Stories of a Future Librarian

big blogging news

2006-08-01T15:47:00.000-04:00

I would like to announce that I've moved to wordpress. This decision comes after noticing that a lot of the blogs I really like are on wordpress. Hey, if all the cool kids jumped off a cliff, I would to!
I'm excited about the move, even though it'll take me a while to master a new format. Please be patient I slowly learn how wordpress works. One good feature I can offer you right away, categories. Want to quickly take a look at my theatre reviews (you know you do) - just click on theatre. A future librarian's dream! Click on Alice to get to my new home, and don't forget to update your favorites page!
Blogger, it's been real...

lost?

2006-07-26T17:49:00.000-04:00

This is Erin's picture, but since I have a blog and she doesn't, I thought she wouldn't mind my sharing. We saw this on a pole near Lincoln Center. After taking the picture, Erin ripped off one of the tags. I asked her if she intended to contact the guy who found T-Rex, but she said she just wanted to encourage others to take slips. What do you think?

I like bad movies

2006-07-25T15:32:00.000-04:00

There are many movies that I greatly enjoy, even though I know their quality to be a bit lacking. Circle of Friends is one of them. I love it, I could watch it again and again, but I know it is not actually a good movie.
But little did I know just how bad my taste was. My sister, Emily, found a list of the 100 worst movies on IMDB. Being all kinds of fun, she declared a family contest to see who had the worst taste in movies. You got one point for every bad movie you had seen, and an extra point for any movie that you owned. I have seen a lot of bad movies (The [Girl] in the Iron Mask springs to mind), so I was excited. Unfortunately, I had only seen three of them (From Justin to Kelly, Spiceworld, and Teen Wolf Too), and I owned only one (Spice World, of course!). Fortunately, this was enough to win the competition.
My sister had promised a prize, and even alerted me of it's impending arrival. Even so, when I received a padded envelope in the mail with no return address and my name and address printed on a piece of paper, cut out, and taped to the envelope, I thought it was slightly creepy. When I opened it to find a DVD of a yucky looking movie I had never heard of, and no note or receipt or anything, I got even more creeped out. I know it's melodramatic, but friends, the idea that this was some sort of threat to my life actually crossed my mind. It was the only thing I could think of.
It took me over 24 hours to realize that rather that a dire warning, this movie was my prize. Oddly, it was both a relief and disappointment.

Shake Shack Summer

2006-07-25T00:39:00.000-04:00

Say that three times fast!
A couple of weeks ago Erin and I went to the Shake Shack. We went at the end of last summer, and I was completely enamored of it. The last time the special shake of the day was blackberry, and I was hoping that somehow, it would be that flavor when we went again. It wasn't, so I had to be content with a chocolate shake (wasn't too hard). We also got Shack Burgers (cheeseburgers with their special sauce, something involving both mustard and mayo-yum) this time, and we were not disappointed. It's a good time.

Did you know...

2006-07-24T12:43:00.000-04:00

Susan Cooper has a new book out? Let's read it.

Variety article

2006-07-21T15:58:00.000-04:00

New Line goes for the gold

After socko 'Rings,' studio chases another Brit fantasy trilogy

By DAVE MCNARY

Three years after "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" grossed more than $1.1 billion for New Line Cinema, the iconoclastic mini-major is embarking on another high-stakes -- and high-brow -- fantasy, with Phillip Pullman's "The Golden Compass."
At $150 million, it's New Line's biggest bet since spending $300 million on the phenomenally successful "Rings" trilogy. Chris Weitz starts a five-month shoot at Shepperton Studios in London on Sept. 4.

New Line's already staked out Nov. 16, 2007, as a release date and plans to shoot the second and third stories in Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials" -- that is, if all goes well with the first.

New Line has committed publicly to "The Golden Compass" only. But even with a single pic, it faces a potentially daunting array of challenges:

The pic's fantastic creatures and dual universes will require over 800 CGI shots. Rhythm and Hues, CFC London and Cinesite London have signed on.

The story's centered on a single character -- an adolescent girl, portrayed by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards -- rather than a group of characters as in the "Rings" trilogy or the Harry Potter pics.

Even though Pullman's trilogy has sold 12 million copies in a decade and spawned a successful London stage version and a fervent fan base, it doesn't carry the same kind of worldwide branding clout as "The Lord of the Rings" or Harry Potter.

There is a decidedly anti-authority tone to the stories. (Because of Pullman's atheist beliefs, some have interpreted this as anti-organized religion, but for him, it's a metaphor for any controlling organization.)
"The Golden Compass," published in the U.K. as "Northern Lights" in 1995, centers on the eternal saga of good vs. evil via a young girl named Lyra Belaqua.

It's a world where cars and telephones don't exist and where Lyra battles a totalitarian regime, known as The Magisterium, like the Empire in "Star Wars." Story lives up to its "dark" billing with an alternate universe of armored bears, witch queens and shape-shifting "daemons," or animal manifestations of inner selves.

Brit helmer Anand Tucker left this spring after replacing Weitz, who was the original director. Weitz, who also penned the script, had stepped down in late 2004, due to the daunting technical challenges, but now insists he's up to the task.

"I think Chris was willing to come back just because we were so much further along -- knowing the budget, when we're shooting, where we're shooting," notes New Line production president Toby Emmerich. "It's a lot easier for directors when that's already been decided."

Emmerich says he's encouraged by Disney's blow-out success with "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." But he admits that New Line, which hardly ever goes over $40 million on a budget, hasn't yet committed to filming the other books in the trilogy, "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass."

The "Dark Materials" trilogy is aimed at preteens and teens, though the books -- inspired by John Milton's "Paradise Lost" -- have a far bleaker view of the world than that contained in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series or C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" books.

Pullman's tales have also shown significant traction among adults. "Amber Spyglass" won the U.K.'s 2001 Whitbred Prize for best children's book, then became the first children's book to win the Whitbred Book of the Year award.

"That award is very much to the point," notes producer Deborah Forte. "When I optioned the book 10 years ago, it wasn't because it was a children's book; it was because it's great literature that will stand the test of time."

Nicole Kidman has been rumored as a possibility for the part of the evil Mrs. Coulter, but none of the adult parts has been nailed down, and Forte says they will be tapped over the next few weeks.

She's not worried about a religious backlash or that New Line hasn't firmed plans for the second and third films, adding, "As long as we can live up to the source material, we'll be fine."

Forte is producing with line producer Bill Carraro, whose credits include "Frequency," "Blair Witch 2" and "The Best Man." New Line has assigned exec VP Mark Ordesky, who was the go-between exec on the "Rings" trilogy, and senior VP Ileen Maisel to oversee.

Emmerich admits "The Golden Compass" is a big bet for the mini-major.

"It's very ambitious for us from a budgetary point of view -- a massive undertaking with incredibly complicated special effects," he says. "But we feel that New Line has a unique asset in what we've shown with the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy: that we have the capability to produce and market a film like this and carry it to the finish line."

Even some successful franchise starters don't spawn offspring. Despite a $208 million worldwide gross for "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," no sequel is planned.

On the other hand, the siren call of franchises is impossible to resist, particularly since New Line's gamble on "The Lord of the Rings" paid off by grossing nearly $3 billion.

"Before the trilogy, we didn't really have a capability for a tentpole film," Emmerich admits. "We had 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,' 'Seven,' 'Nightmare on Elm Street,' 'The Mask' and 'Dumb and Dumber,' but we didn't have a worldwide day-and-date event film."

Pirates & Cream Puffs

2006-07-19T14:44:00.000-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of two treats; Erin and I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and I checked out Beard Papa on Emily's recommendation. Emily read about Beard Papa in a magazine, and suggested we try it out. I was of course willing (as I always am as far as trying desserts is concerned), but I wasn't going to get too excited. It seems that almost food place in Manhattan has been written up somewhere as being fantastic, so I was definitely holding my judgment until I taste-tested for myself. I walked up to the movie theater by way of Beard Papa and picked up six cream puffs to go. They always have regular custard, and one specialty flavor. The special flavor didn't look good to me (can't even remember now what it was), so I just got regulars. It was fun watching the lady fill them up (they have a huge bin of the pastries, and when you order them, they fill them with custard and top them with powdered sugar), and they come in a cute box. Once Erin and I had our seats at the movie, we tried them, and let me assure you, they are noteworthy. The pastry is just a little crunchy, and the filling is just the right sweetness. Be sure to put this on the list of places to check out next time you're in town.

As for Pirates, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. That being said, I hate the title, it was too long, too confusing (this is coming from someone who regularly figures out supposedly sophisticated plot twists - why am I getting mixed up during a family film?), and Kiera was terrible. I might just have to see it again. Kudos to Johnny on mastering comedic running.

toast

2006-07-18T16:02:00.000-04:00

The other night I was thinking about how much I wanted some toast, and then I started thinking that really, there's never a time, day or night, when I wouldn't like to have some toast. I love it. I have a particular weakness for cinnamon sugar toast, but I also greatly enjoy toast and jam (seedless raspberry is the best!). Isn't there a Francis book where she'll only eat toast and jam? (Just looked. It's bread and jam, which is almost, but not quite as good as toast and jam)
Yes, I'm fairly sure I could happily eat toast for breakfast lunch and dinner for quite some time. It's just that good.

Why I have to watch Big Brother

2006-07-16T21:20:00.000-04:00

I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy reality television. I have always felt, however, that Big Brother is beneath me. That is until last summer. Do you know how they got me? The Summer of Secrets.
I love secrets of any kind. Last season featured secret rooms and riddles and puzzles; how could I resist? And then, of course, I got attached to some of the players. I thought it was all going to end last summer, but now, they've got me again. This summer they brought back my favorites (Janelle and Kaysar), so I'm stuck again. There's really nothing I can do about it. My hands are tied. If you want me, I'll be watching Big Brother three times a week.

Lincoln Center sculpture

2006-07-16T00:14:00.000-04:00

See, this sculpture is way cooler than that picture I found online makes it look.

Exciting announcement

2006-07-14T16:53:00.000-04:00

Alright, this probably won't be overly exciting to you, nor is it immediate. But I'm excited about it, so on my blog it goes. I'm going to do another weight-loss program/infomercial with JB in September. Here's the ad their running in the Village Voice for participants. I don't really know all of the details yet, but I figure it can't be bad for me. Still, you might not want to get too close to me this fall, I do tend to be a little irritable when I'm eating little and exercising a lot. Ah the price we pay for beauty and fame.
(what? You don't think being in a scene of an infomercial in the middle of the night constitutes fame?)
For any of you that missed my first brush with fame and a smaller size of jeans, check out Urban Rebounding. Seriously, come to my house and try it if you want, I'm a proud owner of the urban rebounder as well as the complete library of workout videos. If I used it more often, I'd be looking a whole lot better; but then again, I wouldn't be eligible for JB's latest venture, and who'd want to miss that?

Richard Greenberg does it again

2006-07-14T16:04:00.000-04:00

I start by admitting that I have not seen Take Me Out, and I believe my friends that it was a wonderful play. However, I have now seen three Greenberg plays, and I have not liked any of them. Well, that's a bit harsh, there were parts of two of them (Naked Girl on the Appian Way & House...)that I liked, but overall none of them were very good, and one was a super stinker (The Violet Hour).
So, I used my beloved Lincoln Center Theater student subscription to see The House in Town in the Mitzi E. Newhouse (LCT's off-Broadway theatre), and I was looking forward to it. I had a great seat, it was a period piece (as you know, I have a predilection for them), and on of my favorite actresses, Becky Ann Baker, is in the ensemble.
The play is about a well-to-do couple in 1929. He's a Jewish store owner, and she's a protestant mild mannered, dutiful wife who's one sorrow is never having been able to have children. In most scenes they are interacting with their best friends, also a couple made up of a doctor and his socialite wife (that's Becky!!). The last character is a young man whose mother worked at their store, but has now died, so he's working there to support himself. (and here's a spoiler, but it's so obvious that I don't even feel like I'm giving anything away, this boy is the store owner's illegitimate son from an affair). I can't bring myself to go into any more details - the plotline rambles around with false leads thrown into almost every scene; it makes me tired just thinking about it. What annoyed me most, however, is that it had the potential to be a good play, it just wasn't. And of course, the big, dark secrets that come out at the end were obvious from the beginning. And my biggest problem of all was the lead, Jessica Hecht. She's just the kind of actress that I want to like (quirky, seems smart, charactery), but I just don't ever like her. I've seen her on TV, in movies, and a couple of plays, and I have never once liked her performance. And that's all there is to it.
Still, the set was beautiful, and I always, but always, enjoy my Becky Ann Baker.

2006-07-13T16:43:00.000-04:00

If my wedding reception was catered by Chick-fil-A and featured a soft drink bar, would you come? What would you say about it behind my back? Oh yeah, and my wedding cake is going to be chocolate with chocolate icing (brown, not that monstrosity known as white chocolate).
Just wondering...

The Scottish Play

2006-07-13T15:10:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was thrilled when my friend Ericka called to tell me she had an extra ticket to Shakespeare in the Park. Tickets are free, but you have to invest several hours in line to get them, something I can't do during the week. I read Macbeth in high school, and have never seen it, so I was very happy to let Liev Schreiber and Jennifer Ehle act it out for me.
Overall, I enjoyed the production very much. It had been edited, so it felt very fast moving. I thought both Jennifer and Liev did a very nice job. Two of the fight sequences were remarkably beautiful.
That being said, here are a few problems I had. The Public's theme for this years Shakespeare in the Park is war. I feel that there are many Shakespeare scripts to choose from that would work nicely. Macbeth isn't one of them. Yes, there is war in this play, but I feel the main themes of Macbeth are on a much more personal level (ambition, greed, destiny, consequences, etc.) It seemed unnatural to try to make it be about war. For instance, the three witches were dressed as soldiers-it didn't work for me. Also, the play was set in the 1930's and the only reason I can see for that decision is because the costume designer liked it. If you are going to make the choice to set Shakespeare in a different time period, you have to back it up. It needs to be somehow tie into and enhance the themes, characters, and language, and if it doesn't, you can't do it. It's that simple. Lastly, I shocked myself by thinking that maybe Macbeth just isn't one of Shakespeare's better plays. I would have to double check with the script, but it seems to me that we jump from a scene wherein Macbeth's virtues are universally acknowledged, and we see him acquiring even more wealth and prestige, to a scene where he and his wife decide pretty easily to kill the king. What? If Macbeth is as great as we're supposed to think he is, and for the consequences of his actions to be so devastating as they ultimately are to both him and his wife, don't we deserve more agony over such a decision? I really wanted to see Macbeth being eaten away with the desire to become king until he can't stand it, and finally decides to do it. I know we haven't got all night since the emphasis of the play is on the aftermath of this action, but would one more scene really hurt? I was also surprised on how small Lady Macbeth's part is. I of course knew her two famous speeches, but I figured she had a lot more to do than that. Really she had maybe three other scenes with Macbeth, and that was it.
Anyhoo, it was a very fun NY experience to just be at the Delecorte Theatre on a lovely summer night (this was my second time), and I highly recommend the experience to anyone. In August they'll be playing Mother Courage which is Brecht who's not my favorite, and is starring Meryl Streep so it'll be crazy to get in, but I'm still going to try, and you should too.

A good, old-fashioned quilting bee!

2006-07-07T17:23:00.000-04:00

My mom has this quilt that she must have made sometime around my birth, because I don't ever remember a time that we didn't have it. It's very big, and it's got kitchy flowers all over it. We took it on every picnic and outing. Right now it lives in the back of my mom's car so that it's always there when you unexpectedly want it. I decided that I really needed my own blanket like this. Surely the only reason I don't spend more time in the park is because I'm lacking the blanket, right? So when Erin suggested we go to Rochester for the Independence Day weekend, I thought I would try to convince everyone that it would be really fun to help me tie my own, all outing quilt. It was surprisingly easy to do (the convincing, not the making which turned out to be much more intricate than expected).Mom told me she made her blanket out of sheets which she thought aided in it's long life, so I ordered a red gingham sheet set from JC Penny, and had it sent to Mom. I was planning to just do gingham on the top, and plain red on the bottom; very simple. When I got home I bought the red material with Mom, and she also had bought some really cute cherry material for the binding. Well, in our fervor to get started (actually, it was Sunday night before we really got started), Mom and I both cut the red fabric to match the sheet size, and between the two of us, we managed somehow to cut it to neither the right length or width. Thus, we ended up making (read Mom made) the patchwork top, cutting up the red fabric, the fitted gingham sheet, and the cherries, and we used the flat gingham sheet as the bottom.As you can see, it turned out really cute thanks to Mom's expertise and speedy serging, Erin's cutting, and my impressive ironing skills. Emily, Erin, and Lily helped me tie the quilt with green ties using the "pioneer knots" that Charlene Campbell taught us (she also let us use her quilting frame for which I'm very grateful), and it only took us a few hours. We were a little disappointed, in fact, over how quickly we finished. After The Hill Cumorah Pageant finishes (my mom works in the costume shop), my mother will finish it off for me with the cherry binding, and I can begin attracting attention in the parks of NY with my beautiful blanket.

Berries & Cream Dr. Pepper

2006-07-07T00:45:00.000-04:00

I've become completely enamored with Dr. Pepper this summer. I drink one almost every day, alternating between Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. Amy warned me never to try Berries and Cream Dr. Pepper, and I really didn't intend to (I was worried about the cream aspect. I can't abide cream soda), but while at my parent's house this weekend, I couldn't help but notice that they have some. A chance to try it for free? I had no choice. Luckily, Emily documented the event for me, so that I can share it with all of you.

Maybe it's okay...Nevermind, I don't like it.

Roadtrip

2006-07-07T00:39:00.000-04:00

I was planning on visiting my parents over the holiday weekend via the train, but the tracks were flooded and it was cancelled, so I figured I had to stay home. Luckily, my sister, Emily, came to my rescue, and picked Erin and I up and we drove to Rochester. It was a great weekend, and there will be more on that later, but first, just look what
we saw on our way upstate! It was an amazing sight:
In case you can't quite make it out, in the back of the truckbed are the legs standing up, and laying in front of those are the torso of a giant robot holding a gun. Who knew they were filming the Transformer movie in NY?

Look what's new

2006-07-06T15:08:00.000-04:00

This has appeared in Lincoln Center. You may not be able to tell from this little picture (I'll have to borrow Erin's camera and take some more), but it's lots of boats held together by wires. It's actually quite nice to look at, but I fear having a boat drop on my head every time I walk by.

Golden Compass News

2006-07-02T11:24:00.000-04:00

Lyra has been cast. Her name is Dakota (creepy, no?) and she's never acted before. She'd better be good. Here's a look at Iorek's armor, and a possible movie poster:

Saturday night in the big city

2006-06-29T11:33:00.000-04:00

Most of the time, I keep myself to three general areas of the city; Lincoln Center (work), the theatre district, and Ha-Hi (Hamilton Heights for those of you not up on the lingo, in other words, home). But once in a while I'm forced to broaden my horizons, and get a little adventurous. On Saturday night, I went downtown (yes, downtown) with Erin and Michelle, and we had a great time.
Erin took us for dinner at Indian Bread Company (someplace I'd long been looking forward to visiting). Although their air conditioning left something to be desired on a hot summer night, the food was delicious (thank you Erin for eating the spicier sandwich I ordered, and letting me eat hers), and there's nothing like eating at an out of the way spot on Bleeker Street (okay, I know Bleeker St. isn't so much out of the way, but I'm just a girl from Ha-Hi, it was exotic for me) to make you feel like a so in-the-know New Yorker.
For dessert, we went to Cones. It was very difficult to choose from all of their delectable flavors (I had a sample of corn sorbet which was very good), but I think we did pretty well. I got chocolate sorbet and pineapple sorbet that were wonderfully complimentary. Erin got Dulce de Leche (sinfully good) and strawberry & cream gelato. Michelle got chocolate ice cream with raspberry sorbet. All of them were so good, and we enjoyed the atmosphere (particularly the employees' accents) quite a bit as well.
The night ended very successfully at home with a viewing of Clue - oh yes, we know how to show visitors a good time, you betcha.
PS. I almost forgot the most important thing. While walking through Times Sqaure (eww) to meet Erin and Michelle, I literally almost collided with Denis O'Hare. It was thrilling. Wish I'd thought to talk to him rather than just jump out of the way, but maybe next time. Now that I know which street corner to stand at.

Look

2006-06-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

Click on the picture to see a youtube video of a gadget that looks really cool:

Jersey Boys

2006-06-28T10:59:00.000-04:00

I finally saw Jersey Boys. I ended up going to the videotaping with Patrick even though it was a Wednesday matinee, and I had plenty of work to do. But I almost never go to the tapings, and Patrick said he wanted me to see it; well, what's a girl to do? I will say that I felt my luck, though. The line outside the theatre for cancellations and standing room tickets was insanely long. I waltzed right in, and got, in my opinion, the best seat in the house. Center, first row of the mezzanine (I was sitting right next to a camera).
This show is intense, it never stops! They just keep singing, and singing, and singing. I don't know if they included every song the Four Seasons ever did, but it seems like they must have. Also, the show is much more adult than I expected. I don't know if it's a common misconception or not, but I equate jukebox musicals with family friendly shows. Jersey Boys shot that idea right out of the water. I've never seen the Sopranos, but I feel like this must be the musical version. There was sex, violence, and oh the profanity. In case you were wondering, Jersey Boys would be rated R if it were a movie.
I guess what it comes down to, is that I'm just not a fan of the jukebox musical. It's too prepackaged, the story's so big that I felt rushed the whole time. It was basically a TV biopic on stage. I understand why people like being there (I had a great time too), but I don't understand how anyone could consider this more of an artistic achievement than an original musical (such as, oh I don't know, The Drowsy Chaperone?) But I will say that I was impressed with the performers. I don't know how it's humanly possible to do what they do over and over again. I'd say the average break between songs is 30 seconds to a minute. It's crazy!
So bottom line, if you go to Jersey Boys, you'll have a good time. It won't change your life, it's not a great show, but it's fun. And there's no way in heaven and earth that it should have won the Best Musical Tony.

Why you should drink more soda

2006-06-23T15:57:00.000-04:00

Congratulations Catherine!

You have won a Sony Playstation Portable from Dr Pepper. Based on the winning code you have entered in the Dr Pepper Unlock the Flavor promotion, you will be mailed your prize in 10-12 weeks.

In eighth grade I went to a dance and won a Jesus Jones single in a raffle. I gave it to Emily. A few years ago I entered an online sweepstakes and later received an email that I'd won a Heartbreakers soundtrack and I should verify my address. I did, and also included a note about how excited I was to win something. I never received that CD.
So today at lunch, I bought myself a diet Dr. Pepper for an afternoon treat. There was a code under the cap to be entered on their website to enter this sweepstakes (I've entered maybe 4 codes already, I knew the drill). I was really hoping to be lucky enough to win a Dr. Pepper tee-shirt eventually (considering the amount of Dr. Pepper I've taken to drinking this summer). It seems I maybe even luckier than that. I'm not going to get overly excited (I've learned something from my Heartbreakers incident), but I'll go ahead and keep this bottle cap, just in case. I don't know anything about a Sony Playstation Portable, but if I get one in the mail in 10-12 weeks, I'll be very pleased indeed.

Pig Farm

2006-06-22T13:04:00.000-04:00

I was looking forward to this play for two reasons: 1)it's by Greg Kotis who wrote Urinetown which I liked and 2)Denis O'Hare is in it.
The basic plot (which didn't seem to be too important) is that Tim (John Ellison Conlee) and his Tina (Katie Finneran), new pig farmers, get a juvenile delinquent, Tim (Logan Marshall-Green) out of jail early to help them run their farm. There are rumors that a government inspector (Dennis O'Hare) is coming soon, so Tom tells Tim to count the pigs while he gets rid of fecal sludge in the river. Meanwhile, Tina is about to have a break-down over the fact that they have yet to start their family. While Tom is at the river, Tina and Tim console each other and when Teddy, the government inspector, arrives the next morning to a drunk Tom upstairs, and adulterous Tina and Tim in the basement, the pig feces really hit the fan.
I'm not really sure what I can say about it this play. I had a good time, but I'm not sure why. It's got lots of quirky humor, but is that enough for a whole play? It probably could have been, but the ending went a little too far, and was a little too long for me. I'll be interested in what the critics say, but overall, I thought it was good; not great, but good. Except Denis, of course, who is always perfection.

Celebrity sighting

2006-06-20T10:39:00.000-04:00

Last night, as I was walking to the bus stop, I saw that they were doing The Devil Wears Prada premiere at the Lincoln Center Loews (Sidenote: I don't know why they don't do more premieres there, it's a really nice theatre. And I would see more stars). Well, who should arrive just as I was walking by? Meryl Streep. She looked very nice if smaller than I expected (aren't they all). She'd brought all her kids, and they looked like they were having a good time. I didn't wait around to see if I could see Anne Hathaway or Adrian Grenier, I'll just look forward to see them in the movie.

Ick

2006-06-19T11:23:00.000-04:00

Isn't amazing how we forget uncomfortable things, until they happen again? You all know that I'm not a big fan of summertime weather. I hate being hot, and I hate sweating, and I hate being around other people that are hot and sweating.
This morning, I woke up at 6:30 am, and I couldn't figure out why. I'm never awake at 6:30, ever. At first I thought there was something wrong with my clock and it was much later than 6:30, but it wasn't. I pondered for a moment, and then I realized, I was awake because I was too hot. And then I remembered how I have a hard time sleeping in the summer because I can't sleep when I'm hot.
It's going to be a long, hot, sweaty, tired summer. Ick.

A Prairie Home Companion

2006-06-17T15:04:00.000-04:00

I wasn't sure how they were going to convert a quirky radio show into a mainstream movie, but I was eager to watch it. It turns out, they didn't transform the show into a blockbuster movie. They did fill it with movie stars, but the movie of A Prairie Home Companion is much like the radio show itself. It's strange, charming, disjointed, and Garrison Keillor does whatever he wants. I don't know how this movie is going to make money that way, but I surely had a good time.

The Busy World is Hushed

2006-06-17T14:21:00.000-04:00

Erin and I went to this play (The Busy World is Hushed by Keith Bunin) last week because I got free tickets from work. I didn't know anything about it, except that Jill Clayburgh is in it, and I like her. It turns out her co-stars are two very cute boys (Hamish Linklater & Luke McFarlane), so that was a bonus. It's a play about a minister who's hired a young writer to help her write a book about a newly discovered Gospel (perhaps the earliest), and whose son is staying with her for a short time to try to find out more about his father who may or may not have committed suicide before he was born. Brandt (Linklater), the writer, wrestles with the fact that his father is dying, and tries to determine what kind of faith he has in God, and Thomas (McFarlane), rails against his mother's faith while simultaneously trying to absorb his father's through old, note filled Bibles that his father has left behind. Brandt and Thomas fall in love, and things seem to be going well until Thomas realizes that his mother approves of the match, and then he runs off, leaving Brandt to deal with his father's death alone unless he will accept the minister's comfort.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable play, and I thought there were some really great, thought provoking scenes, but Thomas was a problem for me. In the climax, he tells his mother she has to choose between faith in God, or her son. I found this ultimatum ridiculous and over the top, which would have been fine if one of the other characters called him on it, but they don't. The final scene (the minister and Brandt at his father's funeral), gives no resolution whatsoever. I understand that some plays are better served this way; leaving the audience to think about it themselves, but I felt it was unfair of Bunin to bring up so many issues about the nature of faith and Christ, and then leave us hanging without at least an opinion of his own to offer.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

2006-06-14T16:18:00.000-04:00

I finally went to see this play after hearing only good things for some time. It lived up to it's reputation. It reminded me of Fargo in that you just have to embrace the world you're being thrown into. It's rough, it's amoral, VERY bloody, and very funny. The basic plot is that Padraic, a member of a splinter group from the IRA who's more than a little off with a tendancy to shoot first and ask questions later, has left his cat, his only friend in the world, in the care of his father while he travels Ireland torturing drug dealers. Unfortunately, the cat shows up dead in the middle of the road, and no one's sure how it died, or how to tell Padraic the news. The play starts off ridiculous and high energy, and gets bigger and louder and more out of control as it goes along until we end up with a stage literally dripping with blood. This play's by the same author (Martin McDonagh) as last year's The Pillowman which I liked, but I found this one a little more accessible, although no less bizarre. Peter Gerety (pictured above holding the dead cat), who plays Padraic's father, was my favorite performance; his understated one-liners were high-larious. I thought Domhnall Gleeson (who got a Tony nomination) was good, but a little over the top, especially at the beginning; I think he should have eased us a little more into this crazy play. Likewise, Allison Pill (Tony nominated) was good (she plays a girl from Padraic's home town whose own sensibilities just might match his vigor for violence), but I'm not sorry she didn't win. I saw her in a play last year (On the Mountain) last season, and I think she has a lot of potential, but she's not award caliber just yet. Still, the entire cast was very enjoyable, and I really admire their dying skills.
Yes Anne, the actors get so covered with blood (and good many of them do not live to the end of the show) that they can taste it, so I've heard they appreciate the chocolaty flavor of the bloody concoction. I've also heard it takes two full hours for the stage hands to clean the set every night. If you ever come to the library to watch it, we taped some of the cleanup after the credits. We are getting so flashy!

2006-06-14T11:27:00.000-04:00

2006-06-13T16:42:00.000-04:00

The Reader's Bill of Rights
Everyone has the right to read. Here's The Reader's Bill of Rights to help you make the most of that right:

Readers have:

The right to not read.
The right to skip pages.
The right to not finish.
The right to reread.
The right to read anything.
The right to escapism.
The right to read anywhere.
The right to browse.
The right to read out loud.
The right not to defend your tastes.

—Pennac, Daniel, Better Than Life, Coach House Press, 1996.

Tony letdowns

2006-06-12T12:10:00.000-04:00

I was pretty disappointed with the Tony outcomes this year. Overall I guess it was fine, but there were three things that really upset me:

1) Obviously, I was very upset that The Drowsy Chaperone didn't win Best Musical. It was completely robbed. I'm sure Jersey Boys is great and a lot of fun, but there's no way a jukebox musical should win over an original musical. This one's going to take me a while to get over.

2) I was horrified that Jim Dale didn't win Best Featured Actor in a Musical. The ONLY other person that could have won and I would have felt okay was Manoel Felciano from Sweeney Todd, but really Jim Dale just needed to win.

3) You know I loved The Pajama Game, I really did. But it is not in the same league as Sweeney Todd; not even close. I am appalled that they gave Best Revival to PJ Game over this magnificent and revolutionary production of Sweeney Todd. It's maddening.

4) I know I said three, but I just had to end by saying that although I was pretty sure John Lloyd Young would win Best Actor in a Musical so it wasn't a surprise, you and I both know that it should have been Michael Cerveris.

Read it

2006-06-10T16:33:00.000-04:00

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I'm not going to tell you anything about this book, because I think it's more fun the less you know. But I was really taken with it, and I think you should read it. Yes, I mean you, specifically. It reminded me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt (although they are radically different in content) because they are both kind of quiet stories. A lot of the time there is nothing happening, and yet, I was mesmerized by it. I'll have to read Ishiguro's other books very soon. Do yourself a favor and read this one today.

The people you meet at the theatre

2006-06-09T17:28:00.000-04:00

You know me, I don't talk to strangers. My usual MO is to pretend that I'm the only one in existence, and try to stay out of people's way so that they can do the same. My rules are relaxed slightly at the theatre, since I feel a slight communal feeling towards other audience members.
So last week I went to MTC to see Defiance. As I was about a block away, a downpour began, and I had no umbrella, so I arrived at the theatre a bit soggy. I'd bought a discount ticket, so I was all the way at the end of an aisle (not that I'm complaining about my seat, because it was just fine), and I had to do the whole excuse me bit. The last guy had a large umbrella, so he cautioned me to be careful as I stepped over it. I said no problem, passed him and sat down. He then asked me if it had started raining, and indicating the large splashes on my shirt, I said it had. I then pulled out my book to read, but the guy kept talking. This is usually the point where I would open my book anyway, in hopes of discouraging my chatty neighbor, but for whatever reason, I talked back. So Terry (a 59 year old, and I know this sounds judgmental, but he just had to be, gay man) and I discussed the playwright, the upcoming Tony's, and by the time the play started, we even had an inside joke (which we snickered at during the show, including elbow nudges)! In fact, Terry and I had such a good time, I was sad when the play ended and we parted ways. Made me seriously consider talking to more strangers in the future.

Living in a Seinfeld world

2006-06-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, just after Erin had moved to Manhattan, she told me it was like living in an episode of Seinfeld. I laughed at her naivete and her attachment to that show. Then I moved here. I don't so much feel that I live in a Seinfeld episode, but I have gained a new appreciation for the show. It was always funny of course, but now things that I had thought exaggerated for comic effect seem much more true to life.
Take the episode I recently watched:
THE SUBWAY

Summary:
Everyone has an uncommon experience while going their separate ways on the subway. George meets a beautiful woman who distracts him from his intended destination, a job interview. Jerry falls asleep and then wakes up across from a fat naked man and winds up discussing with him, the New York Mets & Coney Island. Elaine's train stops in the middle of a tunnel on her way to be best man at a lesbian wedding. Kramer overhears a hot tip on a horse on his way to pay $600 in traffic violations.

I had seen it before, and enjoyed it, but the other night, I almost fell off the couch laughinh at Elaine's story. I swear I've had this exact conversation with myself!

(Elaine is trapped in a stopped train.)

ELAINE'S VOICE: Oh, this is great. This is what I need, just what I need. Ok, take it easy I'm sure it's nothing. Probably rats on the track, we're stopping for rats. God, it's so crowded. How can there be so many people? This guy really smells, doesn't anyone use deodorant in the city? What is so hard, you take the cap off, you roll it on. What's that? I feel something rubbing against me. Disgusting animals, these people should be in a cage. We are in a cage. What if I miss the wedding? I got the ring. What'll they do? You can't get married without the ring. Oh, I can't breath, I feel faint. Take it easy, it'll start moving soon. Think about the people on the concentration camps, what they went through. And hostages, what would you do if you were a hostage? Think about that. This is nothing. No, it's not nothing, it's something. It's a nightmare! Help me! Move it! Come on move this fu(beep) thing!! Why isn't it moving?!? What can go wrong with a train!?! It's on tracks, there's no traffic! How can a train get stuck. Step on the gas!! What could it be? You'de think the conductor would explain it to us? 'I'm sorry there's a delay we'll be moving in 5 minutes'!! I wanna hear a voice. What's that on my leg?!!

(Lights in the train go off)

ELAINE'S VOICE: Why couldn't I take a cab. For 6 dollars my whole life could've changed. What is that on my leg? I'll never get out of here. What if I'm here for the rest of my life? Maybe I'll get out in 5 seconds. 1 banana, 2 banana, 3 banana, 4 banana, 5 banana...no, I'm still here! Still here! Why don't they start moving? Move! Move!! Move!!!
*Train starts moving, lights get back on*
It's moving! It's moving! Yes! Yes!!
*Train stops again and lights go off*
Motherf(beep-beep)!!!

Is that wrong?

2006-06-08T15:19:00.000-04:00

There's this guy at work who's a really nice man. He's also really annoying. I mean really annoying. Every morning, he insists on not just doing the "good mornings," but also going through this whole rigmarole about how we're doing, and the state of the weather. Then, after lunch, the same thing! I mean, how much does he think changes during the hour I'm at lunch? He also says "libary" instead of library, which I cannot stand, and he talks really loudly on the phone at least once a day to either his wife or his mother, sometimes both.
Now I know that this man is a good person, so I should like him. But I can't. He's just too annoying. Does this make me a bad person?

Uh-oh

2006-06-06T15:44:00.000-04:00

I drank soda at lunch today and got the hiccups. This in and of itself isn't so bad; embarrassing (I have the loudest hiccups in the world-imagine me hiccuping my way through the hushed library), but manageable. But here's the problem, I always get the hiccups twice, and tonight I'm going to see a play! I'm just sure that halfway through the first act is when I'm going to get my second attack. Yikes! Anyone know how to force yourself to get the hiccups?

a Drowsy video clip

2006-06-05T17:58:00.000-04:00

Click on the picture to see a backstage tour of The Drowsy Chaperone, hosted by Sutton Foster:

Some Girl(s) & Defiance

2006-06-02T11:23:00.000-04:00

What is the deal with these family portrait play posters? The last two plays I've seen, this is the only image I can find to put on my blog. Not a play poster or program, just a family picture. I don't like it.
Last week I saw Neil LaBute's Some Girl(s). I enjoyed it, but I don't have much to say about it. I found it a solid production, and I was interested throughout. It seemed, for a while, that maybe he was going veer from his characteristic cynicism, but overall, it was still pretty standard LaBute. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I thought Eric McCormack was pretty good, there was only a moment or two of Will (which I guess is really a moment or two of Eric, but you know what I mean). As for the girls, they were all good, Maura was the standout, but part of that was because her character was the strongest. And part of that is just because I like her. Also noteworthy was the set. The play is four scenes, and four different hotel rooms. In the first scene, Eric says he always stays in the same hotel (it's a nationwide chain), so I thought that was a pretty neat and conservative way to explain using the exact same set (which was very detailed) for all four locations. Oh no, they changed it. It was always the same furniture, but everything else changed everything (including the walls), and the crew all wore hotel cleaning uniforms, and the transitions were very sharp. If you get a chance, you should see it.
Last night I went to Defiance. Doubt was a little disappointing to me (I think a combination of overhype and seeing the 2nd cast), so I wasn't going to see Defiance, but Patrick decided not to tape it, and there were discount tickets available so I figured I'd check it out. The play has problems, but I'm not sorry I went to see it. Click on the link in my sidebar to see the NY Times review, I agree with it. The play tries to talk about racial issues within the microcosm of a marines base, but it tries to do too much in not enough time. I actually was interested in most of the characters (although they were all played in a very heavy handed way, which I'm surprised Doug Hughes allowed, or wanted), but you never get to know any of them enough to really feel for them or understand them, so I ended up frustrated. I would rather have spent more time with one of them. But as I said, I'm not sorry I saw it, and I met a very interesting fellow there, but that's for another post.

would you rather...

2006-05-31T17:30:00.000-04:00

If you could have a flying broomstick or a magic carpet, which would you choose? I can't decide. A carpet might be more comfortable, but I feel like I'd have more control with a broom. What do you think?

a little something sweet

2006-05-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

I've been craving a Bit-O-Honey the last little while, but sometimes they're hard to find. The last time I bought one was a couple of years ago at the same little bodega that supplied me with Hershey's mint cookies and cream bars for so long, but alas, they seem to have neither now. A Bit-O-Honey is the kind of candy you find when you least suspect it, so I'll keep my eyes peeled and not give up hope. If you see one, let me know, and if you've never tried one, I recommend you do. I think they're delightful, and it's fun to say.

Too long to be short, too short to be long

2006-05-30T18:29:00.000-04:00

Well, my hair has reached the grow out stage that I hate and just in time for another hot, sticky, NY summer. My hair just reaches the base of my neck, and it drives me crazy! It is also not quite long enough to get all of it into a ponytail. Are pigtails my only option? I don't have anything against the hairstyle, but every day seems a bit much. How long is this going to last?

"I'm suddenly feeling very...drowsy"

2006-05-26T15:42:00.001-04:00

After several fruitless evenings at The Drowsy Chaperone lottery, last night my friend won! And when my friend wins, that means I win too. Before the show started, I began to get a giddy in anticipation, as well as a little nervous that I had imagined the show to be a little better than it actually was. Foolish Catherine. Of course it's that good! Maybe not for everyone, but for me, this is exactly what a show should be. I know I said it before, but it just reminds me so much of what the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie is for me (and that the stage show kind of, but did not entirely capture) which is complete delight. I just truly enjoy and love every moment. I laughed even harder last night than I did the first time both from being able to anticipate some of my favorite moments, and from seeing things I didn't notice the first time around.
I had told myself that two times would surely be enough for me, but now, I don't think so. I will definitely go when we tape it (that's a given), but I have to say, I think the lottery guy had better get used to having me around. I'm addicted, I just can't get enough. Please come visit me and see this show so that I can go with you! If I keep taking people, than it won't be my fault if I keep seeing it, right? No, I won't say that. I don't need a reason to want to see it again, I just do and that's all there is to it. This is going to be one of those shows that I tell my children about over and over, and go on and on about how I was there to see it all...

much better

2006-05-25T16:34:00.000-04:00

I swear I do work during the day, but I just finished a project, and I googled LM Montgomery, and bing bang boom, I find another quiz that I feel compelled to take! I liked the results of this one much better.

destined for tragedy...

2006-05-25T15:27:00.000-04:00

I found a link to this quiz on someone else's blog, and I had to take it. I was really hoping I was Jane Eyre, and was a little dismayed to receive this result. I didn't even finish this book! Guess I need to now. What literary character are you?

The Sorensens take Manhattan

2006-05-25T09:23:00.000-04:00

Last Friday I had two sisters, two brothers, and one mother come visit for the weekend, and we had two days to do everything that everyone wanted. That's impossible, of course, and luckily everyone was good natured about it. So here's the play-by-play of what we did do. Friday night I met my family after work and we all put our names in for either the Avenue Q lottery or The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels lottery for my brothers. Eric won two tickets for DRS, so they were all set. We left them to wander the theatre district and went up to Lincoln Center for dinner. We couldn't get into the Mexican restaurant I was hoping to dazzle my mom with, so we ended up at Ollies, which was fine. Then I dropped the girls off at the Met for a 4-hour opera, while I worked at the temple.Saturday morning I got up and made thank you brownies for the AA box office because they got my sisters and mom in to see the long sold out The Pajama Game, (and my friend Scott got the boys into Spamalot!!) and we were all so grateful. It was a good weekend for the Sorensens and Broadway, that's for sure. Then I hurried over to Lincoln Center for a little opera of my own (I was not disappointed that my opera was only 2 1/2 hours-no siree) with Rachel Newcomb! It was very light and fun, although I did wonder how a little how they stretched a 20 minute plot over 2 hours! Afterwards Rachel and I headed over to the nail salon and got pedicures, which was very fun, and then it was time to meet up with the family again. We went to dinner at a diner downtown (say that three times fast) called The Silver Spurs, and it was very fun. Afterwards, since we were already farther so far south (in my opinion), I suggested that we go find the Joseph Smith statue that I had not been to see yet. Luckily Erin led the way, or I assure you, we would never have found it. It was nice, although we were intrigued to see that someone had gone to the effort of scraping one of the sentences on the plaque off. I would have thought I'd have heard about that at church, but I didn't. Anyway, it was fun to see, but once you've looked at it for a couple of minutes there's really nothing else to do, but it had taken 20 to get there, so it felt a little unbalanced. So we walked over to the park to see the Statue of Liberty. I tried to convince everyone to take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, but Meg was the only one I could convince, so we didn't do that. Instead we walked back to the subway by way of Ground Zero, and ended the night at Ben & Jerry's near my family's hotel. Warning: Their chocolate peanut butter milkshake has nuts. (that was a bit of a shock to me as I was drinking it through a straw) The Rochester party left early Sunday morning, but Anne (who stayed at our house) accompanied me to church. Of course the times you want something crazy to happen, it never does-the week before we'd had two entire sacrament meetings planned, so we had one after the other. I had a great time seeing everyone, and I hope they had a good time too. I always feel slightly stressed playing the hostess, especially in NY which is such an amazing city, I hardly feel I can do justice to it. I guess that just means everyone has to visit a lot, so we get a chance to see everything. Something to keep in mind, Donny Osmond is joining the cast of Beauty and the Beast in the fall; just in case you needed an incentive.

Cherry Lime Rickey

2006-05-24T12:29:00.000-04:00

I promised Amy my report of the family visit would be up today, but I haven't gotten there yet. Instead, I'll tell you what I did last night. I went to see a Neil LaBute play downtown, Some Girl(s), which was good. I was very glad because last year's Fat Pig was very much not good, and I know Patrick wants to tape something of his (we've not taped anything since The Shape of Things), and I was relieved to be able to tell him that this was worth taping. It was classic LaBute, and the performances were solid.
Afterwards, I met some friends at a local Soda Shop, I'd heard about. It was really fun; I'd go there again. I ordered a Cherry Lime Rickey, which I'd heard about from Erin a while back. I thought I was sure to like it, but I have to say, it wasn't my favorite. Maybe if there was a diet version, but it was too sweet, not sour enough. Next time, I'll get a milkshake. You can't go wrong with that, right?

Some Friday fun

2006-05-19T14:38:00.000-04:00

This website was brought to my attention by my sister Lindsay, and I have to say, it came none too soon. Claire has taken scenes from her favorite movies (ie Bridget Jones Diary) and miniseries (Pride and Prejudice & Horatio Hornblower), and set them to pop songs. I've only watched one so far (a P&P + Robbie Williams music video), but I intend to devote some more quality time watching these masterpieces in the near future. Click on the image above and enjoy!

What I've been doing

2006-05-18T15:12:00.000-04:00

Oh yeah, I was going to post something new an exciting every day this week. Well, as you've noticed, I didn't. Here's what I've been doing instead.
Monday: Tony nominations announced from LPA! Tried to do The Drowsy Chaperone lottery, found out they are no longer doing Monday performances, so went home only to discover that I'd left my keys at work. Fun.
Tuesday: Did The Drowsy Chaperone lottery, didn't go in, but went and had dinner at Say Cheese! One of my favorite places to eat in the theatre district (they served all kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches, in case you couldn't figure it out). Did laundry.
Wednesday: Did The Drowsy Chaperone lottery, didn't get
in, got on the bus to go home, but got off on a whim at the T-Mobile store and bought a new phone. Okay, it wasn't completely on a whim. I've been vaguely contemplating getting a new phone since Christmas because my phone's backlight won't go off, so it drains the battery within a couple of hours. The thing that put me over the edge is that I got my Mary Engelbreit newsletter earlier this week, and they talked about ME wallpaper you can download to your phone. Of course I immediately went to download one, and I couldn't because my phone was too old! Obviously I can't live with the knowledge that other people have ME wallpaper on their cell phones and I don't, so I knew the time had come. Now here's where I eat my words. I went to the store, and I'd already pretty much picked out my replacement phone from online, but when I got there I saw that what I'd thought was a silver phone was actually white. I couldn't take it. The next phone up was black (the silver phones were expensive) which to me, is better, so I got it. I'm ashamed to tell you it's a camera phone. I never thought I'd go there, but I confess, the idea of being able to put pictures on my blog at my whim rather than planning ahead and borrowing Erin's camera, was delightful. So, I'm truly one of the masses. I've taken a couple of pictures (quality isn't great, but what can you expect from a phone?), but I can't figure out how to get them off my phone and onto my blog yet. That'll be my next project.

Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper

2006-05-15T15:01:00.000-04:00

I saw a commercial for this last night, and I bought it at lunch. That's a pretty good response to marketing! The commercial is truly delightful, as is, it turns out, the beverage! It's going to replace my 1-2 times a week Diet Cherry Pepsi habit. Click on the picture to see the commercial that prompted this purchase.

Back in business

2006-05-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

I know my blog has been a bit sparse the last couple of weeks; I was busy trying to do a good job at work and finish up my final projects for school. Now I'm back, and for my first official summer post, I'd like to inflict one of my final projects on you. It didn't turn out as impressive as I would have hoped, and I thought about spending the extra 10 hours it would take to make it a little flashier and hopefully impressive to you, but I've decided I'm far too lazy for that. So, here is my effort to try and make myself look good. First, look at my website from last semester, and then look at this semester's website. I'm hoping that by comparison at least, this semester's project will look a little bit better. And please remember, the theme was not my own, it was assigned.

Unfair!

2006-05-11T17:24:00.000-04:00

The past two days I've had people basically begging me to see free movies, and I've had to say no! Movie screenings are one of the bonuses to living in Manhattan. In the spring and fall especially, it's not too hard to find people offering free movie screening passes (it helps if you walk past a movie theatre, which I do every day!)for movies that haven't even come out yet! All it costs is an hour or two of time waiting in line. Frustratingly, most of these screenings take place during the day, and they're rarely happening at the movie theater where you get the offer (don't know why...) So yesterday, a guy walked up to me at the bus stop asking if I'd like to see a free movie starring Cate Blanchett that very evening, in my very own, beloved Lincoln Center movie theater! I was so sad to turn him down in favor of finishing school work that it's a good thing my bus came right then, or I might have changed my mind. Today as I was walking down the street at lunchtime, I got the very same offer for tonight! I suppose it's a lesson in not procrastinating (if I'd finished my paper early, I could have said yes), but oh so painful. You know I'll get no such offers next week when I can do whatever I want.

One down, one to go...

2006-05-10T13:51:00.000-04:00

I turned in my website for Multimedia Production this morning, now I just need to finish everything for Principles of Searching. Hmmm. Sounds easy, but it doesn't feel so easy. Can't wait until next week!

Pantaloonies

2006-05-04T15:59:00.000-04:00

Helena and I have had our ups and downs. In my humble opinion, Lady Jane was her best performance, and it's all been downhill from there. But creative differences aside, I whole heartedly support her latest venture - a line of designer pantaloons and various other undergarments. If I were able to shop at Harrods and had the money to do so, I would be all over that. Click on a photo for more details.

David Blaine is bad luck

2006-05-04T11:49:00.000-04:00

I know you're all wondering what's happened to me this week. The answer is David Blaine. For those of you who haven't heard, he's living in a snowglobe for a week at Lincoln Center, and I'm convinced he's bad luck. Work has been crazy, and yesterday my computer went down for an hour and a half - all David's fault. And I'm in my end of semester craze with school work - David's fault again. And I have hair woes, which I can't even get into right now - yes, David did that too. There is nothing that cannot be blamed on that pseudo-Aquaman outside; at least until next week. Come to think of it, I might miss him then when everything's back to my fault.

Help Catherine get an A

2006-04-29T15:09:00.000-04:00

I should have thought to ask this ages ago, since I've had this theme for a while, but as usual, I'm having a good idea when it's just about too late to use it. Anyway, the theme for my final project website is "having the keys to open many doors." If you happen to run into a good picture of a door or a key (or even better, and door with a key in it's lock), please send it my way. I've got a lot of pictures collected already, but some of them are pretty generic and boring, so if you see a cool picture (photograph or illustration), and can send it to me via email within the next week, I'd be most appreciative. Thanks!

Stumbling seductress

2006-04-28T18:03:00.000-04:00

I know, I know; no one wants to hear about my dreams. But I'm worried about what seems to be becoming a trend. A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed that I ran into Dustin Hoffman (who, I'll admit has a certain charm in The Graduate, but who I do not in any way find attractive now) on night, and I tried to get him to go out with me. I don't mean I wanted to hang out with him, I mean I wanted a date; I wanted to make out with him. We were sitting in the park, and I kept putting my hand on his thigh, and he kept taking it off again. I had no success there. Oh, did I mention that he was blind? I don't know if that has any significance whatsoever, but there you have it.
So last night, I dreamed about this guy that I had a big crush on in high school. I haven't seen him in years, but I do know that he got married a while ago; I think he has some kids too. Anyway, I dreamt that I ran into him again, and he'd gotten divorced (which I was happy about - bad of me, I know), but he was engaged to another girl already. In fact, we were going to his wedding. Did this stop me from trying to win him over? Oh no. I was shockingly forward. In the car I was sitting as close as possible to him, I kept needlessly touching him, and I was giggling a lot; it was nauseating. When we got to the wedding, for some reason he sat down in the audience with me and my friends, and was just going to run up and do his part when we got to it (there were some speeches and musical numbers first). I continued to attempt to seduce him! I was brazen, I tell you. He was not as unresponsive (or I guess negatively responsive) as old, blind Dusty, (he even seemed to be enjoying it), but he wasn't calling off the wedding either. I woke up before I embarrassed myself by kissing him, which I'm pretty sure I was about to do. Oddly, in my dream this guy, who has perfectly normal hair, as I recall, had acrylic hair. I don't mean he was wearing a wig, I mean his hair was like a wig.
What is wrong with me? Why do I only try to seduce mean that have some physical flaw? Wait, why am I trying to seduce men? What if I start acting like this in real life?

Word of the day

2006-04-27T15:36:00.000-04:00

ambivalence
Main Entry: amÂ·bivÂ·aÂ·lence
Pronunciation: am-'bi-v&-l&n(t)s
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific
Vocabulary 1 : simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as
attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action 2 a : continual
fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite) b : uncertainty as to which
approach to follow- amÂ·bivÂ·aÂ·lent /-l&nt/
adjective- amÂ·bivÂ·aÂ·lentÂ·ly adverb

I looked up this word today and realized that I've completely misunderstood it's meaning. I thought it was synonymous with indifference. Boy was I wrong. Now that I really know what it means, I'll have to try to use it correctly a few times, in hopes that it will stick.

PS. Yes I did take Latin in high school, so I really have no excuse for not recognizing the ambi- root. What can I say? I just don't pay attention sometimes. Well, a lot of the time.

Patti Lupone on The Today Show

2006-04-26T12:09:00.000-04:00

Click on the picture to see Patti's appearance on The Today Show. The link takes you to video.msn.com, and then you need to search for Patti Lupone. It's worth the minute it'll take you to get there.

Kiri the wonder cat

2006-04-26T10:43:00.000-04:00

So I spent last week in Rochester with my brother, Eric, my father, and my sister's cat, Kiri. I'm very allergic to cats, and I planned to keep a polite distance from Kiri, but this quickly proved impossible. For one, she wasn't having it, and for another, she's so darn cute I couldn't resist playing with her. She's an ocicat, and I don't really know what that means, but I think maybe it means a cat/dog/bird mix. I say this because this cat sounds like a bird, and acts like a dog; it's quite funny. She has a high, little meow that almost sounds more like a bird's chirping to me than a cat's meow. And Kiri plays like a dog. She plays fetch, something I didn't think cats do. Oh sure, they'll chase things, anything, but I've never seen a cat bring it back before. Kiri has a collection of little colored balls, and when you throw them, she chases it (or sometimes catches it in midair), and then runs back and drops it at your feet to throw again. It's pretty fun and funny, at least for the first half hour; after that I would try with limited success to convince her we were done playing. She also does somersaults - although not intentionally. She likes to flop at your feet, or if you're scratching her chin, she usually rolls around on her back. She'll do this even if there's not really room to (say if you're standing next to the wall, or sitting in the corner of the couch), and the result is often her rolling right over her head and onto her back. Don't know if you can picture it without seeing it, but trust me, she does somersaults. Anyhoo, next time you're in Rochester, be sure to spend some time with Kiri the wonder cat; it's pretty fun.

I heart Jim Dale

2006-04-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

Click on this photo to see some scenes from Roundabout Theatre Company's The Threepenny Opera, including Jim Dale during my favorite number, and Nelly McKay singing. I wished they showed Lucy sing too, but you can't have everything.

Coke vs. Pepsi

2006-04-23T16:31:00.000-04:00

Eric and I decided to do a side by side taste test of Diet Cherry Coke and Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi. The results...

Eric says they taste the same. I say the Coke is slightly better due to a tinny aftertaste with the Pepsi. Also, I think the Coke can is prettier. Not that I would ever turn down either one...

Places to visit in Rochester

2006-04-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

The YMCA (with a parking lot full of Odyssey minivans)

Abbotts (frozen custard is even better than ice cream)

Wegmans (the best grocery store ever, although Ukrops is a close second)

Perinton Hots (you know what I'm getting there)

Dinner with the Odhiambo's

Cocoa & Co. - Rochester chapter

2006-04-22T12:17:00.000-04:00

I wasn't able to do my usual hot chocolate club, but Emily was kind enough to take me to her Chocolate Bar, and we had a good time. It was quite a cute place with lots of chocolate treats to choose from. I had a regular hot chocolate, which wasn't the best, but not too bad either. Emily had a mini-cheesecake which looked pretty good. Unfortunately they were having live music there last night. They guys singing weren't bad, but they were using microphones in a rather small room, so it was hard to hear each other talking. Overall, it was a fun evening, and Lily became the youngest member of Cocoa & Co! I commemorated it by taking a picture of her with a very large and disconcerting stuffed rabbit that was there for some reason, maybe wanting to get out of the rain?

Bacon and Eggs

2006-04-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

I was forced to stay up until 12am the other night because my favorite episode of Will & Grace was on (to be fair, I haven't seen every episode of the show, but I don't think I could possibly like any episode better than this one.) The main storyline is that Jack is stalking Kevin Bacon, and then becomes his personal assistant. I love this episode because of three things:

Jack is really funny in this episode: KEVIN: This is serious. This is gonna freak you out... but... I have a stalker.
JACK: [GASPS] No! Are you sure?
KEVIN: Damn it! Kyra didn't believe me either! Why is it so hard for everyone to believe that I would have a stalker? Just--just find him for me, all right?
JACK: Oh, I'll find me--him! And when I find him, I am gonna stop me--him.
KEVIN: Okay. But it's not gonna be easy. This guy is slippery. If I had a dollar for every time my jock strap had been stolen from the gym--
JACK: You'd have $186!
[KEVIN LOOKS AT JACK SUSPICIOUSLY.]
JACK: [LAUGHS NERVOUSLY] A-heh-heh. It's just an expression!
Grace is really funny in this episode: KAREN: Listen, honey, I'm gonna go grab some lunch with some of the other gals from the typing pool. Oh! It's Zoey's birthday. Fran made cupcakes.
[KAREN EXITS.]
GRACE: Sheesh... Cupcakes! Friggin' nutbag.
[LEO ENTERS.]
GRACE: [SING-SONG] Ca-ray-zy! [This line reading is the best ever. Unfortunately, you have to see her do it, so I can't share it with you, but trust me. It's golden.]
[LEO KNOCKS ON THE DOOR.]
LEO: Am I interrupting something?
Karen is really funny in this episode:
KAREN: No, no. Grace is right. We made commitments to our husbands. Nothing's more important than that. I'm just gonna have to march up there and tell Lionel, "You're sleazy and shameless. I hate that, and we're through!"
[CUT TO LIONEL'S HOTEL ROOM.]
KAREN: You're sleazy and shameless! I like that, but we're through!
Will and Kevin Bacon do the Footloose dance.

It's like herding cats...

2006-04-20T22:39:00.000-04:00

For all of you who thought taking pictures of small children was challenging, I suggest you try a cat. Especially a cat that never sleeps, and rarely stops moving. Here are a few of my efforts:

Eric the working man

2006-04-20T21:46:00.000-04:00

Eric's working at the Mobil 'On the Run' near our house. Every job has it's pros and cons. Eric's perks are a one minute commute and all the day old Krispy Kremes he (and we) can eat. He's less thrilled about his growing expertise on tobacco products. I know you all wish you could visit him on the job, so I did just that, and bring you the following pictures:

I wonder if he gets to keep his uniform when he leaves?

Life in the 'burbs

2006-04-20T12:41:00.000-04:00

I know you're all worried, having not heard from me in several days. I didn't fall off the face of the earth, I just went to Rochester for a week. Here are a few observations:

-Flying on Easter is ideal. The airport was half empty and very laid back. The I got three seats to myself on the plane.

-Everyone in Rochester owns the same minivan, including us. I kind of feel like a Stepford wife driving around in it.

-I love doing laundry in my own house.

-Lily's adorable.

-I love sleeping in a queen-sized bed.

-I'm still extremely allergic to cats. It's always good to double-check these things.

Harlem Ward Highjinks

2006-04-17T23:21:00.000-04:00

Here's a real announcement from the podium on Sunday:
"There'll be a linger longer pot luck today after church. Please bring a dish to pass."
Ummm, you can't make an initial announcement about a potluck on the day of, and hello! It's Easter! Do you really want to have a ward pot luck dinner on Easter!

Meet my new friend...

2006-04-14T16:38:00.000-04:00

...Megan Whalen Turner. While talking to my mom a while ago, she said she saw my father reading a YA book, which isn't the norm, so she figured there had to be something special about the book, and read it as soon as he was finished. The book was The Thief (Newbery Honor book-1996. Why is it I so often like Newbery Honor books better than Newbery Medal books?). She sent me a copy of it, as well as the sequel The Queen of Attolia. Since I'm telling you about it, I obviously liked these books (a lot), and will soon read the third book, The King of Attolia. You should read them all as soon as you're able, they're very enjoyable. But if it's possible, I'm even more taken with Megan than I am with her books. At the back of the latest paperback edition of The Thief, there's a message from Megan about the books she likes to read. I wish I had the book in front of me so I could give you a direct quote (I already lent it to someone else to read), but basically she talked about her love of reading, and
the books that most influenced her growing up, and she includes a list of books she recommends. Not only did I like her because we have the same taste in books, but I really liked the way she talked about reading and how it affects us. She seemed really nice; someone I'd like to meet. Hopefully you'll read this reissue copy of The Thief too, so you can read her much more eloquent words, rather than my stilted version.

Just read them, you'll be glad you did.

Tryst

2006-04-14T12:19:00.000-04:00

Last night I went to see a play Patrick had recommended. It's a two person Victorian drama about a con artist who seduces plain women and steals their money. This time, of course, things do not go quite as smoothly as he could wish. The play has a lot of potential. It's a great mood piece (you know I love my Victorians), and there are several twists and turns to the plot. I liked both the actors (Maxwell Caulfield and Amelia Campbell), although I did find both of them a little heavy handed at times. The set was gorgeous, very dark and dreary. It was a city street most of the time, but then the brick wall at the back opened (garage door style) to reveal a boarding house room. Overall, it was worth seeing, but there was room for improvement. But I really can't complain about seeing Maxwell Caulfield in a state of semi-dress. I'd like to think I'm above oogling good looking men without shirts on, but in this case, at least, I was not. Pure eye candy. And, of course, the accent didn't hurt.

Cocoa & Co.

2006-04-13T14:22:00.000-04:00

This week we went to Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven. This place makes you feel like you wandered into Willy Wonka's place! The store is in the middle of their factory, and there are big windows so you can see the magic happen! By the time we got there, it looks like there weren't making anything, but there were trays of chocolate everywhere! The store was all ready for Easter weekend more chocolate rabbits, eggs, and chicks than you can shake a stick at. There was a bar where you ordered your hot chocolate. They had several flavors to choose from, and then you chose classic or wicked (spicy). I almost got a large classic hot chocolate, but thank goodness I reevaluated and got the small. What I got was a small cup of melted chocolate. I swear, this was not a beverage, it was just melted down chocolate. It was very thick, and very hot, and very intense. Dear readers, I have failed you. I couldn't drink the whole thing! If I'd had some water too, maybe I could have done it, but as it was, I had to admit defeat. By halfway through the cup, I felt like my entire insides were coated with chocolate. This place is definitely not for the faint of heart. Maybe I'll try again another day.

All good things come from Canada

2006-04-13T13:49:00.000-04:00

I saw The Drowsy Chaperone. I am in love. I can't give an objective review of this show, because I loved it, and am slightly obsessed with it. Let me set the scene:
I've heard buzz about this show for six months at least, so I knew I needed to get in early, or it would get very difficult. They have a lottery for the first row of the orchestra an hour before curtain-$25. They started performances last week, but I couldn't make it, so I went to try this Monday (most theatres are dark on Mondays, but for some reason not The Drowsy Chaperone). I waited through the lottery, but I didn't get picked. So Tuesday night I went again, my plan being to go to the lottery every night that I didn't specifically have something to do, in hopes of getting lucky eventually. But you know I'm not lucky, so I wasn't expecting anything. While waiting on Tuesday, I ran into several other Mormons (two of which already saw the show last week), so we waited together. One of them, apparently, is very lucky, and it must have rubbed off on me because I won! In fact, we all got in, which was crazy! So already the night felt kind of magical.
So, we go to the show. Rush or lottery tickets are usually the first row of the orchestra because those are considered too close, and not good. Normally I would agree, but this theatre has a lot of space between the orchestra and the first row, and I thought they were great seats. I was right in the center of the row too. The lights went down, and there was a little monologue in the darkness. From the first joke, you could hear laughter throughout the theatre. It was a great audience. From the time the lights came up until the curtain call, I was in heaven. The premise of the show is that a musical theatre nut is listening to the record of one of his favorite old 1920's musicals one night, and while he listens, we get to watch the show. It's got the stock characters, the ridiculous storylines, and songs that have nothing to do with anything. I loved it! All of the performers are really great, and they know I think so, because I was a complete dork the whole show. I mean it, I was grinning from ear to ear, the whole time, I laughed out loud at every joke (and there were some I really shouldn't have), and after every song, I clapped like my mother does (clapping really hard with my hands raised high). It was great. I didn't get to see Sutton Foster in thoroughly Modern Millie (her understudy was great, but it wasn't her), but I feel like she more than made it up to me with this performance. She was really magnificent. I loved Millie, but I will never forgive them for taking 'Tap Tapioca' out of the show for the Broadway version. Would you believe that The Drowsy Chaperone has a very similar number? I think I almost hyper-ventilated when I realized what was happening right before my eyes. It's called Toledo Surprise, and not only is it a silly song about food (kind of, you'll see), but it's got a crazy dance, and everyone on the cast joins in! I was so happy.

And it went on from there, every scene better than the last. It really felt like they wrote this show just for my own personal enjoyment. There was even no intermission (I hate intermissions). And did you know this show was written by Canadians (you should from my post title)? It couldn't get any better. I loved the set, the costumes, the story, the actors, the orchestra, etc. As soon as the show was over, I wanted to watch it again. It's against my policy to see shows more than once (it's too expensive, and there are so many shows to see, it just seems a waste), and I'm positive that we'll tape it, but I can't help myself. I must see it again. It's killing me that I won't be able to try again for two weeks! But when I get back, you'd better believe I'll be at that lottery every chance I get, until I get in again, and maybe again after that. Any time you want to try, just let me know, and I'll be there. I fully intend to become a groupie. What do you think we'll be called? Rent has Rentheads, maybe we can be the Drowsers?
Click on the posting title to visit The Drowsy Chaperone website. Click on the following photo to watch a video of the cast of The Drowsy Chaperone rehearsing:

D.E.A.R.

2006-04-12T00:16:00.000-04:00

Today is National "Drop Everything And Read" day. I think you should do just that.

I Love You Because

2006-04-11T16:04:00.000-04:00

This is a new musical playing off-Broadway right now. It's not normally anything I would rush to see, but I read an article specifically about one of the songs Stephanie D'Abruzzo (she was in Avenue Q and I really liked her) sings, and it peaked my interest. Then it came up on my discount ticket site, so I decided to go. It's not the best, but a fun fluff show; the equivalent of a date movie. It's a little too long, and while it's funny in parts, it's not consistent enough. But the performers certainly gave it their all, and I'm impressed with them for working in such an odd space (the stage is basically a wide catwalk across a black box theatre and the audience sits on both sides), they even attempted some full on dancing. This show would be great for colleges (BYU excepted-there's a comedic love scene and some bad language that wouldn't go over well there) and regional theatres near college towns. Click on the post title to visit their website.

YMCA

2006-04-11T11:59:00.000-04:00

This is my YMCA. It's way cooler than the YMCA that I went to in Rochester (no offense, but it's true). I tried to get a close up of the gargoyles that are over the door, but it didn't turn out, so just imagine them. Any gym with gargoyles is good stuff. I don't really have anything fun to say about the YMCA, I just wanted to brag that mine is way cooler than yours.

Rabbit Hole

2006-04-10T16:07:00.000-04:00

Thursday night I went to my first TOFT shoot, because I wanted to see Rabbit Hole. I met some of the camera guys for the first time, and all of the video crew were very nice and welcoming. It was also fun to see several celebrities at the show. I saw Amy Brenneman as well as another actor from Judging Amy whose name I don't know, but he plays Tyne Daly's boss. The best celebrity sighting however was Mrs. Garrett from The Facts of Life. She was recently in an Encores! production of a Kander and Ebb musical called 70 Girls 70 which we had taped, and she asked if she could come to the library to see it. She was charming and nice, I hope she comes (she's going back to LA on Thursday). I gave her Patrick's card so she could call and tell us when she's coming, and I tried to be very professional and polite, but the whole time I was thinking, "I'm talking to Mrs. Garrett, I'm talking to Mrs. Garrett!" and "That's what you get for your evil ways, hmmmm." The latter is a quote from a fantastically bad (by which I mean it's very bad as well as very fantastic) movie called The Worst Witch.
Okay, about the play. It was very good. It's about a couple whose 4-year-old son gets killed in a car accident, and how they try to get over it. The actors were all good, but I felt that Tyne Daly was really the stand out. She was so funny, and so heartfelt; I'm so glad I got the chance to see her in action on the stage. The other star of the show was the set. It's a John Lee Beatty set (he's a very famous scenic designer for good reason), so I knew it would be beautiful, but it was really breathtaking. I don't know if there's any way I can describe it, but I'll try. The set is a very realistic house set, and there are three rooms. But remarkable thing is that the room is built over two turntables, so when a scene is done, the turntables turn, splitting the room you were looking at in two, and a new room comes together, does that make sense? So you start off in the kitchen, but the next scene is in the sitting room, and so the set turns around and it's the sitting room. Like I said, it's very hard to explain, but it was so amazing to see. They really used it to full effect as well. There's one scene where you watch the wife in her son's room on one half of the stage, and the husband in the family room on the other half of the stage. And when any given room is showing, you can't tell that it's cut in half, it looks solid. Anyway, you'll just have to come to the library and see it for yourself, but trust me, it was pretty amazing.

Another dream story

2006-04-08T00:44:00.000-04:00

Once I dreamt that I was at the Louvre and it was going to close in five minutes. But I had just gotten there, and I knew I would never return, so I was determined to at least see the Mona Lisa before I left. I rushed around trying to find it, but I couldn't. I couldn't even find any signs to guide me there. I was running down galleries and up and down staircases, but it wasn't anywhere, and no one would help me. Then there was an announcement to leave the museum because it was closing. I was desperately looking around on the sixth floor, and I saw some restrooms, so I decided to go in to buy some time, and give me a chance to think. There it was. The Mona Lisa was hanging on the wall of the ladies room.
I had this dream several years ago, but I thought of it tonight as I was cleaning bathrooms at the temple, and so I thought I'd share it with you.

Cocoa & Co.

2006-04-06T15:23:00.000-04:00

This week we went to Vosges and it was a good place to be on a chilly April evening. The above picture is actually their Chicago store, but you get the idea - purple reigns supreme at Vosges. They have three different kinds of hot chocolate to choose from. I should have taken notes because I can't remember their names, but you could get a Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon that was a little spicy, or a white chocolate, or a hot chocolate with vanilla bean. Needless to say, I chose the last one. It was very good, and although I feared the vanilla taste (why is chocolate ever diluted with vanilla? It's so wrong), it was just chocolaty and oh so good. Vosges serves their cocoa in tall thin glasses, and while I appreciated the novelty, they were quite hot to hold. Still, I would be very happy to give Vosges my patronage again, any time. Delightful. And look at these bunnies! As you know, I don't normally partake in plain chocolate (I like to mix things up), but these little guys are so cute, I'm almost tempted...

Theatre Review: Awake and Sing!

2006-04-06T12:13:00.000-04:00

This is my first experience with a Clifford Odet's play (I've neither read nor seen one his plays before. Shocking, I know). I really enjoyed it, although it was longer than expected. The play is about a Jewish family living in the Bronx in the 1930's. They're barely getting by, and tensions are high. Bessie (Zoe Wanamaker), the mother, is highly controlling, and refuses to let her son, Ralph (Pablo Schreiber) date both because she doesn't like the girl he chooses and because she scared of having to do with the paycheck he brings home every week. Hennie (Lauren Ambrose from Six Feet Under), Ralph's sister, is a little wild, and soon gets herself in the family way, another crises for Bessie to deal with. Meanwhile Jacob (Ben Gazzara), Bessie's father, who lives with them regularly lectures them on the evils of capitalism and the beauty of Marxism, and Myron (Jonathan Hadary), Bessie's husband, does very little at all. To further complicate things, they have a border, Moe Axelrod (Mark Ruffalo) who lost his leg in WWI and lives off his disability, and who is in love with Hennie, although they bicker constantly.
This play is a lot more about the character than the plot, but it still moves along fine. My only complaint was the two intermissions (I don't even like to have one!) between the four acts. I always want things to just keep moving. This play is dated in that there some racial slurs made that are no longer acceptable, and there were some audible gasps when these lines were spoken. I was a little shocked, not by the play, but that the audience seemed so hard hit. It's a play that was written in 1935! Give me a break. Anyway, some of them left at the intermission following, which I thought was too bad. I found the Ralph character annoying which is a shame since he's supposed to be our hope for the future, but other than that, I thought the play was quite beautiful, and this production really great. The set was lovely, and while I didn't fully understand the significance, it was cool to see them deconstruct it as the play went on (every act the set was less realistic, more just ideas). The walls of the set actually flew out during the third act, leaving only doorways for the fourth. I will also say that it was a pleasure, as usual, to watch our friend, Mark Ruffalo, in action.

Baked French Toast Casserole

2006-04-05T12:01:00.000-04:00

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Recipe SummaryDifficulty: Easy Prep Time: 20 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours Cook Time: 40 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Episode#: PA1B23Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

A series of unfortunate events

2006-04-04T18:03:00.000-04:00

It all started on Saturday night. I had volunteered to make French Toast Casserole for a social gathering on Sunday. I decided to double the recipe because you never know how many people will be there, and it's a really good recipe, so a double batch will be twice as good, right? I got to work Saturday, and although I have a rather large casserole dish, I could see it wasn't large enough to hold a double recipe. Did this make me reconsider? No, I just jammed everything in and left it in the fridge to marinate. Sunday morning I made the topping (made primarily of butter and brown sugar), spread it on the overflowing mass of French toast, and put it in the oven. Maybe you already know what happened, but I'll tell you any way. As the butter and sugar topping melted, it dripped down to the floor of the oven and burned. This produced a steady stream of smoke. My first reaction to the smoke detector going off was to turn off the oven. Then I put tin foil in the bottom of the oven to catch the dripping butter. The smoke detector stopped beeping, and deciding I'd fixed things, I went back to watching General Conference. When the timer rang (I'd allowed 30 minutes of cooling time before I needed to transport the hot casserole dish), I went in to the kitchen only to find that the oven was off, just as I had left it, and the casserole was not baked. At this point, I didn't know what to do. I was committed to be somewhere with food in half an hour, and had nothing. If I baked the dish, it would be too hot to carry when it was time to leave. If I didn't I would have to go with nothing. I turned the oven on, and decided to figure out what to do later (later being in 1/2 an hour. Hey, I'll procrastinate for any amount of time). So, ten minutes later the smoke detector started beeping again. For a while I just left the butter to burn and madly tried to fan the smoke out of the window. That didn't last too long before I was frantically yelling for Erin to take the battery out of the smoke detector amidst my choking on the really, quite impressive amounts of smoke. I gave up. I turned the oven off and fled from the kitchen. Erin advised leaving the half-baked casserole behind, and just going to the brunch empty handed. Did she really think I was capable of such a thing? Yes, it was the wise thing to do, but I almost never choose the wise thing. I wrapped tin foil over the top of the casserole dish, got two potholders, and set out on the 13 block walk to our destination. I put the dish down approximately once a block and complained about carrying it nonstop (going so far as to predict the imminent "end of the world" if I dropped it), but we were making slow and steady progress. Then I noticed that the as I walked and shifted the dish around, I was slowly spreading butter and sugar all over myself. Very upsetting, but I still wasn't deterred. No, we carried on until all of a sudden, I could no longer move forward. I was very confused, and just about to say something to Erin about this strange feeling that I couldn't go on, and it wasn't, for once, because of what I was carrying, when this guy walking behind us yelled out "Didn't you notice you dropped your yarn?" Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I'd tucked my knitting into my already full bag, and of course, the ball of yarn had fallen out, and I had now trailed yarn for almost an entire city block. I put my casserole dish down on the ground, and yelled encouragement as our new friend and I watched Erin run back down the block (all the while carrying the trifle dish that we were returning) and try to one-handedly (is that a word?) untangle the yarn from the mailbox it was caught on, and return to my side while bundling it up (all of which the guy found very amusing).
Thus it was that I arrived at my friend's doorstep covered in butter and brown sugar with a trifle dish full of yarn and a half-baked casserole. Who wants to invite me over to their house next?
PS Erin gets the credit for the posting title.

Theatre Review: Two Yeats Plays

2006-04-04T14:20:00.000-04:00

Last week I went to see the Handcart Ensemble's latest production. I'll admit, I didn't have the best attitude going in. I knew Javen had a lot of say on the play choice, and while I trust him implicitly in regards to poetry, we usually disagree on prose. This was the case as to this play. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot to enjoy in these plays, I just can't honestly say I enjoyed everything. I was not an overly educated audience member; all I really know about William Butler Yeats is that he's an Irish poet. Maybe I wasn't properly equipped to appreciate these two shows, but I have to say, I found myself bored several times. Ironically, Scott, artistic director of The Handcart Ensemble, recently wrote on their website (click on post title to check it out yourself), that Yeats wrote his plays specifically to be malleable enough to fit to your audience and purpose. And yet, I almost feel they went out of their way to alienate the audience. They first piece started with a chorus entering one by one, sitting on the floor, and droning for a time. I can take about 1 minute of such behavior, and then I'm really ready to move on. I'd guess their droning went on for 2-3 minutes (an eternity when you're just sitting there staring at these people), and when two more actors finally come onstage and I thought I'd get some relief, we watched them walk in a square around the stage three or four times (and it wasn't fast walking). I know I'm awfully low-brow, but I just don't enjoy this kind of thing. Once they were into dialogue, it was fine. Enjoyable, in fact. But the beginning put a pretty big damper on it for me. The second piece was more of the same; some good stuff (I really liked the music) mixed in with things that just seemed boring and strange for the purpose of being boring and strange.
And on that rave review, I encourage you all to buy your tickets today! Seriously, it is interesting, even if not my favoritest thing ever, so go judge for yourself and support Mormons in the arts.

National Library Week

2006-04-03T15:43:00.000-04:00

I am accepting gifts, flowers, and congratulations of all forms throughout the week during this very important celebration. You still have time to get me something, so please do.

Only in NY

2006-04-02T00:10:00.000-05:00

Tonight Erin and I tried to get into Tarzan on lottery (no luck), and then we tried to get into The Drowsy Chaperone but that didn't work either because they don't start performances until Monday. (I swore to Erin that they were already playing. She was right, I was wrong). Then we met up with Jen for dinner at Yum Yum Bangkok. On the way there, we saw a drag queen coming our way, and Jen noticed that his/her dress was unzipped down the back. Jen asked if our assistance was needed, and he/she answered in the affirmative, so right there on 46th and Broadway, we helped dress a drag queen. That's easier said than done, at least in this case. It was a strapless dress and it was a tight fit. Erin held the matching purse while I held the dress closed, and Jen zipped. There were two zippers, and both were a bit of a challenge, and by the time we were done there was a little audience. The drag queen was grateful, and left happily to I don't know where, and while I was sad that I didn't have a camera to share the finished look with you (it was a floor length fuscia evening gown with rhinestones sewn all over it. She also had a tiara-which I envied, but the most impressive thing were the rhinestones glued to her eyelids. She looked amazing), I felt happy that we had done a good deed.
After dinner I ended up at Fairway on a Saturday night with my good friend, Jen, something I'd said wouldn't happen after the last time we went to the same store on a Saturday night. In case you haven't met her, Jen is a very attractive and friendly girl, and she tends to attract more attention than I'm generally comfortable with. Tonight wasn't too bad. I guess we got enough stares with our new drag queen friend to last for the whole night.

"You're standing in my kumquats!"

2006-03-31T16:27:00.000-05:00

I just ate my first kumquat. I'll admit, this wasn't a completely voluntary culinary venture. A girl that I like very much is leaving the library after today, and she went around saying goodbye, and handing out the exotic fruits as a treat. She gave me one before I could think of a polite way to decline. I didn't even know what it was to be honest. When she told me, I was shocked. My only reference for kumquats is a line from the musical, The Fantasticks (see the title). I had imagined them to be bigger, and for some reason greenish brown. And when my friend said I was to eat the peel as well, I was not very excited by the prospect. I don't even like eating any of the white stuff on an orange-I'll literally spend 30 minutes carefully preparing my oranges before I eat them. But I saw no gracious way to get out of it, so I put it in my mouth, and lo and behold, I liked it. A lot. Peel and all. It was a delightful combination of sweet and sour-two of my favorite tastes. I may even add kumquats to my list of things to endorse.

déjà vu

2006-03-30T23:36:00.000-05:00

My friends, I know you will not be surprised to hear that I got lost tonight. I get lost far too frequently for it to be a story worth telling, usually. But listen to this:
Tonight I was going to a theatre downtown that I'd not been to before. Not only that, but I needed to go from the upper East side to the lower West side; so I was going to travel from not-every-day territory, to completely unknown territory. I looked up the location on a map, and compared it with my public transportation maps, and figured out how I was going to get there. I was pretty pleased with myself, and left work with no map, but a plan.
Friends, I deviated from the plan, and there's only one thing that can result from that. Say it with me, "I got lost." My plan involved two different buses and it got off to a great start. But I got tired of waiting at the second bus stop, and I saw a subway station nearby with a trainline that I thought I remembered stopping very close to the theatre. So, I got on the train, and instead of looking at the map they conveniently display on the wall to double check that I knew where I was getting off, I took out my book thinking to myself, "I know where I'm going. This'll be easy." So I got off the train, and started walking to the theatre. Right about the time that the streets stopped being where and what I expected them to be and I started to worry that I had no idea where I was, I looked up to a very familiar sight. I was standing right in front of the Chocolate Bar. The exact same place I had been 24 hours earlier (but by an entirely different route). On one hand, a familiar sight is always a relief when one is lost. On the other, it wasn't where I was supposed to be. Okay, here's where I tell you the creepiest part of the story. Last night, on my way to the Chocolate Bar, I got lost. Again, not a big surprise, but I had been delighted to turn up to the right location without any idea how I got there. And now, tonight, I got lost, and quickly turned up at the Chocolate Bar. Coincidence? Or is the Chocolate Bar my own personal Brigadoon? You decide...
Back to tonight's adventure, I called Erin, as I tend to do when I get lost, but since she wasn't with me at the Chocolate Bar last night, my repeatedly saying that I was there did not help her to guide me to where I needed to go. This is where I did something so crazy, you might think I'm making it up, but I'm not. I decided to go into the Chocolate Bar and ask for help. Yes, ask a stranger for help. I thought that if the girls that had been working the previous night were there, I would talk to them, because they had been very nice yesterday. I walked up to the window and looked in, but there was some guy (buying chocolate of all things) obscuring my view. So I edged up to the doorway, and was trying to simultaneously hide behind the door post (in case I didn't recognize anyone in there, then I could sneak away without their knowing I had been about to enter) while craning my neck to look around the customer and see who was behind the counter. That is when one of the girls from last night came walking down the street, and not only caught me in my peculiar position, but was immediately accosted by me. I can't actually remember what the first words out of my mouth were, but I think it went something like this.

CATHERINE: [panicked and frenzied] "Oh good. It's you. I was here last night, and now I'm back, but I don't want to be here, I'm meant to be somewhere else."

Much to her credit, she responded very calmly with, "I thought you looked familiar. Where are you trying to go?" At that point I forgot completely where I had been going, and had to look through my bag for the address. As soon as I laid eyes on said address, I saw that I was two Avenues over from where I needed to be, because 8 and 6 are actually two different numbers, except for in my head, where, it seems they are the same. At this point, I'm sure I was bright red as I shamedly told this nice girl that I knew where I'd gone wrong and I would leave now. In an effort to save face, I left her with this brilliant remark, "You have a very nice shop; I seem to be very drawn to it. Thank you for your help, I'll probably be seeing you tomorrow night." I know, I know. I am such a weirdo.
But the point of my far to long tale is this: It's kind of scary, and kind of cool that I found this store twice when by all rights, I shouldn't have found it either time. And also, I like to think that maybe the Chocolate Bar girl has a blog too, and maybe she's writing on it right now about the crazy girl who keeps coming in.
Laura tells me that I'm to write a review of every play that I see, and that's what I was going to write about tonight, but now that'll have to wait until tomorrow. Unless I somehow find my way back to the Chocolate Bar going from the library to the church across the street tomorrow night, in which case, that'll definitely be the topic of discussion.

Cocoa & Co.

2006-03-29T23:49:00.000-05:00

Tonight the hot chocolate club (which Amy aptly named Cocoa & Co.) went to the Chocolate Bar. It was a very nice place, and open until 10pm! Good to know. I got a raspberry hot chocolate with some trepidation (some places that use syrup to flavor their beverages are just yucky), but I was delighted with the result. Not too fruity, just a nice hint of berry. This place goes on my list to visit again. Very nice atmosphere, and plenty of chocolate goodies to try out.

'Tis but a trifle...

2006-03-28T23:49:00.000-05:00

In case you do not recognize this as such, it is a trifle. It's the first one I ever made, well, I had help, but they don't deserve any of the blame. It would have been okay if I had a) made the cake ahead of time, which I really knew I should, but I went to Violent Study Club on Monday night, and when I got home I watched TV until I got too tired to think about making a cake, and b) actually followed the instructions and used cake flour instead of assuming regular flour would do just as well.
Nevertheless, it was quite an adventure, and the end result was edible, if not as pretty as I would have liked. At least it didn't include meat, right?

It was a lemon-raspberry trifle with almonds, and the next time I make it, I know it will be beautiful. I remembered about five minutes before people arrived why it is that I don't make new recipes for company (they usually taste alright, but presentation is not my forte), but at that point it was too late to turn back, and besides, I couldn't make it without them anyway because this is not my trifle dish, it's Peter's. So I pulled my very flat cake out of the oven, and we did what we could (Jen and Kevin helped too). Actually, if you'd never seen a trifle before, I think this one looks pretty good. All it's really missing are the layers by which a trifle is defined, but other than that, I don't see any problems, do you? Oh yeah, the flat, dense cake. But really light fluffy cake is totally overrated, right? Okay, I can't justify it. For a trifle, this is really a disaster, but for a non-trifle, it's an absolute masterpiece. I think this could be big, I really do. The dessert of the summer of 2006: The Layerless Trifle. Quick, all of you serve one at your next dinner party, and we can make this happen. Are you with me?

Do you think I have a shot?

2006-03-28T16:17:00.000-05:00

Open casting for Lyra
New Line Cinema has announced a UK-wide casting call to find a young actress to play the lead role, Lyra Belacqua, in its forthcoming feature The Golden Compass.

Casting directors Fiona Weir and Lucy Bevan will hold open casting calls in Cambridge, Kendal, Oxford, and Exeter during the first two weeks in April.

They are looking for 'a talented young actress who embodies Lyra's loyalty, bravery and mischievous nature.'

Applicants don't have to have previous acting experience, must be UK residents between 9-13 years old, and accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Girls should come without costumes or makeup, dress warmly, and be prepared to wait.

The casting calls will have open queues from 10am-2pm and will end at 5pm.

The exact locations are Cambridge's Corn Exchange (April 4), Kendal's Castle Green Hotel (April 6), Oxford's Examination Schools (April 11), and Exeter's Great Hall at the University of Exeter (April 13.)

Theatre Review: Threepenny Opera

2006-03-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

*THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS*
I read The Threepenny Opera in school years ago, and have never seen a production on stage, so I'm by no means an expert critic for this play. Also, while I have an academic respect for Bertolt Brecht, I am not a big fan, and this production is a new, very modern (I don't like modern!), adaptation and translation by Wallace Shawn (who I love, generally), so I was prepared going into this show for it not to be a perfect fit for me.
I attended the invited dress rehearsal, and I heard in the lobby that they'd only gotten all of the way through the show once, that afternoon. I was expecting some badness, but actually, it went pretty well. The show is too long, which I'm sure will improve in the next week or so. I wish they would shorten it by cutting the beginning, but I'm sure they won't. When you enter, the stage is bare save for two rolling costume racks, and there are stage lights on the stage. Then the ensemble enters, and puts on costume pieces and use eyeliner to put a vertical line over each other's eye (just one eye, but not all the same one), and then they stare at us for a bit. All very Brechtian, and also very boring to watch. I never did figure out the significance of the eye-strip, but it must have been something, because we had to watch them all rub them off at the end of the play too. The movement (especially actors entering and exiting) was all very exaggerated too which I'm sure was another Brechtian device, and one that annoyed me, it took too long.
Costumes: Issac Mizrahi. I don't like him in general, and in this play, I don't like him at all. Everyone looked like they were in a Goth/punk sex club (not that I would know from experience...) which I shouldn't blame entirely on him because maybe that's the direction he was given, but I don't like him, so I will blame it all on him.
Set: Derek McLane. I actually liked the set a lot. They had huge neon lights that came down to announce the setting for every scene. It was fitting, and looked good.
Okay, skip to the important part, the actors. I love Alan Cumming, we all know this. He was at times creepy, and at times charming, he was always committed to his character and what was going on, and I would NEVER have cast him in this part (McHeath). I thought it was a very bad choice all around. McHeath should be very manly and devilishly handsome, and Alan isn't either. Please don't tell Alan I said that.

Jim Dale (Mr. Peachum), on the other hand, was everything he should be and more. I was excited to see him because I've never seen him perform live before, but I told myself not to get too excited because it was a weird play, and he's not as young as he used to be, but I needn't have worried for a moment. He was perfect, he was funny, he sounded great, and his dancing; absolutely delightful. This show is worth seeing for him alone. In fact, I wish I could see it again, just for him. I LOVE JIM DALE! I was also exited to see Christopher Innvar (Tiger Brown) live for the first time, but while he was enjoyable, I wished his part was a little meatier, and I didn't get to hear him sing enough.
There were two performers I knew nothing about going in, and who were, I thought delightfully good. Nellie McKaye played Polly. In many ways, I'd say this is the hardest part. She's the naive ingenue, but she's not completely innocent (she knowingly marries a murderer and thief for one thing). Also, everyone else's language in this adaptation is completely modern, but hers remains very stylized and somewhat stilted, and I thought Nellie did a great job with it. I felt like she played two different levels simultaneously most of the time, remaining true to her character, but also being very funny and sardonic in a way. I also really enjoyed her voice. The girl sitting behind me completely disagreed with me on every point, so you'll have to decide for yourself. The second unexpected treat was Brain Charles Rooney (Lucy Brown). I'd heard they were going to make Lucy (Polly's rival for McHeath's affection) a guy in drag, and I wasn't that excited about it, but Rooney was so great, I couldn't begrudge the fact that he was a guy in a (very short) dress. His singing voice was so feminine, I thought one of the ensemble girls must be singing for him backstage (his speaking voice was decidedly masculine throughout), but not so. Not only was his voice beautiful, but his acting was wonderful too; he was completely committed to his character, a young girl in love. I felt real empathy for him/her. One of my favorite scenes was called "The Jealousy Duet" between Polly and Lucy. They were both really great in it. My other favorite scene was Jim Dale's solo in the second act, I can't remember the name of it, but you'll know it when you see it. Priceless.
Overall, very interesting show, if not my favorite. I'm glad I saw it, and would even see it again (but hopefully it'd be at least 30 minutes shorter next time). My last criticism is the poster. Hate it! I rarely like posters with photographs of the stars anyway, but this photo, puh-lease. Alan looks like a gay magician! I cannot stand it, and there are so many things they could have done with a Threepenny poster, it's really a shame they couldn't use a drop of creativity. Oh well, Roundabout never listened to me when I worked for them, they're certainly not going to start now that I don't and still don't give them any money for seeing their shows.

Jim Dale, Alan Cumming, Scott Elliot (director)

*A special thanks to Krystin for making it possible to see this unforgettable show!

I had a dream...

2006-03-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

So I know that no one actually wants to hear about someone else's dream, but if there ever was a proper forum for such a story, a blog is it. If you don't want to hear, stop reading.
Some people say they don't remember their dreams. I almost always do. 75% of my dreams can be put into one of two categories: anxiety dreams (usually take the form of theatre dreams, but there are some variations) and life & death or saving the world dreams (I have some sort of hero complex). The other 25% is everything else.
Last night I dreamed that I went on a vacation to Oregon to visit the country's oldest children's library (it was no longer circulating). I won't bore you with the details, but it was a lengthy, detailed dream wherein I looked at everything in the library/museum, and I had words with the curator who didn't want to take the time to answer my questions about preservation.
This is my first "library" dream, and I don't know whether to take it as a confirmation of my chosen profession, or an indication of an unhealthy obsession. I also don't know where the Oregon part came from. It doesn't make sense, I've never been there before, or ever thought to visit.

New Words for 2006

2006-03-23T15:50:00.000-05:00

My Dad sent this to me. I don't know where he got it, or I would give credit, but I found it enjoyable, and quite possibly useful:

Essential vocabulary additions for the workplace (and elsewhere)!!!

1. BLAMESTORMING : Sitting around in a group, discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.

5. CUBE FARM : An office filled with cubicles

6. PRAIRIE DOGGING : When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm, and people's heads pop up over the walls to see what's going on.

7. MOUSE POTATO : The on-line, wired generation's answer to the couch potato.

8. SITCOMs : Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage. What Yuppies get into when they have children and one of them stops working to stay home with the kids.

9. STRESS PUPPY : A person who seems to thrive on being stressed out and whiny.

10. SWIPEOUT : An ATM or credit card that has been rendered useless because magnetic strip is worn away from extensive use.

11. XEROX SUBSIDY : Euphemism for swiping free photocopies from one's workplace.

12. IRRITAINMENT : Entertainment and media spectacles that are Annoying but you find yourself unable to stop watching them. The J-Lo and Ben wedding (or not) was a prime example - Michael Jackson, another...

13. PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE : The fine art of pounding on an electronic device to get it to work again.

14. ADMINISPHERE : The rarefied organizational layers beginning just above the rank and file. Decisions that fall from the adminisphere are often profoundly inappropriate or irrelevant to the problems they were designed to solve.

15. 404 : Someone w ho's clueless. From the World Wide Web error Message "404 Not Found," meaning that the requested site could not be located.

16. GENERICA : Features of the American landscape that are exactly the same no matter where one is, such as fast food joints, strip malls, and subdivisions.

17. OHNOSECOND : That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake. (Like after hitting send on an email by mistake)

18. WOOFS : Well-Off Older Folks.

NYPL made me do it

2006-03-22T16:59:00.000-05:00

I've just bought a hardback copy of the third book in a trilogy of which I do not own the first two books. This is not a wise purchase, but I was forced into it, against my will. I happily read the first two books from the library, and was looking forward to doing the same for the last book, but NYPL has let me down most egregiously. The third book came out on December 19th. When the second book came out, NYPL listed it on their online catalog a week before it was released, and had it circulating by a few weeks afterwards. I know, I'm spoiled. But now, with this third book, it's been three months, and it's not even listed! I waited as long as I could force myself to wait, checking the catalog daily, and then I was driven to this. I can't imagine that they're not going to get it eventually (how could they carry the first two and not the third?), but this girl simply could not wait. Maybe after I finish reading it, I'll donate my copy to the library as an act of charity and love to my fellow book-lovers.

Mini book review: Vanity and Vexation

2006-03-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

This book is a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling, which I would normally be quite wary of (we already have Bridget Jones, why do we need another?), but this novel was recommended to me, so I figured I'd give it a try. The roles are reversed ("Elizabeth" is a guy, "Darcy" is a girl), and this switch kept me surprisingly entertained the entire time. It's a very quick read, and although it doesn't have all the details that a true Austenian would desire (then again, that might get tedious, Fenton's probably smart to avoid it), it's a pleasure. My only complaint is the shockingly small amount we get of the Mr. Collins character (or should I say, Ms. Collins). He/she is one of my favorite P&P characters, and I thought Fenton could have done more with that. But overall, I recommend it, especially as an antidote to dry, boring graduate school reading (am I the only one in this situation right now?).

Monday night television

2006-03-21T15:41:00.000-05:00

Prison Break came back on last night after quite a hiatus, and I was very excited. But after watching for a bit, I started to wonder if I could handle it. In the fall, I had complete faith in Michael being smarter than everyone else at the jail and his intricate plan, but now that everything's gone wrong, I'm very stressed out during viewing. I briefly contemplated giving up the show, but Michael needs me. I'll just have to be strong, for his sake. Especially since doctor girl won't just admit she's in love with him, which we all know she is because, who could not be? On a side note, there were two little details (one in the recap & one in the episode) that I'm quite sure they added, hoping that we wouldn't remember. In the recap they showed "T-bag" waving a knife around, which I'm pretty sure didn't actually happen in the last episode. They also said during the episode that the vice president's brother isn't really dead, and that's the first time I've heard about that. I think...
Next I had to watch Julia Louis Dreyfuss' new show (it started last week, but I missed it). I loved her last show, Watching Ellie, so much so that I wrote a letter to the network. Alas, my love was not enough to keep it on the air. But I had high hopes for The New Adventures of Old Christine. I'll give it another week before casting judgment, but I was not impressed last night. Very disappointing. It was just so...sitcom-y. I don't like that.
The last show I watched was a completely unexpected delight. I was randomly flipping through the channels before turning the TV off, when I stopped on, what I thought was Entertainment Tonight, or Access Hollywood, or something like that. It turns out it was actually a public access show called The Resident. This girl was showing her favorite clips from her DVR and making comments about them. It was highly entertaining to me. I went to her website to find out more. It turns out her show airs every Monday night, and it's usually an interview program. I found her very enjoyable, and if I remember, I'm going to watch her again next week.

Old friends and people I've seen before

2006-03-20T19:40:00.000-05:00

I spent the weekend unexpectedly thrust down memory lane. It all started with a phone call on Monday night from a dear friend, saying she'd be in town for one day on business. Thursday night, I met her at her hotel (The Palace-ever heard if it? I hadn't but the name is no exaggeration. I wasn't even sure they'd let me in, slob that I am), and we went out to dinner. As we sat across from each other over dinner, I was struck by how different our lives had become. We met in an acting class in college, and at that time our similarities far outweighed our differences. But at this point in our lives, she's had a very successful career, bought a house (on her own), got married, and will soon enter the realm of motherhood while I, well we all know what I've accomplished (or rather, not). But I just adore her, and for some reason she likes me too, and we had a great time until far too late into the night.
Friday I talked to another college friend on the phone, who told me he wished we were back in school. I agreed that we'd had some good times, but come on, there was plenty to dislike as well.
Saturday I went to a stake church activity (I know you're shocked, but I have a new goal to go to every church activity that I have no good reason to miss. Luckily, I decided that finishing a school project was a very good reason to miss the pornography fireside last night), and I ran into a girl I hadn't seen since my sophomore year of college. She took one look at me and said, "Why Catherine, you're all grown up!" I had thought I was all grown up in college, and I'm fairly sure that I at least look the same, but nevertheless, I submitted to a hug, and again found myself talking about old times and people I'd forgotten I'd even known.
Later in the same evening, I was introduced to a girl who looked very familiar, and then she said the dreaded, "Are you a Sorensen?" This has happened to me countless times. I guess because my family moved around a fair bit, and we all look so much alike, I have Mormons approach me all the time who, if they don't remember me specifically, they do recognize me as a Sorensen, and have clear memories of us as a unit. Usually I have no idea who they are, and so just try to play along. Luckily, I was able to dredge up a family name for this girl as well, but I truly could not remember her specifically. She mentioned two sisters who I did remember, but I really had no idea if I was meant to really know this girl, so I acted probably way too friendly to try to cover the fact that I had drawn a blank. Doubt if she bought it.
Anyway, I hope that I'm done with running into my past for a little while at least. It's exhausting.

Blogging about blogs

2006-03-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

A year ago, I only had a vague idea of what a blog was. Shocking, I know, but true. I have a couple of cousins that write on Mormon group blogs, but it was really too much for me to try to keep up with that. I found out that a couple of my friends had blogs too, and I thought it was so strange; what could you possibly think of to write on a blog, and who would read it?
Then I changed jobs, and I found myself, almost on a daily basis, waiting anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes several times a day for my boss to get off the phone, or to stop talking to someone because I needed something from him before I could continue my project. That's when the wonderful world of blogs came to life for me. I started by just reading the blogs that my friends and family wrote, and then I found blogs that people I'd known in college were writing, and I read their friends' blogs, etc. It was fun to see what people were up to that I didn't keep in regular contact with. And now, here I am, reading a fistful of blogs on a daily basis, and getting emotionally involved in people's lives who I have never met. I recently had a conversation with one of my sisters all about a girl (who neither of us actually know) and how surprised we were at her recently announced pregnancy, and the affects that might be having on her fertility challenged sister (whose blog I also read). We both thought it was weird that we were so invested, and that we were even having the conversation, and yet, these sisters update their blogs almost daily, and I just cannot stop reading them! And of course, as you might have noticed, I've picked up the blogging habit myself. I figure it's a good way for people to get as little or as much of me as they want. Not to mention it gives me the chance to go on and on about everything...
Here are a few blogs I like to look at on a regular basis:

http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/

This blog makes fun of celebrities wearing bad clothes, which is always fun. Plus, it usually gets updated several times every afternoon.

http://trent.blogspot.com/

This is another entertainment blog. It has far too much coverage of Britney Spears life, but it's a fun read. Gets updated once a day (including weekends!).

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

You've probably heard about this blog. It's very interesting, but it can sometimes be a little graphic. Updates once a week.

http://www.waiterrant.net/

Having spent years in "customer service" positions, I particularly enjoy this waiter's blog. He usually updates several times a week.

http://newyorkhack.blogspot.com/

My friend Clara turned me on to this blog. It's written by a NYC taxi driver. She seems to update once or twice a week.

http://cuteoverload.com/

I'm ashamed to admit that I regularly look at this blog, but what can I say? They update daily, and sometimes a girl just wants to see a really cute picture.

Books you have to read before you die

2006-03-13T14:43:00.000-05:00

The Museum, Libraries, and Archives Council recently released a list of books you have to read before you die. Take note this is a British organization; I'm quite sure the list would read differently if compiled by the ALA. As of this list, I only have six more books to read before I can safely move on to the next life. How did you do?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Bible
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien
1984 by George Orwell
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
All Quiet on the Western Front by E M Remarque
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Tess of the D'urbevilles by Thomas Hardy
Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Middlemarch by George Eliot
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzenhitsyn

They think I can do what?

2006-03-13T11:45:00.000-05:00

I've been in the new ward for a couple of months, and I knew that sooner or later a calling would be coming my way. As you know, I had high hopes of getting to work in the Primary (the children's organization) since my favorite calling to date was the year I was a Sunbeam teacher before moving to Manhattan. I had even decided that I was going to talk to the Primary president, and volunteer to serve as a substitute, hoping that would lead to a permanent calling. As it turns out, every week I chickened out of talking to her. What happened instead was that I played the piano one day in RS because the regular pianist wasn't there (you know, one of the five hymns I can play without practicing), and the next week the RS President found me after Sacrament Meeting and asked if I would go play in the Primary that day. I told her I would be happy to if they couldn't find anyone better, because I don't really play that well, but apparently I was already their last resort, so to Primary I went. It was fine; I did mostly one-handed playing, but the kids were very forgiving. At the end of church, the Primary president thanked me for helping out, and asked me my name. I told her, and I said I was always happy to help out " as a teacher, or anything you need." I hoped that my dismal playing would be enough for her to realize that I'm really not good enough to play the piano, but by offering to help out, she might think if me for something else. Anything else. I would have been thrilled to be a Primary teacher, chorister, in the presidency, anything. Just not playing.
Perhaps it's karma for wanting to choose my own calling. I was called yesterday to be the Primary pianist. I couldn't say no, but sheesh, I hope they aren't sorry. People who don't play often think that if you play the piano, that means you can play anything, but that is so far from true. I went through the songbook yesterday to make a list of the songs I needed to learn to play right away, but I stopped after I realized I was writing down about every third song in the book! I'm sure this calling will be a good growing experience for me, but I hope they don't end up regretting it. And playing during Sacrament meeting (Mother's day is only two months away!), well, I'll be surprised if I don't have a stroke. Wish me luck.