and the winner will be (or should be)...

This has been a really busy last couple of months.  It's hard to believe the Oscars are tomorrow night!  This is the first movie season where I really didn't focus much attention on what was going on.  I have however seen most of the movies on the list and have my opinion of who will win and who SHOULD win.  Below is my ballot, feel free to copy and paste this to share your thoughts or your own ballot.

WW = Will Win
SW = Should Win
HS = I haven't seen the movie

Best Picture
"127 Hours"  (HS)
"The Social Network"
"Toy Story 3"
"True Grit"
"Winter’s Bone"
"Black Swan" (SW)
"The Fighter" (HS)
"Inception"
"The Kids Are All Right"
"The King’s Speech" (WW)


Leading Actor

Javier Bardem in "Biutiful"   (HS)
Jeff Bridges in "True Grit"   (HS)
Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network"
Colin Firth in "The King’s Speech"   (WW)(SW)
James Franco in "127 Hours"  (HS)

Leading Actress

Annette Bening in "The Kids Are All Right"
Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole"  (HS)
Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter’s Bone"
Natalie Portman in "Black Swan" (WW) (SW)
Michelle Williams in "Blue Valentine" (HS)

Supporting Actor

Christian Bale in "The Fighter"  (HS) (WW)
John Hawkes in "Winter’s Bone"
Jeremy Renner in "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo in "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush in "The King’s Speech" (SW)

Supporting Actress

Amy Adams in "The Fighter"  (HS)
Helena Bonham Carter in "The King’s Speech" (SW)
Melissa Leo in "The Fighter" (HS)  (WW)
Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"
Jacki Weaver in "Animal Kingdom"  (HS)

Animated Feature
"How to Train Your Dragon" (HS)
"The Illusionist" (HS)
"Toy Story 3" (WW) (SW)

Art Direction

"Alice in Wonderland"
" Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1"
"Inception" (WW) (SW)
"The King’s Speech"
"True Grit"

Cinematography

"Black Swan"
"Inception" (WW)
"The King’s Speech"
"The Social Network"
"True Grit" (SW)

Costume Design

"Alice in Wonderland"
"I Am Love"   (HS)
"The King’s Speech"  (WW) (SW) 
"The Tempest" (HS)
"True Grit"

Directing

"Black Swan" (SW)
"The Fighter"
"The King’s Speech"
"The Social Network"
"True Grit" (WW)

Film Editing

"Black Swan" (SW)
"The Fighter" (HS)
"The King’s Speech" (WW)
"127 Hours" (HS)
"The Social Network"

Sound Editing

"Inception" (SW)
"Toy Story 3"
"Tron: Legacy" (HS)
"True Grit" (WW)
"Unstoppable" (HS)

Sound Mixing

"Inception"
"The King’s Speech" (SW)
"Salt" (HS)
"The Social Network"
"True Grit" (WW)

Visual Effects

"Alice in Wonderland"
" Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1"
"Hereafter" (HS)
"Inception" (WW) (SW)
"Iron Man 2" (HS)

Adapted Screenplay

"127 Hours"  (HS)
"The Social Network" (SW)
"Toy Story 3"
"True Grit" (WW)
"Winter’s Bone"

Original Screenplay

"Another Year" (HS)
"The Fighter" (HS)
"Inception"
"The Kids Are All Right" (WW)
"The King’s Speech" (SW)

The following categories, I either haven't seen any of the nominees, or I just have less interest in them.  But for the sake of seeing if I can guess right, here are my guessing at who will win.

Foreign Language - Biutiful

Makeup - The Wolfman

Original Score - Inception

Original Song - We Belong Together from "Toy Story 3"

Animated Short Film - The Gruffalo

Live Action Short Film - Wish 143

Documentary Feature - Inside Job

Documentary Short - Sun Comes Up

just two more weeks to go.

I left the windows open in the living room last night.  It's been so gorgeous out, I wanted to bring that inside.  And of course also give me apartment a chance to breathe a little.  I woke up this morning to the sound of birds chirping and a slight breeze.  I know it's not officially spring yet, but it sure feels like it.  I love this time of year.  There's something very calming about the sounds of spring.  And of course, being Sunday morning it's not being interupted with the sounds of traffic.  Makes me want to crawl out of bed early and take a walk around the block.  I definitely needed this.  The last couple of weeks have been absolutely crazy.  Rehearsals have been in full bloom, now that the snow and ice is finally off the streets.  I am really enjoying them, but they can also being a bit tiring.  You try to psych yourself up and get energized so that you can give your performance all the liveliness it deserves till 8:30 and then you come home and expect to go to sleep at a reasonable hour.  Not easy to do.  And I've been having to get up early lately, being scheduled for the earlier shifts.  And then there's work, which I'm not going to get to into.  But I'm definitely tired.  All around.  I am really looking forward to March 1st.  I am taking vacation from the 1st to the 7th to focus my attention on the play.  I'll be able to rehearse late, sleep in a little, focus my thoughts on my lines and dance steps, and still be recharged each day.  I have been having so much fun with the show.  It might not seem it some days because I'm so pooped, but I love learning the dance steps and moving around, singing and smiling.  The Village Players have been a real blessing to me.  They've gotten me back out of my shell and given me something to really look forward to again.  They've helped build my confidence level, something that has always been lacking.  For those of you reading, whether you live in town or not, please consider trying to see one of our shows, and if you can't, try to find your local community theatre and see what their schedule is.  We put so much time and love into these shows, and we do it because we want an audience.  We NEED an audience.  And its so much more fun than just spending the evening at the movie theatre.  And this is from someone who is obsessed with the movies.  If money is an issue, you are invited to come watch our last dress rehearsal on Thursday, March 4th, at 7:00pm for free.  Just let me know, and I'll make sure you get to see us.  I have rehearsal at 2:00 today and lots of stuff to do before then.  I'm so glad its beautiful outside today, it will definitely make the errands more pleasant.

my valentine.

Today is Valentine’s Day.  I realize I whine a lot and make fun of the day because I am single and it’s a bit depressing to have it rubbed in your face all day that your friends have found their “perfect” match and have someone to spend the evening with.  However, as bitter as I might seem, a part of me would love nothing more than to be able to have my own special someone to boast about and enjoy my evening with.  Now I don’t think you need a special day each year to be reminded you love someone (or in my case, have no one).  But I understand why people make a big deal of the day.  It is a rare thing to find someone that you can feel that way about and have in reciprocated in kind.  On days like this it doesn’t feel so rare only because you see it plastered all over facebook.  Several friends changed their profile pics to pictures of them and their honeys and my first reaction was to comment “bite me.”  But then I started thinking, “Gee, it sure would be nice.”  So in honor of this “Holiday” I’m going to tell you what I’m looking for. 

Now, I don’t expect him to be perfect, in fact I’d rather he not be.  I’d feel way too bad about myself and my imperfections if I had to love a perfect specimen.  What I would like first and foremost is a friend.  I want someone who can laugh at my stupid puns and cheesy jokes, someone who can understand my dry humor.  We need to enjoy each other’s company.  He needs to encourage me to try new things.  He needs to be willing to try new things himself.  I need someone who can get my off my ass and make me go explore the world with him, whether it be camping out in the hills or driving to a city I’ve never been to.  I need to connect with him on a mental level.  What I mean by that is a similar level of intelligence.  Nice and sweet is great, but if his favorite movie of all time is Rambo IV we might have a problem relating.  Another important thing for me, he needs to be able to be quiet with me.  It’s great being able to carry on a conversation for hours but I also like to read.  So if we can just co-exist in the living room, each with a book we are engrossed in, that would be great.  He should have a bit of a nerdy side and appreciate my nerdiness as well.  He needs to be able to debate with me about religion, politics, whether a movie was good or not, without feeling a disagreement is a bad thing.  There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing, its perfectly normal, as long as you respect one another. 

Okay, one more thing that is really, really important and quite frankly is deal breaker if it doesn’t exist.  I must be attracted to him.  This doesn’t mean he has to be muscular, have perfect skin and teeth, and taller than me.  This means when I look into his eyes I am affected.  When I think about him, I need to develop blush in my cheeks because he just does it for me.  I need to daydream about him when I should be getting my work done.  When I kiss him, all the blood should rush out of my head to where I feel I’m going to pass out.  It doesn’t matter how great friends you are, if you are too platonic.  Doesn’t work.  And he needs to feel the same way about me.  He needs to fantasize about me when he’s alone and (okay mom if you are reading you might want to skip this part J)  he needs to want to do naughty things to me when we are together.

Of course, if I manage to meet this guy, I will still be realistic.  I understand that nothing is perfect and there will be days when I will want to rip his head off.  As long as the days I want him are greater than the days I despise him, I’ll be happy.  In the mean time, I will do what I can to enjoy my single life while I can.  I will work on improving the things that could stand improvement.  I will be patient.  If he’s the right one, he will be worth the wait.  To those of you who have already found the right one, hold on to him or her and appreciate what you have.  Give them a kiss tonight and say thank you, even if today’s one of those days where you’d like to kill them.

let the sunshine in.

"In the glad springtime when leaves were green,
O merrily the throstle sings!
I sought, amid the tangled sheen,
Love whom mine eyes had never seen,
O the glad dove has golden wings!

Between the blossoms red and white,
O merrily the throstle sings!
My love first came into my sight,
O perfect vision of delight,
O the glad dove has golden wings!

The yellow apples glowed like fire,
O merrily the throstle sings!
O Love too great for lip or lyre,
Blown rose of love and of desire,
O the glad dove has golden wings!

But now with snow the tree is grey,
Ah, sadly now the throstle sings!
My love is dead: ah! well-a-day,
See at her silent feet I lay
A dove with broken wings!
Ah, Love! ah, Love! that thou wert slain -
Fond Dove, fond Dove return again!"   ~ Oscar Wilde

I am so glad the sun has finally come back out and the temperature outside has gone up.  As much as I love watching the snow fall, and as pretty as it is when its glistening in the trees, everything starts to feel a little too cold and dark when it lasts for more than a couple of days.  Constant snow tends to depress me more than even the rain does.  At least when its raining, when you step outside it feels like everything is getting cleaned and renewed.  With snow everything is just getting engulfed and hidden.  Snow is just messy.  My car is splattered with specks of mud.  All my shoes are spotted.  The sidewalk is just a pile of slushy mayhem. I have a solo in The Taffetas that reminds me of how I feel during the winter.

"It was winter when you told me you were leavin'
I cried, I cried, I cried "Please, don't go"
Came the springtime with its love song so deceivin'
I cried, oh, how I cried, no one will know

Then the summer came and went with no word at all
I knew that it was over as the leaves began to fall

Wintertime, summertime, spring and fall, it's true
I'll always be crying over you."

I am really looking forward to the spring.  Days when I can take Sherlock to the dog park and he not come back covered in mud.  Days when I can find a park bench and read out in the sun.  Days when I can go for a hike in the woods and hear the birds serenading me and see sun shining through the trees.  I'm looking forward to the day when I can leave the house without piling on five layers of clothing.  Putting on two pairs of pants, a undershirt, a shirt, and a sweater, socks, boots, gloves, scarf, and coat is a lot of effort just to go outside to get the mail or take Sherlock out at 2am because he insists he can't hold it.  One thing that has really helped me keep my mood high this winter is getting ready for this play.  Getting to spend my evenings singing all these light-hearted songs, being forced to keep a constant smile on my face, and working with these wonderful women, and of course Michael, has really cheered me up.  Of course, we missed a few rehearsals due to the weather.  Those evenings just weren't all the much fun.  Felt like I couldn't get up and out.  Had to stay in the house and just sit around.   I did manage to read a couple of books over the last few weeks.  I always enjoy reading, no matter the weather.  I wish I was a more eloquently spoken person, because I'd try to get a job where I can read books or watch movies all day long and then review them.  I can't think of a more relaxing way to spend my days.  I guess I'd probably miss being around people after a while.  Now that winter is finally starting to wear off, I can't wait to do a little more traveling around.  Head to KC to see my brother and sister-in-law.  Maybe go over to St. Louis, haven't been there in a LONG time.  Might even visit somewhere I've never been before.  I anyone wants to join me, let me know.

Zed's dead baby. Zed's dead.

    

Everyone, this is Quentin. 

Quentin is one of my favorite people. 

Here are some reasons why.

He created the bride.  

He doesn't let the chronilogical order of events limit him. 

    He can bring failing careers back to life.

He is a master of words.

                                               "Was that as good for you as it was for me?"  ~ Mr Blonde (Reservoir Dogs)

"Bless me, Father, for I have just killed quite a few men."  ~ The Mariachi  (Desperado)

        "You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin'" ~ Lt. Aldo Raine (Inglourious Basterds)

"Do you find me sadistic? You know, I bet I could fry an egg on your head right now, if I wanted to. You know, Kiddo, I'd like to believe that you're aware enough even now to know that there's nothing sadistic in my actions. Well, maybe towards those other... jokers, but not you. No Kiddo, at this moment, this is me at my most... masochistic." ~ Bill (Kill Bill vol. 1)
    
And he can make anyone look cool.

 



an evening of reminiscing

I've spent a majority of this evening going through an old box of things I've saved over the years.  There are photos from college, letters written me back in highschool that meant something at the time, little mementos from events I barely remember.  It's weird looking at some of the stuff, wondering, why did I keep this?  What was I not wanting to let go of at the time.  In the mix I found a letter from a friend of mine that I'd completely forgotten about.  He wrote me a letter because he was struggling with some decisions he was trying to make at the time, and thought putting them out on paper to a good friend would help him think through his choices.  He didn't expect any advice from me, no real response, he just wanted to share it with me.  I had an opinion for sure.  I thought he had the opportunity to make a great decision, but felt he was leaning toward a very bad option instead.  He wrote it during his senior of high school, one grade ahead of me.  And after his graduation and he went off to college, or wherever he ended up, I never kept in touch with him, so actually have no idea how his decision turned out.  I don't even remember his last name any more and after looking in the year book, I didn't find him listed.  He was never the type to show up for pictures so that doesn't surprise me, but my chances of tracking him down are pretty much gone.  A part of me isn't sure if I really want to know what he ended up doing.  It would be great if he chose plan A, but what if he'd chosen the more likely, and more damaging in my opinion, plan B, would I feel any better knowing about it?  It's not like I could help advise him now.  I think I'll just hope for the best and leave it at that. 

On a different note, I also came across some old poems I hadn't seen in a LONG time.  There's several that I'd forgotten I'd written, and at the time, they seemed so powerful, but now that I've moved on, they seem like someone else must have written them.  Here's a couple I found that were worth sharing.  Most of the ones I found were either love poems or "I'm sad, poor me" poems. 

1-10-2000 
After a long day and the sun has gone to rest,
I lay down on my bed and bring the sheets up to my chest.
Drifting off to sleep I begin to dream,
Entering the world where nothing's what it seems.
For, in my dreams I have the body that I want.
And in my dreams, I'm everything I'm not.
In my dreams, I can fall and not get hurt.
In my dreams, I can freely laugh and flirt.
I can be the person I want to be.
Everybody I love, all love me.
In my dreams, all my dreams have come true.
For in my dreams, I even have you.
In my dreams, I always know just what to say.
In my dreams, everything seems to go my way.
Then the sun awakes and I find myself lying in bed alone.
All the things I dreamed of are now gone.
I go to work and think of when I can go home
And start my dream again.

1995
I am the princess maiden warrior from the island to the west.
I am searching deep in the jungle to complete my final quest.
To seek the truth, find the treasure, and earn my precious prize.
To do what's right and kill all wrong and be carried to the skies.
(See, I've had my name a long time :) )

On a final note, here's a pic I found.  No way to explain it.



step aside Ted Williams...

For the last several years I've been told many times that i have a really great phone voice.  I've been told "you belong on the radio", "you could be a star" and "I totally thought you were an answering service".  Today someone told my manager at work that if I had a 1-900 number, he'd be a subscriber.  Of course, I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to talk dirty to strangers.  But there are other voice jobs out there besides 1-900-DIAL-A-HO.

I figure if  THIS GUY can get a job.


So, if any of you out there hear about a voice over need, please give me a call.  I am responsible, and do not require any sort of rehab.  You got a commercial that needs just the right soothing voice, I'm your gal.  Spread the word. 

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

10 Things to do When You are Snowed In:

10. Clean your home: I know.  That's why its number 10.  Be sure to do #s 1-9 to their fullest first.

9. View Every Page on the Web:  Let's face it.  On days like this, we become very acquainted with every blog we follow and whats going on with every celebrity on earth and seen every video on youtube.
8.  Turn on the Video Games:  Its about time you figure out how to beat Bowser at his own game. 
7. Play a Board Game: True, a lot of us are left alone on days such as this.  This just means you will finally win a game. Imagine the sweet deals you can give yourself while playing Monopoly against yourself. Note: This doesn't seem to work that well with Pictionary.

6.  Order Delivery:  It is far too dangerous to attempt to leave your house for food, so make someone else risk their lives so you can eat.  Its a wonderful part of being American! 

5. Watch TV: This is a great time to catch up on your dvr recordings and if you don't have anything saved?  The Price is Right is bound to be on.

4.  Catch up with your Reading:  This is actually one of my favorite things to do when snowed in.  Curl up with a good book and read it cover to cover.

3.  Take a nap:  Whether your with the one you love, or all by your lonesome, this is an excellent time to catch up on sleep without feeling too guilty about it.

2.  Go outside and enjoy the snow:  Be a kid again, lay down on the snow and make a snow angel.  Build that snowman.  Start a snowball fight with a complete stranger.  Just be sure to bundle up and not stay out there too long.  While you're out there grab a shovel and make a place for the dog to do his business.

1.  Make Hot Chocolate, turn on some soft music, open the blinds and just watch the snow fall:  It's not everyday nature makes such a beautiful scene, so enjoy it.