Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike... and Stuff

Ohhhhhmigosh, an old friend from work spotted Jeff and me at Zach Theater last night! It was incredibly coincidental, since I was JUST showing my coworkers a photo of him at Ina's wedding in 1992. Seeing him in person was a crazy moment, I tell ya'. He's long since left pharma, but I gave him the shocking rundown of all the people from the old company who currently work with me. So fun seeing him! I can't wait to tell everyone Monday.

The comedy play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a Tony Award-winning Broadway show with which many of us in the audience were previously unfamiliar, was really good! Vanya's (played by Greater Tuna's Jaston Williams) tirade about missing the good old days was PRICELESS. We were rolling in the aisles. Lauren Lane was amazing as Sonia (and as Sonia as "Dame Maggie Smith on Her Way to the Oscars") and Carla Nickerson (Cassandra) had us cracking up every time she stepped on stage. It is playing through June 22, so get yourselves up to Zach and see it!


Saturday 9: "Meet the Flintstones"
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) The song promises that, "When you're with the Flintstones, you'll have a yabba-dabba-doo time." So clearly Wilma was one accomplished hostess. What about you? Do you enjoy having company?
I enjoy having company, but I haven't done as much hostessing in the past few years as I used to. I like casual entertaining, rather than fancy dinners or cocktail parties. I prefer hosting a movie or sports-watching event with appetizers, a game night, or something interesting like a Beer Tasting or Chocolate Tasting.

2) Since lyrics say, "Let's ride with the family down the street/courtesy of Fred's two feet," we're assuming the pedal-powered Flintstone car didn't require much gas. Are you loyal to a particular brand of gas? Or do you fill up with whatever is nearby, or least expensive?
I go for the cheapest gas I can get nearby.

3) Clearly a sharp-dressed man in stone-age Bedrock wore a long tunic and no pants. What are you wearing right now, as you answer these questions?
denim capris and a yellow button-down top with a white tank top underneath

4) Pebbles Flintstone grew up with Dino the Dinosaur and Baby Puss the Saber-Tooth Cat. Did you have any pets as you were growing up?
Mickey, an orange tabby cat I had from age 8 through heading off to college

5) Mr. Slate is Fred's blustery boss at quarry, and he frequently threatens to fire Fred. Have you ever had a bad-tempered boss?
Just one. She never threatened to fire me. She was just in an interminably pissy mood. I cannot stand to be around people like that.

6) It's estimated that during The Flintstones original run (1960-1966), it was viewed by as many adults as kids. Now that you're a grown up, do you still watch cartoons?
If Lauren is around, we occasionally watch Spongebob together. Do adult cartoons count? I watch Family Guy and Archer, if they happen to be on when I'm flipping channels.

7) In 1961, The Flintstones was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award as Outstanding Comedy Series. Do you watch awards shows?
Oh yes. I love rooting for my favorites to win and seeing all the dresses.

8) There are at least two Flintstones-themed amusement parks currently in operation. Do you enjoy scary rides? 
Very much so, from childhood through my 20's, but I was scared to death on Mr. Freeze when we last rode it at Six Flags in Arlington several years ago on a cheer trip. I still enjoy a really exciting, traditional roller coaster.

9) Flintstones Vitamins are still on store shelves. Do you take a vitamin each morning?
I try to, but I usually forget. Sorry, Mom!

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Chuy's New Mexican Martini

Last week, Scott was telling me about "OJ'ing it" from gate 16 to gate 88 at the Denver airport. He wondered if kids today think that means he killed two people on his way to the gate. Ha.

I found Chuy's New Mexican Martini recipe. Yummo. Incidentally, it's New Mexican because it has hatch chile (from New Mexico) infused tequila, not because it is the "new" Mexican Martini. Contemplate that while you're having a martini or two.

Chuy's actual recipe is within an article from Greenville Online. Details on the various steps are in this article about the Chuy's New Mexican Martini from Dad Cooks Dinner. From one of the comments on Mike's blog, we know that Chuy's roasts their chiles before infusing. (So that's what those black flecks are, when you get it at the restaurant.)

Putting it all together...

Chuy's New Mexican Martini

2 ounces of Hatch green chile-infused el Jimador tequila
1 ounce of Cointreau
1 ½ ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 ½ ounces sugar water
Jalapeno-stuffed olives

Makes 1 cocktail.

1. Roast and slice your Hatch green chiles (Anaheim chiles are the same chile, just from Cali instead of NM). Pioneer Woman has a great article on how to roast peppers.

2. Infuse your tequila with the roasted chiles. This is a 2-3 day process, so if you need a drink immediately, pop open a Shiner Bock before you start infusing. Roasted hatch infusion directions are at Boozed + Infused. If you're trying out raw jalapenos or serranos instead, head over to Dad Cooks Dinner for guidance.

3. Stick with Dad Cooks Dinner for simple syrup (sugar water) instructions and finish out the drink process there as well!

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No Day But Today

We volunteered at Urban Roots Farm yesterday with Scott-n-Julie, Jay, Conseulo and Bruce & his boys. We loved it! It's such a great program and we had a lot of fun with the kids.

Then we all went to Lisa's for a barbecue and I got to see both her and Consuelo's remodeled kitchens. SO pretty! I got some great ideas for my kitchen update, along with a couple of referrals to contractors. Now maybe I'll get my butt in gear and get on this project.

In other news... One of our crazy business ideas at work this week was to write the next big thing in Broadway musicals. Later, after hearing the "Jeff and Kathy" story, during which I mentioned that we dated for a year, broke up for a year and then got back together again, Crystal declared that our musical would be called The Year Off. It would be about that in-between year I wasn't dating Jeff and all the crazy stuff that happened.

Between my actual 'year off' experiences and the fictional ones we came up with, it could be a pretty decent story!

Friday's grand business idea: Dead body disposal service.


Sunday Stealing: Random XV

1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?
My aerobic shoes are probably 6 years old.

2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what variety? 
We bought Thin Mints.

3. Do you know how to ballroom dance? 
No.

4. Were you a responsible child/teenager? 
Yes. :)

5. How many of this year's Oscar-nominated movies did you see? 
7--
American Hustle
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
The Great Gatsby
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Prisoners

6. If you're going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself?
Easier to watch someone else.

7. What is your favorite day of the week and why?
Saturday, because it's so relaxing and most of the weekend is still to come.

8. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
"You're such a great mom."

9. Do hospitals make you queasy?
Only if I'm the patient.

10. At which store would you like to max-out your credit card?
Z Gallerie

11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items? 
For some items, but not for most. I'll try new brands of clothing, makeup, foods, etc., to see what's new and what may be better than I currently buy.

12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels? 
Neither.

13. What’s one thing you’re deeply proud of — but would never put on your résumé? 
All the poetry and songs I've written.

14. What’s the most out-of-character choice you’ve ever made? 
The "Cheer Mom Incident" in Frisco several years ago. That is the only time I've ever angrily confronted someone I don't know.

15. What’s your personal anthem or theme song?
"No Day but Today" from Rent

There's only us
There's only this
Forget regret or life is yours to miss
No other road
No other way
No day but today

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An Unusually Focused Post on Randomness

Ree Drummond posted a winding, random post yesterday, in a list format. Love that. I'm a big fan (and author) of the random in the blogosphere. I wish I had time to read Rhee's blog regularly and try more of her recipes than just Pots de Creme (OMG- so good), but I do enjoy her Facebook updates.

Speaking of Facebook, one place I do not enjoy randomness is in my Facebook Mobile news feed. It's now virtually impossible (yet not, just jump through some hoops and click the lines icon at the bottom right corner of the screen and then Feeds>Most Recent) to see your news feed in chronological order. The word chronological has the word logical in it, Facebook. Catch a clue. You hardly ever get my "Top Stories" correct and now I have no idea what has been posted anymore. I haven't figured out how "Top Stories" makes Facebook more money than "Most Recent," but I am certain that is the single reason it exists.

In a random coincidence of epic proportions, I was chatting with Pedro this afternoon and mentioned that someone I know grew up in Mexico City. At that very moment, one of my pals checked in on Facebook IN MEXICO CITY.

THE Mexico City.

*Twilight Zone music*

And in a lesson on randomness, I recently had to convince a certain someone at work that Crystal's and my method of selecting a patient from a small group at random is completely legit. Writing the patient numbers on individual tiny pieces of paper, tossing them into the air and choosing the one that lands closest to Crystal's chair employs exactly the same logic as Crystal writing a program to generate a random selection from those same numbers.

It's just more fun.

From xkcd

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Say Something I'm Giving Up On You

A Great Big World's "Say Something" is a juxtaposition of emotion. A couple is so distraught over their differences and conflicts that they're about to go their separate ways without even speaking to each other, yet every single note... and run... and breath of the song is precisely synchronized between the male and female vocalists.

Yep. These are the things I notice about music and lyrics.



Had fun at Mel's Stella & Dot party this weekend! I bought two necklaces. Their stuff is really pretty and versatile, because you can wear a lot of the pieces in multiple ways. One of the girls at the party was wearing stunning Kendra Scott earrings, so we all started talking about her jewelry, too. I love Kendra Scott's bright colors!


Curious as a Cat: Week Number 419

1) Do you plan on retiring? If so, when? How do you feel about it? What will you do with your time?
I think I'll retire around 68-70. I don't think about it much yet, other than to stockpile my 401k. I'll probably keep a 10-hour-a-week job somewhere or a volunteer position, just to stay busy. I hope we can travel and I'd really love to write.

2) What did (or does) your grandmother look like? Describe her so we'd know her on sight.

Oma Elise

My dad's mother just recently passed away in March. She was 97. She was an assertive, German red head, but so incredibly loving and huggy with her grandchildren (3) and her one great-granddaughter, Lauren. :)

3) If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be and how long would it take you to spend the $10,000?
Target. It would take me about 66.67 trips at $150 each.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Photo © Cat. 2013
It reminds me of when I worked at the middle school library part-time a few years back. The clerk job was a mixed bag, but the kids were always a hoot!

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Candy Crush Level 361- Crushed!

Looking for tips on Candy Crush level 361? It took about three weeks for me to get through it, so I have some:

1) Make your moves on the side of the board, especially in the column where the first fruit drops, as much as possible. That is critical. You want subsequent fruits to drop in the original column or a maximum of two columns over. After figuring this out, I frequently got 3 fruits in one column. Your efforts are doubled or tripled if you can get one striped candy to take out a column where 2-3 fruits are ready to collect. When you make moves all over the board, fruits drop all over the board. It's virtually impossible to create enough stripes to collect them that way.

2) Collect some lollipop hammers. If you're running out of moves and have a stack of fruits ready to exit and only a few candies in the way, just take them out with hammers. That's how I finally finished the level.

3) My order of preferred moves:
  a) create a vertically striped candy
  b) use a vertically striped candy in a combo, preferably to take out a column without a chocolate dispenser
  c) create a horizontally striped candy
  d) make a move along the bottom, with an effort to take out as many meringue blockers as possible on columns without chocolate dispensers
  e) make a move closest to the bottom as possible, with vertical combos preferred

4) Take out chocolate only as necessary. My final board was half covered in chocolate. Don't let it bother you unless it is encroaching on the area where you are working. Your occasional horizontal stripe combos will keep it at bay for the most part.

Good luck!!

In other news... I so love my coworkers and especially the Data Management gals. We are the most cohesive bunch of people I've been around since my college days. And best of all, we have absolutely the most fun lunch hour (or hour-and-a-half) on the planet every day.

:D

Saturday 9: Vacation (1982)
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) Do you know how to water ski?
Nope. And I'm perfectly content to watch from the boat while others do it.

2) Do you have 2014 vacation plans?
No.

3) Do you have a passport?
Yes.

4) If you took a 7-night cruise, could you completely unplug -- no phone calls, no texts, no internet?
I always unplug on cruises. It's one of my favorite parts of cruising... and it's too expensive not to. I have occasionally checked my email and Facebook literally once or twice (for about $10) during a week long cruise, but that's it.

5) Do you own a travel alarm clock?
Yes, but I just use my phone.

6) Though the Go-Gos broke up in 1985, they frequently reunite for live performances. What's the last concert you attended?
Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson in September at the Austin 360 Amphitheater. SO awesome.

7) Their first hit was "Our Lips Are Sealed." Can you be trusted with a secret?
Absolutely.

8) In 1982, when this song was popular, the comedy Tootsie was in theaters. What movie makes you laugh?
A bunch, but two of my very favorites are The Hangover and Pitch Perfect.

9) Sam is chewing on a Tums as she composes these questions. What's the last over-the-counter medication that you took?
Excedrin Migraine for an excruciating headache (not a migraine- just a sinus pressure thing from a front coming through) on Thursday. It worked after aspirin, Tylenol and Motrin had failed.

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Thor

Jeff, Kathy, Alex and I saw The Amazing Spiderman this weekend. It was long but excellent. The one bad thing was that it is one of those films where you think it's over and then a whole new story starts up and there's twenty minutes of letdown secondary lame-o climax at the end. Awesome special effects! Great story. Didn't like the weird ending.

On the way home we talked about superheroes and Thor came up.

Y'all.

Did you know that Thor of the Marvel comic book is NOT the Thor of mythology?! It's true.

I swear to Zeus, I had no idea. I could have sworn mythical Thor had a hammer. No?

It was explained to me that Thor is like Batman, not like Hercules.

Ahh.

So I suggested there should be a Thor/Batman movie. That would be cool. Well, guess what. Marvel and DC Comics characters. There is no scenario where Thor and Batman will team up. Or fight each other. Sad, really.

In the post mortem of all this, I looked up Thor the god, and YES he indeed has a hammer. From Wikipedia, source of all sources:

In 1962, American comic book writer Stan Lee and his brother Larry Lieber, together with Jack Kirby, created the Marvel Comics superhero Thor, which they based on the god of the same name.

Ha.

Thor is a Norse god and has no relation to Zeus. His dad is Odin, as in the movies. But no, movie Thor isn't the god himself.

Speaking of gods of thunder, the storms last night extinguished our satellite tv, so I missed most of The Blacklist. Argh. Hopefully we can watch it online. Can't wait to see what happened!

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Outside. Where Birds Live.

At lunch Saturday, inside a restaurant...

Me: That bird just ate a french fry. 
Lauren and Jeff: *look around the floor and our table*
Me: Outside.... where birds live.

They missed beginning of my comment, so they heard-

Me: Blah blah french fry. Outside. Where birds live.

I thought they were nuts. They thought I was nuts. Not unusual. :)


Patrick's Saturday Six: S

1. S is for SACCHARIFEROUS: You’re presented with a tray of sweeteners for your coffee: if you had to choose, are you more likely to select real sugar, Equal, Sweet-N-Low, Splenda or Truvia?
either sugar or Equal

2. S is for SALSA: Which type of salsa do you prefer: watery with some vegetable and spice pieces, paste with everything ground in evenly, or little liquid with big vegetable/spice chunks? 
Who the heck is eating salsa that's a paste? Is that what they serve in NEW YORK CITY? I like little liquid with larger veggie/spice chunks. Except for Chuy's salsa, which is the best ever and is a thin puree of limey goodness.

3. S is for SAVINGS: Do you feel like you’re putting enough money in your savings month to month for the future? 
Yep.

4. S is for SLANG: What’s a slang word that particularly annoys you? 
 babymama

5. S is for SNARK: Do you find the majority of snarky comments you see online to be funny or rude?
funny

6. S is for SOUND: What’s the worst sound you’ve ever woken up to?
I hate waking up to my phone ringing, in the morning or especially in the middle of the night, when it's always scary to pick up the call, since someone is probably in serious trouble of one sort or another.

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Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to all my mommy friends!

I was just telling Jeff that I never remember the date of my mom's death, not even the year. Others seem to know their parents' death dates off the top of their head. I think it was 2006. It was Christmas time. Of course I can look it up in a plethora of places if I want to, but I just don't think that date is one I need to remember. I'll always remember her birthday, and to me, that day and Mothers Day are the special days of the year to really honor her.

So Happy Mothers Day. Mom! You are missed every day. I still tell stories about you all the time. Just this week, my office mate was moved to say, "What a great mom!" when I told her something about you. Through our memories, you continue to inspire others to be the best versions of themselves they can be.


Sunday Stealing: A Movie Meme

1. What is your all-time favorite "costume" movie or period piece?
Moulin Rouge

2. What classic film would you nominate for a remake?
The Breakfast Club- It's SO good, but there is enough distraction from dated music, clothing, etc. that it is probably lost on today's teens. The message is still valuable and updating it would make it relatable.

3. Name your favorite femme fatale. 
Lara Croft, Tomb Raider

4. Name the best movie with the word "heaven" in its title. 
Heaven Can Wait

5. Describe the worst performance by a child actor that you’ve ever seen. 
any performance of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen

6. Who gets your vote for most tragic movie monster? 
King Kong

7. What is the one Western that you would recommend to anybody? 
Tombstone

8. Who is your ideal movie-viewing partner? 
Someone who is going to be quiet during the movie, not look at me every two seconds to see if I am laughing/crying/etc. and who will want to chat about the movie afterwards.

9. Has a film ever made you want to change your life? If so, what was the film? 
I can think of a lot of films that have moved me to be a better person in some way, but not to "change my life."

10. Think of one performer that you truly love. Now think of one scene/movie/performance of theirs that is too uncomfortable for you to watch. 
George in Batman and Robin.

11. On the flip side, think of one really good scene/performance/movie from a performer that you truly loathe. 
Tom Cruise in Top Gun

12. What movie has the best soundtrack? 
Purple Rain and Moulin Rouge

13. Favorite actor with a mustache?
Tom Selleck

14. Shadowy film noir from the 1940's or splashy colorful musicals from the 1950's? 
Splashy colorful musicals

15. Favorite classic Disney?
The Little Mermaid. Or if we're going really classic- my childhood fave was Cinderella.

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Meme Me!

Jen went on a rampage about something yesterday afternoon and ended her raging with...

"I need Jesus."

LOL. She is awesome.

Hope everyone is having a happy Saturday!...


Saturday 9: Your Mama Don't Dance (1972)
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) This song is about how the older generation often doesn't understand what the younger generation is up to. Do you keep up with trends?
I try to. I hear myself sounding like an old person most times when I ask Lauren things like I did this week- "What is 'put people on blast?'"

See, the guy on the Catfish premiere made the horrific mistake of allowing Facebook to automatically upload photos from his phone (don't ever do that) and also to let his Catfish girlfriend have his Facebook login information (don't do that either). A female friend of the guy sent him nude photos (just to critique) (riiiight) and they got uploaded to Facebook. The Catfish logged in and found them and posted them to his wall along with some negative commentary about his friend. She said she just "wanted to put people on blast," which Lauren told me meant that she wanted to publicly shame people, by doing things like posting the photos of the friend to embarrass her.

Or from the Urban Dictionary:
blast
To put somebody's business out or shame them badly in front of a group of three or more people.
"I heard Lamar's ex put him on blast at the mall"

(Evidently blasting requires telling 3 or more people. Good to know.)

2) This song was in the top 10 in 1972, which is also the year HBO was introduced. Do you have any premium cable channels?
Just HBO.

3) Mother Winters taught Sam how to kill the lingering food smells in her microwave (take a bowl of water, add a few drops of vanilla extract, and heat it in the microwave). Do you have any useful household hints to pass along?
This is probably obvious to most everyone, but I had no idea for years... when hand-washing dishes, always use the absolute hottest water available from the tap and wear gloves to protect your hands from the heat. The gunge comes off the dishes so easily, especially compared to the hot-ish water you have to use if you don't wear gloves.

4) The French word for "mother" is "mère." What other French words do you know?
Just the typical ones Americans know:
adieu
merci beaucoup
je ne sais quoi
c'est la vie
ménage à trois
voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir

5) Flowers and plants are popular on Mother's Day. How is your yard or garden? Is it green and/or blooming?
My garden is green! All my plants in the front yard beds are perennials that were cut back in the winter, so they are little green baby plants at the moment.

6) Mother's Day is a big holiday for card shops. So are birthdays, weddings, and St. Patrick's Day. Hallmark sells greetings for everything from "Congratulations on Your New Job" to "Happy Retirement." Who received the most recent card you bought?
Judy's son, Jonathan, who is graduating from high school. That kid is the fastest writer of thank you notes EVER.

7) Have you put away your winter clothes yet?
I did, but I had to get my coat out again, because this is Texas and the weather is random. It's going back in the hall closet today.

8) Mother Winters used to scold Sam for leaving her dirty dishes in the sink. Sam admits it: as a grown up, she's still a bit of a slob. Do lean toward "neat" or "messy?"
I lean towards neat, with a fair tolerance of messy.

9) To celebrate Mother's Day, Sam is giving away candy bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or milk chocolate with almonds?
milk chocolate with almonds

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TV Meme

Well this took forever to fill out (two weeks' worth- parts I and II)! Here we go...

Sunday Stealing: TV Meme

1. TV Theme songs. Which is your favorite, and which makes you crazy enough to hit mute on the remote?
Fave- Big Bang Theory
Mute- Full House

2. The Classics. What is your favorite Classic TV show?
Fave Classic classic- Happy Days
Fave Newer classic- Will and Grace

3. What character from a Classic TV show would you like to be?
Cruise Director Julie McCoy from The Love Boat

4. Can you remember a line you liked from a Classic TV show? 
Gilda Radner as Rosanne Rosannadanna on SNL: It just goes to show ya'. It's always something.

5. Heroes. What show featuring those who protect your country (fiction or non-fiction) is your favorite? 
MASH

6. TV Cops. Who is your favorite (past or present) TV cop? Which TV cop do you think was the most crooked, or the most inept? 
Fave- Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) in NYPD Blue
Most Crooked- Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) in The Shield, and he was SO good!

7. You need to hire a bodyguard for yourself. Which TV cop do you choose? 
Vic Mackey

8. TV Doctors. Which TV doctor would you choose to remove your appendix? Which TV doctor would you not let touch you with a 10- foot pole? 
Remove my appendix- Dr. Doug Ross from ER
Not let touch me with a 10-foot pole- Dr. Dave Malucci from ER

9. TV Moms. Which TV mom would you have liked to have had for your own? Is there a TV mom you would never want as your own? 
Want- Clair Huxtable
Would never want- the mom from Two and a Half Men

10. TV Dads. Which TV Dad would you have most liked to have for your own dad? On the flipside, who was the TV Dad you’d have least liked to have had? 
Want- Cliff Huxtable
Would never want- Frank Costanza

11. Comedies. How do you feel about sitcoms? Good, wholesome fun or saccharine inanity? 
Good ones are good, wholesome fun.

12. If your life was a sitcom, what would the title be? 
Aggies in the ATX

13. If you went to a comedy club on amateur night, and they gave you some jokes and a microphone, would you go onstage?
Absolutely not. Being a standup comedian is one of the hardest jobs ever!

14. Reality. Are you a fan of Reality TV? What’s your “can’t miss” reality TV show (or shows), or what reality TV show do you suppose the devil plays on the TV in Hell as punishment? 
Can't Miss- Real Housewives of NYC/Orange County/New Jersey
TV in Hell-  Honey Boo Boo

15. If you were given a free ticket to be on any reality show, which one would you choose?
Impractical Jokers

16. Talk Shows. Do you watch daytime talk TV? If so, do you prefer the calm shows like Oprah or the wilder side like Jerry Springer? 
On days when I work from home I sometimes have The Talk on in the background. I hate immature drama talk shows like Springer was.  I like my talk shows to be entertaining and impart some useful or interesting information.

17. Which daytime talk TV show would you like to be on? What would the topic be? 
The Talk. I would talk about Real Housewives!

18. Before talk TV took over game shows ruled the airways during the day, which do you prefer? Or are you a soap opera fan? 
I liked game shows, back in the day.

19. Is there a game show (past or present) you think you would do really well on, as a contestant? 
$20,000 Pyramid

20. Who is your favorite game show host? Who is your least favorite? 
Fave- Chuck Woolery
Least Fave- Pat Sajak

21. Marathons. Have you watched any TV marathons? In part? In whole? Is there a show you’d like to see run an all day marathon? On the flipside is there a show you’d avoid in marathon? 
I've watched a few. An Impractical Jokers marathon was a hilarious, recent hit. I would avoid watching any serious drama in marathon, because I think it's draining.

22. Out of curiosity, what’s the longest you’ve ever watched TV in one stretch? 
Oh man. Maybe 5 hours when I was sick once? We did watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy on DVD one Saturday, which is the longest I've sat in front of the television in a stretch.

23. On the whole do you feel most Special Reports are really that special? Or are they simply annoying? What special report has effected you most? (IE: (9/11, Reagan being shot…etc) 
Lately I feel they interrupt for less significant special reports than they used to. While I remember very vividly Reagan being shot, 9/11 affected me more.

24. What is the (pick one: stupidest, saddest, silliest, most disgusting..) thing you’ve ever seen on TV?
Most disgusting- Bear Grylls squeezing elephant poop and drinking the water that dripped out on Man vs. Wild.

25. What’s your fondest memory of something on TV? 
1980 Winter Olympics USA hockey win over Russia for Gold. Do you believe in miracles?!

26. What’s the first show you remember watching regularly? 
Sesame Street

27. What shows would make up a perfect night of TV viewing for you? 
Real Housewives, The Bachelor, Shark Tank

28. You get to create one show to put on the schedule, with any stars you choose. Who and what would it be? 
It would be a comedy with the ladies of Bridesmaids. I would get a big celeb to do a cameo each week. That's always fun!

29. Canceling or Not. What show(s) would you cancel without a moment’s hesitation? Is there a show (previously canceled or just no longer airing) that you’d bring back, original cast and all? 
Cancel- The worst quality show I've ever seen in my life- Secret Life of the American Teenager- is already canceled. The dialogue was ridiculous and the acting was abysmal.
Bring back- FlashForward!

30. What’s the best series finale you remember? 
Newhart, where Bob wakes up in  bed with Suzanne Pleshette and the whole show has been a dream of his character from The Bob Newhart Show. SO funny!

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DFW Weekend

Coming to you live from Big D!

Heading to Denton this morning to meet Bob for lunch and a tour of the NTU campus, where he's working temporarily. Then we're off to Valley Ranch for an afternoon of party prep and finally a dinner with the extended family. Tomorrow is the big 50th Anniversary soirée Jeff and Steven are throwing for the 'rents downtown.

Saturday 9: Blues in the Night (1952)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Was last night a good night for you? Or were you singing the blues?
It was good. We spent a quiet evening at the hotel. 

2) In this song, Rosemary Clooney sings about hearing "big talk" she didn't quite believe. What's the last fib, tall tale or out and out lie you heard?
I watched Barbara Walters' interview with Donald Sterling's girlfriend/"personal assistant"/"right hand arm man"/"silly rabbit" last night on 20/20. The woman is positively nutballs and a complete liar. Just one of her lies: she said she wears the weirdo face shield when she's out and about because she's in emotional pain. She's hurting.

She talks to the media and paparazzi constantly through that thing. Clearly, the mask is just another part of the crazy. Sterling deserves her.

3) Rosemary Clooney has a well-known nephew -- George, the Oscar winner and frequent People magazine cover story. Do you have any nieces or nephews?
I have two nieces- Sandra and Jennifer!

4) Ms. Clooney married the same man twice. They married, had five children and divorced. Then three years later, they tried again ... and divorced again. Have you ever been tempted to give it another try with one of your former loves?
Never, except when Jeff and I started dating again our senior year of college.

5) Singers as diverse as Linda Ronstadt, Bette Midler and Amy Winehouse have said they admired and were influenced by Rosemary Clooney. If you could meet any artist (singer, writer, actor, director, painter, musician ...), who would it be?
Well, I'd love to meet Rosemary's nephew.

6) 1952, the year this record was a hit, is also the year the "Big Bang Theory" was introduced by physicists Ralph Alpher and George Gamow. That is too lofty a topic for this humble meme, so instead we'll just ask: Do you watch the TV show of the same name? 
I do!

7) Sam Winters just broke her right thumbnail. While she won't go so far as saying it has her singing the blues, she must admit it bugs her. What little annoyances are you dealing with today?
Thanks for asking about my cat scratch. Um, it's healing, but there's a little scab left that's bugging me.

8) The house next door to Sam's has a FOR SALE on the lawn. Are you contemplating a move?
We are generally thinking about our next house purchase- when (probably several years from now), where (who knows... probably Austin, possibly College Station), what type (single story, big media room, little yard)

9) What's your search engine of choice: Google, Bing, Yahoo or Ask? 
Google, baby. There is no other.

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It's My Friday!

And I got a raise today! YEEAH. Great day all around.

Lorde's song "Team" has the most amazing intro. It's really just a massive setup for disappointment. You think it's going to be this pumping, dark, alt tune. Just when you really start getting into the beat, the song turns all wispy and boppy.



How do you go from

SEND. THE CALL OUT. SEND. THE CALL OUT.

to  

...we live in ciiiitieeees...

?

Everyone got this song stuck in their heads again? Good. My work here is done.

Happy weekend!

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