Ladies Man Indeed!!!

Eames and Goren back in fine form
[Photo from USA LOCI site]

So the latest Goren and Eames offering was just the thing I was waiting for this season. Goren and Eames being Goren and Eames with the perps being somewhat important but with the focus firmly where I'd like it to be from now on - right on my favorite detective team.

The title was most appropriate for Vincent D'Onofrio, who is 50 years young today. It was most appropriate that the best Goren and Eames episode of the season was aired this past Saturday. Kathryn Erbe celebrates her birthday on the fifth of July so it's also fitting for her. I wish I had the time to do a proper birthday post for my favorite actor this year but alas, I can just be happy about the latest LOCI episode.

For anyone who hasn't seen this episode yet and doesn't want to know what happens, please stop reading now.

The focus was on Eames' past this time.
It allowed Goren to be the strong one.
I LOVED IT

So Eames' past comes up in this one. We learn a lot about our Alex Eames. Perhaps we also learn why she seems to keep people at arm's length? She got close to someone shortly after the death of her husband and that went very wrong. She probably hated having been so vulnerable to someone who turned out to not only be a jerk but crazy and murderous as well.

I loved Goren in this. He was in fine form as he went after the perp. There was just enough in here to keep both shippers and non-shippers happy. Love the way Goren was worried for Eames and the way they interacted. Even when fighting they were getting along a lot better than when they fought before.

Goren was being a bit of his old self. Playing the perp and suspects in his own unique way. Laughter! He laughed! It was great. He was touching things and being nosy in that Goren way.

Vincent is looking pretty good these days. He's playing Goren a little neater. No more shirttails out and looking scraggly. Goren is definitely on the mend. He's very gentle but insistent with Eames.

Love the way he let her arrest the slime ball at the end. Love the way he bumped him on purpose as he headed towards Eames with the handcuffs. I'm sure after the things he said to Eames, Goren wanted to punch him right in the face.

But the old Bobby is making his reappearance. More in control and back in the game.

I love that Alex got to be the one who was emotional in this one.

Now the case file was a bit confusing and certainly not the best. I could shoot a lot of holes in it but because I'm so flippin' happy to have my Goren and Eames back, I'm going to shut-up and just focus on the good.

This is what I want from my Criminal Intent.

Next weekend no LOCI but the following one will feature Nichols and Wheeler. They're still keeping me entertained. I'm quite fond of Jeff Goldblum and his geekiness. But I'm still madly in love with Vincent D'Onofrio. Glad to see the old Goren back, too.

For great birthday tributes, visit the following: The Valentine Cat, The Velocity of Vincent, Team 13 Projects and Life and Vincent. I'm sure there are more but that's all I had time to visit today.


[NP: Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song]

Sunday Musings

Well, it certainly has been an eventful week in the world. Seems the big news is the death of Michael Jackson. Such a tragic figure. I never though the was a child molester as many think he might have been. I think he was just someone who never had a proper childhood and had a very odd existence who thought like a ten year old in certain respects. I grew up along with Michael Jackson in his many incarnations. We're roughly the same age. He's about 11 months older than me. Sad to think that adorable little boy who sang 'I'll be There' and other songs of my youth grew up to be a sad and isolated figure. For all his talent and genius and all he had, he was so miserable.

And of course Farrah Fawcett passed away after her two and half year battle with cancer. She really showed a lot of courage in the end. Sharing her journey and allowing cameras to capture her worst moments during her illness. The loss of her gorgeous hair, which made her so famous in the seventies, and the pain she suffered.

I suppose the above events were actually the good news for Governor Mark Sanford who proved to be yet another conservative hypocrite. Someone commented it seemed unfair that people jumped more on Republicans about illicit affairs than Democrats. I beg to differ as John Edwards wasn't exactly given a pass or anything, nor should he have. But of course there was Bill Clinton who seemed to have - in the long run - suffered no real ill effects.

Why is this? Because when you are pandering to the evangelicals in your party and being holier than thou in your proclamations and claiming some kind of moral superiority, people will really call you on it even more than if you just didn't preach to your constituents about morality as Republicans seem to be prone to do.

And there seems to be Rudy Giuliani as well. Now he's one slime bag who got away with being a slime bag. So maybe Mark Sanford can get away with it in the long run. I hope not. None of these assholes should get away with it but somehow they do.

Why is Tom Delay still showing his smug face on MSNBC? What the hell was Mark Spitzer doing on Morning Joe? And don't even get me started on Governor Blago and his wife. I think disgraced politicians should go away and stay away. I find it pitiful that the Republicans have Newt Gingrich as one of the party leaders again all of a sudden. They just must be desperate.

Republicans in general are making me wonder how stupid are they? Between wanting insert themselves in the middle of the Iran situation (because meddling before worked wonders didn't it?) and saying the private sector can take care of the healthcare crisis they are responsible for creating, I think they've just gone off the deep end.

Democrats are pissing me off because they are selling out already and leaving Obama high and dry on the whole healthcare thing. Also, can Harry Reid be more like a wet dishrag? And could Nancy Pelosi be more shrill? I'm afraid we're going to find out, yes, they can.

Well, on the upside - and this is a stretch - two new episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. One for each team. Guess they're making up for that weekend they didn't have one or something. It's one of those things where I'm happy to have two of them but I'm dreading they'll both be as exciting as watching paint dry. At least the Goldblum and Nicholson one will probably make me smile at least once or twice. Can't say the same for the D'Onofrio and Erbe one.

The weekend came to an end much too quickly. Work has become WORK. It used to be more fun but lately, even co-workers are getting kind of bitchy and quite frankly, it's bad enough working under the conditions we do, I don't need to have bitchy co-workers on top of that. We're starting to split into two camps and that's never a good sign. I'm in no mood for people to get on my case about crap. We're understaffed and overworked and if something doesn't get done because I didn't have time, that's just too bad. Next person who gives me attitude is going to get the question, "So what else would you have me not do instead because I don't have the time to do all the stuff on my plate without going into overtime." Good luck finding anyone who will do what I do for the pay I get for more than a month.

On the upside, I'm taking some time off so the next three weeks are four day work weeks for me. Think I'll use the time to dust off the old resume and find another job. I'll even wear skirts and nylons if I have to. At least I won't have to listen to all the bitching.


[NP: Mary Chapin Carpenter - Almost Home]

Sick of Health Care Debate (Pun intended)

Just so I can have a place of reference for myself when discussing health care reform with morons, here's a few questions to the faulty reasoning put forth by the idiot senators from both the right and left when trashing a public option.


1. Government should not be involved. The private sector would handle it much more efficiently in a free market system.


Right, that's why things are going so well now, eh? The private sector has been handling health care and insurance and guess what? It's totally fucked. Great job. Let the insurance companies police themselves. Just like we did with banks.


2. People shouldn't have to depend on some government bureaucrat to make their health care decisions for them!


Because insurance company bureaucrats are so much better. Bang up job they've done. Denying health care claims to those who need it most. Setting up ridiculous road blocks and making up excuses so they don't have to pay claims. Yeah, they're so honest. Just like those bankers we let run amok with people's money. And of course all those high prices that are nothing short of ridiculous.


3. Socialism is bad. We don't want a system like they have in Canada or Europe.


Because Europe and Canada are like third world countries or something? Because they have lower infancy mortality rates than we do? Because generally their citizens are healthier than we are? I suppose we should toss out social security and medicare and medicaid - for those who think socialism is a bad thing. That way, those of us who think those programs are a good idea and socialism isn't as horrible as the folks on Wall Street say it is, can have access to it and the rest of those morons can not have to suffer 'socialism.'


4. We have the best most innovative health care here in the United States.


Great. What's the point of having it if most of the population can't afford it? Let someone else be cutting edge and innovative. I'll take basic health care I can afford. As one who has had to declare bankruptcy once because of health care costs - and I had insurance - I say screw that and give me medicine I can pay for without having to sell my house.



So that's it for now. I'm sure some politician will come up with something more stupid to say. They always do.


[NP: Smashing Pumpkins - 1979]

It finally happened...

...I actually missed the beginning of a Goren and Eames episode of LOCI. It was Father's Day, the kids were over and the granddaughters were running around. Made a lot of food, ate a lot of food and by the time I got done with my bath and got my happy ass back to the den, it was 9:02 p.m. I forgot the show was going to even be on. My husband has it automatically scheduled to record for me and that's what tipped him off as the television set informed him he was taping a program. He looked and was surprised it was LOCI and he was even more surprised that I was completely unaware.

All good obsessions must come to an end and this one is slowly starting to become a snorefest. I am officially watching just to see Vincent D'Onofrio. Good thing I did. He looked good. Shorter hair, no facial hair - well the stubble but that's Goren's trademark so I expect it. At least I can see all of that gorgeous face so I'm pretty happy. The longer hair was nice when he was younger but as he gets older, I find the short hair to be more flattering.

Case file was okay but not enough to make up for the lack of personal for Goren and Eames. Good thing was Captain Ross got more face time at last!!! Everyone seems to be getting along which is nice but the lack of anything else is boring. I think I'm just done with this format. Been there, done that, next???

Ah well, the only reason I'm glad Vincent is hanging in there with this albatross is because I get to see him more regularly. I live in the middle of nowhere so those independent films he does that I'm sure I'd love if I got to see them, would take forever for me to be able to see.

So, I do hope LOCI goes one more season but if it doesn't, I'm not going to weep. It's a shame when shows that are most excellent carry on longer than they should. Homicide lumbered along one season too many and it was sad. Six Feet Under ended at a perfect time. I was getting a little worn out by all the angst. And it will always be the best show ever on television as far as I'm concerned.

Oh well, life goes on. Right now I'm more entertained by Goldblum episodes but that's because he's new and he got the better writers.


[NP: Neil Young - After the Goldrush]

Happy Friday!!!

Just a couple of happier things to post so you all won't think I'm morose or grouchy - okay, so I am generally always kind of grouchy depending on whether I'm working or not these days, but not this morning.

Saw Jeff Goldblum on Colbert Report last night making fun of the PETA idiots reaction to President Obama's killing of that fly in his interview at the White House the other night on I think it was NBC? Hey, all the networks picked it up so I am generally confused as to what was generated where these days.

I thought it was cute and funny and promoted LOCI. Here's the clip. I tried posting it here but it's not working. Hey, it's just as funny at the actual site. Oh and shout out to Stephen Colbert who went and did his show from Iraq for a week! That's why he's got the buzz cut. Has Bill O'Reilly ever gone there? Or any of the other dweebs from FIX news??? They may have. But I'm sure if they did go they'd have been blabbing about it everywhere so probably not.

Good going Jeff! It was humorous and helped plug the show. :-)

And thought I'd share an "awwww" moment with y'all here. This is my kitty Leaper.

Thought he'd catch up on his kitty naps by hiding in my jeans.
As far as he's concerned, if he can't see me, I can't see him.

Off to finish off my day. Work isn't really that bad, just frustrating and I'm sure just reflective of what many newspapers are experiencing these days. One day I expect to go to the office and be told we're just shutting down. It feels that way a lot these days. No one has said anything but that's the general feeling I get. If it doesn't shut down, it will change dramatically.

So I will keep on as long as I can and then figure out what to do next. It's not like I haven't changed careers a billion times in my life. Sadly, right now is not the best time to do it but I've been lucky in the past. Most of the changes came a opportune times and it was generally of my choosing. This one may not be but I'm as prepared as I can be. I consider myself lucky in these dark economic days.


[NP: R.E.M. - Man Sized Wreath]

Getting Petty

Well, I just heard the title of the next LOCI episode is Family Values. Did they run out of title ideas or something? Another episode that sounds like an old episode. Season 3 gave us Happy Family.

Is it me? Or was getting rid of all the writers on this show and starting fresh a mistake? It's like these people have no sense of history of this show. I have no idea why the writers really left. I know we were told they left because it was time and they wanted to move on but honestly, ALL of them? Okay, one guy stayed and he was there for like what, a year? WTF???

My theory - Dick Wolf is as much of a dick to work for as if he were DICK Cheney.

Also, photo galleries on USA are sparse and focus on guest stars. Who cares about them? Seriously? Maybe the big names. Like Lynn Redgrave. But the others? I don't know who they are and I don't care! I want photos of Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe. Not guest stars. Thank goodness others cap these things or we'd never get good photos of anything!

Yeah, I'm not happy with LOCI at all this season. I'm less happy with Goren and Eames episodes than I am with Nichols and Wheeler because I have higher expectations and preconceived notions. If they want to alienate me completely, they've done a bang up job of that!

Give me back my passionate Goren. Give me some Eames personal story! I was pissed when the scene with Eames and her sister didn't show up in Folie A Deux. I don't like the way the new writers are treating my beloved characters. At least Goldblum and Nichols have more personal character stories to show. So what if it's just a snippet here and there. It's so much more than the Goren and Eames group have given us. ONE episode with Goren personal info and that's it??? Again, WTF???

Sorry, the title of the next episode pissed me off. Get creative will you? I mean isn't that what writers are supposed to be? Geez.

To give them a break, I'll say maybe they just ran out of titles and maybe the show is starting to become repetitive again. Maybe it's not their fault there's nowhere to go with this anymore? Maybe that's really why all the writers left and Dick Wolf is a warm and fuzzy kind of guy.

This is the only salvageable photo from the LOCI photo gallery of Folie A Deux - the last G/E outing that cut out ALL OF THE PERSONAL STUFF for Eames.

[Photo from USA LOCI site]

So they couldn't give her ONE scene? With four episodes left they better give me something and at least one more for Goren. Do they not realize why people watch this show? Or is Wolf delusional enough to think Vincent D'Onofrio is replaceable? I love Jeff Goldblum and all but really, whether the powers that be recognize this or not, it's Vincent's show. That's what happens when you make things character driven. Too late to stuff the genie back in the bottle.

Also, while I don't really like the show, I understand SVU may lose their lead actors - Hargitay and Meloni. From what I know of the show, it might not survive that either. But then I really don't care one way or the other. It's just Dick Wolf treating actors like crap and quite frankly, if they walk and the show dies, good riddance and goodbye Dick Wolf.

I do care about LOCI. I also care that Eric Bogosian isn't being utilized very well by the G/E team and I'm glad at least he gets the benefit of working with the N/W crew. Too bad Vincent and Kathryn don't.

Oh well, I'll be making regular rounds of blogs this weekend and hopefully be more active. I miss being online. I know people say it's not healthy to be online too much but it's also not healthy to not be able to engage in activities that make me relax and feel happy. lol

Speaking of which, time to go grill something. It's hot and humid but at least I can grill!!! :-)


[NP: Elvis Costello - What's So Funny About Peace, Love & Understanding]

The Ed Show!!!

Well, the second post in the month. Progress!!! lol

This is a short one - sort of. Just wanted to plug MSNBC's latest and greatest. It's called The Ed Show. Who is Ed?

This is Ed
Ed Schultz

(MSNBC photo by Virginia Sherwood)

He is the only Democrat who has the balls to stand up to the right-wing 'political correctness' that says you can't say former vice president DICK Cheney wants us to get hit. DICK is a self-serving, war profiteering, lying, hypocrite and anyone who doesn't think so is being naive. People want to assume he has good intentions because they can't imagine anyone being that evil. Ed will call him out and not back down. Good for you Ed!

Watch him and send him words of support. He's the only one speaking for regular guy.

Want to know more about him? Check it out here.

Will try to start posting more regularly again. Right now I'm still playing catch up!


[NP: Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere]

Time Flies.....

...whether you're having fun or not. It's been over a month since I posted and I feel like such a slacker! After three or four posts a day a year ago, I suppose I am. lol

Let's see, updates for anyone who still stops by.

1. Hubby is on the mend. No third trip to the hospital yet. Visiting nurses and physical and occupational therapists are done. Just lung doctor visits and eye doctor visits and some kind of sleep study thing he has to do. Oh and a bone density scan. High dose steroids can mess with your bones, too, among other things. It's great to help him breath but lousy for so many other reasons - including the eye thing.

2. Granddaughters are getting bigger and are fine. Stepson and girlfriend are good as is his soon-to-be ex who we still adore. Cat is still a cat - in other words, adorable and sweet when he wants to be and trouble when he doesn't.

3. Work sucks. Shorter hours for all staff, no raises, corporate doesn't pay bills on time, doesn't answer phone calls and has made me really dislike them. People are always complaining and I want to tell them - if you had to put up with the huge amount of crap we did just to put out the stupid paper, you'd be amazed and would NEVER complain about anything every again. However, I do still need this job and ergo I have to be nice.

4. Loving summer this year. It's not overly hot and humid and is nice and chilly in the morning - just the way I like it. So there are upsides to life and I really don't complain that much....okay, so I do. But here's something I'm not complaining about.

5. Also not complaining about Nichols/Wheeler episodes of LOCI. They got the better writers. Goren/Eames didn't do as well I'm sorry to say. Still love Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe but their episodes are pure case file boring. Hope those who wanted pure case files are happy, because I'm not. I'd complain about it on the boards but then I'd sound like the annoying whiners who hated the personal stories of the last two years. So I'll just complain here and not on the boards.

6. Best new favorite show I've stumbled upon "Closer to Truth." It's not a drama or comedy, it's on PBS. Go to Closer to Truth to find out what it's about. Great show that really makes you think. You can watch entire episodes online.

7. Politics! I've once again stopped visiting political sites as lately, I'm angry again because right-wingers have now totally gone off the deep end and I can't give them the benefit of the doubt on anything. If I can't be objective, I'm not going to engage in discussion because then I come off as a frothing at the mouth left-winger. After 8 years of stupidity, they've finally just lost it completely. Between the big DICK, Rush Limbaugh, Sara Palin and Newt Gingrich, the party is going to hell in a handbasket and while I'm thrilled at the prospect on one hand, I'm concerned that we will not have a strong opposition party - which is necessary no matter who is in charge. I mean Nancy Pelosi has proven one thing. Women can be every bit as obnoxious, self-aggrandizing and power hungry as men. Sad, eh? So apologies to my political discussion friends but I need a summer vacation from the rhetoric. I love my conservative friends. I just don't want to piss you off with the thoughts about your party that are running through my head at the moment.

That's it for now. Wish I had more desire to go to my music boards, too. Green Day and U2 have put out great albums and apologies to Lisle - who I know does stop by - about not writing up reviews for you. Maybe in my absence from politics again, I'll stop by and start posting at your place again. :-)

Will try and post more things but you know how that goes! With my recent track record it may be another month. Thanks for hanging in there folks! And thanks for all the emails and PMs. I do check all forums I am still a member of when I get email alerts so that's a good way to get me to come back. lol

[NP: Neil Young - Heart of Gold]