Whenever people ask me (or I get one of those "getting to know you" e-surveys) I say that my favorite season is Spring. And it is. The weather is usually mild and pleasant, I love to see all the flowers that bloom, it starts staying light longer, and my birthday is in the spring.
But Fall is a close second and constantly makes a play for my affection. The weather could usually be better (cold, windy, rain), but the colors are marvelous! Just this past weekend the trees popped into full brilliance with some amazing reds and oranges. The weather here in NC hasn't been all that bad either, actually. And even in Ohio there is something about a crisp afternoon/evening and the smell of wood smoke in the air and maybe some church bells tolling in the distance....
Hmm, I think I really am Seasonally Affected. :-)
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Drought vs H1N1
2007 was a really rough year in NC. We experienced unprecedented drought conditions. I can never remember which is actually worse - Severe Drought or Extreme Drought - so I think I'll just refer to the situation as Uber Drought. Anyway, throughout the summer many municipalities started setting water restrictions - only water your lawns every other day, only wash your cars once a month, etc.. One of the best indicators of the severity (uberness) of the drought was that it simply did not rain from the end of September until the day after Christmas. Really. Three straight months, no rain.
In some ways, we were fortunate at that time. We were living in a duplex which happened to be on a private well. So, city/county restrictions did not apply to us because we weren't on their water systems. On the other hand, we were also living on a much more limited supply of water because we weren't on the city system. While we never watered the lawn (we were renting, our landlord handled all that) and we rarely washed our car, we still had normal needs for water.
We started being stringent with our conservation. We bought big packs of paper plates and cups and those aluminum baking pans at Sam's Club. (We still used regular silverware - I can't cut anything with plastic knives, they just don't work!) We bought gallon jugs of drinking water at the grocery store - I would microwave a mugful to make tea in the mornings. I got rather creative about washing what dishes we did use - I would fill the tea kettle and boil it, then pour that into the sink with the dishes, repeating as many times as need to cover the dishes. We had installed a water-conserving shower-head when we moved in, so we actually started using it properly - cutting the water off while lathering and only turning it on again to wet or rinse. We started taking our laundry to the laundromat (we even bought extra undies so we could go longer between trips).
Despite all those efforts, we still tapped the well in early December 2007. For a while thereafter, sediment was visible in the water. I can't begin to tell you how happy we were to see rain as the year ended.
Water was one of the reasons that we moved last summer, actually. While North Carolina is no longer in a state of Uber Drought, it is still nice to be on city water and not have to worry about tapping a well if things get bad again. Nonetheless, I've held onto several of the habits I got into during our extreme conservation mode. I think they're good ideas as far as being environmentally aware. OK, I have a dishwasher now, so I don't have to boil water in the tea kettle anymore, and I do tend to let the water run while I am showering again (but I take lots faster showers now than I used to!), but I am still trying to be water-conscious.
This is where H1N1 comes into play. Ever since the drought, I wash my hands by getting them quickly wet, then turning the water off while I lather, then back on again for a quick rinse. And I use cold water. Well, the best way to protect yourself against a possible pandemic is to wash your hands, for 30 seconds, in hot water (which you have to run for at least 30 seconds beforehand to get it hot enough in the first place). So, what do we do? Protect ourselves or the Earth?
I vote for Earth. Just start packing a lot of hand-sanitizer and get your flu shots!
In some ways, we were fortunate at that time. We were living in a duplex which happened to be on a private well. So, city/county restrictions did not apply to us because we weren't on their water systems. On the other hand, we were also living on a much more limited supply of water because we weren't on the city system. While we never watered the lawn (we were renting, our landlord handled all that) and we rarely washed our car, we still had normal needs for water.
We started being stringent with our conservation. We bought big packs of paper plates and cups and those aluminum baking pans at Sam's Club. (We still used regular silverware - I can't cut anything with plastic knives, they just don't work!) We bought gallon jugs of drinking water at the grocery store - I would microwave a mugful to make tea in the mornings. I got rather creative about washing what dishes we did use - I would fill the tea kettle and boil it, then pour that into the sink with the dishes, repeating as many times as need to cover the dishes. We had installed a water-conserving shower-head when we moved in, so we actually started using it properly - cutting the water off while lathering and only turning it on again to wet or rinse. We started taking our laundry to the laundromat (we even bought extra undies so we could go longer between trips).
Despite all those efforts, we still tapped the well in early December 2007. For a while thereafter, sediment was visible in the water. I can't begin to tell you how happy we were to see rain as the year ended.
Water was one of the reasons that we moved last summer, actually. While North Carolina is no longer in a state of Uber Drought, it is still nice to be on city water and not have to worry about tapping a well if things get bad again. Nonetheless, I've held onto several of the habits I got into during our extreme conservation mode. I think they're good ideas as far as being environmentally aware. OK, I have a dishwasher now, so I don't have to boil water in the tea kettle anymore, and I do tend to let the water run while I am showering again (but I take lots faster showers now than I used to!), but I am still trying to be water-conscious.
This is where H1N1 comes into play. Ever since the drought, I wash my hands by getting them quickly wet, then turning the water off while I lather, then back on again for a quick rinse. And I use cold water. Well, the best way to protect yourself against a possible pandemic is to wash your hands, for 30 seconds, in hot water (which you have to run for at least 30 seconds beforehand to get it hot enough in the first place). So, what do we do? Protect ourselves or the Earth?
I vote for Earth. Just start packing a lot of hand-sanitizer and get your flu shots!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
Just over 19 years ago, Bruce and I met at Steve's and Pamela's wedding reception. Most of you already know the story - he was the best man (and darned cute in his tux!) and I was my friend Meredith's guest because she was dating Pamela's brother and he was already in the wedding party - but you probably didn't know this little bit of what happened next.
During the conversation at the reception, it came up that Bruce had never seen Buckaroo Banzai. To which Meredith and I replied, "come on!" And, as soon as it was acceptable etiquette to leave the reception, we all went over to Meredith's house and watched the movie on tape. I think most of you also know that from that first meeting on Bruce and I were pretty much inseparable. We met on September 1st, 1990 and began dating on September 2nd.
Anyway, yesterday, I was reading the local movie listings online and saw that Buckaroo was playing in a special one-night showing at a local art house cinema! I instant messaged Bruce who replied, "Wasn't that the first movie we ever saw together?" From there, we decided that it would be a darned romantic way to spend the evening, so I skipped choir practice and we went to the movies!
Such fun!! The theater was pretty full. Most of the people there had seen the movie before, but a few (like the lady in front of us) hadn't. This cinema does a series called Cool Classics where they've been showing a classic movie every month over the summer (too bad I missed Labyrinth last month!). When we walked in they were actually playing the soundtrack from Buckaroo as the in-house music! Even more fun, they ran period previews before the film! We saw the trailers for War Games, Grandview USA, and Solarbabies. Ah, 80's cinema.... (Everyone in the theater had a moment of sighing, tributary silence during the preview for Grandview USA when Patrick Swayze came on the screen.)
Then it was time for Buckaroo Banzai...born of an American mother and a Japanese father...a brilliant neurosurgeon and rock star.... Why is there a watermelon there? ... Where are we going? Planet 10! When? Real soon!
Such a fun, fun night! :-)
During the conversation at the reception, it came up that Bruce had never seen Buckaroo Banzai. To which Meredith and I replied, "come on!" And, as soon as it was acceptable etiquette to leave the reception, we all went over to Meredith's house and watched the movie on tape. I think most of you also know that from that first meeting on Bruce and I were pretty much inseparable. We met on September 1st, 1990 and began dating on September 2nd.
Anyway, yesterday, I was reading the local movie listings online and saw that Buckaroo was playing in a special one-night showing at a local art house cinema! I instant messaged Bruce who replied, "Wasn't that the first movie we ever saw together?" From there, we decided that it would be a darned romantic way to spend the evening, so I skipped choir practice and we went to the movies!
Such fun!! The theater was pretty full. Most of the people there had seen the movie before, but a few (like the lady in front of us) hadn't. This cinema does a series called Cool Classics where they've been showing a classic movie every month over the summer (too bad I missed Labyrinth last month!). When we walked in they were actually playing the soundtrack from Buckaroo as the in-house music! Even more fun, they ran period previews before the film! We saw the trailers for War Games, Grandview USA, and Solarbabies. Ah, 80's cinema.... (Everyone in the theater had a moment of sighing, tributary silence during the preview for Grandview USA when Patrick Swayze came on the screen.)
Then it was time for Buckaroo Banzai...born of an American mother and a Japanese father...a brilliant neurosurgeon and rock star.... Why is there a watermelon there? ... Where are we going? Planet 10! When? Real soon!
Such a fun, fun night! :-)
Monday, August 31, 2009
August Recap
So, it's been a pretty full summer, but I still can't believe it's almost fall!
August held some great moments this year. At the beginning of the month I flew up to Grand Rapids, MI to get together with my K College buddies. We used to celebrate our birthdays together when we were in school and, now that we're marking our 40's, we decided it was time to do so again! Mitch hosted the gang at his beautiful house and the rains let up long enough for us to have a delightful afternoon on the beach at Lake Michigan followed by a wonderful evening on the porch back at Mitch's.
Of course, Bruce and I also marked our 17th wedding anniversary this month! A delightful milestone which included a surprise guest appearance by our friends Kevin and Raechel as they stopped off on their way home from Arkansas.
And we rolled up characters to begin a new D&D campaign later this fall - Bruce will be back at the helm of this adventure, I will once again be playing an Elf Ranger.
So, good times had with more to come!
August held some great moments this year. At the beginning of the month I flew up to Grand Rapids, MI to get together with my K College buddies. We used to celebrate our birthdays together when we were in school and, now that we're marking our 40's, we decided it was time to do so again! Mitch hosted the gang at his beautiful house and the rains let up long enough for us to have a delightful afternoon on the beach at Lake Michigan followed by a wonderful evening on the porch back at Mitch's.
Of course, Bruce and I also marked our 17th wedding anniversary this month! A delightful milestone which included a surprise guest appearance by our friends Kevin and Raechel as they stopped off on their way home from Arkansas.
And we rolled up characters to begin a new D&D campaign later this fall - Bruce will be back at the helm of this adventure, I will once again be playing an Elf Ranger.
So, good times had with more to come!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Happy Anniversary to Us!
Today we marked our 17th wedding anniversary! In some ways, it is really hard to believe that it's been that long (it feels like yesterday!) in others it seems like we've always been together. :-)
Despite some not-so-pleasant weather -- muggy temps and on-again/off-again storms -- we've had a nice day. Kevin and Raechel spent last night here on their way home from Arkansas, so we spent the morning visiting with them before they got on the road. We ran some errands and included a little extra playtime while doing them (bought imported chocolate!), despite the rain. We topped off the evening with our traditional steak dinner out.
Must take a moment here to recommend the Capital City Chop House - yummy! We made a reservation and informed them that we were celebrating our anniversary. When we got there, our waiter brought us a complimentary split of champagne to celebrate! Throughout the meal the service was fabulous. In addition, the food was pretty great! The tenderloin tips appetizer was fantastic, as was the tomato and mozzarella salad (recommended by our waiter). For dinner, Bruce had the strip steak -- which was good -- and I had the filet mignon -- which was excellent. We both had the asparagus with bernaise sauce, which was great. And we did a little experiment and concluded that bernaise sauce can indeed make anything taste better (it was amazing on the steak as well as the veggies).
Seventeen years. Hard to believe, but all together awesome. Here's to the next 17, and the 17 after that, and....
Despite some not-so-pleasant weather -- muggy temps and on-again/off-again storms -- we've had a nice day. Kevin and Raechel spent last night here on their way home from Arkansas, so we spent the morning visiting with them before they got on the road. We ran some errands and included a little extra playtime while doing them (bought imported chocolate!), despite the rain. We topped off the evening with our traditional steak dinner out.
Must take a moment here to recommend the Capital City Chop House - yummy! We made a reservation and informed them that we were celebrating our anniversary. When we got there, our waiter brought us a complimentary split of champagne to celebrate! Throughout the meal the service was fabulous. In addition, the food was pretty great! The tenderloin tips appetizer was fantastic, as was the tomato and mozzarella salad (recommended by our waiter). For dinner, Bruce had the strip steak -- which was good -- and I had the filet mignon -- which was excellent. We both had the asparagus with bernaise sauce, which was great. And we did a little experiment and concluded that bernaise sauce can indeed make anything taste better (it was amazing on the steak as well as the veggies).
Seventeen years. Hard to believe, but all together awesome. Here's to the next 17, and the 17 after that, and....
Friday, July 31, 2009
July Recap
My friend Kevin does these monthly update posts on his blog. The way life has seemed to become so overwhelmingly busy of late, I'm beginning to think he's on to something!
So, the month of July featured two major highlights for Chez Loebrich South. The first, obviously, was Suzanne's and Tim's wedding (and the visit home which encompassed it). The second was my 6th year hosting a Kalamazoo College student externship. The two events even dovetailed nicely, as you'll see.
We drove up to Ohio on June 26th and spent the weekend in Columbus with Debbe, Duncan, and Derek. Mom and Dad Loebrich were there, too. We had a delightful day at the Origins International Gaming Fair, and also enjoyed a wonderful afternoon visit with Steve and Pamela and Alex. Of course, we spent a great deal of time playing with our dear nephew, too! From there it was on to Toledo where we got to see Dad's and Cindy's fabulous remodeling job, spend some more quality time with Mom and Dad Loebrich, and visit Mom Stahl and Larry in Ann Arbor before the Wedding Stuff truly began.
Suzanne's and Tim's wedding (as previously described) was lovely! In the days leading up to the Big Day we did some fun family/girly stuff including time at the salon and trips up to Aunt Karen's and Uncle Chris' to help set up. The rehearsal dinner was a lot of fun - even though we had to learn a special dance - and the wedding itself was just perfect.
The day after the wedding, we drove into Ann Arbor to meet my new student - Dahlia. She and her mom had driven from Kalamazoo (90mins away) to meet us at the mall. We had a yummy lunch and a good visit before getting on the road home. Debbe and Duncan graciously agreed to be our "midway point" on the way home, too, so Dahlia got to meet Derek - who immediately wanted her to join in our Batman and Handy Manny game!
We made it safely back to NC and Dahlia began work at the station. She was an editing whiz which was a huge help to me as I had had a large archival editing process backlogging on my desk for months. In addition, she went out on two shoots, ran camera for a couple live broadcasts, and helped work on editing for the daily broadcast. Outside of work we took her to the usual touristy spots - Duke University and Gardens, UNC campus and Chapel Hill, Foster's Market, etc. - went out for some yummy dinners, and even took in a free outdoor concert one evening. She is now in Ecuador for her Junior Term Abroad.
Busy month. And more of those ahead. I tell you, my friend Kevin is on to something with these synopsis posts! Kevin, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. :-)
So, the month of July featured two major highlights for Chez Loebrich South. The first, obviously, was Suzanne's and Tim's wedding (and the visit home which encompassed it). The second was my 6th year hosting a Kalamazoo College student externship. The two events even dovetailed nicely, as you'll see.
We drove up to Ohio on June 26th and spent the weekend in Columbus with Debbe, Duncan, and Derek. Mom and Dad Loebrich were there, too. We had a delightful day at the Origins International Gaming Fair, and also enjoyed a wonderful afternoon visit with Steve and Pamela and Alex. Of course, we spent a great deal of time playing with our dear nephew, too! From there it was on to Toledo where we got to see Dad's and Cindy's fabulous remodeling job, spend some more quality time with Mom and Dad Loebrich, and visit Mom Stahl and Larry in Ann Arbor before the Wedding Stuff truly began.
Suzanne's and Tim's wedding (as previously described) was lovely! In the days leading up to the Big Day we did some fun family/girly stuff including time at the salon and trips up to Aunt Karen's and Uncle Chris' to help set up. The rehearsal dinner was a lot of fun - even though we had to learn a special dance - and the wedding itself was just perfect.
The day after the wedding, we drove into Ann Arbor to meet my new student - Dahlia. She and her mom had driven from Kalamazoo (90mins away) to meet us at the mall. We had a yummy lunch and a good visit before getting on the road home. Debbe and Duncan graciously agreed to be our "midway point" on the way home, too, so Dahlia got to meet Derek - who immediately wanted her to join in our Batman and Handy Manny game!
We made it safely back to NC and Dahlia began work at the station. She was an editing whiz which was a huge help to me as I had had a large archival editing process backlogging on my desk for months. In addition, she went out on two shoots, ran camera for a couple live broadcasts, and helped work on editing for the daily broadcast. Outside of work we took her to the usual touristy spots - Duke University and Gardens, UNC campus and Chapel Hill, Foster's Market, etc. - went out for some yummy dinners, and even took in a free outdoor concert one evening. She is now in Ecuador for her Junior Term Abroad.
Busy month. And more of those ahead. I tell you, my friend Kevin is on to something with these synopsis posts! Kevin, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. :-)
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Recycling Woes
When gas prices got really ridiculous last summer, we decided to move closer to work. We found a really nice apartment which we dearly love. It has a lot of amenities that our previous home - while adorable and in a great neighborhood - did not. The one thing our complex does not have, however, is on-site recycling.
Let me amend that statement. They do recycle cardboard - specifically boxes such as moving or shipping cartons. That's it. Sometime before we moved in, there was a more robust recycling program on-site. Unfortunately, so many of the residents violated the regulations by not only not sorting their recyclables, but (grosser!) not even separating their trash from their recyclables, that the provider canceled the contract. As was their right.
This was not really a big deal because, a few weeks after we moved in, we discovered that there was a county recycling drop-off site just up the street from the grocery store we frequent. So, we bought these great Rubbermaid bins with lids that seal shut and every other week we took our recycling with us on our usual grocery run. In fact, we last did that on Sunday, July 12th.
In a most amazingly bad fluke of timing, Durham's county recycling program shut down all but the main drop-off site on Monday the 13th. With no posted notice that we saw. We didn't find out until we went there today...and the hoppers were just gone. There was still no sign, by the way, we had to look it up online just so we could figure out where to take the stuff. (Oh, yes, I was quoting Arlo as we drove off looking for somewhere else to put the recycling!)
So, now, it turns out that we can only take our recycling to the main center on the north side of town. It is a very nice facility - huge! - we've been there before because that was the only place you could take stuff like old antifreeze. The people who work there are all super helpful, which is good because there are multiple buildings and figuring out which one takes your stuff is tricky, but their hours are darned inconvenient if you, say, work for a living. Their only weekend hours are Saturdays from 7:30am till Noon. Saturday has traditionally been my only morning to sleep in, it's also when I talk to my mom.
So, I guess we're going to have to plan to get up early every other week so we can hike over to the recycling center. Or, go to Orange County where we can drop stuff off at Southern Season and then pop in to buy some imported chocolate. Nice perk, but I really wish folks could just figure out how to sort their stuff so this kind of thing wouldn't happen.
Let me amend that statement. They do recycle cardboard - specifically boxes such as moving or shipping cartons. That's it. Sometime before we moved in, there was a more robust recycling program on-site. Unfortunately, so many of the residents violated the regulations by not only not sorting their recyclables, but (grosser!) not even separating their trash from their recyclables, that the provider canceled the contract. As was their right.
This was not really a big deal because, a few weeks after we moved in, we discovered that there was a county recycling drop-off site just up the street from the grocery store we frequent. So, we bought these great Rubbermaid bins with lids that seal shut and every other week we took our recycling with us on our usual grocery run. In fact, we last did that on Sunday, July 12th.
In a most amazingly bad fluke of timing, Durham's county recycling program shut down all but the main drop-off site on Monday the 13th. With no posted notice that we saw. We didn't find out until we went there today...and the hoppers were just gone. There was still no sign, by the way, we had to look it up online just so we could figure out where to take the stuff. (Oh, yes, I was quoting Arlo as we drove off looking for somewhere else to put the recycling!)
So, now, it turns out that we can only take our recycling to the main center on the north side of town. It is a very nice facility - huge! - we've been there before because that was the only place you could take stuff like old antifreeze. The people who work there are all super helpful, which is good because there are multiple buildings and figuring out which one takes your stuff is tricky, but their hours are darned inconvenient if you, say, work for a living. Their only weekend hours are Saturdays from 7:30am till Noon. Saturday has traditionally been my only morning to sleep in, it's also when I talk to my mom.
So, I guess we're going to have to plan to get up early every other week so we can hike over to the recycling center. Or, go to Orange County where we can drop stuff off at Southern Season and then pop in to buy some imported chocolate. Nice perk, but I really wish folks could just figure out how to sort their stuff so this kind of thing wouldn't happen.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Hilton Head Flashback
You probably guessed, from the previous post, that we recently took a trip up to the Midwest. Well, we also traveled this spring and I somehow did not get around to posting about it! So, before recapping our July trip, return with me now to yesteryear...or, at least, May....
The Annual Loebrich Family Vacation spanned the last week of April and the first week of May. Debbe and Derek flew into Durham a few days early and enjoyed spending time with Uncle Bruce at the Museum of Life and Science - their playground is awesome! Mom and Dad Loebrich drove down and joined the party on Saturday. On Sunday, the four of them headed on to Hilton Head where the weather was lovely.
Bruce and I joined them for the second week in the timeshare - which also happened to include my birthday. I got a pleasant surprise upon our arrival, Derek had chosen a balloon for me, even though it wasn't my birthday yet. It's even more impressive when you know that Derek is 3 and picked the balloon himself from among all the ones in the store, Dad just told him we needed a birthday balloon and he chose it (it says "happy birthday" on it and was amid many graduation-themed balloons in the display). It is still in my apartment, by the way, and has only recently lost enough helium to stop floating.
Anyway, we spent our time in SC enjoying the wonderful swimming pool by the condo and the gorgeous weather on the beach. The nearby pool had an added bonus - the maintenance folks were repairing the accompanying hot tob and had drained it into the pool, so the water temperature in the pool was a balmy 85, which was just perfect at 9am! Derek loves to run and play on the beach and in the ocean, and he is fearless, we "old fogeys" often had a hard time keeping up with him! I got some fabulous pictures of the family as we relaxed and enjoyed our time together.
On my actual birthday we had a quiet day capped off with presents, family dinner, cake, and a thunderstorm that was pretty to watch. Besides celebrating birthdays and swimming, we took in our usual favorite activities - shopping at the outlet mall, tooling about downtown Hilton Head, and, of course, I bought fudge!
Bruce and I returned a day early because I had committments at church. Then, on Sunday evening, the rest of the family returned to Durham. Cousin Amy was able to come over and join us for dinner that night, which was also nice. Mom and Dad headed back to Ohio on Monday while Bruce took Debbe and Derek to a different hands-on museum to wrap up their time in NC.
Some good quality family time filled with fun and R&R, to be sure!
The Annual Loebrich Family Vacation spanned the last week of April and the first week of May. Debbe and Derek flew into Durham a few days early and enjoyed spending time with Uncle Bruce at the Museum of Life and Science - their playground is awesome! Mom and Dad Loebrich drove down and joined the party on Saturday. On Sunday, the four of them headed on to Hilton Head where the weather was lovely.
Bruce and I joined them for the second week in the timeshare - which also happened to include my birthday. I got a pleasant surprise upon our arrival, Derek had chosen a balloon for me, even though it wasn't my birthday yet. It's even more impressive when you know that Derek is 3 and picked the balloon himself from among all the ones in the store, Dad just told him we needed a birthday balloon and he chose it (it says "happy birthday" on it and was amid many graduation-themed balloons in the display). It is still in my apartment, by the way, and has only recently lost enough helium to stop floating.
Anyway, we spent our time in SC enjoying the wonderful swimming pool by the condo and the gorgeous weather on the beach. The nearby pool had an added bonus - the maintenance folks were repairing the accompanying hot tob and had drained it into the pool, so the water temperature in the pool was a balmy 85, which was just perfect at 9am! Derek loves to run and play on the beach and in the ocean, and he is fearless, we "old fogeys" often had a hard time keeping up with him! I got some fabulous pictures of the family as we relaxed and enjoyed our time together.
On my actual birthday we had a quiet day capped off with presents, family dinner, cake, and a thunderstorm that was pretty to watch. Besides celebrating birthdays and swimming, we took in our usual favorite activities - shopping at the outlet mall, tooling about downtown Hilton Head, and, of course, I bought fudge!
Bruce and I returned a day early because I had committments at church. Then, on Sunday evening, the rest of the family returned to Durham. Cousin Amy was able to come over and join us for dinner that night, which was also nice. Mom and Dad headed back to Ohio on Monday while Bruce took Debbe and Derek to a different hands-on museum to wrap up their time in NC.
Some good quality family time filled with fun and R&R, to be sure!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Congratulations & Best Wishes, Suzanne & Tim!
It was a beautiful day in Onsted, Michigan as Katy's sister, Suzanne, and her beloved, Tim, were united in marriage. The weather was perfect for the gorgeous outdoor setting - special thanks to Aunt Karen and Uncle Chris for opening their home and yard for the Big Day! - despite forecasts which predicted a slight chance of rain, the clouds parted and the sun came out, temperatures were in the low 80's, and there was a gentle breeze off the lake. The gathered family and friends witnessed a very personal ceremony filled with laughter and tears, and followed by a delightful reception that was much more of a party than a formal event. Great food and great fun capped off a perfect day celebrating the wedding of two people very much in love.
Katy was delighted to stand up as a bridesmaid and Bruce graciously did whatever was necessary (his biggest task was transporting The Dress to Aunt Karen's house!) to help out. We were both just thrilled to be there and to participate in Suzi's and Tim's special day. Congratulations, guys, we love you both!
Katy was delighted to stand up as a bridesmaid and Bruce graciously did whatever was necessary (his biggest task was transporting The Dress to Aunt Karen's house!) to help out. We were both just thrilled to be there and to participate in Suzi's and Tim's special day. Congratulations, guys, we love you both!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
All Things Bears
In the summer of 2000, my friend Phyllis and I attended the Enesco Regional Convention in Charlotte. If you don't know, Enesco is the company behind many of the collectible items (Boyds Bears, Cherished Teddies, etc.) which you can find in the greeting cards stores and gift shops at your local mall. Anyway, Phyllis was big into collecting Cherished Teddy figurines at the time, and I collect stuffed animals and dolls, so we used to spend a lot of time at a local collectibles store. Then Phyllis invited me to go to this convention, and the staff of our local store had a group going as well, so we hooked up with them when we got there. It was an all-day event and was a lot of fun.
Among our group were some other ladies from the Raleigh area - Alice and Cheryl. We sort of knew them from the store where we all shopped, so we sat with them at meals. As we got to talking, they brought up this club they were in back home - the Southern Paws Teddy Bear Collectors Club. The club got together every other month to appreciate bears with themed parties and raise money for charity. Alice and Cheryl invited us to come to their next meeting and think about joining the club. Phyllis joined that fall, and I followed a few months after.
Over the years we had many wonderful gatherings full of fun and laughter. Themes ranged from Mardi Gras to Teddy Bear Picnic to Back to School and, of course, Christmas. There was always a smorgasbord of yumminess, and usually contests or raffles for prizes. The charities we supported ranged from humane animal shelters to the ASPCA, among others, before we turned our focus on supporting one of our own - Cheryl, who was battling cancer. Sure, the club was about bears, but mostly it was about fellowship - when we got together, we spent more time talking and enjoying each other's company than we did focusing on bears specifically.
As time went by, some of the women left the club for various reasons - new job, a move, what have you. We had trouble recruiting new members, too. Our local collectible store had closed when the family moved on to other things, so we didn't really have a logical place to advertise the club. Then, as it often does, Life began intruding on the rest of the local members. What had been a very regularly structured meeting schedule began to shift to fit around the conflicts that can arise.
We were down to about 5 regular local members, with a few additional members who had moved away who would come back to one or two gatherings, when things started to get really difficult. Not the people, the things. In 2006 we barely managed to have two meetings. I missed the February one because of bad weather, I didn't feel it was safe to drive. The spring meeting got moved to mid-summer when the hostess had a family conflict. The fall meeting never actually happened. These were really the big indicators that the club was struggling. Looking back on it, I can see small ones before this time, but 2006 was when it became very evident. By Christmas of that year, the club officers had decided to disband.
Phyllis and I had both decided that we were going to leave the club at the end of the year anyway. I suspect that our decision had a large impact on the officers' choosing to end the club, and I regret that. I had chosen to leave because I was having greater and greater difficulty finding the time to attend meetings (when we had them) and to prepare for them (making themed gifts, creating entries for the contests, having any money to enter the raffles, etc.) as my work-life became busier and busier.
So the club broke up. All the money remaining in the treasury went to Cheryl as she continued in her battle with cancer. I think there were some bad feelings and misconceptions in the dissolution. I regret that, too. I was very fond of the ladies and really enjoyed our times together. It was very sad that circumstances brought us to such an end. I still think of the ladies with great affection and hope they are doing well. Just how life unfolds, I guess. Life, like love, bears all things.
Among our group were some other ladies from the Raleigh area - Alice and Cheryl. We sort of knew them from the store where we all shopped, so we sat with them at meals. As we got to talking, they brought up this club they were in back home - the Southern Paws Teddy Bear Collectors Club. The club got together every other month to appreciate bears with themed parties and raise money for charity. Alice and Cheryl invited us to come to their next meeting and think about joining the club. Phyllis joined that fall, and I followed a few months after.
Over the years we had many wonderful gatherings full of fun and laughter. Themes ranged from Mardi Gras to Teddy Bear Picnic to Back to School and, of course, Christmas. There was always a smorgasbord of yumminess, and usually contests or raffles for prizes. The charities we supported ranged from humane animal shelters to the ASPCA, among others, before we turned our focus on supporting one of our own - Cheryl, who was battling cancer. Sure, the club was about bears, but mostly it was about fellowship - when we got together, we spent more time talking and enjoying each other's company than we did focusing on bears specifically.
As time went by, some of the women left the club for various reasons - new job, a move, what have you. We had trouble recruiting new members, too. Our local collectible store had closed when the family moved on to other things, so we didn't really have a logical place to advertise the club. Then, as it often does, Life began intruding on the rest of the local members. What had been a very regularly structured meeting schedule began to shift to fit around the conflicts that can arise.
We were down to about 5 regular local members, with a few additional members who had moved away who would come back to one or two gatherings, when things started to get really difficult. Not the people, the things. In 2006 we barely managed to have two meetings. I missed the February one because of bad weather, I didn't feel it was safe to drive. The spring meeting got moved to mid-summer when the hostess had a family conflict. The fall meeting never actually happened. These were really the big indicators that the club was struggling. Looking back on it, I can see small ones before this time, but 2006 was when it became very evident. By Christmas of that year, the club officers had decided to disband.
Phyllis and I had both decided that we were going to leave the club at the end of the year anyway. I suspect that our decision had a large impact on the officers' choosing to end the club, and I regret that. I had chosen to leave because I was having greater and greater difficulty finding the time to attend meetings (when we had them) and to prepare for them (making themed gifts, creating entries for the contests, having any money to enter the raffles, etc.) as my work-life became busier and busier.
So the club broke up. All the money remaining in the treasury went to Cheryl as she continued in her battle with cancer. I think there were some bad feelings and misconceptions in the dissolution. I regret that, too. I was very fond of the ladies and really enjoyed our times together. It was very sad that circumstances brought us to such an end. I still think of the ladies with great affection and hope they are doing well. Just how life unfolds, I guess. Life, like love, bears all things.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
There Ought To Be A Word For That...
The church up the street from our apartment complex has one of those message boards out front - the kind with the removable letters so you can change the text on it to say different things at different times. Usually, it says some sort of inspirational slogan on one side and then has informative stuff (like when the congregational pancake breakfast is) on the other.
Back in December, it said: Prelude to Christmas - Dec. 7, 14 & 21. Bruce and I looked at each other and he said, "A Prelude to Christmas, you know, there ought to be a word for that." I agreed with, "Yeah, something that means 'waiting' and 'pensive anticipation.'" We found this very funny.
Now the sign says: 40 Days of Love, March 1 - April 9.
You know, there ought to be a word for that....
Back in December, it said: Prelude to Christmas - Dec. 7, 14 & 21. Bruce and I looked at each other and he said, "A Prelude to Christmas, you know, there ought to be a word for that." I agreed with, "Yeah, something that means 'waiting' and 'pensive anticipation.'" We found this very funny.
Now the sign says: 40 Days of Love, March 1 - April 9.
You know, there ought to be a word for that....
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Ergonomics
Have you ever experienced good ergonomics? I am not referring to lumbar pillows, arch supports, curved keyboards, or the like. I'm talking about those moments, large or small, when you are in perfect harmony with your environment. My personal favorite type of ergonomic harmony is when I have a bunch of errands to run on my day off and I can organize them in such a way that I go from one to the other efficiently, getting everything done that I need to in as smooth a manner as possible.
But I've been experiencing a lot of good ergonomics of late! For instance, cooking is a dream since our move last summer. It's just a delight to move about in harmony with my kitchen. Also, I have one day a week at work when I don't usually have any projects but my own to complete and I can usually set up my computer in an edit suite and plow through several tasks at once at a good clip. Then, the other day, I was driving home and I needed to pull up my socks. I had no trouble manipulating the brake pedal, switching feet as I adjusted the offending socks, and completing the whole maneuver before the light changed. Last night, I was watching a really good TV show while organizing some files in my sunroom, which is just off the living room. It was exceedingly easy, and comfortable, to stretch out on the floor while watching the show and then just turn to sort the files.
Ergonomic harmony makes me happy. Look around you. Do you have moments like these?
But I've been experiencing a lot of good ergonomics of late! For instance, cooking is a dream since our move last summer. It's just a delight to move about in harmony with my kitchen. Also, I have one day a week at work when I don't usually have any projects but my own to complete and I can usually set up my computer in an edit suite and plow through several tasks at once at a good clip. Then, the other day, I was driving home and I needed to pull up my socks. I had no trouble manipulating the brake pedal, switching feet as I adjusted the offending socks, and completing the whole maneuver before the light changed. Last night, I was watching a really good TV show while organizing some files in my sunroom, which is just off the living room. It was exceedingly easy, and comfortable, to stretch out on the floor while watching the show and then just turn to sort the files.
Ergonomic harmony makes me happy. Look around you. Do you have moments like these?
Monday, March 9, 2009
Who Watches the Watchmen?
When I was a freshman at Kalamazoo College I became acquainted with a guy who was a year or two ahead of me at school. I don't remember how we met, and I *think* his name was Eric, but what I do remember is that he was a fellow comic book geek...and he introduced me to Watchmen. This was back in 1986/87, well before the series became a trade paperback or hard-bound "Absolute" collection. Several issues were already out when I first met up with Eric, and thereafter I would go over to his dorm room to read the new ones as they came out.
The series is ground-breaking, thought-provoking, mind-bending, and just all around brilliant. Like the commercials say, it's "the most celebrated graphic novel of all time." Watchmen is written by Alan Moore, who is a prolific author of some of the best known graphic novels out there. Watchmen is definitely top of the heap. I loved it from the get-go, but didn't own my own copy until after Bruce and I were married (thank you, Santa!).
Like all the other uber comic geeks out there, I have been both anticipating and dreading a film adaptation for years. The story is so intricate - and gets so cerebral - that translating it to film seemed really tricky, and yet I could think of little I'd enjoy more than seeing the story on the big screen. When I saw the first trailer for Watchmen (attached to Bond last fall) I wept in the theater - it was so gorgeous and so well realized. Since then, I've followed various tidbits on the internet, seen trailers and still shots, and read a few choice blogs from folks who got to see sneaks. Everything looked good.
Last Friday, Bruce and I went to the 7pm showing on Opening Day. O M G.
It was everything I'd hoped for and more. Sure, the acting is not Shakespeare on Broadway quality, sure the story is just as heady and wordy and difficult as the comic, but DANG folks! It is a true and brilliant adaptation. It is the comic book on film. It was amazingly, awesomely, fantastic and I just want to go see it again...and again...and...oh, just watch for the DVD to get added to my Amazon list, okay?
Oh, and if anyone had a pool going, it was during The Comedian's funeral that I started to cry in sheer, rapt joy at the brilliance that is Watchmen.
The series is ground-breaking, thought-provoking, mind-bending, and just all around brilliant. Like the commercials say, it's "the most celebrated graphic novel of all time." Watchmen is written by Alan Moore, who is a prolific author of some of the best known graphic novels out there. Watchmen is definitely top of the heap. I loved it from the get-go, but didn't own my own copy until after Bruce and I were married (thank you, Santa!).
Like all the other uber comic geeks out there, I have been both anticipating and dreading a film adaptation for years. The story is so intricate - and gets so cerebral - that translating it to film seemed really tricky, and yet I could think of little I'd enjoy more than seeing the story on the big screen. When I saw the first trailer for Watchmen (attached to Bond last fall) I wept in the theater - it was so gorgeous and so well realized. Since then, I've followed various tidbits on the internet, seen trailers and still shots, and read a few choice blogs from folks who got to see sneaks. Everything looked good.
Last Friday, Bruce and I went to the 7pm showing on Opening Day. O M G.
It was everything I'd hoped for and more. Sure, the acting is not Shakespeare on Broadway quality, sure the story is just as heady and wordy and difficult as the comic, but DANG folks! It is a true and brilliant adaptation. It is the comic book on film. It was amazingly, awesomely, fantastic and I just want to go see it again...and again...and...oh, just watch for the DVD to get added to my Amazon list, okay?
Oh, and if anyone had a pool going, it was during The Comedian's funeral that I started to cry in sheer, rapt joy at the brilliance that is Watchmen.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
March Comes In Like a Lion
Since it was all over the national news, you've probably heard (if you don't also already live here) that the Southeast got hit with some wintry weather to begin the month of March. Chez Loebrich South weathered the storm (pun intended!) with no problems.
It was pretty weird, though. Last Friday we hit 70 degrees with gorgeous sunshine. Then, on Saturday, it rained heavily all day and we struggled to get into the 50's -- plus there was fog so visibility while driving was sucky. Sunday the big front really began to pass over. It rained all day -- lightly for a bit, then really heavily for quite some time -- there were only one or two lulls in the storm during the day. We went out early for our Weekly Grocery Shop and were surprised to find only moderate crowds and ample foodstuffs at the store --usually just the threat of "weather" means a run on staple supplies.
Anyway, the big issue was the temperature. The high on Sunday was 36 and as the sun set the temps fell. By mid-evening it was snowing in Charlotte (2 and a half hours west of us) in big, fat flakes. Around 10, it began snowing in the Triangle. Monday morning, we woke up to 3 inches on the ground and a forecast high of 33...with wind. Nonetheless, after 20 minutes I had the car cleaned off (and had captured a few good photos of the snow!) and headed into work. The grounds at the station were gorgeous -- looked like a Currier and Ives Christmas card!
To be on the safe side, the producers decided we should record our program early so that folks could head home before the cold overnight temps (low of 16 last night!) made for black ice. Today it is sunny and cool, but most of the snow has melted and there are only patches of ice here and there where slush froze overnight. We're supposed to get back up to 70 by Saturday.
It was pretty weird, though. Last Friday we hit 70 degrees with gorgeous sunshine. Then, on Saturday, it rained heavily all day and we struggled to get into the 50's -- plus there was fog so visibility while driving was sucky. Sunday the big front really began to pass over. It rained all day -- lightly for a bit, then really heavily for quite some time -- there were only one or two lulls in the storm during the day. We went out early for our Weekly Grocery Shop and were surprised to find only moderate crowds and ample foodstuffs at the store --usually just the threat of "weather" means a run on staple supplies.
Anyway, the big issue was the temperature. The high on Sunday was 36 and as the sun set the temps fell. By mid-evening it was snowing in Charlotte (2 and a half hours west of us) in big, fat flakes. Around 10, it began snowing in the Triangle. Monday morning, we woke up to 3 inches on the ground and a forecast high of 33...with wind. Nonetheless, after 20 minutes I had the car cleaned off (and had captured a few good photos of the snow!) and headed into work. The grounds at the station were gorgeous -- looked like a Currier and Ives Christmas card!
To be on the safe side, the producers decided we should record our program early so that folks could head home before the cold overnight temps (low of 16 last night!) made for black ice. Today it is sunny and cool, but most of the snow has melted and there are only patches of ice here and there where slush froze overnight. We're supposed to get back up to 70 by Saturday.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Oscars 2009
For those of you interested, we're batting about average at Chez Loebrich South with about 75% correctly guessed. Thank you Academy, it was a great show, good night!
Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire
Yes! Whew! I was still scared of a split.
Hey, Lucy, I miss you! Wish you were here so we could compare notes over coffee in the newsroom tomorrow!
Best Actor - Sean Penn, Milk
Wow! The Academy hates him, he's too much of a "troublemaker" for them. His performance was brilliant, his message necessary, and, as surprised as I am, I am completely thrilled.
So why didn't they do this Legends presentation with Best Director? I can list a bunch of powerhouse folks I'd have loved to have seen up there....
Best Actress - Kate Winslet, The Reader
Yes! This was a splendid performance in a powerful movie.
Sophia Loren is still danged gorgeous! Classy.
Best Director - Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Yes! I was so scared this wouldn't happen. I'm still scared there's gonna be a split....
Classy. Bravo, bravissimo.
OK, if she's gonna sing, I'll let it go...'caue it's classy.
Oh, man! My dear Queen Latifah gets stuck introducing the Death Reel?
Bruce has been following the stats on Awards Daily for weeks. He's totally into handicapping the awards. He's so cute.
Foreign Language Film - Departures
Well, this is unexpected! We hadn't actually managed to see any of the nominees this year, but we were expecting Waltz With Bashir -- which looks like a brilliantly animated movie -- to take this one.
Original Song - "Jai Ho" Slumdog Millionaire
Well, I think I owe my coworker Dave a cookie. I was sure Slumdog was going to split the vote with two songs nominated in this category. Besides, so often the Original Song winner comes from the Best Animated Feature, especially if it's Disney or Pixar. Oh well, I don't mind. Slumdog was great fun and the song is pretty cool, too.
Wow! I am loving the Original Song performances! You know, overall the production values on this Oscar broadcast have been superb.
Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
Wow. I actually didn't expect this one to go this way. Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for Slumdog, but I love Danny Elfman...maybe he'll make another movie with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp...oh, the trifecta!
Film Editing - Slumdog Millionaire
Bruce is concerned that Slumdog won't sweep because it lost Sound Editing to The Dark Knight. :-(
Sound Mixing - Slumdog Millionaire
Bruce is funny. He's started saying, "anything but Benjamin Button." Sounds like me the year Titanic was up for everything. :-)
Sound Editing - The Dark Knight
Yay! This was a great movie, definitely in my top 5 this year, glad to see it winning more than just the expected.
Visual Effects - Benjamin Button
This is a bummer, actually. The Dark Knight and Iron Man were up in this, too. Another category full of deserving nominees. Wish I'd liked Benjamin Button more.
I love Will Smith! Too bad he didn't have a chance to write and perform a rap number for the Oscars!
OK, that's going to be one of the images in the paper tomorrow -- Philippe Petit balancing the Oscar on his chin!
Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
Didn't we tell you this was a lock? It was also one of the most brilliant performances of the year, heartily deserving of a nomination and an award. It's really awful that the ending wasn't as happy as we'd all have liked it to be.
OK, I'm loving this, but where's my girlfriend Queen Latifah?
Hmm, I've got a great idea for the next X-Men movie (after the one this May)...anybody else see a remake of, say, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers cast with the students of Professor X's school? Or, maybe, as they're doing now, Grease.... :-)
Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire
Yay!
Does anybody know if Cate Blanchett actually did her own dancing in Benjamin Button? I tried to figure that out on IMdB, but couldn't.
Makeup - Benjamin Button
Well, you know, prosthetic aging makeup is usually an Academy shoe-in. Actually, this seemed like the toughest category to me with Dark Knight and Hellboy II as the other nominees.
Not to speak too soon, but is anybody else impressed with clip at which this broadcast is progressing?
Costume Design - The Duchess
Well, duh. It's a costume drama, and a darn pretty one at that.
Art Direction - Benjamin Button
Wow. Has the sweep begun? (I hope not...although it was a pretty movie.)
That was too cute -- the Japanese man who won for Animated Short saying "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto" :-)
Animated Feature - Wall-E
Well, duh. I realized that I hadn't listed this in our predictions below, but, well..duh. (Bolt was cute, too, though.)
Adapted Screenplay - Slumdog Millionaire
Yay! Has the sweep begun?
Original Screenplay - Milk
This was a surprise. It was a great movie, as I said before it's the right story at the right time, I just wasn't expecting it to win screenplay.
UPDATE 8:53pm: OK, this screenplay intro is hilarious!
Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz
Yay! We called this one and we're glad it went this way because she really was good. Also, we're liking this having the past winners announce the awards. That was really touching. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of them play out.
UPDATE 8:33pm: Yay! Welcome back, Opening Musical Number! Nobody could've done it better than Handsome Hugh!
UPDATE 8:27pm: So, do you suppose Lou Horvitz is going to win another Emmy for directing the Oscars? Looks like they've got a pretty ambitious show planned. Stay tuned!
UPDATE 8:20pm: That was the best intro to the Price Waterhouse guys I've ever seen!! Plus I love the fashion commentary about what they're wearing! Yay, Price Waterhouse and the winning envelopes!
UPDATE 8:10pm: That is SO cool that they've got the ENTIRE CAST of Slumdog! Guess it's not like graduation where you only get like 4 tickets!
UPDATE 8:02pm: So, now it's onto ABC's coverage. Hey, Wayne -- I've got my popcorn and "E's and 3's"!
UPDATE 7:58pm: I love Robert Downey, Jr. I haven't seen Tropic Thunder, but I have always liked him as an actor. Did you see Iron Man? He literally rocked in that -- although Chaplin remains my favorite role from him. Ooh, he says they're working on a sequel to Iron Man. As a Marvel girl, I appreciate that, too.
UPDATE 7:55pm: Did I miss my boyfriend Johnny? I haven't seen him up the hotness factor yet....
UPDATE 7:38pm: So who had TOTALLY AMAZINGLY BURNING HOT in the pool for how Brad and Angelina would look? Because you were SO right - whoa!
UPDATE 7:36pm: I would be remiss if I did not mention how much I also adore Queen Latifah - so gorgeous and so talented and so awesomely cool! Can't wait to hear her sing later.
UPDATE 7:34pm: I am watching Ron Howard be interviewed right now. He has been in my Top 10 Favorite Directors for years, and not just because he looks a little like my dad. :-)
The stars are arriving on Red Carpet Way, the crazy "fluff packages" and interviews are all over E! Entertainment Television, we're having our traditional steak and Coppola wine with popcorn and M&M's waiting in the kitchen, it's the big night at Chez Loebrich South -- Happy Oscars!
Predictions:
Best Picture: Bruce - Slumdog Millionaire, Katy - Slumdog Millionaire, but I'd be happy if Milk won, too, just so long as Benjamin Button doesn't.
Best Director: Bruce - Danny Boyle (Slumdog), Katy - Danny Boyle (Slumdog), but I'd be happy if Dad's "twin brother" Ron Howard won, too.
Best Actor: Bruce - Mickey Rourke, Katy - Mickey Rourke
Best Actress: Bruce - Kate Winslet (The Reader), but he'd love it if Anne Hathaway won, Katy - Kate Winslet, but I could see Meryl Streep pulling it out, too.
Best Supporting Actor: Bruce - Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Katy - Heath Ledger, but Bruce doesn't think it's as much of a lock as I do.
Best Supporting Actress: Bruce - Penelope Cruzy (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Katy - Penelope Cruz, but this is a tough one.
Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire
Yes! Whew! I was still scared of a split.
Hey, Lucy, I miss you! Wish you were here so we could compare notes over coffee in the newsroom tomorrow!
Best Actor - Sean Penn, Milk
Wow! The Academy hates him, he's too much of a "troublemaker" for them. His performance was brilliant, his message necessary, and, as surprised as I am, I am completely thrilled.
So why didn't they do this Legends presentation with Best Director? I can list a bunch of powerhouse folks I'd have loved to have seen up there....
Best Actress - Kate Winslet, The Reader
Yes! This was a splendid performance in a powerful movie.
Sophia Loren is still danged gorgeous! Classy.
Best Director - Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Yes! I was so scared this wouldn't happen. I'm still scared there's gonna be a split....
Classy. Bravo, bravissimo.
OK, if she's gonna sing, I'll let it go...'caue it's classy.
Oh, man! My dear Queen Latifah gets stuck introducing the Death Reel?
Bruce has been following the stats on Awards Daily for weeks. He's totally into handicapping the awards. He's so cute.
Foreign Language Film - Departures
Well, this is unexpected! We hadn't actually managed to see any of the nominees this year, but we were expecting Waltz With Bashir -- which looks like a brilliantly animated movie -- to take this one.
Original Song - "Jai Ho" Slumdog Millionaire
Well, I think I owe my coworker Dave a cookie. I was sure Slumdog was going to split the vote with two songs nominated in this category. Besides, so often the Original Song winner comes from the Best Animated Feature, especially if it's Disney or Pixar. Oh well, I don't mind. Slumdog was great fun and the song is pretty cool, too.
Wow! I am loving the Original Song performances! You know, overall the production values on this Oscar broadcast have been superb.
Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
Wow. I actually didn't expect this one to go this way. Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for Slumdog, but I love Danny Elfman...maybe he'll make another movie with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp...oh, the trifecta!
Film Editing - Slumdog Millionaire
Bruce is concerned that Slumdog won't sweep because it lost Sound Editing to The Dark Knight. :-(
Sound Mixing - Slumdog Millionaire
Bruce is funny. He's started saying, "anything but Benjamin Button." Sounds like me the year Titanic was up for everything. :-)
Sound Editing - The Dark Knight
Yay! This was a great movie, definitely in my top 5 this year, glad to see it winning more than just the expected.
Visual Effects - Benjamin Button
This is a bummer, actually. The Dark Knight and Iron Man were up in this, too. Another category full of deserving nominees. Wish I'd liked Benjamin Button more.
I love Will Smith! Too bad he didn't have a chance to write and perform a rap number for the Oscars!
OK, that's going to be one of the images in the paper tomorrow -- Philippe Petit balancing the Oscar on his chin!
Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
Didn't we tell you this was a lock? It was also one of the most brilliant performances of the year, heartily deserving of a nomination and an award. It's really awful that the ending wasn't as happy as we'd all have liked it to be.
OK, I'm loving this, but where's my girlfriend Queen Latifah?
Hmm, I've got a great idea for the next X-Men movie (after the one this May)...anybody else see a remake of, say, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers cast with the students of Professor X's school? Or, maybe, as they're doing now, Grease.... :-)
Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire
Yay!
Does anybody know if Cate Blanchett actually did her own dancing in Benjamin Button? I tried to figure that out on IMdB, but couldn't.
Makeup - Benjamin Button
Well, you know, prosthetic aging makeup is usually an Academy shoe-in. Actually, this seemed like the toughest category to me with Dark Knight and Hellboy II as the other nominees.
Not to speak too soon, but is anybody else impressed with clip at which this broadcast is progressing?
Costume Design - The Duchess
Well, duh. It's a costume drama, and a darn pretty one at that.
Art Direction - Benjamin Button
Wow. Has the sweep begun? (I hope not...although it was a pretty movie.)
That was too cute -- the Japanese man who won for Animated Short saying "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto" :-)
Animated Feature - Wall-E
Well, duh. I realized that I hadn't listed this in our predictions below, but, well..duh. (Bolt was cute, too, though.)
Adapted Screenplay - Slumdog Millionaire
Yay! Has the sweep begun?
Original Screenplay - Milk
This was a surprise. It was a great movie, as I said before it's the right story at the right time, I just wasn't expecting it to win screenplay.
UPDATE 8:53pm: OK, this screenplay intro is hilarious!
Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz
Yay! We called this one and we're glad it went this way because she really was good. Also, we're liking this having the past winners announce the awards. That was really touching. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of them play out.
UPDATE 8:33pm: Yay! Welcome back, Opening Musical Number! Nobody could've done it better than Handsome Hugh!
UPDATE 8:27pm: So, do you suppose Lou Horvitz is going to win another Emmy for directing the Oscars? Looks like they've got a pretty ambitious show planned. Stay tuned!
UPDATE 8:20pm: That was the best intro to the Price Waterhouse guys I've ever seen!! Plus I love the fashion commentary about what they're wearing! Yay, Price Waterhouse and the winning envelopes!
UPDATE 8:10pm: That is SO cool that they've got the ENTIRE CAST of Slumdog! Guess it's not like graduation where you only get like 4 tickets!
UPDATE 8:02pm: So, now it's onto ABC's coverage. Hey, Wayne -- I've got my popcorn and "E's and 3's"!
UPDATE 7:58pm: I love Robert Downey, Jr. I haven't seen Tropic Thunder, but I have always liked him as an actor. Did you see Iron Man? He literally rocked in that -- although Chaplin remains my favorite role from him. Ooh, he says they're working on a sequel to Iron Man. As a Marvel girl, I appreciate that, too.
UPDATE 7:55pm: Did I miss my boyfriend Johnny? I haven't seen him up the hotness factor yet....
UPDATE 7:38pm: So who had TOTALLY AMAZINGLY BURNING HOT in the pool for how Brad and Angelina would look? Because you were SO right - whoa!
UPDATE 7:36pm: I would be remiss if I did not mention how much I also adore Queen Latifah - so gorgeous and so talented and so awesomely cool! Can't wait to hear her sing later.
UPDATE 7:34pm: I am watching Ron Howard be interviewed right now. He has been in my Top 10 Favorite Directors for years, and not just because he looks a little like my dad. :-)
The stars are arriving on Red Carpet Way, the crazy "fluff packages" and interviews are all over E! Entertainment Television, we're having our traditional steak and Coppola wine with popcorn and M&M's waiting in the kitchen, it's the big night at Chez Loebrich South -- Happy Oscars!
Predictions:
Best Picture: Bruce - Slumdog Millionaire, Katy - Slumdog Millionaire, but I'd be happy if Milk won, too, just so long as Benjamin Button doesn't.
Best Director: Bruce - Danny Boyle (Slumdog), Katy - Danny Boyle (Slumdog), but I'd be happy if Dad's "twin brother" Ron Howard won, too.
Best Actor: Bruce - Mickey Rourke, Katy - Mickey Rourke
Best Actress: Bruce - Kate Winslet (The Reader), but he'd love it if Anne Hathaway won, Katy - Kate Winslet, but I could see Meryl Streep pulling it out, too.
Best Supporting Actor: Bruce - Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Katy - Heath Ledger, but Bruce doesn't think it's as much of a lock as I do.
Best Supporting Actress: Bruce - Penelope Cruzy (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Katy - Penelope Cruz, but this is a tough one.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Wanted
Nominated for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing (somebody please tell me which of those is foley work?!), Wanted is the story of an unhappy man whose life takes a sudden turn when a beautiful assassin enters the picture. In a matter of moments, Wesley learns he is the son of a professional assassin and a legacy member into their guild. Ditching his miserable life as an account manager with an unfaithful girlfriend and a two-timing best friend, he takes up with the assassin's guild and learns to be a killer. The lessons and insights he gains turn his life around.
This movie was a lot of fun. It had great humor in addition to an interesting plot and fabulous special effects. We saw this with our friends Ken and Cathy and we all had a good time and liked the film even more than we expected to.
Moms, no. Shoot-em-ups are definitely not your style, even funny ones.
This movie was a lot of fun. It had great humor in addition to an interesting plot and fabulous special effects. We saw this with our friends Ken and Cathy and we all had a good time and liked the film even more than we expected to.
Moms, no. Shoot-em-ups are definitely not your style, even funny ones.
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Duchess
Nominated for Art Direction and Costume Design, The Duchess is the true story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and her troubled marriage and political aspirations.
As you'd guess from the nominations, this is a beautiful movie. When it started, it was very slow and we were concerned that it wouldn't get better, but it did. The trials and tribulations of the main character were interesting in their complexity, but the performances were pretty standard and the costuming and the sets really were the best part overall. It was also interesting to get a bit of a peek at some royal history (Georgiana's brother is an ancestor of Princess Diana).
Our opinion of this film is that it was okay. My mom might enjoy it for the royal angle, but there's a lot of tension and mean husbands and things like that.
As you'd guess from the nominations, this is a beautiful movie. When it started, it was very slow and we were concerned that it wouldn't get better, but it did. The trials and tribulations of the main character were interesting in their complexity, but the performances were pretty standard and the costuming and the sets really were the best part overall. It was also interesting to get a bit of a peek at some royal history (Georgiana's brother is an ancestor of Princess Diana).
Our opinion of this film is that it was okay. My mom might enjoy it for the royal angle, but there's a lot of tension and mean husbands and things like that.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Frozen River
Nominated for Best Actress (Melissa Leo) and Original Screenplay, Frozen River is the story of a woman trying to support her family on limited means in upstate New York. When her husband walks out and takes the family's savings, she takes the desperate option of supplementing her meager paycheck by helping smuggle immigrants into the country from Canada. Her partner is a Mohawk named Lila who has been making a living this way for a while. The two women eventually bond over the similarities of the situation.
OK, I've liked Melissa Leo for years, and she was good in this movie, but I wasn't overwhelmed by the performance. In fact, I thought the actor playing her teenage son was the best performer in the movie. The plot is very basic and the other characters, as with Changeling, are fairly stereotypical.
Moms, this is definitely not up your alley. Other readers, choose as you like, I'm rather lukewarm about this one.
OK, I've liked Melissa Leo for years, and she was good in this movie, but I wasn't overwhelmed by the performance. In fact, I thought the actor playing her teenage son was the best performer in the movie. The plot is very basic and the other characters, as with Changeling, are fairly stereotypical.
Moms, this is definitely not up your alley. Other readers, choose as you like, I'm rather lukewarm about this one.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Visitor
Nominated for Best Actor (Richard Jenkins), The Visitor is the story of a college professor and the impact some unexpected friends have on his life. Walter has been living in Connecticut and teaching at the university for 20+ years. His late wife was a concert pianist and he has been searching to bring the music back into his life since her death. One day he is sent to New York City to present a paper at a conference because his co-author has been put on bed-rest for a pregnancy. He goes reluctantly and lets himself into the apartment he owns in the city -- where his wife would stay when she was performing and recording. Walter has not been to the apartment since his wife passed away, although he has maintained the lease. Much to his surprise, someone in the building has rented his apartment out to a young immigrant couple -- Tarek and Zainab. Despite the initial awkwardness of their situation, a friendship blossoms between the trio and changes all their lives.
This was a really good movie with some fine performances. Jenkins' nomination is well-deserved, to be sure. The characters, their development and their interaction are what make this film worthwhile.
Moms, maybe. There is definitely tension, but very little actual violence, and it is a moving story.
This was a really good movie with some fine performances. Jenkins' nomination is well-deserved, to be sure. The characters, their development and their interaction are what make this film worthwhile.
Moms, maybe. There is definitely tension, but very little actual violence, and it is a moving story.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Changeling
Nominated for Best Actress (Angelina Jolie), Cinematography, and Art Direction, Changeling is the true story of Christine Collins and her search for Walter, her missing son. Walter disappeared in 1928 on a day when Christine was called into work to cover for a sick coworker. Five months later the police recover a boy matching Walter's description, but he is not her son. Without the benefit of modern forensics, and needing good press, the police insist the boy is Walter despite Christine's protests. Instead, she is considered insane and committed to a mental institution under the pretext that she is an unfit mother for not accepting this boy. When she is proven right, with the aid of a local minister and other experts, the police department is put on trial. At the same time, a man who frequently kidnapped and killed missing children is also standing trial for his crimes -- one of which may be Walter's murder.
Well, the movie is gorgeous -- which you would expect with Art Direction and Cinematography nods -- and so is Angelina, who also proves (again) that she is not just a pretty face, but also a fine actress. But that's about it. The movie is very predictable and, because it's based on a true story, it doesn't actually have any resolution. Bruce said that, while Angelina's character was well fleshed-out and played, everyone and everything else seemed like stereotypes and caricatures. That's a pretty apt description. I was disappointed. I had high hopes for this film when it originally came out and was sorry I'd missed it in the theater, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
Moms, sorry, but "separation of mothers and children" automatically puts a movie in your "no" column.
Well, the movie is gorgeous -- which you would expect with Art Direction and Cinematography nods -- and so is Angelina, who also proves (again) that she is not just a pretty face, but also a fine actress. But that's about it. The movie is very predictable and, because it's based on a true story, it doesn't actually have any resolution. Bruce said that, while Angelina's character was well fleshed-out and played, everyone and everything else seemed like stereotypes and caricatures. That's a pretty apt description. I was disappointed. I had high hopes for this film when it originally came out and was sorry I'd missed it in the theater, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
Moms, sorry, but "separation of mothers and children" automatically puts a movie in your "no" column.
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