Holy Kraft!

I want to start selling Kraft its food back to them. Tonight I was eating some dinner and getting some reading done when the back of the Wheat Thins box was presenting me with all these "delicious snack" tips that I can enjoy for "about a dollar" all while it urged me into really considering the weeks-old question: Why Snackrifice?

First off, the back of the box offered what it called a nutritionally "wholesome combination" of Wheat Thins and Crystal Light...



...which is about as wholesome as Lady Gaga in a fish store. Secondly, through sales/coupons my limit on Wheat Thins or any other non-organic national brand cracker is $2 or less per box. There are nine servings of 16 crackers in a box, which at $2/box results in $0.22 per 16 crackers. By Kraft-Mathft, this makes a canister of Lemon Chemicals Light ring in at $24.96 [($1.00 minus $0.22 for 8oz glass, times 4 (for a quart) times 8 (for 8 qt canister).] The asterisk says that this is the national average price, do you think any of the good people at Kraft would buy a canister of headaches and cancer and heart failure for $25? Isn't that what is for?

WhySnackrifice.com helpfully offers other "no snackrificing!" combinations to explore and discover...all with good family values and all also for around a dollar. Why, there's Triscuits and Cheese, Ritz and Cheese, Ritz and Peanut Butter, and Wheat Thins and something new called "Hummus" (I think Ay-Rabs and Vegetarians and other terrorists eat that, I'm not sure, I've never had it it, but heck I'll try it if it helps send aid to Haiti!)

Aye yaye! I am seriously in the wrong racket if there are people out there getting paid to market crackers and cheese as a new concept. Me, I've got all kinds of ideas for fresh combos like Oatmeal + Brown Sugar. Coffee + Cream. Macaroni + Cheese!!! Kraft, call meeeee!!

Acousticness is Kinda-Sorta Close to Godliness. Right?

May the chord be with thee, tonight my hun-bun and the rest of The Mallett Brothers Band play at The Chocolate Church in Brunswick, Maine. I'm choosing to drop all stories about the van (do vans ever, ever live happy lives?) but extending many thanks to Uncle Mark for his jimmysitting services.

Late Night with Jimmy

No, not late nighting with Jimmy the Son, or even the many late bed-resting pregnancy hours I spent with Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but the actual Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC. I haven't watched much of this show until recently, and completely fell in love with the Fallon version of Jimmy while watching him get Beatley Starr-struck on last night's episode.



I was still gushing about it when my hubby came home from work at 2am, and was surprised to hear about his fondness for Jimmy Fallon's "innocent, childlike charm." He can be kind of hard on comedians and improvisationalists, so it was nice to learn we were on the same side.

It makes me feel bad for NBC, I miss the heydays of Must See TV, when Dateline wasn't a creepy joke, when my rabbit ears were a gleaming vessel of NBC light from the 13-inch tv on the floor of my 300 sf apartment. Now NBC's in the gutter, fourth in the ratings, and it should be after what it did to Conan---but there's still great talent like Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, the entire production of The Office, Jimmy Fallon, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, etc. As much as I lean ABC these days I still hold up a feather for the ailing peacock.

But Matt Lauer can still GTH.

January is for Indoors

Today we decided to check out the new Greenlight Studios, which is basically an indoor playground and cafe for we who live in northern weatheralia.

Unsurprisingly, Jimmy headed straight for the train table.





He later very surprisingly placed a hat on his own head. And kept wearing it! Giddy up!





Along with the hat, he also enjoyed a blueberry smoothie off the menu. There may appear to be few children in the photos but there was a constant healthy mix of kids the entire 2.5 hours we were there. The staff and other parents were very nice, all the wee ones respected each other (2 girls were pretty patient with Jimmy during an extended episode of hesitance on top of the slide), and aside from my coffee tasting like a blend of lukewarm water and tannis root, we'd have to give Greenlight Studios a GO.

Firebox Mama

So far, I think my son has learned that life is kind. He knows that he can go to bed peacefully, that he can rely on the comfort that he's known since birth, that someone who loves him is always there. I think that he's learned he can rely on his parents to be the wind at his back and not the spit in his face; that if he can't always get what he wants, if he tries sometime he just might find he gets what he needs.

Which is why I felt a little guilty making a big fiery display about what happens to the pages of childrens books that get ripped out of their binding for no reason.



Next step: The Boys Box. I'm not *quite* sure what goes on there, but I've always been led to believe that it's not good. But at the same time not terribly bad, which is the only reason why I'd consider it. Whatever it is.

Travels to Northern Internetia

Who woulda thunk a place like arctic Nunavut, Canada would have such a thriving blog scene that it warranted its own yearly awards, The Nunies.



Glancing over some of these blogs I couldn't help but notice that it's only 11 months to Christmas, and the blog Trials, Tribulations, and Toques led me to the image of one uniquely awesome nativity scene:


Take the Polar Express to the Brrrrrr-irth!

A long list of Nunavut bloggers can be found here.

South of the border, I'm trying to decide whether Jimmy and I will bite the wallet and pay a vi$it to the new Greenlight Studio tomorrow. Only time, and my budget, will tell...

Just So You Know, Facebook Mommies: PSA

Some of your FB "friends" may be getting comfy with that printscreen button and resubmitting your comments back to the internet.

From time to time I get a bit of a kick reading people getting all worked up over the behavior of people who have the nerve to be, uck, parents. There's a lot of internet hate brewing out there for us "breeders," and I think it's kind of funny. A lot of the time I understand where the sentiments come from---I did the single life, I busted my tv throwing bricks at Kathie Lee Gifford in the 90s ("Cody! Cody! Cooooddddeeeey!"), that college Psychology class gave me a Ph.D. in childrearing, at the age of 20. I started reading these websites long before Jimmy hit the scene, if that says anything. But nowadays I am having so much fun being a mom it's kind hard to put a dent in that armor.

Then today, I found this site, STFU, Parents, and it was as humorous as any other, until it sunk in that a considerable percentage of its content is cut-and-pasted from readers' personal Facebook accounts. That daily arenas are being set up to ridicule comments and photos that are intended for friends and family. That's kinda low! Right? Am I just being paranoid? Because ninety-nine percent of my Facebook posts are Jimmy-related? Am I supposed to STFU?

Well, mock me if you must, but this moo will never be bullied into STFU-ing about my BAAAAYBEEEEE!!!!

A Tale of Mail

My little guy likes his independence spiked with a little...pampering. Like, when we read it's he who turns the pages...but always from my lap. All our bathtime games must be approved by him, and these bathtimes must be leisurely, and long. Any department store romps are expected to end with a worn-out Jimmy in his mumma's arms. Rough times call for old-timey bubbas (watch out for flying sippy-cups) and a footrub, and nighttime playtime is playtime, not cleanup time, mom-myyyyy!

Expert opinion is that as a boy, a late-bloomin' boy, who shows very few signs of readiness, my boy probably won't learn how to use the potty until he's at least 3. That his spirit of dependency indicates extendo-use of the Depends for Babies, or in layman's terms: lotsa dipeys. Once learning this I panicked a little since his medium-sized FuzziBunz were starting to leave medium-red outlines on his body, and as easy as these cloth diapers are to use, they are not cheap.

The ethereal terror of home economics guided my fingers to DiaperSwappers.com (you did read that right) where diaper obsessed mothers talk, hoard, buy, sell, suggest, compare, rate, and swap diapers. I was overwhelmed enough the first time I bought cloth diapers (factors: the size, the absorbancy, the quality, the variety, the price, the colors, the snaps, the velcro, the covers, the future, the prefolds, the care, the shapes, the bulkiness, the leaks, the inserts, the outserts, the discounts, the irregulars, the shipping, the factories, the wahms, the options, the options, the options, the premiums, the daytime, the nighttime, the needs, the naturals, the synthetics, the politics, the child, the ethos, the earth, the infinity!!! aaackkk!) that after finding the dipeys that worked for us, I just didn't ever want to be in that situation again. But I also couldn't spend $20++ per diaper when I needed to supplement half Jimmy's stash of FuzziBunz. Annnd the market has exploded in just the past 2.5 years--new products, new formats, new fabrics, new vendors--I felt like the Queso guy in the Velveeta commercial. By force I entered into the diaper swappers and begged someone to please please help me!

A woman came to handfeed me my rescue. She's associated with the prominent Nicki's Diapers, she swiftly identified my needs and offered 6 large FuzziBunz (hey, I know how to use those!) to sell me for $55 including shipping.

DEAL!

On Friday after celebrating my paycheck and my tv-inspired grocery trip I came home to what the diaper-obsessed refer to as "Fluffy Mail." Personally...I dunno...the term "fluffy mail" always sounded a wee fetishist, but I'm none to deny that a shipment of much needed diapers is like the pot of gold at the end of the fluffy rainbow.

They're gorgeous! And at a price just as nice. Continued thanks to my lucky charm from Nicki's Diapers and Diaperswappers.com

32 Inches of Inspiration

After accessing my bank account this morning a sigh of dereliefium was enough to wake up everyone in the house, I finally got to read the digits of the first paycheck from my new part-time schedule, they came out better than what I was hoping. (I wasn't sure with all the deductions, whether they'd let me keep my weekend shift differential, etc.) I decided to celebrate with a round of TV-Inspired Items from Whole Foods.

First up was easy:



Earth's Best French Toast Sticks. Featuring every child's favorite licensed red character: Lightning McQueen. I mean Clifford. Um, Muno. Po. Spiderman?

Second item is the bad part, because it forces me to admit that I was watching the very, very redundantly redundant, repetitive repetitive non-loquacious, non-loquacious Ma-har-tha Stew-hew-art...but it was only a brief clip and it was sort of inspirational about:



Quinoa, for breakfast (I'd never thought of it for that!) and it got me thinking about getting this supergrain into the men of the house, using my own personal secret agent: Sugar.

Third, my favorite (and Wally's) Celebratory TV-Inspired Whole Food Item is:



The Chocolate Babka. I had never heard of a chocolate babka before or since one was featured on The Dinner Party episode of Seinfeld. Sometimes I miss the 90s. :::wistfulness:::

And that wraps up my 5-day weekend, back to work tomorrow. My new schedule is working out pretty well, Jimmy couldn't be happier. Whole Paycheck Foods appreciates it too! (I know, cheesy, I've used that strikethru "paycheck" joke before, but just in case...) In the meantime, may the tv be with you.

Bicycles

...are for summer. Icicles are for winter!





We spend a lot of time inside these days. Today, I attempted to resort my coupon stack.



I'm not done yet.

Like mother, like son:



I remember being little and going once-around an apple but refused to go further. Jimmy is the same way with pears, as resulted by screaming when asked if he was going to go for round 2.

Winter Movies

The snow's abund-y and the icicles are a-hangin' off the bay wind-y which means it's time for MY FAVORITE WINTER MOVIES. The kind of movies that aren't Christmassy and make cameramen go aaarg! (all that blinding white stuff) or just ones I just like to watch beside the woodstove.



Fargo

A no-brainer, the Coen Brothers at their finest, imho. Frances McDormand is awesome, lots of randomly usable quotes ("Heck, I'd go one over prime!") and no other movie has a character like Mike Yanagita.



Groundhog Day

The fact that Andi Macdowell will never be able to act is remarkably unnoticeable when Bill Murray is around. Funny, original, wintry!





Ethan Frome

I suspect no one who read this book in high school ever imagined Maddie's accent to ever (ever) sound like whatever Patricia Arquette is doing with hers, or that her chemistry with Ethan Frome could ever be so hawt! The good people of PBS get all that New England snow smokin', probably my favorite of the winter movies.



Off the Map

I don't think there's any snow or winter in this movie set in New Mexico (Land of Enchantment, as it makes a point of saying), but I often think of it as I'm staring down the fiery hole of my TempWood stove. It's an inspirational story for those interested in living with the land, it makes me happy knowing that some trees, some cast iron, and a couple skills is all we need to keep our home warm in a Maine winter.



Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

If the name "Charlie Kaufman" means anything to you... I have to leave it at that, otherwise I'll go on forever!!! Highly favorited movie.



The Sweet Hereafter

Canadians know how to do winter, and films. This one is anything but cheery, but it has stuck with me for several years. I have reservations about watching it now that Jimmy is here, being the age he is...it's very moving and disturbing. I still recommend it. =D

....and one winter movie I can't recommend:



Alive

UGH!!! I only rented this one due to an unhealthy 1990s obsession with Ethan Hawke. Alive wore me out, I hate that these people had to live through this terrible event, how it got worse before it got better, and I definitely never, ever want to relive it with them ever again! (I felt the exact same way for Cast Away; it seems extreme survival stories are just not my thing.)

Thanks for letting me share My Favorite Winter Movies!

I Probably Don't Need To Say These 3 Words, But...

I'm with Coco.

Haiti

Ah geez. It's hard to celebrate daily life when so many parts of it are flanked by the Haitian earthquake tragedy.

We were excited to celebrate Christoph Waltz's win:



And the nomination of Jimmy's ne'er-to-be-born sibling's namesake, Daniel Day- Wenzel Lewis.



We also celebrated fellow Southern Mainahs:



Anna Kendrick of Up in the Air and of the high school I hated many times,



and Glenn Close and her labby hubby.

We also luv'd watching Martin Scorsese being honored, and look forward to the OSCARS. =D

Yet, there is still the Haitan tragedy. Maya Angelou said it all: "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better." Now that we know five dollars helps lives , we know our options.

InGLOUBious BRASSterds

3 nights ago, strudels and cream, I stayed up until 4:35 to watch (well, read) Inglourious Basterds and I don't know why I previously thought it was a Coen Brothers movie because it is an unmistakable Quentin Tarantino roller moaster ride that I can't stop thinking about...and now I am so excited for its 4 nominations in tomorrow night's Golden Globe Awards, I don't know how I'll contain myself if Christoph Waltz is there, winning!!!


Die Brassenglöben von Österreich

And if you're one of the people who run the gamut of semi-care to really-care, best of luck to your favorite nominations:

THE 67TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS NOMINATIONS
HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION
2010 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2009
NOMINATIONS PRESS RELEASE
1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. AVATAR
Lightstorm Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox
b. THE HURT LOCKER
Voltage Pictures; Summit Entertainment
c. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg GmbH Production; The
Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures
d. PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment Group Production;
Lionsgate
e. UP IN THE AIR
Paramount Pictures; Paramount Pictures
2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE –
DRAMA
a. EMILY BLUNT
THE YOUNG VICTORIA
b. SANDRA BULLOCK
THE BLIND SIDE
c. HELEN MIRREN
THE LAST STATION
d. CAREY MULLIGAN
AN EDUCATION
e. GABOUREY SIDIBE
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. JEFF BRIDGES
CRAZY HEART
b. GEORGE CLOONEY
UP IN THE AIR
c. COLIN FIRTH
A SINGLE MAN
d. MORGAN FREEMAN
INVICTUS
e. TOBEY MAGUIRE
BROTHERS
4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Watermark Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures
b. THE HANGOVER
Warner Bros. Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
c. IT’S COMPLICATED
Relativity Media, Scott Rudin Productions; Universal Pictures
d. JULIE & JULIA
Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing
e. NINE
The Weinstein Company/Relativity Media/Lucamar Productions/Marc Platt Productions; The
Weinstein Company
5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. SANDRA BULLOCK
THE PROPOSAL
b. MARION COTILLARD
NINE
c. JULIA ROBERTS
DUPLICITY
d. MERYL STREEP
IT’S COMPLICATED
e. MERYL STREEP
JULIE & JULIA
6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. MATT DAMON
THE INFORMANT!
b. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS
NINE
c. ROBERT DOWNEY JR
SHERLOCK HOLMES
d. JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
e. MICHAEL STUHLBARG
A SERIOUS MAN
7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing
b. CORALINE
Laika, Inc.; Focus Features
c. FANTASTIC MR. FOX
American Empirical Picture; Twentieth Century Fox
d. THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
e. UP
Walt Disney Pictures/PIXAR Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a. BAARIA (ITALY)
Medusa Film; Summit Entertainment
b. BROKEN EMBRACES (SPAIN)
El Deseo SA; Sony Pictures Classics
c. THE MAID (CHILE)
(LA NANA)
Forastero; Elephant Eye Films
d. A PROPHET (UN PROPHETE) (FRANCE)
Chic Films/Page 114/Why Not Productions; Sony Pictures Classics
e. THE WHITE RIBBON (GERMANY)
(DAS WEISSE BAND – EINE DEUTSCHE KINDERGESCHICHTE)
X Filme Creative Pool/Les Films Du Losange/Lucky Red/Wega Film; Sony Pictures Classics
9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. PENÉLOPE CRUZ
NINE
b. VERA FARMIGA
UP IN THE AIR
c. ANNA KENDRICK
UP IN THE AIR
d. MO’NIQUE
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
e. JULIANNE MOORE
A SINGLE MAN
10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. MATT DAMON
INVICTUS
b. WOODY HARRELSON
THE MESSENGER
c. CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER
THE LAST STATION
d. STANLEY TUCCI
THE LOVELY BONES
e. CHRISTOPH WALTZ
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a. KATHRYN BIGELOW
THE HURT LOCKER
b. JAMES CAMERON
AVATAR
c. CLINT EASTWOOD
INVICTUS
d. JASON REITMAN
UP IN THE AIR
e. QUENTIN TARANTINO
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a. NEILL BLOMKAMP, TERRI TATCHELL
DISTRICT 9
b. MARK BOAL
THE HURT LOCKER
c. NANCY MEYERS
IT'S COMPLICATED
d. JASON REITMAN, SHELDON TURNER
UP IN THE AIR
e. QUENTIN TARANTINO
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a. MICHAEL GIACCHINO
UP
b. MARVIN HAMLISCH
THE INFORMANT!
c. JAMES HORNER
AVATAR
d. ABEL KORZENIOWSKI
A SINGLE MAN
e. KAREN O, CARTER BURWELL
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a. «CINEMA ITALIANO» – NINE
Music & Lyrics by: Maury Yeston
b. «I WANT TO COME HOME» – EVERYBODY'S FINE
Music & Lyrics by: Paul McCartney
c. «I SEE YOU» – AVATAR
Music by: James Horner, Simon Franglen
Lyrics by: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell
d. «THE WEARY KIND (THEME FROM CRAZY HEART)» – CRAZY HEART
Music & Lyrics by: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett
e. «WINTER» – BROTHERS
Music by: U2
Lyrics by: Bono
15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. BIG LOVE (HBO)
Anima Sola Productions and Playtone in association with HBO Entertainment
b. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
c. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat
Harry
d. MAD MEN (AMC)
AMC
e. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment
16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
DRAMA
a. GLENN CLOSE
DAMAGES
b. JANUARY JONES
MAD MEN
c. JULIANNA MARGULIES
THE GOOD WIFE
d. ANNA PAQUIN
TRUE BLOOD
e. KYRA SEDGWICK
THE CLOSER
17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
DRAMA
a. SIMON BAKER
THE MENTALIST
b. MICHAEL C. HALL
DEXTER
c. JON HAMM
MAD MEN
d. HUGH LAURIE
HOUSE
e. BILL PAXTON
BIG LOVE
18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little Stranger Inc.
b. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
c. GLEE (FOX)
Twentieth Century Fox Television
d. MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
Twentieth Century Fox Television
e. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Universal Media Studios, Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC
19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. TONI COLLETTE
UNITED STATES OF TARA
b. COURTENEY COX
COUGAR TOWN
c. EDIE FALCO
NURSE JACKIE
d. TINA FEY
30 ROCK
e. LEA MICHELE
GLEE
20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES –
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. ALEC BALDWIN
30 ROCK
b. STEVE CARELL
THE OFFICE
c. DAVID DUCHOVNY
CALIFORNICATION
d. THOMAS JANE
HUNG
e. MATTHEW MORRISON
GLEE
21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. GEORGIA O'KEEFFE (LIFETIME TELEVISION)
Sony Pictures Television
b. GREY GARDENS (HBO)
Specialty Films and Locomotive in association with HBO Films
c. INTO THE STORM (HBO)
Scott Free and Rainmark Films Production in association with the BBC and HBO Films
d. LITTLE DORRIT (PBS)
Masterpiece/BBC Co-production
e. TAKING CHANCE (HBO)
Motion Picture Corporation of America and Civil Dawn Pictures in association with HBO Films
22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR
MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. JOAN ALLEN
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
b. DREW BARRYMORE
GREY GARDENS
c. JESSICA LANGE
GREY GARDENS
d. ANNA PAQUIN
THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER
e. SIGOURNEY WEAVER
PRAYERS FOR BOBBY
23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. KEVIN BACON
TAKING CHANCE
b. KENNETH BRANAGH
WALLANDER: ONE STEP BEHIND
c. CHIWETEL EJIOFOR
ENDGAME
d. BRENDAN GLEESON
INTO THE STORM
e. JEREMY IRONS
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. JANE ADAMS
HUNG
b. ROSE BYRNE
DAMAGES
c. JANE LYNCH
GLEE
d. JANET McTEER
INTO THE STORM
e. CHLOË SEVIGNY
BIG LOVE
25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. MICHAEL EMERSON
LOST
b. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
c. WILLIAM HURT
DAMAGES
d. JOHN LITHGOW
DEXTER
e. JEREMY PIVEN
ENTOURAGE
WINNERS BY MOTION PICTURE DISTRIBUTOR
AND TELEVISION NETWORK
MOTION PICTURE DISTRIBUTOR
The Weinstein Company – 12
Warner Bros. Pictures – 9
Universal Pictures – 8
Paramount Pictures – 7
Sony Pictures Classics – 6
Lionsgate – 5
Twentieth Century Fox – 5
Fox Searchlight Pictures – 4
Sony Pictures Releasing – 4
Summit Entertainment – 4
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures – 4
Focus Features – 2
Relativity Media LLC – 2
Apparition – 1
Elephant Eye Films – 1
Miramax Films – 1
Oscilloscope Laboratories – 1
TELEVISION NETWORK
HBO – 17
FOX – 6
SHOWTIME – 6
NBC – 5
CBS – 4
LIFETIME TELEVISION – 4
ABC – 3
AMC – 3
FX NETWORKS – 3
PBS – 3
TNT – 1
WINNERS BY MOTION PICTURE
AND TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM
MOTION PICTURE
UP IN THE AIR – 6
NINE – 5
AVATAR – 4
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS – 4
THE HURT LOCKER – 3
INVICTUS – 3
IT’S COMPLICATED – 3
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE – 3
A SINGLE MAN – 3
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER – 2
BROTHERS – 2
CRAZY HEART – 2
THE INFORMANT! – 2
JULIE & JULIA – 2
THE LAST STATION – 2
UP – 2
BAARIA – 1
THE BLIND SIDE – 1
BROKEN EMBRACES – 1
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS – 1
CORALINE – 1
DISTRICT 9 – 1
DUPLICITY – 1
AN EDUCATION – 1
EVERYBODY'S FINE – 1
FANTASTIC MR. FOX – 1
THE HANGOVER – 1
THE LOVELY BONES – 1
THE MAID – 1
THE MESSENGER – 1
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG – 1
A PROPHET – 1
THE PROPOSAL – 1
A SERIOUS MAN – 1
SHERLOCK HOLMES – 1
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE – 1
THE WHITE RIBBON – 1
THE YOUNG VICTORIA – 1
WINNERS BY MOTION PICTURE
AND TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM
TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM
GLEE – 4
30 ROCK – 3
BIG LOVE – 3
DAMAGES – 3
DEXTER – 3
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE – 3
GREY GARDENS – 3
INTO THE STORM – 3
MAD MEN – 3
ENTOURAGE – 2
HOUSE – 2
HUNG – 2
THE OFFICE – 2
TAKING CHANCE – 2
TRUE BLOOD – 2
CALIFORNICATION – 1
THE CLOSER – 1
COUGAR TOWN – 1
THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER – 1
ENDGAME – 1
THE GOOD WIFE – 1
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER – 1
LITTLE DORRIT – 1
LOST – 1
THE MENTALIST – 1
MODERN FAMILY – 1
NURSE JACKIE – 1
PRAYERS FOR BOBBY – 1
UNITED STATES OF TARA – 1
WALLANDER: ONE STEP BEHIND – 1

Additional Tina Fey/Alec Baldwin glo-boosterclub section set up in the back. You go Gir--l--uys! G-als!!!

No...., 'You Go Guys' is enough. Nodding with pupils headed northeast.

The Miracle of Time, and Temp

Wow, wow, wow I just realized that I realized that I can see the time and temperature flashing from the Time and Temp Building (home of my forced-to-treasure Channel 8) from my kitchen window! This is how it looks with my awesome 20/500 vision:



And this is it with my camera and its 15x close-up lens:



Right there! In the center! Yes, it's a little small which probably explains why it took me 5 years to realize we could see it from here. And the only reason why we can see it now is because the temps are low, hence no leaves/no weather blocking it... =D

And if you look really-really close, you'll see that it says 9:30 which means Jimmy had been sleeping for an hour and a half, who knew the miracles of modern technology ancient humanology would get him to sleep so early if I didn't coerce him to sleep in until 10am with me. Really...!...Who knew...?...

...

Miracles...

Animal Tracking

Earlier today I went on an animal track expedition. I took a chart and started ID'ing winter footprints in my backyard.



I was surprised who was out there. I found the prints of a fox:



A 3-point gazelle:



The tracks of some sort of badger rumblefight:



Pixar's Mike and Sully:





AND Pixar's Kevin from The Movie Up:





And I love this Kumbaya photo of a collection of prints, tracking in harmony:



I less-than-secretly hope they are marching to tonight's Drink.Rock.Leave. event to see my hunny's band play. Support your local (hus)bands!!!

New Duds Not Duds

Earlier today I woke up from a nap to find my hubby sorting out 2 bags of clothes from our rockin'/rocker friend S.G. Her little guy is 10 months older than Jimmy and these clothes could not have come at a better time, as Jimmy seems to be going through (another) growth spurt. I was ecstatic to find footed pajamas (!!!) (I can't find any sizes over 24 mos!) but Jimmy had his eye on something pretty special.



Who's that looking sa-weet in his new Lightning McQueen jacket???



So many many thanks to our friend, and to all those who make it easier for parents to keep their little ones properly dressed.

Panorama from My Livingroom Window

From my bay window I can see:

The state's biggest hospital
I-295
Denny's
A 3-way stoplight
Airplanes coming in for landing
The entrance to the Amtrak station
A popular bus route
A real estate office
A dermatology office
A bank
A gastroenterology office
A diver down flag
A sporting goods/scuba store
A convenience store

Not bad for a 1000 sf ranch. Ah, yes, I've got the interstate running through my backyard, and screw you John Cougar, I do kinda think I've got it so good. Everyone is always making cautious comments about how they wouldn't want to live where we do, or on as busy a street, etc. but I like rather prefer looking at lights and buildings over being boxed in by nosey neighbors. I think our view is *exciting* and our livingroom is so well insulated that when we're indoors you'd never know there was so much going on out there. And when the power goes out there's plenty of traffic to keep us entertained, and a woodstove to keep us warm. And if all else fails, if we get sick of watching traffic and bathing by woodstove water...there's a hotel hiding behind the bank! =) So as you can see, as folks who value excessive convenience, we deserve no pity. At least not during the winter months when we don't find as many homeless drunk alcoholics curling up with 40s against our privacy fence. (Aaahhh, summer...you overrated beast.)

Extra Credit

Usually Jimmy's parentage gets credited to Wally, that Jimmy looks soooo much like him. I get it...the hair, the eyes, the complexion. The eyebrows. But when I look at him I feel like the orientation of his face is ALL ME. But no, we always get the casual commentaries, the Facebook replies, the people stopping us on the street to inform us that my precious precious meaning of life is veritably Wally's child. The "It's so weird, it's like standing here with Mini Wally" remarks. I suck it up, I protest, I do it all, but sometimes I get a photo like this:



...and even I can't deny this kid is not the mailman's (and that it's not just because our mailman happens to be black.) Thanks for your genes, Hunny! They done good.

Wilkommen...Tweens?

Y2K mayn't've blown up the world, but we lost something the day January 1, 2000 landed on earth. The American planet that day was robbed of that blind yet savory expression that comes after "Aw Muh Gawd, get with it, it's the ___-ies." Tracy Turnblad advised her mother to get out of the house and get "Welcome to the Sixties", and then things got jive in the 70s, and we passed the dutchie in the Eighties, and then we had to wake up and smell the java it was the Nineties, and then....

...Then that whole phrase-identity-with-the-decade thing went poof-gone. I guess at first we were calling it "The New Millenium" and that was very sleek and fun, but no one stuck with it. Or "The Two Thousands"...blaaaah. I realized late last year that we all could (and should) have been calling the decade "The Aughties" as in, "C'mon man, text me while I'm standing next to you, it's the Aughties." But now those years are all used up, now we're into 2010, are these now the "teens"? Like The Teens? Like a rainbow suspender Up With People mob? Yet 10, 11, 12 aren't technically "teen" years, and I see Dr. Phil and all the mom-jeans mob calling those ages "Tweens." That harmoniker is just toooo lame to think about. So I started thinking maybe we wouldn't get another identity decade until the 2020's, but are what are we supposed to say then, just "Oh muh gawd, wake up and smell the Mars colony, you are seau nawn-preaugressive this is the Twentays!!!" Now that just sounds soooo Model T stupid. Honk honk!

Last night my dear hubby was remarking on the ineffienciency of a parking garage that didn't use security cameras. "C'mon, this is the modern age," he said, that they should have cameras for their business. Perhaps that's where we are, stuck in "The Modern Age" for a while? Like...forever?

For-now-ver?

The EYE-nternet

My out-of-town visitor has come and gone, we ended up dining at the Green Elephant and several hours later found ourselves ordering last call at.....Blackstone's. So, yes, this morning's 8:45 eye doctor appointment came a little early (many thanks for the super-thorough ocular vessel exam, doc) but I am very excited that Dr. A gave me my prescription and his blessing to order a pair of new EIGHT DOLLAR INTERNET GLASSES!!

I'm following a a Facebook suggestion (thanks Mark B!) to give internet darling Zenni Optical a whirl, seeing as Jimmy's got several more glasses-breaking years left in him. Not sure how they'll look until they get here, wish me and my face luck!

Sticking to His V-Guns

My old college roomie/BFF Jeremy is home for the holidays and scheduled to pay us a visit tomorrow. He's gone a long way since leaving our apartment-above-a-bikeshop on Main St., Orono, he's lived all over the world, speaks all its languages, and presently holds a demanding, high-profile position teaching these languages in Budapest, Hungary. There're seven zillion things I can say about Jeremy, rest assured he's high on my list of favorite people.

Every few years I meet a new version of him. Sometimes he's a partier, sometimes he's a smoker, sometimes he's a teetotaler, sometimes he's an anti-tobacco activist, sometimes he's killed his tv, sometimes he's America's Next Top Model, sometimes he's a stressed-out advanced degree student, sometimes he's the kid I met (and glued myself to) as he was moving into my apartment 15 years ago. Thanks to Facebook we've kept in touch more frequently, so I know that this year I'm meeting a vegan, evidently he's been going vegan for a few years and has never been healthier or felt better. Tonight I'm researching some options as I'm hopeful (as in crossing my fingies really-really tight) that hubby can watch after Jimmy so Jeremy and I can catch up at one of those fancy non-Chuck E. Cheese restaurants. I've come up with:

Pepperclub My pre-Jimmy vegetarian-friendly go-to restaurant with lots of vegan options and uses locally farmed ingredients. Now that I eat fish I'm anxious to see how they do it.

Little Lad's Super-economical, plenticopious, and droolworthy vegan lunch buffet prepared under the guidance of, of course, the Seventh Day Adventists. A lunchtime fave from the dreamy days of yore of when I worked downtown... (siiiiiiigh....) (Oh well. Mallside has better parking...)

Gro Cafe In case he's gone macroborganic or something, too. (I sorta hope not...)

Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro Chic, sleek, and there's vino. And good ratings!

Ok, now I'm getting hungry. Bring me the Vegan!