Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

OMG yay! This was one of my favorite books as a kid. I will totally go see this movie.

My Favorite Fanboy Fruitcake

I really enjoyed this article about the influences of Hamlet on Dr. Who (and vice versa, considering David Tennant is set to open as Hamlet this week).

Unlike any actor who has preceded him in the role of the Doctor or the Prince of Denmark, David Tennant is both an accomplished Shakespearean (he has often turned out for the RSC) and a complete and utter Doctor Who fanboy fruitcake.

[…]

The Stratford production's swift sell-out suggests that the audience is anticipating a rare kind of cultural twofer: Shakespeare's most celebrated hero, performed by the actor who now gives life to television's most celebrated hero. And in the case of both parts, it's hard to be unaware that you are watching only the latest of a long line of interpreters. New Doctors must overwhelm or accommodate the shades of William Hartnell and Tom Baker just as new Hamlets must compete with the ghosts of Olivier, Gielgud and David Warner. Tennant has already performed one successful act of exorcism. He seems destined to complete a second.

If anyone were interested in procuring me a ticket to Stratford on Avon and a ticket to the show, I think it might very well cause me to expire from joy. But don't let that stop you. ;)

Like a 1950s Stereotype

Sunday morning, as I sat reading the newspaper and drinking my coffee, I heard a crash from the second bedroom/office. I looked up and saw the cat come barreling around the corner into the living room like she was chasing something.

"What have you got?" says I, standing up to get a better look. "Have you got a bug?"

It was not a bug.

It was a mouse. A real, live mouse.

I promptly shrieked for Brandon and hopped up on the kitchen counter. My shrieking awoke him from a sound sleep and he came barreling out of the bedroom, thinking the house was on fire, just as Cleo chased the mouse under the sofa.

I had no idea I was such a big girl about mice, but apparently, I really really am. Bugs don't particularly bother me; I mean, I'm not a huge fan, but when you grow up where the roaches are the size of your hand, you learn to deal.

Anyway, the chase ensued. Brandon got out a bunch of towels and blocked off doorways and under bookshelves and stuff, hoping to chase it out the patio door. I did my part by holding the squirming, flailing cat under one arm and the mag-light in the other. We moved the sofa and got it pinned under one of the bookshelves. Brandon tried to scare it out with a broom, but it wasn't having any. So we decided to let the cat try to flush it out. I let her go, and the mouse came RIGHT AT ME.

I shrieked again.

The mouse went around the corner towards the laundry room and tried to hide in some towels Brandon had used to block the door. Brandon saw it and slammed a large bowl down on the towels to try to catch the mouse.

By a quirk of aim, the mouse was no more.

I told Brandon that he had definitely earned his keep as a husband that day, and we made a pact that he would deal with rodents and I could deal with reptiles.

He checked and it was a male mouse, so hopefully we do not have baby mice living somewhere. Also, Allison confirmed my suspicion that if we hadn't seen any evidence of him before yesterday (which we hadn't) he probably hadn't been there for very long.

Of course, when we moved the sofa, we found all of Cleo's missing toys, and now, whenever she comes tearing through the house chasing after something, I have to quell the urge to jump up on the counter and scream.

Drumroll Please

Today, my company entered the new Dallas magazine in the Folio awards for Best Redesigned Magazine.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Dr. Horrible!

What happens when Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly) gets bored during the writers strike? Why Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, of course!

Neil Patrick Harris plays a mildly inept super villain named Dr. Horrible.

The first bit is funny, but as soon as Nathan Fillion showed up, I CRACKED THE HELL UP.

Oh Joss. You so crazy.

:D :D :D

Counting to Four

I love it when musicians go on Sesame Street to do versions of their songs! YAY!

Rocket-Mom!

From Mom:

After 40 years, playground equipment at Heights Park in Richardson to be removed



Thought you might be interested in the article from DMN…Our HOA went to bat for the Rocket ship and such to be sure they were turned into sculpture and remain in the park. I have this vivid memory, Lacy, of your being in the TOP of the Rocket ship, unwilling to come down alone and me about 8 months pregnant with Emily…Climbing up to the first stage was ok, but the second and part and the third were absurd…Small openings where I had to literally heave my middle, soon to be delivered Miss Emily, through the opening before the rest of me sort of. NIGHTMARE! At dusk when there was NO ONE there of a normal size to assist. On the other hand, I am thankful there was no YouTube then or cell phone cameras…… - Mom

I actually joined a group on Facebook called "Save the Heights Rocketship!" I'd like to think I did my small part. ;)

This is my favorite part of the article: "Much of the equipment presents serious dangers, including head entrapment, impalement and entanglement hazards. In addition, the equipment doesn't meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements."

Hahahaha! Head entrapment!

Whatever. Kids today — with their non-death-trap playgrounds. Pshhh. :P

Born on the Fourth of July

Two clips for this Independance day!









These are both from one of my favorite movies of all time, Yankee Doodle Dandy, the story of George M. Cohen, known as the father of the musical comedy, and writer of "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Over There," and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (among many others).

I love old movies like this. I have to admit, I've never experienced this kind of patriotism in real life, but these clips absolutely give me goosebumps. It's the best sort of Hollywood veneer, showing us what might be. :)

What Am I Up To on the Web

So, I'm trying a new service called swurl which aggregates my online activity into one place. If you click the link, you can see the blogs I've posted, photos I've uploaded to flicker, things I've added to my Amazon wishlist, and more.

It's kind of a nifty little thingy, and I especially like the calendar function! You can see what I was doing every day for several years back (because I've been keeping this blog for a LONG time!).

So check it out, bookmark it, and start up a conversation with me, if you're so inclined. :)