to destroy it.  Yet, here’s a brilliant man who is completely alone and you know that Wilson will never leave him; although, you did question that at the beginning of this season.  They’ve started hinting at a romance building between Cuddy and House and if that plays out, House might end up being at the top of the list next year.

8. Chuck.  Yes, the show has a predictable formula: Chuck flashes on something, there’s a chase, Chuck gets in trouble, Sarah and Casey save him, and Chuck says something witty about the whole thing.  It sounds cliche and boring.  Yet, why do we tune in every Monday night and laugh at least 10 times during the episode?  Could it be because of his faithful sidekick and best friend Morgan?  Could it be for the chemistry between Chuck and Sarah?  Could it be because Chuck says things like, “Unleash the Casey”?  Yes, all of the above.  Chuck is incredibly charming and it’s a show you can watch while sewing together some stockings or playing a game.  It’s light and fun, which is needed when you’ve got it before Heroes.

7. The Tudors.  This season explored Henry’s marriage to Ann Boleyn.  What started off as a tumultuous affair that helped end his marriage to Katherine, quickly dissolved into a power struggle between the two.  Ann gave birth to a daughter and then miscarried what might have been his son.  She lied to him, tried to manipulate him, and it ended up biting her in the end.  Her father was exposed as a complete asshole who abandoned his ousted family as soon as he was able.  The final two episodes when Ann learned her fate were the best of the season.

6. Brothers and Sisters.  This used to be a show that if I missed it, I was alright.  Now, I can’t wait to watch it!  For someone who has a fervent desire for a big family, the Walkers are my perfect substitution.  Five siblings who are all completely different: the Republican woman married to the senator, the jobless divorcee with 2 kids and alimony, the Democrat homosexual brother who lost his job in the family business and now works for the Republican senator married to his sister, the brother who still works in the family business but is having a hard time adjusting to his father’s mistress’s way of doing things, and the recovering alcoholic who is dating the girl he once thought was his sister.  All of this and the matriarch who meddles in everyone’s business, but doles out the love without condition.  I tear up at least once in every episode and it makes my desire for more children that much greater.

5. True Blood.  This was one show we could not miss on Sunday nights.  A show about vampires who are “out of the coffin” and in the open in a small town in Louisiana.  Vampires who drink a synthetic drink called “Tru Blood” instead of feeding off humans.  A town with so many vibrant characters, it’s tough to know where to start!  There’s Bill, one of the only vampires who truly WANTS to fit into normal society.  Sookie, the waitress who can hear everyone’s thoughts.  Her brother Jason who has sex with everyone.  Lafayette, the homosexual who sells “V” (vampire blood) on the side.  Tara, Sookie’s feisty friend who doesn’t know when to shut up.  And Sam, the bar owner who can turn into a dog.  It’s absolutely ridiculous and over-the-top, but you can’t get enough of it.

4. Desperate Housewives.  How brilliant was it of them to flash forward 5 years?!  I stopped watching this show during the 2nd season because it lost all its appeal it had from the season prior.  After that, I would catch it from time to time, but I really didn’t care if I missed an episode.  I heard that on the finale last season, they flashed forward 5 years and I managed to catch a repeat over the summer.  Susan and Mike divorced, Brie on the verge of celebrity, Lynette stuck with a family of misfits, Edie back with a creepy husband, and Gabriella with two fat kids and a blind husband who she has to support.  I couldn’t help but tune in for the season premiere and I was so glad I did!  The show has risen to a whole new level that even surpasses season 1.

3. 30 Rock.  Tina Fey is my hero.  Alec Baldwin is my other hero.  And Tracey Morgan is my third.  These 3 make up one of the best casts in television.  I started watching this show when it first premiered and we dropped it quickly.  However, critics were hailing it as one of the best and it started winning awards.  We decided to give it another try.  Thank God we did!  This show is brilliantly written, perfectly cast, and one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen in my life.  And yes, I’m including things like I Love Lucy and Seinfeld.  30 Rock is original and unique.  And please let Elaine Stritch be a regular as Jack’s mom.

2. The Office.  This will always be near #1.  I know that people who were hard core fans of the British version will never fully accept the American version.  I get it.  But I also know that the American version has broken so far away from the British version that it’s really unfair to compare the two – especially when the American version is in it’s 5th season.  The writer’s strike affected the first half of 2008, but The Office did bounce back with the best episode of the series “Dinner Party.”  This episode alone made up for the entire strike and it also helped to shut up all the British supporters.  Since that episode, there have been stand out scenes and moments in each episode following.

1. Dexter.  I’ve said it all season – this show is the best there is on television.  Normally, when shows hit season 3, they fizzle out.  This show, however, proved to be just as creative and compelling as it was the first two seasons.  After being disappointed in his father during season 2, Dexter emerged this season as a new man, one who was forced to break his own code.  Jimmy Smits did the guest stint and was one of the greatest villains on television.  You felt for him, but more importantly, you felt for Dexter when he learned of his betrayal.  It was amazing to see Dexter open up and find a real friend, only to have that taken away.  This show was a master class in acting.

 

As far as the episodes go, I couldn’t even begin to list them for the year.  Now, if you wanted me to rate the top 10 Office episodes, well, of course I could do that.  In fact, I might work on that post for a rainy day…

There’s no business like show business

This week on Facebook, people have been posting quizzes and, I’ll admit, I’ve fallen for them.  I’ve filled them out, hoping to get a couple right, and then whining in frustration when I can no longer think about favorite songs from musicals or when I last saw somebody.  However, I still find myself going to Facebook and answering people’s “notes” and then posting them myself on my profile.  One that was posted asked questions about how we knew each other, when we last saw each other, what my middle name is, what music I listen to.  Most of the people who have answered put down “show tunes” under music.  I’ll admit, in my younger years, I was quite the musical theatre buff.  Friends would often turn to me for audition songs or to hear scoop on the latest and greatest show on Broadway.  I’ve since lost touch with that world.

 

At the age of 18, I moved to NY.  Why?  Well, I was supposed to.  I grew up knowing that I would do musical theatre for my career.  I loved musical theatre, had dreams of being Eva Peron or Eponine, and my music library consisted of everything from Annie Get Your Gun to The Wiz.  My poor brother had to endure countless hours drowning out me singing “And I Am Telling You” at the top of my lungs.  Everyone expected me to go to Broadway and make it big.  I was in a long distance relationship at the time – that was my first mistake.  I went up there only knowing 2 souls – that was my second mistake.  My third mistake?  I didn’t really want it.  There was absolutely no drive.  I realized that what I desired most was stability.  That might sound boring to you all, but I don’t like surprises or the unexpected.  I have a very difficult time dealing with that.  I like to know what’s going on, how it’s going on, and why it’s going on.  I like the steady paychecks.  I like owning a home and not renting an apartment.  I like a reasonable mortgage and not $1500 for a little studio where my family can’t stay with me.  You put all this together and NY is not the place for someone like me to be.

 

I came back home and did some community theatre around Houston.  I enjoyed it for a while, made great friends doing it, and then got tired of the politics.  It’s very disheartening to see that even in community theatre in Houston, Texas, there are politics and game-playing.  I’m very opinionated and didn’t put up with a lot of games, which immediately made me an outcast in the community.  That’s when I stopped doing theatre just to do theatre.  If I do a show now, it’s because I believe in the story, the director, and the cast.  I’m a wife and mother and don’t have time to deal with any nonsense.  If something is going to take me away from my family, it had better be good.

 

So, all these people putting down “show tunes” as my favorite music – I’m sorry to disappoint.  I’m no longer musical theatre’s biggest fan.  In fact, my favorite shows are all old: Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Aspects of Love.

 

What’s my favorite type of music?  Well, right now it’s holiday music. 

A new bloggy-blog world

So, I’ve decided I’m not happy with my blogs.  I feel that there’s not a whole lot of substance, or even a whole lot of my personality in them.  I’ve decided to revamp.  I’m not going to get rid of any blogs, but I am going to “start over.”  This is just a warning…  When will this happen?  There’s no way to know.  I have ideas all the time, but whether or not they’re implemented is up to chance.  This is an idea I have today after reading a particularly fabulous blog.  I guess I should try to read said blog daily to inspire me in this new bloggy world I’m going to create.

TV Picks for Golden Globes

Sorry it’s taken long to post who I think will win the TV Golden Globes.  Here they are:

 

Best Drama – Dexter

Best Actress (Drama) – Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters)

Best Actor (Drama) – Michael C. Hall (Dexter)

Best Comedy – The Office (I will always pick that no matter what)

Best Actress (Comedy) – Tina Fey (30 Rock)

Best Actor (Comedy) – Steve Carell (The Office)

Best Mini-Series – John Adams

Best Actree (Mini-Series) – Laura Linney (John Adams)

Best Actor (Mini-Series) - Paul Giamatti (John Adams)

Best Supporting Actress – Dianne Wiest

Best Supporting Actor – Neil Patrick Harris

 

Thoughts?