Little Things

This is the view from my backyard today.  Even in the pouring rain, the Rose of Sharon is so lovely and vibrant.  The blooms don't last long, so we enjoy them while they are here.

This arrived in the mail today, and the packaging is so lovely that I had to save it.  The rouge reminds me of the kind my grandmother used to wear, and a dab to the cheeks and lips is enough to make you blush all day long.  The line is created by a cosmetics historian who loves the elegance of bygone eras, so I had to try it.

* * *

After school, James was watching PBS' "Martha Speaks," about a dog who ate alphabet soup, which traveled to her brain, enabling her to talk.  I thought I recognized the voice of Jennifer Westfeldt, who is the real-life partner of Jon Hamm.  A few minutes later, a character named "Ham" appeared, and sure enough, both Westfeldt and Hamm were making a guest appearance on the show, along with their real-life dog, Cora.  Though I recognized Westfeldt's voice and animated character right away, John Hamm threw me a bit.  He didn't sound like Don Draper at all (too bad!), and I think the animators drew him more like a young Kyle MacLachlan.  See for yourself here, though we saw a re-run, so I don't know if the second episode will air again tomorrow.

Can't Get It Out of My Head

After buying a TV Pass at Amazon, I'm all caught up on "Mad Men."  Ryan was out with friends last night, so I decided to watch the last two episodes of the current season.  Big mistake.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think the goings-on at America's favorite ad agency would cause me to lose sleep, quite literally out of fear and my overactive imagination.

I'm a huge wimp and can't handle suspenseful movies at all.  If I see a headline referencing murder or a missing child, I skip the article completely.  I don't do haunted houses or roller coasters, and you'll never catch me watching a zombie flick.  In short, I don't enjoy being scared, even for fun.

So I was not prepared for the horror of "Mystery Date," the fourth and most recent episode in the current fifth season.  I will spare you the gory details, which you can read here.

I will say that the writers set us up beautifully, and as we imagined the face of the handsome stranger, fearing what we did not know, he was looking back at us the entire time, as he does every week. 

Rainy Day Ramblings

Life with two little boys means lots of outside time (lots of it!), and we usually spend an hour or two outside after breakfast, then more time outside after lunch.  Today, literally as we walked to the door to go out after lunch, the sky opened up and it started to rain big, fat drops that drenched everything within minutes.

Now, I'm grateful for the rain, especially since we've been in the midst of a terrible drought, and all this rain now will help keep things greener this summer, but it makes for a long day inside with two restless little guys.  We were in the laundry room when the rain started, so I quickly looked around and found the boxes of baby wipes from our recent Costco trip.  The perfect playthings for a rainy day!

James spent the rest of the afternoon hauling his "blue blocks" and building walls and towers, and he even asked for them after his nap.  In fact, he's still going strong as I write this.  Sometimes you have to get creative, and in this case, a few bags of baby wipes did the trick.

And in other news, I may have solved my "Mad Men" viewing problem that I described in my previous post.  Since we have Amazon Prime, we are eligible to purchase the site's available instant videos, and they have the current episodes of the show's fifth season, for a whopping $1.99 a show.  I may have to indulge myself a little each week, just for fun.

"Mad Men" Madness

Ryan and I gave "Mad Men" a try a few years ago right after finishing the entire series, "The Wire."  Maybe it was the subtle plot line or the obvious sexism, but after two episodes, we kind of gave up.  We don't have cable and mostly watch shows via Netflix, but even still, it was impossible not to hear the hype from mainstream media about the show's popularity and influence.  And, as I searched for inspiration for our recent home renovation, I ran across post after post referencing the revival of mid-century modern (MCM) decor, thanks largely in part to "Mad Men."

I'm not in the habit of jumping on bandwagons, but after exhausting the limits of reality shows currently available on Netflix, I decided to give Don Draper and his crew another chance.  And this time, I was hooked.

Right now, I'm in the middle of season three, as Don courts the eccentric Conrad Hilton and Betty takes a sudden interest in, um, local politics.  (Interesting sidebar:  Chelcie Ross, who portrays Hilton, is an old college chum of my dad's; they were in ROTC at then-Southwest Texas State together, and both went on to serve in Vietnam as Air Force officers.  My dad looks a lot younger than Ross does, though.)

As much as I like the show, I have to limit my viewing, because it's easy to get sucked into the sadness, especially right before bed.  Such beautiful people leading such vapid lives leave little to look forward to, and yet we all come back night after night.  I know I do.

Tonight is the premiere of the show's fifth season, and I can't watch for the reasons I mentioned above.  I feel a bit left out and a little panicky, because I know I will probably finish season three this week, and that leaves only the 4th season to watch on Netflix.  So what's a girl to do then?  I have read that some die-hard fans refuse to watch the show until they can see the entire season all at once, so I guess I'll be in good company.

And recently, I ran out of my favorite pressed powder, which is amazing, but on the expensive side and only lasts about two months.  To get more bang for my buck, I hunted down Coty's Airspun Face Powder, after seeing it in a scene from "Mad Men."  My grandmother always kept a container in her bathroom and I used it as a teenager and liked it, but now it's not sold in many stores (I know, because I called around), though I did find it online.  And, on a whim, I decided to order some red lipstick, just for the heck of it.   And, yes, I do understand how product placement works, though I'm pretty sure Coty's presence in the scene was just an accurate detail.

Estee Lauder also launched a "Mad Men" line recently, which consists of a red lipstick and a cream blush.  So, even if you can't watch Betty Draper on television, you can still look like her, ice-princess that she is.

It really is a mad, mad, mad, mad world, but it's a lot of fun, too.

Mister Rogers & Me

James has only seen Mister Rogers' Neighborhood a handful of times, but he loves it.  The first time we watched the show, he seemed less than impressed with the opening, which is, to be honest, kind of dated these days.  I encouraged him to give it a few more minutes, and as soon as Mr. Rogers came inside, changed his shoes and sweater, sang that old familiar song, and set down a wooden box filled with batteries, James was hooked.

Today after school, James watched an episode of Arthur, and the guest star was none other than Mr. Rogers himself, transformed into an animated aardvark.  It turns out that today is Mr. Rogers' birthday, and I ran across a story about a new documentary on everyone's favorite neighbor, directed by someone lucky enough to know Mr. Rogers personally. 

I checked my local PBS site, but couldn't find any information about the film.  Hopefully, I'll get to see it soon.

In the meantime, here's another wonderful story about Mr. Rogers and his genuine love for children.

Lilyhammer

Aside from PBS Kids and Downton Abbey (which ended last night, sniff, sniff), I don't really watch much television over the air these days.  I like to watch an entire series on Netflix every so often, and I just finished the eight episode show, Lilyhammer, which was the first original series to debut on Netflix. 

While some reviews of the show were pretty mixed, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am holding my breath that they'll film a second season.  I admit to being a bit of a television snob, and I can tell pretty quickly into a show if I'm going to be able to stomach it.  I'm also a huge mafia movie fan (The Sopranos and Goodfellas rank high on my list), so Lilyhammer was right up my alley.

The premise of the show centers around Steven Van Zandt's character, a mafia guy who relocates to Lillehammer, Norway as part of the witness protection program after testifying against a rival boss.  If you've seen The Sopranos, then you know that Van Zandt played Silvio Dante, the strip club owner and advisor to Tony Soprano.  He's basically the same guy in Lilyhammer (spelled that way because that's how the character pronounces it), but with a bigger heart and lots of Nordic sweaters. 

Lilyhammer is actually filmed in Norway, so it utilizes local actors and subtitles.  The scenery is gorgeous and the Norwegian lifestyle, which in many ways is more relaxed and friendlier than our own, features heavily within the show.  It reminded me a bit of Northern Exposure, that quirky 1990s series set in Alaska, with all of the unusual characters and bizarre plots.  I won't reveal too much, but there is one episode involving both a male midwife and a neighborhood crime patrol group that is absolutely hilarious.  Not to mention the local policeman with way too much time on his hands and the job training counselor with an affinity for helping young immigrant women.

Lilyhammer is really a joy to watch, and I'm looking forward to a second season, hopefully sometime this year.

The Forsyte Saga

I recently watched PBS' version of The Forsyte Saga, and now I'm about a quarter deep into John Galsworthy's epic tale of a wealthy family in Victorian England.  The book itself totals nearly 900 pages and comprises three novels, two short stories (or interludes) between the main pieces, an extensive family tree, and explanatory notes.  It's not exactly light summer reading, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it and Galsworthy's writing is so much fun and timely.  Despite being written almost 100 years ago, the author's observations of privileged society are still incredibly applicable today. 

I also have to add that the book itself is incredibly beautiful.  I'm a book lover, so I know never to judge a book by its cover, but my copy, an Oxford World's Classic, has on its front a detail from Invitation to the Waltz by Francesco Miralles Galaup.  I find myself staring at the cover almost as much as between the pages, and the woman's dress, a lovely shade of pale pink, accented with a moon-shaped broach encrusted with jewels.  As she looks over her shoulder, a man standing behind her signs her dance card, and both subjects are completely absorbed in the task at hand.  It's easy to imagine these figures as the main characters in the novel, and it's such a stunning portrait for the cover of an equally stunning saga.

I also think the book looks lovely on my nightstand, which, if you're familiar with the Forsyte family, is both ironic and expected at the same time.

Hate to Miss It!

So the Royal Wedding is Friday, and as much as I would love to wake up at 3 am and watch the nuptials on television (like I did for Fergie's wedding and Diana's funeral), I need enough sleep to get me through my regular day of chasing after two active little boys.  I also have a dentist appointment that morning, but I'm hoping the staff will be kind enough to let me watch the wedding coverage while I get my fillings.**

On a side note, I just read a nasty comment by journalist Tina Brown, who said that Kate Middleton's "prime function now is to breed."  Ouch!  I personally can't imagine facing one of the biggest days of my life with the whole world watching, but clearly, Kate is up for it, and I wish her all the best.

And, I ran across a picture of this poster recently, which made me smile.

**Update:  Who am I kidding?  I'll be up at 5 am, in time for the actual ceremony.  

Note to Self

You know your son is watching too much Kipper the Dog when he starts saying, "lollipop," with a British accent.

Total Gleek

My latest Sephora email is advertising a new line of OPI nail polish inspired by my favorite show, Glee.  OPI always has cute names for its polish, and this collection is no exception.  You can choose from Diva-in-Training, Slushied (a bright blue), Hell to the No, Mash Up, Who Let the Dorks Out?, Miss Bossy Pants, and Gleek Out.  They even have nail stickers with tiny music notes and gold stars, a la Rachel Berry.

I'm not big on trendy nail colors, but I might just have to get these!  And Glee is back after the Super Bowl this week!

The King's Speech and So Firth

I'm so busy with my two little guys that I don't get out to the movies much, or at all really, but I am excited to see The King's Speech with Colin Firth eventually.  It's supposed to be amazing and Firth is nominated for an Oscar for his performance of George VI of England. 

Now, I don't subscribe to the belief that Firth is particularly attractive (sorry, ladies!) and I've never understood the preoccupation with Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy, or Firth's portrayal of him.  Darcy was an egocentric jerk, if you ask me, and his only real attraction was his money and his property.  But that's a story for another day.

I do, however, think that Colin Firth is an incredible actor and truly gifted, and I recently watched A Single Man, the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford (who is really handsome and was born in Austin), starring Firth as a closeted gay professor mourning the tragic death of his partner.  It was beautifully written and directed and, in true Ford manner, every aspect of the piece was styled to perfection.  Firth was nominated for that role last year, as well.  Maybe this year he'll finally win. 

Anyway, though I haven't seen this year's movie about King George VI's valiant efforts to conquer his shortcomings while leading England through World War II, I did finally watch the Masterpiece Theatre version from 2002, called Bertie & Elizabeth.  This version focuses upon the loving marriage of the king and his wife, England's beloved Queen Mum, and their willingness to accept the throne after his older brother famously abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorced American woman. 

Bertie, as King George was known, struggled with an embarrassing stutter for most of his life, and through the support of his wife and the help of a speech therapist, he was able to overcome it.  I'm guessing that's the premise of Firth's movie, too, and from the previews I've seen, some of the scenes are incredibly similar to the Masterpiece version.

The story is so romantic and unique that audiences can't help but fall in love with the characters, and the fact that it's based on actual events in the lives of the parents of the current Queen of England makes it all the more appealing.  I can't wait to watch and I'll be cheering for Colin Firth at the Oscars.

Duped by Downton Abbey!

I spent each Sunday night in January glued to Masterpiece Theatre's miniseries, Downton Abbey, and I tuned in last night for the conclusion.  Little did I know that it was all a cruel joke perpetuated by the conniving folks at PBS, who strung me along for four long weeks, only to throw everything up in the air at the last minute with the revelation that a "second season is currently in production."

What the heck?  Nothing was resolved and, according to Wikipedia, I have to wait over a year to find out what happened to the Crawley family, since filming doesn't even start until March and the show won't air in England until the fall of 2011.  That means we won't get it until 2012.  By then, I'll have forgotten all about it and I'll need a recap, a la Lost, to remind me of the premise. 

If this is a ploy for donations from public television, you can count me out.  As my mom said last night, after we ranted over the phone, "They're not getting one red cent from me and I'm going back to CBS!"

Stay tuned.

Glee's Golden Globes

I didn't watch tonight's Golden Globes because I'm deep into the juicy saga of PBS' Downton Abbey, but big congrats to my favorite show, Glee, for taking home three Golden Globes.  The show won Best Series in a Musical or Comedy, Jane Lynch won Best Supporting Actress, and Chris Colfer won Best Supporting Actor.  His portrayal of Kurt breaks my heart week after week. 

Winter Light

Like a lot of people, I feel that sense of letdown that descends in January, once the holidays are over and things return again to "normal."  The days are still short and the weather is cold, so it's easy to feel a bit of sadness once the decorations have been put away and everyone goes back to work.

When I taught middle school, I remember my principal telling us that February is the point of lowest morale among teachers, mostly because it's that dark spot on the calendar when there aren't many holidays or events to look forward to, and testing is fast approaching. I definitely felt it my first year of teaching, especially since it was only months after that fateful day in September 2001, and I was on my own in a different city for the very first time.

Once I was married and attending graduate school, I loved the gap between the end of the holidays and the beginning of the new semester.  The gift of those few extra weeks meant time to relax and adjust to things slowly, which is the way I like to function.

Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I find my moods more affected by the weather and seasons.  When it's cold, raining, or getting dark early, it means we're stuck inside for another day, so I have to get creative and find fun things for my toddler to do.  Luckily, the Texas weather isn't too harsh in the winter, so we can still take daily walks and play outside most days.

I also like to leave a few winter decorations up through the month of January, both to remind me of the holidays and to celebrate the winter months.  I have several small trees on my mantle that are sparsely decorated and I also leave a few sparkly snowflakes lying around, since they don't scream "Christmas decor."

And since we've moved our youngest son to his own room, I'm once again able to enjoy my favorite luxury of reading in bed.  It might not sound like much, but it's something I had to give up twice in two years, both in those last few months of pregnancy when it's impossible to find a comfortable position at all, and then once each baby arrived and slept next to me in his crib.  I loved that special time sleeping beside my small boys, but I'm happy to have my favorite nighttime routine back again.  Currently, I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which will, I'm certain, deserve its own blog entry in the future.

One more thing I'm really anticipating is the upcoming miniseries, Downton Abbey, on PBS.  I'm a sucker for period pieces, and there's nothing better than a series that runs for four (yes, four!) Sundays in a row, all throughout January.

So it's the little things that keep me upbeat during this downtime, as I wait for the days to grow longer and the sun to shine a little brighter.

Happy Mother's Day!

Here's a sweet little message from Betty White. Hope you had a wonderful day!

(The link has been fixed.)

I Made the Local News

Babycakes and I had lunch with a friend and her daughter today, and we were interviewed by a local reporter about a political cartoon on the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. I totally didn't think I'd be on television, but it seems I was wrong.

Crazy

Since I'm pregnant with hyperthyroidism, I have my thyroid levels checked monthly. It's a minor inconvenience that only takes a few minutes, and I'm usually rewarded with a chance to observe some pretty strange behavior from the other patients and staff in the clinic. Today was no exception.

As I signed in at the desk, a man came up behind me and asked the receptionist if he was in the right place, because, as he explained, he "needed a DNA test for paternity." He said it so loudly and proudly that it caught the receptionist off guard for a second. I thought stuff like that only happened on television.

Then, as I sat down, I heard someone crying hysterically inside the lab, and I assumed it was a child. They don't do pediatric draws at this clinic, but I thought maybe a child was having a fit. A minute later, the door opened and a middle-aged woman was wheeled from the lab, sniffling and wiping away tears!

And finally, since the clinic is attached to a large hospital, it's not uncommon to see hospital patients as they are discharged. It is unusual, however, to see them walking around in their gowns, and that's what I saw today. A man in a hospital gown and no shoes walked through the reception area and out the front door, presumably to get some air. At least he had the decency to put on a second gown to cover his backside, but still. Some people have no shame, I guess.

I just wish Babycakes, who was with me and witnessed all of these events, was able to enjoy them as much as I did.

Sue Sylvester Strikes a Pose!

Here's the preview for next week's episode of Glee, brought to you buy my favorite high school show choir and their evil arch-nemesis.

Goodbye to Dixie Carter

I just read that Dixie Carter passed away yesterday at the age of 70. I adored her as the elegant and educated Julia Sugarbaker in "Designing Women." Even as a little girl, I recognized her Southern charm and feminist streak, especially evident in the speeches she often gave while in character. This one is my very favorite (and that's her real-life husband, actor Hal Holbrook, she's yelling at).

A Breath of Fresh Air

I saw this commercial on television today, and it made me laugh. It's part of a new campaign by UbyKotex to educate young women about menstruation and their reproductive systems. There's even a declaration you can sign pledging to talk openly and honestly about menstruation and vaginal health. And finally, there's no white spandex-clad girl riding a bicycle.