Well, I'm finally completely out of the old apartment and into my new townhouse. Nice feeling of being settled - boxes or not. I finally have some mornings off to unpack so I'm sure it won't be long until things are where they should be.
Just thought I'd share this Talking Heads video. It's one of my favorite songs. This is from the Stop Making Sense movie directed by Jonathan Demme. [Probably best known for Silence of the Lambs] The song is most appropriate for me today. "Home, is where I want to be, pick me up and then turn me around..."
This is one of the best concert films ever. Takes me back to the days when I was madly in love with David Byrne and planning to one day live in New York so I could hang out at CBGB and experience some great music live, etc. LOL Things didn't quite work out that way but I'm pretty happy where I am now so it worked out for the best.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Talking Heads This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) Live
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Another Reason to Love Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Having been a fan of Eric Bogosian (though not as obsessively as I have been of others), I was most happy to see him arrive in the Law & Order world as Captain Danny Ross of the Major Case Squad. Many Goren fans took an instant dislike to the character and I admit I was bit annoyed with the character at first. However, Bogosian has done such a marvelous job at developing the character of Captain Ross that even the most vocal critics of the character have started to come around. Well, it also helped that he back Goren up in 'Untethered.'
Still he had added such depth and emotion to Ross given just a few moments of screen time each week that I feel as if I know the man. LOL I'd say one of his best scenes is the conference room with Goren and the Chief of D's. Bogosian doesn't utter a word, yet with his subtle expressions you can see a world of emotions on his face as he sits silently. Absolutely amazing to watch.
So here is a fan appreciation and plug for Eric Bogosian - actor, novelist, playwright. Here's a link to an interview with the actor. I love listening to the man. You can listen here.
If you still don't like Ross, at least appreciate the work that Bogosian has put in to the character. For me, it's like heaven on earth to be able to watch him and Vincent D'Onofrio act together on a regular basis. Here's a few of my favorite Bogosian photos.
As Captain Danny Ross on Criminal Intent
From a monologue about drinking
Personally I think he's gorgeous!
The infamous 'Talk Radio"
Still he had added such depth and emotion to Ross given just a few moments of screen time each week that I feel as if I know the man. LOL I'd say one of his best scenes is the conference room with Goren and the Chief of D's. Bogosian doesn't utter a word, yet with his subtle expressions you can see a world of emotions on his face as he sits silently. Absolutely amazing to watch.
So here is a fan appreciation and plug for Eric Bogosian - actor, novelist, playwright. Here's a link to an interview with the actor. I love listening to the man. You can listen here.
If you still don't like Ross, at least appreciate the work that Bogosian has put in to the character. For me, it's like heaven on earth to be able to watch him and Vincent D'Onofrio act together on a regular basis. Here's a few of my favorite Bogosian photos.
As Captain Danny Ross on Criminal Intent
From a monologue about drinking
Personally I think he's gorgeous!
The infamous 'Talk Radio"
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Our Travels With Belle
Here's another article I posted elsewhere about my beloved Belle. I wrote the following one fall when the skies were blue, the trees were turning and I was driving along in my car along country roads. I just know she's with me in spirit on these days because my thoughts always turn to her.
Our Travels With Belle
Belle was an Old English Sheep dog we adopted through a rescue organization that saved animals from puppy mills. She was 2 years old when we got her and I am assuming that living in a puppy milll - it was a regular three bedroom home in the suburbs of some Indiana town - with 41 other dogs played a part in her being rather odd in her behavior. She had one blue eye and one brown eye. A watch eye, according to my mother-in-law who used to raise show dogs.
My husband had always wanted an Old English Sheep dog. He had dog-sat one back when he was a teenager and she was the nicest, sweetest dog he told me. I wanted a Rottweiler. Kind of tells you about our personalities I thought to myself. We ended up with a Sheep Dog and I'm glad since we eventually had a granddaughter who would use her as a pillow from time to time and while I had great experienes with Rottweilers, I think I felt a little more comfortable with our "cartoon dog" - as my stepson called her - than I would have with a Rottweiler.
When Belle first came to the house, she was confused. She had lived among a house full of dogs and then came to a house with three humans and two cats. She cried the first night she stayed with us so my husband went and laid on the floor next to her pillow at the foot of our bed.
Eventually she adapted and grew to enjoy being an only dog. One great thing about Belle was that she was a great traveler. We took her on every one of our road trips - the only kind we took since we've moved here to the mainland and one of the reasons I love it here.
The first trip we took her on was to Canada. We went looking for a Jaguar Mark II my husband wanted to restore. So off we went with our maps, electric cooler (it plugged into the cigarette lighter sockett in the car and into the hotel electrical outlet) and dog. Mom stayed home with the cats.
Our trip took us up through northern Michigan, over the bridge to Sault Ste. Marie and into Canada. We drove east to the little town of Sudbury where our prospective Jaguar Mark II awaited. Belle loved it! We took her for walks at rest stops along the way.
The first night we stopped in Michigan, just before we got to the bridge. The motel we stayed in was an open one. The rooms opened to the great outdoors, as it were. We got a first floor room and it was fine. Belle was a bit nervous in a new place but as long as we were there, she was fine. She slept on the extra bed in the room and had a good night.
The next day we made it all the way to Sudbury and to a hotel that didn't open outside so we had to go through a lobby. In the hotel room, she sat by the door and growled everytime she heard someone walking past the door in the outside hallway. Hmm...well, at least I know she'll protect us if anyone tries to come in, I thought.
We ordered pizza or Chinese food to be delivered for dinner and when the delivery boy knocked on the door, Belle flew away from the door and jumped on our bed, stuck her head under the pillows and whimpered. Great. Our protector? My husband and I just laughed. Well, we didn't get her to be our body guard. Thank goodness or we'd be dead.
After we spent a couple of days there and saw the red Jaguar, my husband decided he wanted to see another car in Colorado first before making any deal. So off we went back home and a few weeks later, he made arrangements to see the car in Denver.
Again, we packed our car, left the cats at home with mom and headed for Colorado. Belle was a trooper. She loved sticking her head out the window and loved checking out rest stops. Her only problem was when we stayed at a place that had steps to the second floor room - the only ones that were open at the time - we were staying at. Stairs didn't bother her but open stairs did. You could see through the steps and she freaked out. I had visions of having to sleep in the car with the dog when finally my husband managed to coax her up the stairs. Once she overcame that initial fear, she was fine. I was relieved and so was my husband. Colorado was a hit. We found our car, made arrangements with a couple of our new friends to drive the car to Michigan. It was a great car and was well cared for by a man who had a great reputation as a Jaguar mechanic. We loved Denver and Boulder and Steamboat Springs - another side trip we took to watch our hosts race their antique Jaguars. It was a fun trip and everyone loved Belle.
The next trip we took was a fall color tour of Michigan in our Jaguar Mark II, which my husband had fixed up and had hired some guy from England to work on the engine. It was now our touring car. We drove up to Traverse City and down the Lake Michigan shoreline. Only once did the car act up but my husband managed to get it going again with a little bit of fixing. Belle loved running along the lakeshore. I wish we could have taken her to Hawaii. She would have loved the beaches there. She liked waves and would tirelessly chase them up and down until we finally called her away. She really did look like a cartoon dog with her ears flapping in the wind.
Once while my husband was out in the pole barn we called the Jag Shop because that's where the Jaguars were kept - our 1990 XJ40 and the Mark II - and Belle wanted to go outside so my husband let her out. This was in the middle of winter with snow covering the ground. The lake hadn't quite had time to freeze yet and there was still frigid waters and waves at our shoreline. After about a half hour my husband went to look for the dog and saw her sitting by the door to our other garage that was connected to the house. He said she had a weird look on her face and was sitting kind of funny. He called her and she ran over and he could hear a clacking noise. Apparently our brilliant dog decided to go into the lake and came out frozen. She was sitting funny because her fur was frozen and it was probably poking her when she sat down. He defrosted her and she was good as new.
Belle loved that old Jaguar as much as my husband did. She always jumped right in ready to go for a ride. Our last trip in that old car was back to Colorado to have a few things adjusted by our mechanic friend. We spent a few days there visiting and having the car worked on. Belle had a great time. She got to run around their large property and got to meet a Great Dane named Henry who was about as tall as I am - all of 5 feet tall.
We took short trips up to Sheridan to visit with my husband's dad and stepmom. Over to East Lansing to visit with his brother. No long trips, however as my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and after my stepson and his wife moved out to their own place, it was difficult to find someone to stay with mom 24/7.
Belle made the most of all those trips. Once she got over her fear of pizza delivery people and room service and those steps from Hell, she was great.
Every fall I think of Belle and those trips we used to take. Especially on days like today. High around 72 and that beautiful blue sky with the red and yellow leaves turning on the trees. Now we ride up to see our children and have Sunday dinners. Grandchilren ride along with us instead of an Old English Sheep dog but I know she's there in the back seat in spirit.
[NP: R.E.M. - Near Wild Heaven]
Our Travels With Belle
Belle was an Old English Sheep dog we adopted through a rescue organization that saved animals from puppy mills. She was 2 years old when we got her and I am assuming that living in a puppy milll - it was a regular three bedroom home in the suburbs of some Indiana town - with 41 other dogs played a part in her being rather odd in her behavior. She had one blue eye and one brown eye. A watch eye, according to my mother-in-law who used to raise show dogs.
My husband had always wanted an Old English Sheep dog. He had dog-sat one back when he was a teenager and she was the nicest, sweetest dog he told me. I wanted a Rottweiler. Kind of tells you about our personalities I thought to myself. We ended up with a Sheep Dog and I'm glad since we eventually had a granddaughter who would use her as a pillow from time to time and while I had great experienes with Rottweilers, I think I felt a little more comfortable with our "cartoon dog" - as my stepson called her - than I would have with a Rottweiler.
When Belle first came to the house, she was confused. She had lived among a house full of dogs and then came to a house with three humans and two cats. She cried the first night she stayed with us so my husband went and laid on the floor next to her pillow at the foot of our bed.
Eventually she adapted and grew to enjoy being an only dog. One great thing about Belle was that she was a great traveler. We took her on every one of our road trips - the only kind we took since we've moved here to the mainland and one of the reasons I love it here.
The first trip we took her on was to Canada. We went looking for a Jaguar Mark II my husband wanted to restore. So off we went with our maps, electric cooler (it plugged into the cigarette lighter sockett in the car and into the hotel electrical outlet) and dog. Mom stayed home with the cats.
Our trip took us up through northern Michigan, over the bridge to Sault Ste. Marie and into Canada. We drove east to the little town of Sudbury where our prospective Jaguar Mark II awaited. Belle loved it! We took her for walks at rest stops along the way.
The first night we stopped in Michigan, just before we got to the bridge. The motel we stayed in was an open one. The rooms opened to the great outdoors, as it were. We got a first floor room and it was fine. Belle was a bit nervous in a new place but as long as we were there, she was fine. She slept on the extra bed in the room and had a good night.
The next day we made it all the way to Sudbury and to a hotel that didn't open outside so we had to go through a lobby. In the hotel room, she sat by the door and growled everytime she heard someone walking past the door in the outside hallway. Hmm...well, at least I know she'll protect us if anyone tries to come in, I thought.
We ordered pizza or Chinese food to be delivered for dinner and when the delivery boy knocked on the door, Belle flew away from the door and jumped on our bed, stuck her head under the pillows and whimpered. Great. Our protector? My husband and I just laughed. Well, we didn't get her to be our body guard. Thank goodness or we'd be dead.
After we spent a couple of days there and saw the red Jaguar, my husband decided he wanted to see another car in Colorado first before making any deal. So off we went back home and a few weeks later, he made arrangements to see the car in Denver.
Again, we packed our car, left the cats at home with mom and headed for Colorado. Belle was a trooper. She loved sticking her head out the window and loved checking out rest stops. Her only problem was when we stayed at a place that had steps to the second floor room - the only ones that were open at the time - we were staying at. Stairs didn't bother her but open stairs did. You could see through the steps and she freaked out. I had visions of having to sleep in the car with the dog when finally my husband managed to coax her up the stairs. Once she overcame that initial fear, she was fine. I was relieved and so was my husband. Colorado was a hit. We found our car, made arrangements with a couple of our new friends to drive the car to Michigan. It was a great car and was well cared for by a man who had a great reputation as a Jaguar mechanic. We loved Denver and Boulder and Steamboat Springs - another side trip we took to watch our hosts race their antique Jaguars. It was a fun trip and everyone loved Belle.
The next trip we took was a fall color tour of Michigan in our Jaguar Mark II, which my husband had fixed up and had hired some guy from England to work on the engine. It was now our touring car. We drove up to Traverse City and down the Lake Michigan shoreline. Only once did the car act up but my husband managed to get it going again with a little bit of fixing. Belle loved running along the lakeshore. I wish we could have taken her to Hawaii. She would have loved the beaches there. She liked waves and would tirelessly chase them up and down until we finally called her away. She really did look like a cartoon dog with her ears flapping in the wind.
Once while my husband was out in the pole barn we called the Jag Shop because that's where the Jaguars were kept - our 1990 XJ40 and the Mark II - and Belle wanted to go outside so my husband let her out. This was in the middle of winter with snow covering the ground. The lake hadn't quite had time to freeze yet and there was still frigid waters and waves at our shoreline. After about a half hour my husband went to look for the dog and saw her sitting by the door to our other garage that was connected to the house. He said she had a weird look on her face and was sitting kind of funny. He called her and she ran over and he could hear a clacking noise. Apparently our brilliant dog decided to go into the lake and came out frozen. She was sitting funny because her fur was frozen and it was probably poking her when she sat down. He defrosted her and she was good as new.
Belle loved that old Jaguar as much as my husband did. She always jumped right in ready to go for a ride. Our last trip in that old car was back to Colorado to have a few things adjusted by our mechanic friend. We spent a few days there visiting and having the car worked on. Belle had a great time. She got to run around their large property and got to meet a Great Dane named Henry who was about as tall as I am - all of 5 feet tall.
We took short trips up to Sheridan to visit with my husband's dad and stepmom. Over to East Lansing to visit with his brother. No long trips, however as my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and after my stepson and his wife moved out to their own place, it was difficult to find someone to stay with mom 24/7.
Belle made the most of all those trips. Once she got over her fear of pizza delivery people and room service and those steps from Hell, she was great.
Every fall I think of Belle and those trips we used to take. Especially on days like today. High around 72 and that beautiful blue sky with the red and yellow leaves turning on the trees. Now we ride up to see our children and have Sunday dinners. Grandchilren ride along with us instead of an Old English Sheep dog but I know she's there in the back seat in spirit.
[NP: R.E.M. - Near Wild Heaven]
Friday, April 25, 2008
The World Of Blogs
I've been checking out various blogs regarding my various obsessions. Lately I've been on a Vincent D'Onofrio kick so that's the sort I've been frequenting. It's amazing how many fans are out there dedicating entire blogs to him. It's absolute heaven for anyone who wants to know more about the actor. The downside, occasionally I hear of trolls who actually go to fan sites and fan blogs just to harass them. They try to cause trouble and make demeaning comments about the actor and about his fans and it's just one of those WTF? things that I just don't get.
Me, I don't like a lot of things. I rant about the mindlessness of Paris Hilton. I occasionally make negative comments about Tom"Lights on but No One's Home" Cruise. But I don't actively seek out their fans or fan sites to ridicule them. It's just my personal opinion I'm putting out. If someone else likes him, well hey, they have their reasons and it doesn't hurt me at all that he has fans who are loyal to him no matter what.
I don't like Rush Limbaugh and have never been to a Rush Limbaugh site and I don't listen to his show and I don't call in to tell him what big, fat gasbag I think he is because quite frankly, I'm sure he couldn't care less. Hey, he's rich and happy and if I don't like him, so what? He's got his fans who do and again, I have no desire to waste my time arguing with them over it because I know there's no way I'm going to change someone's mind about that. And that's fine. We all like different things.
But this animosity some people have is kind of crazy. I wonder if people who don't like Tom Cruise go around to his fan sites and his fan blogs and say mean things about him or them? It really makes me wonder but not enough to go find out. I actually do have a real life to live and I have enough interests and obsessions that I can't spare the time to go look.
So again, I'm baffled by the behavior of these people. What did Mr. D'Onofrio do to them that they dislike him so much? Did he insult you personally? Did he rush past you and not sign an autograph (though from what I've read and have been told he's not like that at all)? Did he steal your money? Beat you up? What? I just don't get it.
Fortunately, I've avoided the whole issue but not allowing posts on this blog and refusing to read PMs or emails from people I don't know. I just delete them before I even look at them so maybe the PM I got at one of my music forums was from an R.E.M. fan stalker or something. I wouldn't know. Then again I had a music forum stalker at one time but if he's still out there, he's spinning his wheels over nothing cause I don't know about it and I don't want to.
Honestly, what is the point? If I don't like someone I don't bother with anything to do with them. What is it about the internet that emboldens people and helps them to behave badly? Are these people mousey, insecure people in real life who get trampled on by others so they go online and bully and harass others anonymously to feel powerful?
Ah well, this is just another of my "I don't get it" rants and I'll move on to other more pleasant topics after a while. I'm just ranting now because some incredibly mean person made an incredibly rude comment on a Vincent fan blog I recently found and I wondered if they just don't like this particular person or if they're one of those Vincent haters who stalks his fans?
Oh and also, to the person who PMed at one of my music sites and didn't get a reply. I apologize if you are genuinely interested in talking with me. But if you hang around and keep posting and prove you truly are interested in the subject matter at hand, I will chat with you. I only reply to people I am already familiar with or who I come across online who seem to be interesting and reasonable to chat with.
And finally, thanks to those of you who have PMed me or emailed me about my pets. Apparently they've been the hit of my blog for the month. LOL
[NP: Nirvana - Pennyroyal Tea]
Me, I don't like a lot of things. I rant about the mindlessness of Paris Hilton. I occasionally make negative comments about Tom"Lights on but No One's Home" Cruise. But I don't actively seek out their fans or fan sites to ridicule them. It's just my personal opinion I'm putting out. If someone else likes him, well hey, they have their reasons and it doesn't hurt me at all that he has fans who are loyal to him no matter what.
I don't like Rush Limbaugh and have never been to a Rush Limbaugh site and I don't listen to his show and I don't call in to tell him what big, fat gasbag I think he is because quite frankly, I'm sure he couldn't care less. Hey, he's rich and happy and if I don't like him, so what? He's got his fans who do and again, I have no desire to waste my time arguing with them over it because I know there's no way I'm going to change someone's mind about that. And that's fine. We all like different things.
But this animosity some people have is kind of crazy. I wonder if people who don't like Tom Cruise go around to his fan sites and his fan blogs and say mean things about him or them? It really makes me wonder but not enough to go find out. I actually do have a real life to live and I have enough interests and obsessions that I can't spare the time to go look.
So again, I'm baffled by the behavior of these people. What did Mr. D'Onofrio do to them that they dislike him so much? Did he insult you personally? Did he rush past you and not sign an autograph (though from what I've read and have been told he's not like that at all)? Did he steal your money? Beat you up? What? I just don't get it.
Fortunately, I've avoided the whole issue but not allowing posts on this blog and refusing to read PMs or emails from people I don't know. I just delete them before I even look at them so maybe the PM I got at one of my music forums was from an R.E.M. fan stalker or something. I wouldn't know. Then again I had a music forum stalker at one time but if he's still out there, he's spinning his wheels over nothing cause I don't know about it and I don't want to.
Honestly, what is the point? If I don't like someone I don't bother with anything to do with them. What is it about the internet that emboldens people and helps them to behave badly? Are these people mousey, insecure people in real life who get trampled on by others so they go online and bully and harass others anonymously to feel powerful?
Ah well, this is just another of my "I don't get it" rants and I'll move on to other more pleasant topics after a while. I'm just ranting now because some incredibly mean person made an incredibly rude comment on a Vincent fan blog I recently found and I wondered if they just don't like this particular person or if they're one of those Vincent haters who stalks his fans?
Oh and also, to the person who PMed at one of my music sites and didn't get a reply. I apologize if you are genuinely interested in talking with me. But if you hang around and keep posting and prove you truly are interested in the subject matter at hand, I will chat with you. I only reply to people I am already familiar with or who I come across online who seem to be interesting and reasonable to chat with.
And finally, thanks to those of you who have PMed me or emailed me about my pets. Apparently they've been the hit of my blog for the month. LOL
[NP: Nirvana - Pennyroyal Tea]
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day Everybody! Yes, it's late but seeing my work schedule has been skewed to the earlier hours of the day, I don't have much time to play on my blog until evening. Besides, the lovely artwork above was done this evening by a very lovely lady named Shani at the Major Case forum. She does great work, folks. Check out her banners at Major Case as well.I was so impressed with this I decided to share it with you all with her blessing. :) She's a real sweetheart. She made one for each of her friends at Major Case.
For those of my friends and family who have no interest in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (I still love you all despite the fact you have poor taste in television viewing ;-) ), Just go to the site and you can see her banner for Earth Day there at the top of the page. You won't have to read through our obsessive posts or anything. LOL [Okay, a bit of an edit. You have to go to the General Discussion section to see it. And no, you still don't have to read anything but if you don't you're missing out.]
Anyway, not much else happening here at the moment. I'm covering for vacationing people so I still don't have enough obsessing time.
Will try and get a piece or two written for my writing site and post here as well. Gonna start posting some more things I've written [op-eds, writing exercises and just me venting at various forums] here for various sites just to have everything here in one place. Bear with me as I do so. Most of them are entertaining on some level - at least I'm told they are by my fellow writers.
Hope you all had a happy Earth Day!
[NP: R.E.M. - Near Wild Heaven]
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Behind the Scenes-HLOTS
All right, blogger kicked back my first attempt at this so we'll try a second before I write a bunch of stuff that will disappear. ;)
[A few short moments later....]
Hurray! I guess I just can't write a lot before I try to post these to my blog. LOL
In any case, this is from a PBS special looking at the making of one of the best shows to ever have been on television, Homicide: Life on the Streets. Of course it also features Vincent D'Onofrio who was guest starring on this episode. Two of my favorite actors - Andre Braugher and Vincent D'Onofrio on my favorite show! Now if they could just get Braugher to guest star on Law & Order: Criminal Intent I'd be really happy!
Most intense scene they're focusing on here. D'Onofrio and Braugher are magnificent and if you get a chance to catch this episode on a rerun some time, you'll see why these two actors are at the top of my list.
Even if you don't care for either show, it's interesting to see what goes into the making of a television drama. I love seeing a pre-LOCI D'Onofrio as well. I'm so glad they got him to do this role. He's as adorable back then as he is now.
[NP: Elton John - Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters]
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Beloved Pets
Just playing around with Photobucket.
I thought I'd start out with all my pets.
The Old English Sheep Dog is Belle.
The tan kitty is Bob.
The white kitty is Obake - or Bake-chan as we called her.
The black kitty is Leaper.
The orange tabby looking regal with is paws cross is Kilowatt.
The fluffy black and white kitty is Harley.
The only two still with us are Leaper - the baby,
and Bob my ten year old tiger tabby.
They brought so much joy to my life.
I thought I'd start out with all my pets.
The Old English Sheep Dog is Belle.
The tan kitty is Bob.
The white kitty is Obake - or Bake-chan as we called her.
The black kitty is Leaper.
The orange tabby looking regal with is paws cross is Kilowatt.
The fluffy black and white kitty is Harley.
The only two still with us are Leaper - the baby,
and Bob my ten year old tiger tabby.
They brought so much joy to my life.
Hope you enjoy the show. :)
[NP: Aerosmith - Dream On]
[NP: Aerosmith - Dream On]
Thursday, April 17, 2008
And the Happiness Continues...
Just thought I'd share some photos that have been floating around various fan sites of Vincent D'Onofrio on the set of LOCI. I'm trying to give equal time to all my obsessions here. Been going on and on about R.E.M. so I thought I'd return to my favorite television program. :)
Vincent D'Onofrio apparently enjoying himself on set
Vincent D'Onofrio on set
It's believed this is the set of the episode 'Purgatory'
A Favorite Among Vincent Vixens
Ah yes, a Warren Leight interview and photos of Vincent D'Onofrio. June 8 can't come fast enough for me!
[NP: R.E.M. - Be Mine]
Vincent D'Onofrio apparently enjoying himself on set
Vincent D'Onofrio on setIt's believed this is the set of the episode 'Purgatory'
A Favorite Among Vincent VixensAh yes, a Warren Leight interview and photos of Vincent D'Onofrio. June 8 can't come fast enough for me!
[NP: R.E.M. - Be Mine]
Another Law & Order: Criminal Intent Bright Spot!
Warren Leight - Show Runner/Head Writer
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Another Major Case coup! Warrent Leight has agreed to do an interview with members of the board and I have to say I'm absolutely thrilled. Though he's been much maligned by some of the fan base who loved the strict procedural format of the show without the personal back story element, I think he's done wonders for the show in the past two seasons and am grateful that he is willing to take the time to answer questions from the membership of a small but loyal and very vocal message board. Two other writers, Diana Son and Charlie Rubin, have already contributed to part of a question and answer session with us. They have one more to finish and they even offered to do more.
That's why so many of us love this show. The people who put it together are so good to the fans of the show. It's nice to be acknowledged and to be able to have our questions answered. To those with a brain who enjoy intelligent discussion as well as the silly stuff, come by and check it out! See the Major Case link in my favorite sites section and go. You won't be disappointed.
[NP: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Carry On]
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Another Major Case coup! Warrent Leight has agreed to do an interview with members of the board and I have to say I'm absolutely thrilled. Though he's been much maligned by some of the fan base who loved the strict procedural format of the show without the personal back story element, I think he's done wonders for the show in the past two seasons and am grateful that he is willing to take the time to answer questions from the membership of a small but loyal and very vocal message board. Two other writers, Diana Son and Charlie Rubin, have already contributed to part of a question and answer session with us. They have one more to finish and they even offered to do more.
That's why so many of us love this show. The people who put it together are so good to the fans of the show. It's nice to be acknowledged and to be able to have our questions answered. To those with a brain who enjoy intelligent discussion as well as the silly stuff, come by and check it out! See the Major Case link in my favorite sites section and go. You won't be disappointed.
[NP: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Carry On]
Neil Young - Living With War
Here's my political statement for the day. As you can see, I've been hanging out on YouTube a lot. LOL
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Smoke on the Yantze?
Mr. Musicwench came across this little gem. I rather enjoyed it.
Video Fantastica
See, I found something non-political. Something for everyone!
Video Fantastica
See, I found something non-political. Something for everyone!
Al Gore's Voicemail Reveals Which Candidate He Will Endorse
Found this little gem on YouTube today from barelypolitical. Thought I'd share it now that I have more time to get back into the political debates I do so love. Tax season is over!!! No more 12-14 hour days! Woohoo! LOL
This should give you all a chuckle - well most of you. Some of you don't have any interest in politics. Will try and post something soon to keep you all happy. ;)
[NP: Death Cab For Cutie - Crooked Teeth]
Monday, April 14, 2008
Walking Through Clouds
Wrote this a little over a year ago for a writing site. Thought I'd post it here for posterity. Friends and relatives will remember my junior year in high school when I spent my spring break on Maui, hiking through Haleakala crater. This is a bit of history to go along with it. :)
I am by nature, not a very physically active type of person. As a child I used to love to read and I always had my nose stuck inside a book. When I was a toddler my mother said I was never one to go wandering off alone. Probably because I was very sedentary and pretty much did not like engaging in play that required I run about much. Swimming was the only exception to that rule.
In elementary school I hated going outside to play during recess. I would spend all my recesses in the library until the teachers made me spend at least one recess outside because they didn't think all that sitting indoors was good for me. So what did I do? I took my books outside, sat on the lanai and read until the teachers on recess duty made me go jump rope or play hopscotch with other kids. This was Hawaii and here I was trying to stay indoors where it was quiet and I could read. I'm sure they all thought I was a weird kid.
Considering my sedentary - my father would describe it as sloth-like as I got older and turned into a teenager - nature it was no surprise I was lousy at sports. All it took was getting hit or hurt once by a ball - be it softball, football, soccerball and don't get me started on how stupid I thought dodge ball was - and I was done with that particular activity. Being Japanese I have short little legs so running track was an absolute nightmare! I laughed out loud and along with my other 5' tall friends, stood back and watched the longer-limbed girls jump over hurdles. The gym teacher didn't like me and the feeling was mutual. I did have a knack for gymnastics but after tearing a ligament in my leg during my sophomore year in high school (I learned I actually had muscles in my butt and was not pleased because it hurt to even sit), I quit that, too.
Now after all my problems with physical education and physical activities in general, somehow I went insane and joined the hiking club in my junior year of high school. I have no idea what I was thinking when I did that except that my two best friends joined and so I went along. I think my main motivation was we got to do stuff on the weekends which entailed leaving town and we got to go to Maui on spring break and hike though Haleakala crater. Okay, so what part of hiking did I not understand? I have no idea. At the time it sounded like a good idea. No wonder my father thought I was an idiot.
When I signed up for the hiking club, I went and bought myself a backpack, hiking boots and eventually a sleeping bag for overnight trips. I threw myself into the process of getting myself in shape for the big trip to Haleakala. I put up with blistered feet and aching legs, mosquito bites, scratches from thorny branches and being dirty a lot just so I could spend my spring break, doing the same thing in Haleakala crater on Maui.
My parents probably thought I had lost my mind. I'm sure they were wondering if I was one of those pod persons from a tacky sci-fi movie. I participated in fundraising activities and generally seemed to enjoy myself. I got to see some of the most beautiful spots on the island and I even enjoyed camping - except for the outhouses, no baths and sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag. Seriously, I think I was going through a masochistic phase. This was not my normal mode of operating.
Of course this was also the year my best friend and I started going to the beach every chance we got. We would head out to Haleiwa or Waiamea and go surfing or just lie on the beach and talk. Sometimes we'd go to Waiamea falls where we would hike up and then jump off into the cool fresh water below. It was refreshing and made us feel quite alive. Since then they've paved a path to the falls and turned it into a tourist attraction and we have to pay to go there if we so desired. I haven't been there since they started charging a fee sometime while I was in college and wasn't paying attention.
But I am wandering off from the main point of this story. My sloth-like nature had gone dormant. I was an active teenager who couldn't seem to stay put. My parents didn't know what to make of it but had no complaints because I managed to keep my grades up and I still read voraciously. With visions of sending me off to college far, far away, my father and mother gave me their blessings and support of my endeavor to make my way through Haleakala as long as I kept my grades up.
The last hike before the big trip was an overnighter on the Pomoho trail. We all had to practice carrying 30 pound packs each. That was the estimated amount we would all have in our packs through our Haleakala trip. 30 pounds with our sleeping bags, clothing, food and first aid supplies we were all going to share carrying through the crater.
The overnighter at Pomoho was just one night, however. The Haleakala trip was going to be three nights and four days. So some of us, who didn't get enough weight in our packs by just carrying supplies, got to put wood in our backpacks to make it to the 30 pound mark. I was fortunate. I made my weight on supplies alone. My best friend, Stella, didn't so they stuck a log in her backpack. She just placed it at the top of all her stuff in the backpack and pulled the flap down over it, apparently securing it in place - apparent being the operative word here.
Now we were all packed and weighted down and off we went. We had driven through back roads between pineapple fields and found a place to park the trucks and vans. The red dirt Wahiawa is famous for already made a light coat on the vehicles we had driven in on and on some of us who had sat in the back of the trucks - before it was illegal for passengers to ride in the back of open trucks.
Off we went on our trek up the mountain. It was beautiful. The skies were blue and it was a slight chill in the air. We chatted and laughed and it looked like it was going to be an easy trek to the cabin. As the day went on and the sun climbed higher in the sky, we weren't quite as chatty. I had removed my jacket and tied it around my waist. My friend Stella was following behind me and that irritating piece of wood she was carrying kept slipping out of her backpack and falling onto the ground. After about three or four false alarms where I thought she had fallen and had stopped and turned to see if she needed help getting up again, I grew jaded and didn't bother to check any more.
We were about three quarters of the way to our destination when I heard another loud splash and this time chose to ignore it, continuing along the muddly path through the tropical growth when I heard, "Hey! Where you going? Help me!"
I stopped and turned in my tracks and saw Stella lying on the ground, flat on her stomach, glasses covered with muddy water, stuck under the weight of her backpack where this time the log added for extra weight had decided to stay put. She looked none-too pleased that her best friend hadn't even bothered to check to see if she was all right.
"Oh, wow, sorry! I thought it was the log again," I explained, feeling rather guilty for being annoyed that she couldn't keep the log in her backpack.
As I was about to head back to help my mud covered friend, a fellow classmate came walking by, talking on a walkie talkie to our club advisor who was a bit up ahead with the lead group. Great, he would help her, I assumed as I stopped in my tracks.
Surprise, surprise! He just kept walking, looking down at her as if she were an interesting curiosity.
"Ron! Help her!" I yelled, feeling incredibly annoyed.
As if stirred from some waking dream, Ron blinked, said "Oh, ah, yea, right. Sorry."
He put away his walkie talkie and helped our muddied and very wet friend up off the ground. The entire front of her t-shirt was muddy, as was her face and glasses. It was at this point that I felt this incredible urge to laugh.
"Are you all right?" I asked instead, offering her a pack of facial tissues I was carrying in my pocket and biting the inside of my cheek in an effort to NOT burst out laughing.
"No," she said in a highly agitated state. "I can't see anything!"
At that point I lost it and started laughing hysterically. My friend refused to speak to me for the rest of the day.
After she managed to clean herself up in silence, we got started again and finally made it to the cabin just as the sun was starting to set. We stood there looking down at the beautiful view of the island as the sun slowly reddened the sky. It was remarkable and despite all the discomforts, it was worth it. Stella even started talking to me again. The night was horrible. We were cramped into a cabin and it was hot and uncomfortable and the floor was hard and there were bugs and there was an outhouse with spiders, the food tasted like rehydrated crap and well, let's just say I'm not really a camping kind of gal.
However, I managed to survive it all and was all excited and ready to make that trip to Maui and hike through Haleakala crater a couple of weeks later. I had all my gear and clothes packed for the two days we would get to spend being tourists on Maui after the hike was over.
Stella's mom was going to drive us to the airport. All the hiking club members met at the appointed place and got our supplies and checked ourselves in. It was very early in the morning. The sun had just started to rise as our plane took off for Maui.
We were there in no time and soon we were driving up the side of Haleakala crater, heading for the entrance point down sliding sands trail. Here I was, all of sixteen years old and hiking into Haleakala crater. It was a spectacular view. We were so high up the air was rather thin so we tired faster than on our other hikes on Oahu but I was on some kind of adrenalin high. The cool, crisp air felt good on my skin. We were starting at 9,700 feet and descending to 2,800 to the bottom of the crater. It was glorious. There were silver swords, flowers, cinder cones, lava tubes and so much to explore. We saw the sunrise and set from inside the crater - Haleakala means House of the Sun and it certainly is aptly named. The stars were so vivid and bright in the night sky as we lay in our sleeping bags and peeked out of our tents as we fell into an exhausted sleep at night. Even the freeze dried food tasted good and I was too tired to notice I hadn't taken a bath since I left home - believe me, for someone who obsesses about bathing like I did and still do, it's a big deal.
On the last day as we approached the switchback trail leading out of the crater, I was delirious from the thin air and altitude or something. I felt like I didn't want to leave. As we made our way up the long, winding trail and met people hiking in or perhaps seeing a park ranger on his horse, I found myself wanting to trade places with these people. My body was exhausted but my mind was on some kind of altitude high.
As we got closer to the top of the crater, clouds started to move in. I turned to take one last look at the crater before we ascended into a cloud. I put my hooded jacket on and my friends and I continued in silence as we felt the moisture of the clouds surround us. It felt like some kind of horror movie in a way. You couldn't see very far head. Everything was shrouded in fog. It seemed our mood seemed to match the grey atmosphere surrounding us.
After a while the fog started to thin and we could see a little further ahead. One moment we were shrouded in fog, the next we were stepping out onto a sunlit path and as we turned to look behind us yet again, there were clouds beneath us, covering the crater from our view. We had made it through the clouds. It was magnificent to see the rim of the crater peaking out up above the clouds, which now covered the crater like a protective blanket. It was breathtaking and we all kept up our silence as if the sound of our voices would break some kind of mystical spell. It was a very spiritual experience for me as I made my way through the clouds, just as it had been watching the sun rise and set during our stay in the House of the Sun.
The silence lifted as we neared the end of our journey. We laughed and chatted as we ended our trek. It had certainly been an adventure that we would all remember. As soon as we caught sight of our bus, all thoughts of lingering at the rim of the crater vanished. We raced for the buses and collapsed in our seats, exhausted but content. As the bus made its way down the side of the crater towards Kahului and our hotel, my two best friends and I discussed who would get to bathe first and the what we would eat and other mundane things of our lives that had been suspended for the past few days as we hiked through paradise and shared the experience of a lifetime.
Monty Python And The Holy Grail- The Black Knight
It's been a long day, I'm cranky and in a bad mood so what do I do? I go to YouTube and find Monty Python clips. LOL
This one cheered me right up. Hope it does the same for you. It's just so silly I can't help but laugh. :-)
Sunday, April 13, 2008
R.E.M. - Accelerate
My all-time favorite band is back and they're rocking hard for a bunch of 'old guys.' I can say that because I am an 'old gal' myself. I've been following this band since they first hit the college radio scene with their E.P. Chronic Town. The distinctive voice of Michael Stipe, the melodic bass of Mike Mills, the jangly guitar of Peter Buck and the steady rhythm of Bill Berry holding it all together. Many a late night was spent listening to this band as I crammed for a final or worked on a final project. Twenty-some odd years later I'm still listening to them late at night as I try and get a story - or review in this case - done by deadline.
This time out with their fourteenth studio album, R.E.M. has come back rocking. Perhaps it's to prove they aren't dead yet. After their last release, Around the Sun, proved to be a disappointment to many fans, R.E.M. seems to have returned invigorated. They've returned to the more rock-oriented sound of their early years when they were a band of four young college students driving the alternative college music scene into the mainstream - for better or worse depending on your point of view.
Accelerate certainly does live up to its hype and literal definition. The first single, Supernatural Superserious, is a fast paced, back to basics song for the band. Stipe touches on teenage angst and insecurities. It's not my favorite song on the record but it did make me sit up and take notice. It does give you an inkling of what the album's overall sound is like.
Not that all the songs are all out rockers. You do have the haunting Until the Day Is Done. A rather sad commentary on the state of our union. "The battle's been lost, the war is not won, An addled republic, a bitter refund, The business first flat earthers licking their wounds, The verdict is dire, the country's in ruins." There are more political jabs in Houston. "If the storm doesn't kill me the government will," sings Stipe in obvious reference to the Hurricane Katrina debacle.
My personal favorite is Hollow Man. It's starts off softly and then turns into a mid-tempo rocker with a fabulous chorus - "Believe in me, believe in nothing, Corner me and make me something, I've become the hollow man, Have I become the hollow man I see?"
I've tried not to read too many reviews for this album so as not to taint my perspective but it's hard to avoid the headlines and it seems this album is being received well by critics. While I wouldn't go as far as to call it the best R.E.M. has ever put out, I'd say it's definitely a step in the right direction. The sound harkens back to their early days but the lyrics are definitely not nostalgic, addressing the aforementioned political themes among other things.
With this album the band sounds like they're re-invigorated and ready to move full speed ahead. It certainly lives up to it's title.
Here's my favorite song off the album performed by the band on their Today Show appearance. Enjoy!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
So Obviously I'm Not Quite Moved In Yet...
Just a quick note. Moving sucks even if it's only down the street! Living out of boxes isn't fun but watching my cats has proven to be a great source of entertainment for me and Mr. Musicwench. I think we'll do that when the power goes out and I can't get to any of my favorite online sites or watch my beloved Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Am quite happily living out of boxes for the time being. Sunday will be my first day off - only had one day off to move cause everyone else is either on vacation or sick. And of course Sunday is family day. My stepson and the granddaughters are coming over because they haven't seen us in about a month and they miss us and we miss them so it will be help grandma and grandpa unpack day!
Gonna take house pictures to post later. Right now I'm going to watch some LOCI episodes on DVD - I haven't been able to watch any of them on television and while none of them are new, I feel those withdrawal symptoms kicking in so I'm going to watch a couple of episodes to keep from going nuts!
Hopefully I'll be able to post something with more substance this weekend!
[NP: Velvet Underground w/Nico - Femme Fatale]
Am quite happily living out of boxes for the time being. Sunday will be my first day off - only had one day off to move cause everyone else is either on vacation or sick. And of course Sunday is family day. My stepson and the granddaughters are coming over because they haven't seen us in about a month and they miss us and we miss them so it will be help grandma and grandpa unpack day!
Gonna take house pictures to post later. Right now I'm going to watch some LOCI episodes on DVD - I haven't been able to watch any of them on television and while none of them are new, I feel those withdrawal symptoms kicking in so I'm going to watch a couple of episodes to keep from going nuts!
Hopefully I'll be able to post something with more substance this weekend!
[NP: Velvet Underground w/Nico - Femme Fatale]
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Hi, my name is Marsha and I'm addicted to Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Kathryn Erbe and Vincent D'Onofrio from LOCI - AmendsYes, I think I'm in need of serious psychological help. I check several sites everyday dedicated to the show or the actors, I write fan fiction for it, I watch repeats whenever they're on television and get annoyed if I'm interrupted even if I've seen the episode over ten times, etc. The usual signs of addiction as it were.
However, I have no desire to cure myself of this as it's just too much fun. It's as bad as being a Trekkie if not worse. LOL
Last night it was a repeat of Amends, the season 7 opener. I was up until midnight despite having to be up early (yes, I know I did that with R.E.M. on The Colbert Report). I always find something else to focus on when I watch this show. This time it was Captain Ross. Bogosian has done such a marvelous job with this character. Wouldn't you know they would cast an actor I am already a fan of so it can add to my obsession.
One thing I can say about this show is they sure know how to cast to perfection. D'Onofrio and Erbe are perfect at Goren and Eames. And Bogosian is excellent as the compassionate and loyal but somewhat uptight Captain Ross. And of course we get the added extra of Chris Noth as Detective Logan. It's such a great role for him. I know a lot of people think of him primarily as Mr.. Big from the Sex and the City show that I just can't stand, but he's always going to be Mike Logan to me. I'm sure he's marvelous as Mr. Big but I'm quite sure Logan is much more interesting character with more depth.
So I'm off to obsess some more with my fellow addicts and will return shortly with a review of R.E.M.'s accelerate. I'm in the process of writing it but got interrupted by having to get the process of moving under way. Will post pictures of the new place as soon as I'm all settled. It's BRAND NEW!!! No one else has lived there before us and it's going to be marvelous. I'm sure my 10 year old cat will have the honor of being the first cat to throw up on the carpet within the first week we're there. LOL
[NP: George Harrison - What Is Life]
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Spring Is Finally In The Air!
After a ridiculously long winter that stretched into late March, I'm thrilled to say it finally feels like spring around here. Baseball season has started - though the Tigers are really sucking so far, there's a hint of green out there, the sky is blue, I can go outside without a jacket and I'm moving!
Yep, gonna be moving down road a bit to a brand new place with a garage. I will be off-line on the eighth because of the move but should be back up by the next day. Of course the best laid plans...you know how it goes.
Will try and get some thought about R.E.M.'s accelerate posted before that.
However, spring is in the air and I'm in a frisky frame of mind. Today was a boring day at the tax office and I ended up trying to find a copy of the movie Guy with Vincent D'Onofrio [see scrumptious photo below]. Yes, I'm all hot and bothered and really would like to see this one again. LOL If I knew then what I know now about the gorgeous Mr. D'Onofrio, I would have bought every copy of that movie I could have gotten my little hands on when I saw it the first time. ;-) [Apologies to my relatives who have found some of my thoughts like these rather disturbing since they still think of me as a child. LOL I'd tell you all to send me your therapy bills but you have been partially responsible for some of mine so....]
Vincent D'Onofrio from the movie Guy
And finally, I'm beginning to feel like inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther movies. For those of you unfamiliar with the great Peter Sellers and those hysterically funny movies, Clouseau is an inept French detective who has instructed his houseboy, Kato, to attack him at any instant with no warning. Usually whenever he arrives at home, Kato is waiting somewhere to ambush him.
Well, lately my little Leaper pictured below, has been attacking me by jumping at me and batting my butt or legs and occasionally he wraps himself around my ankles and I end up walking with him wrapped around my ankle as I make my way around the house. My husband thinks it's cute because he's not the one who has to deal with the kitten stalking him. LOL If he weren't so cute he'd be back at my stepson's house so fast it would make your head spin. But, he's adorable - as you can see - and I just can't imagine not having him around.
Little Leaper sleeping in my jeans
[NP: Monday Michiru - Touch The Sky]
Yep, gonna be moving down road a bit to a brand new place with a garage. I will be off-line on the eighth because of the move but should be back up by the next day. Of course the best laid plans...you know how it goes.
Will try and get some thought about R.E.M.'s accelerate posted before that.
However, spring is in the air and I'm in a frisky frame of mind. Today was a boring day at the tax office and I ended up trying to find a copy of the movie Guy with Vincent D'Onofrio [see scrumptious photo below]. Yes, I'm all hot and bothered and really would like to see this one again. LOL If I knew then what I know now about the gorgeous Mr. D'Onofrio, I would have bought every copy of that movie I could have gotten my little hands on when I saw it the first time. ;-) [Apologies to my relatives who have found some of my thoughts like these rather disturbing since they still think of me as a child. LOL I'd tell you all to send me your therapy bills but you have been partially responsible for some of mine so....]
Vincent D'Onofrio from the movie GuyAnd finally, I'm beginning to feel like inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther movies. For those of you unfamiliar with the great Peter Sellers and those hysterically funny movies, Clouseau is an inept French detective who has instructed his houseboy, Kato, to attack him at any instant with no warning. Usually whenever he arrives at home, Kato is waiting somewhere to ambush him.
Well, lately my little Leaper pictured below, has been attacking me by jumping at me and batting my butt or legs and occasionally he wraps himself around my ankles and I end up walking with him wrapped around my ankle as I make my way around the house. My husband thinks it's cute because he's not the one who has to deal with the kitten stalking him. LOL If he weren't so cute he'd be back at my stepson's house so fast it would make your head spin. But, he's adorable - as you can see - and I just can't imagine not having him around.
Little Leaper sleeping in my jeans
[NP: Monday Michiru - Touch The Sky]
Thursday, April 3, 2008
R.E.M. - Hollow Man Live
Is it any wonder I'm in love with this band? This is from their appearance on the Today Show on April 1.
Colbert Wins A Peabody!
R.E.M. on the Colbert ReportOne of my favorite 'fake news show hosts' Stephen Colbert has won a Peabody! So he wins a Peabody from the University of Georgia and has R.E.M. on his show on the same night. It was an Athens, Georgia kind of show! Perfection, eh? LOL Check out the show if you missed it at the Colbert site. Just find it on my favorite places on the web over to the right and go there. R.E.M. was on the Wednesday, April 2 show. They were marvelous - in the interview section and the performance.
Absolute perfection. Stephen Colbert with his parody of idiot conservative talk show hosts and my favorite liberal band on the planet got together to make me smile. Even though I had to be out and about early today, I stayed up to watch it and will watch it again in about fifteen minutes. Hope you all have as great an evening as I am having. :)
[NP: R.E.M. - Supernatural Superserious]
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Accelerate!
Not much to say today. Well, lots to say but not so much time. Getting ready to move and I'm kind of busy trying to get all loose ends tied up. However, I'm not so busy I didn't get R.E.M.'s new release!!! I'm so happy to have some great new material by this band I'm beside myself. What I've heard so far is great and I recommend taking a listen to one at least the latest single that should still be on the video bar at the top of this page.
Will be back with more I'm sure! Review on the way this weekend when I've had time to listen to it several times!
[NP: R.E.M. - Hollow Man]
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