Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!

Blue Christmas

Here is a good video of Elvis and Martina McBride singing Blue Christmas -

http://youtu.be/3KK6sMo8NBY

Enjoy!

New blog

I just found a fun blog for chick lit lovers called www.chicklitcentraltheblog.blogspot.com.  The title is called "the place where people can discuss chick lit books, read reviews, meet authors and win new books!"  Since I'm a big fan of chick lit, this blog looks like it'll be right up my street!  Check it out!

2012 Reading Challenge

I signed up to try a 2012 Twisted Tales Reading Challenge offered by Betsy Bling Books. Check out bestybling.blogspot.com for details.  I found out about this challenge because the author of the website, Charlie Courtland, is a friend of mine on www.goodreads.com.

http://bitsybling.blogspot.com/2011/12/its-time-to-join-2012-twisted-tales.html

Be Thankful

          Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire,
          If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

          Be thankful when you don't know something
          For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

          Be thankful for the difficult times.
          During those times you grow.

          Be thankful for your limitations
          Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

          Be thankful for each new challenge
          Because it will build your strength and character.

          Be thankful for your mistakes
           They will teach you valuable lessons.

          Be thankful when you're tired and weary
          Because it means you've made a difference.

          It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
          A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
          also thankful for the setbacks.
         
         GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
          Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
          and they can become your blessings.
          
         ~ Author Unknown ~

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Here is a great version of the classic song, I'll Be Home for Christmas by Dean Martin and Scarlett Johansson -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QESEUv9k2p0&feature=colike

Quote of the Day

A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library.   

- Shelby Foote 

Mad Men in 15 minutes

Here is a great clip of Mad Men highlights from the first 4 seasons -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T1gYUvXlzs&feature=colike

Do You Know Where You're Going To?

I was watching the movie Mahogany starring Diana Ross the other day.  This movie came out in 1975 and I remember really liking it at the time.  It still holds up today.  Anthony Perkins is such a creepy guy and Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams are so gorgeous!

Here is the theme song from the movie -

http://youtu.be/1-NEC6PXQ0M

Andy Rooney

As you no doubt have read, Andy Rooney from 60 Minutes passed away at age 92 on November 4th.  He had very recently been interviewed on the occasion of his last appearance on the show.  Here is a good article about Andy.  He will be missed.

http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/11/05/andy-rooney-died-dead-60-minutes/

Mad About You

One of my favorite shows from the 90's was Mad About You starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a young married couple living in New York.  Here is a clip of the show featuring the song Where Have You Been All My Life from the Up in Smoke episode from 1995 (Season 3).

http://youtu.be/U9scyLfr6tk

Quote of the Day

Life is like a bicycle.  To keep your balance, you must keep moving.

- Albert Einstein

It's me again...

Sorry I haven't been blogging in awhile.  I guess I got out of the habit.  Today was a beautiful Fall day in the low 70's.  I went out and cut the lavender from my lavender bush.  For the last few years I've been making lavender sachets with the lavender from my bush.  It's easy to do and the sachets smell so wonderful and last for such a long time. 

I've also been catching up with the book I've been reading.  It's John Grisham's first non-fiction book called The Innocent Man.  It's the story of Ron Williamson of Oklahoma who ends up on death row for a crime he evidently did not commit.  I'm curious to see if he gets out on appeal or is executed for the murder of a twenty-one-year-old cocktail waitress.  This book is as compelling as any of John Grisham's fictional legal thrillers.  I'll let you know how it ends.

Quote of the Day

Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect.

- Margaret Mitchell

According to wwwgoodreads.com, Margaret Mitchell died on August 16, 1949, at age 48, her life cut short by a speeding car in Atlanta, Georgia. Gone with the Wind, her only major work, is one of the best-selling debut novels ever published. 

2011 Emmy's

The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, September 18.  The show will be broadcast on the Fox network this year.  Jon Hamm and the gang at Mad Men have been nominated again.  I think Jon should be looking for a place to display his Emmy as his work was outstanding as usual but especially good this year.

Words of wisdom

In the book The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric, Lisa Ling's contribution called Give of Yourself includes an email her husband sent her with this story -

"On a street corner I saw a cold, shivering girl in a thin dress, with no hope of a decent meal.  I got angry and said to God, 'Why did you permit this?  Why don't you do something about it?'  God replied, 'I certainly did something about it.  I made you.'"  I thought that was a good reminder to help others when you can.

Here is a great quote from Groucho Marx -

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today.  I can choose which it shall be.  Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet.  I can have just one day today and I'm going to be happy in it."

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.  - Franklin D. Roosevelt

TV talk

AMC will begin showing three back-to-back encore episodes of the series starting on Sunday, July 31st.  Here is the full schedule from the AMC website -

http://www.amctv.com/schedule#series/Mad-Men

So this is a great time to start watching this acclaimed series if you haven't already seen it.  For those who are fans already this will have to satisfy you, since there will not be a new season this summer.

Mad Men has been nominated for 19 Emmy's this year!

New book...

I just started reading a new book by Katie Couric called The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives.  This is a great book, full of wonderful advice from a wide variety of people, including many actors (such as Meryl Streep, Jane Lynch, Larry David and Michael J. Fox) and others including Matt Lauer, Michelle Kwan and Stephen Colbert.  Many of the entries are actually graduation speeches that the participants were asked to give.  I'm about halfway through and it's a fast read, can't put it down sort of book.  I think everyone can relate to these moving essays.  If you see the book at your favorite bookstore, just glance through the titles of each entry and I'm sure you will want to purchase one!

Goodreads

Check out the free books you can enter to win on www.goodreads.com.  They have a big variety of pre-released books offered by the authors and publishers.  I've been lucky enough to win twice.  You could be a winner too but you have to join Goodreads first.  To see the long list of fiction and non-fiction books, just click on the explore tab for First Reads.

See you on Goodreads!  You'll love it!

Hungry Girl

According to the www.hungry-girl.com website, today is National Lollypop Day!  You can sign up for free daily emails from that site.  There is also a Hungry Girl TV show on the Food Network.  Check it out for good recipes and cooking tips! 

Here is some background information on Lisa Lillien, the Hungry Girl -

http://www.hungry-girl.com/who-is-hungry-girl

There are also several cookbooks with easy to follow recipes.

Quote of the Day

Today's quote is from www.goodreads.com -

Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life.  You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.

- Natalie Babbitt

Next book...

I decided to read Dennis Lehane's mystery Darkness,Take My Hand as my next book.  He is one of my favorite authors. I read Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone and liked them both.  Darkness, Take My Hand features that same detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro from Gone, Baby Gone.  I'm betting I will enjoy this one.  I'll keep you posted!

Mad Men again!

I know I missed posting this in time for the 4th of July, but I think all you Mad Men fans will still enjoy it!

https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/130f5ab921217cae

Some Good Quotes

I have always imagined that Paradise would be a kind of library.

Jorge Luis Borges

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.

Joseph Chilton Pearce

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.

Seneca

Look and you will find it - what is unsought will go undetected.

Sophocles

Primetime Emmy nominations

Here is the list of nominations for the 2011 Emmy Awards -

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/07/14/emmy-nominations-2011/


Of course my favorite dramatic actor Jon Hamm from Mad Men was nominated again this year!  The awards show will air on Sunday, September 18th.

Celebrate Bastille Day...

Today is Bastille Day which is the French Independence Day.  Parades line the streets and fireworks light up the skies of France tonight!

Some Good Quotes

I'm not sure who wrote this quote but it's really good advice -

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

Here is another good one -

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."

- Plato

A new great book...

I'm reading a great autobiography called Stories I Only Tell My Friends by actor Rob Lowe.  I'm always interests in the life stories of actors and he has had a very interesting life.  I also like the fact that he evidently wrote the whole book without a ghostwriter.  I'm on page 95 now and I'm really enjoying it! 

Mad Men news

I just read that Jon Hamm has been confirmed for three more seasons as Don Draper on Mad Men!  That must mean that the show will definitely be on for at least three more seasons.  Unfortunately, the fifth season won't debut until March of 2012 due to some kind of contract negotiation reasons that I don't really understand.  Anyway, Mad Men is one show that is worth the wait!  Cheers!

Another cookbook...

I recently picked up Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook My father's daughter from the library.  Her father Bruce passed away in 2002 from cancer.  She writes that she feels closest to her dad (who she calls the love of her life) when she's in the kitchen.  On the cover under the book's title she describes it as "delicious, easy recipes celebrating family and togetherness."  The book has nice photos of Gwyneth with her father.  She includes tips on how to have your kids help making the meals. 

I thought she might be a vegetarian and she does have some vegetarian and vegan recipes in the book but there is a wide variety of recipes.  The only thing she doesn't eat is red meat because of the way the animals are kept and processed.

Anyway, I think there are about 150 recipes in this cookbook but I haven't made any of them yet.  I have a habit of getting cookbooks and then being intimidated by them.  I had better try one of them soon before the book is due back at the library!

Some good advice

Here are some words to live by:

Don't take it all so seriously.  Life goes on no matter what and happiness is a choice.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

When all else fails, laugh!

Remember that a low mood is only temporary.

New book...

I just started reading 'A' is for Alibi by Sue Grafton from 1982.  It's a mystery and the first in the series of private investigator Kinsey Millhone "alphabet" mysteries.  I'm not very far into it but I like it already.  I always enjoy thrillers and mysteries.  The most recent Millhone mystery is titled 'U' is for Undertow so the author is getting to the end of the alphabet.  I'll write a review when I'm finished. 

Quote of the Day

Here is a good quote:

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”


- Helen Keller

Stephen Colbert video

I'm a big fan of the Colbert Report and I thought I'd share this video he did awhile ago - he said it was his band in the 80's.  Enjoy -

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

There is now a follow-up to that song called Charlene I'm over You which he performed on the show recently.  Not quite as catchy as the original...

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/06/stephen_colbert_with_a_little.html?mid=375108&rid=422577496

Bristol Palin Tells All

Isn't Bristol a bit young to write a memoir?  I guess it's just another way to cash in on her mother's fame.  The website The Daily Beast has a review of Bristol's book.  Here it is -

The most notorious Palin offspring released her memoir, Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far, this week and revealed previously unknown details of her very public life. From Bristol Palin's early brushes with sex and alcohol to her drama with Meghan McCain, the teen mother does not leave any stone unturned in her foray into the literary world. Palin opens the book with the story of how she got drunk on wine coolers and wound up sleeping with Levi Johnston, the notorious father of her son. "It felt more like it was stolen," Palin writes of "losing" her virginity, opening the door to a serious date-rape question. Palin and Johnston continued to sleep together and upon finding out she was pregnant, he allegedly said, "Better be a f---ing boy." But those aren't the only harsh worlds Palin touches upon in her book—she also recalled interactions with Meghan McCain, the daughter of her mother's running mate, who she claims was a brat on the campaign trail. "Every time we saw Meghan, she seemed to constantly be checking us out, comparing my family to hers, and complaining. Oh, the complaining," Palin writes. At the young age of 20, she seems to have made many enemies.

It sounds like it might be interesting reading but I don't plan to read it.

New book...

I need to start a new book.  I'm waiting for several books at the library.  I do have a ton of books here at home so I just need to pick one.  Once I start one, I'll let you know...

Mad Men actor

Here is an interview with the actor who plays Lee Garner Jr. (the Lucky Strike guy) on Mad Men.  I thought it was funny that people always ask him what Jon Hamm is really like!  That would be my question too!

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2011/06/darren-pettie-interview.php

I'm back!

You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging much recently.  I hope to be back to speed soon.  I've had some health issues but I'm feeling better lately.  Hope all is well with my followers and anyone who keeps tabs on my blog.  Thanks!

Royal Wedding Fun Facts

Here are some fun facts about the royal wedding:

http://www.imakenews.com/bmwnorthwest/e_article002101297.cfm?x=bjyKh2q,bgvtDlQK

Wonder where they went on their honeymoon?  I missed that if it was reported.

Mother's Day

Here's wishing a very happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful moms out there!

The Royal Couple

Here is a good picture of William and Kate or as they will now be known - the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

I'm also reading...

I've been reading Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Women  which is one of the series of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff books written by Richard Carlson but this one is written by his wife Kristine.  It's full of good advice with short chapters.  It's probably nothing you haven't already read in other self-help books but it's good to be reminded not to take life too seriously!

Sadly, Richard Carlson died back in 2006.  I'm not sure what he died of but he was too young (born in 1961).

Current book...

I've been reading That's Another Story the autobiography of British actress Julie Walters.  I've really been enjoying reading about her life beginning with her childhood.  Julie starred in the movie Educating Rita with Michael Caine.  I didn't know it was a play first.  I'm just starting the chapter where she talks about it.  The movie is the funny and moving story of Rita, a working-class hairdresser who starts taking classes and begins to want more out of life.  Michael Caine plays Frank, her tutor with problems of his own. 

Getting back to the book, Julie is a great storyteller and I recommend her book highly!  And be sure and check out Educating Rita if you have missed it.

Mad Men photo

Cheers to Mad Men!

Favorite Mad Men episode

You can vote for your favorite Mad Men episode from Season 2 on the AMC website -

http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/favorite-mad-men-episode-season-2.php

It's hard for me to chose just one!

I've got a Name

I've Got a Name is my favorite Jim Croce song.  It's such a shame that he died so young in a plane crash.

http://youtu.be/YcqauC49Xmc

Michael Jackson tribute

This is a fun video!  Here is the description that came with the YouTube clip.  

What an unusual way to perhaps give these men a different more positive outlet and way of viewing themselves. This may well be the first time many of them get to feel that they have any worth or are able to contribute to something bigger than their own personal agenda. Some watching this video have been blown away by the spirit and majesty of this program, despite its compulsory participation caveat. These dancers are prisoners in the Detention and Rehabilitation Centre in the Province of Cebú in the Philippine Islands. The dances are obligatory for all of the 1600 prisoners, except the old or the sick.

Click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=mKtdTJP_GUI

Mad Men news

Good news - more seasons to come but not until next year:

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2011/04/amc-and-lionsgate-deal.php

The Royal Wedding

Here is the coverage of the wedding by the BBC website -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13247503

I DVR'd the wedding and the aftermath on CNN and we watched about half of it last night.  I thought the wedding was wonderful and the bride was stunning!  Loved her dress and she seemed so poised, not nervous at all!

Perhaps Love

This duet by John Denver (who wrote the song) and Placido Domingo is so beautiful it gives me goosebumps!  Enjoy -

http://youtu.be/3YnfCH7LNcM

Katedown to the Royal Wedding

This clip is from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-april-25-2011/katedown-to-the-royal-willding---the-coverage-of-the-century?xrs=rss_tdsvids

John Oliver is the best "correspondent" on the show!

Quote of the Day

I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.

Margaret Thatcher

Quote of the Day

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."

Robert F. Kennedy

Moisture Therapy

I sold Avon products back in the 80's and didn't have much success with it.  However, I started using Moisture Therapy Hand Cream and I still use it today.  In fact, I recently almost ran out of it and panicked a little - what will I do without it!  I bought quite a few from my sister who sells Avon.  If you have dry hands, nothing beats Moisture Therapy Hand Cream!  It really works better than anything else I've tried.

The Royal Wedding

I'm really getting excited about the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Jackson and I took a tour of Westminster Abbey (one of the highlights of our trip to London last year) where the wedding will take place.  The wedding will be on Friday, April 29th. 

I love British accents, humor, books and movies!  I'm sure the wedding will be amazing.  I'm looking forward to seeing Kate's wedding gown.

The Seattle Times ran a opinion piece on the wedding by Leonard Pitts Jr.  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2014850919_pitts24.html

Hope you enjoy the wedding if you plan to watch!

Happy Easter!

Every year the Seattle Times has a contest for the best Peeps display.  They have cash prizes for the adult and children winners.  I think they are really clever.  Here are a few -

Pulitzer Prize winning books

Here is the list of the Pulitzer Prize awards for literature:

http://www.powells.com/awards/pulitzer-prize/?utm_source=specials&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spec_pulitzer_20110418&utm_content=Just%20announced%3A%20The%202011%20Pulitzer%20Prizes!%20Save%2030%25%20on%20this%20year's%20winners.&j=40033505&e=joylouiseng@gmail.com&l=724544_HTML&u=334889343&mid=48972&jb=0

Powell's Books is in Portland, OR and is one of my favorite bookstores.

Beautiful People

I've been reading a fun book called Beautiful People by Wendy Holden.  She's a British author and the book was described on the back cover as "sinfully enjoyable, literary cheesecake."  The story takes place in London, Hollywood and Italy.  One of the main characters is named Darcy, which is my younger sister's name!

Anyway, I'm more than halfway through and I'll review it when I'm finished.

Happy Easter Weekend

Don Draper Bio

This is from http://www.tvfanatic.com/:


Don Draper is the Creative Director at the Sterling Cooper advertising agency. He hasn't always held that job, of course, or even always had that identity.

Draper fought in World War II and assumed the identity of a fallen fellow soldier once he returned to the States. Therefore, the world of advertising is a perfect fit: Don's entire life is selling a version of himself to those around him.

He lives in Ossining, New York, with his wife Betty and their two children, Sally and Bobby. However, at the end of season three, Betty left Don after she learned of his past as Dick Whitman.

Quote of the Day

This is a beautiful quote from the Bible:

Love suffers long, and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.... And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love". Paul of Tarsus, 1 Corinthians 13:4 - 8 (New King James Version)

Quotes of the Day

There are two types of people in this world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more.

 Sex without love is an empty experience, but as empty experiences go, it's a pretty good empty experience.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans.

 Woody Allen, 12/01/1935 -


US writer, actor and director

Michael Douglas movies

I am a big fan of Michael Douglas.  He was in Seattle filming some scenes on location for the movie Disclosure (not one of my favorites) years ago.  I didn't get to see him but I actually went to the hotel where they were filming to see if I could catch a glimpse of Michael!  No dice, but it was fun anyway!

I really like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct (we have both on DVD).  I  recommend both films, if you haven't already seen them.

Some Good Quotes

Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.
- Psalm 30

You are in charge of what enters your mind.
- Sue Patton Thoele

Life is ours to spend, not to be saved.
- D. H. Lawrence

Mad Men

Life is far from dull when you're an actor on Mad Men. Sometimes you're doing stunts, other times you're playing drunk, and you're always impeccably dressed. AMCtv.com spoke with some Season 4 cast members for behind-the-scenes insights on shooting a memorable scene.



• Mark Moses on fighting:

"The more choreographed [the fight], the easier it actually is because [of] the wrestling, scraping, tossing, sloppiness -- to make it look real tends to be harder to do because you don't have as many succinct moves."


• January Jones on slapping Kiernan Shipka:

"[Kiernan Shipka]'s a very professional young actress and she goes for it. We had a stunt coordinator there so everything was done very safely, but I do have to make contact to make it look real."


• Randee Heller on Miss Blankenship's makeup:

"When they first made me up I said, 'My god, she looks like she's well into her 70s.'"


• Robert Morse on Jon Hamm's acting:

"I've seen a lot of movies and a lot of TV and a lot of actors play drunk scenes, but I have never seen one as brilliant as Jon Hamm did in that episode."


• Mark Moses on giving a drunk speech:

"Initially [Matthew Weiner] wanted [Duck] to be just kind of stand-up drunk and pretty literate ... but it didn't come off quite as drunk as we wanted. So we went back and forth with the levels of how drunk he was."
 

"House" news

Robert Sean Leonard says he's leaving House at the end of this season, except not really: He also admits that he "assumes" he'll be back if everyone's contract shakes out, but that's not a done deal just yet. "There’s also no deal for House next year because Comcast bought NBC Universal and no one has a deal," he says. He really misses New Jersey and hanging out with his family, so how might a studio entice the back-on-Broadway actor (currently in Born Yesterday) to stick around? "I. Love. Money. Very, very much ... I would love to make more money. Money is nice." Money it is, then. 




.

Cute dog!

Some Good Quotes

One must put all the happiness one can into each moment.

- Edith Wharton

I always try to check my motivation and be mindful and present in the moment.

- Dalai Lama

Love Quote

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

- William Shakespeare in All's Well That Ends Well, Act i, Sc.1

Oldie but a goodie

I heard this song on the car radio today -



Enjoy the O'Jays singing Love Train!

Mad Men News

Here's the news we've been waiting for -

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2011/04/amc-and-lionsgate-deal.php

Yippee skipee!

Chris Botti

Chris Botti plays the trumpet so beautifully.  We saw him at the Jazz Alley in Seattle a few years ago.  He also appeared on a concert shown on PBS. 

Enjoy -

Reading too many books!

I think I have checked out about 9 books from the library right now!  They all look so good but I need to read them in some kind of order.  I'm currently reading Michael J. Fox's latest book - Always Looking Up.  It's really great!  I will write a review when I'm finished.

Happy reading!

How to be Happy

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/how-to-be-happy/MY01357

Check out this info - also read Choosing Happiness for more...

Random thoughts...

What is better than a warm chocolate chip cookie with a tall glass of milk!

I still love Oringina - I had a bottle in Seattle the other day.

Here's a picture of our new French doors -

Our French doors

The Prayer

This is such a beautiful song - The Prayer sung by Josh Groban and Charlotte Church.  Enjoy!

Mad Men News

Here's an update on when Mad Men will return -

http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/mad-men-close-to-season-5-renewal-but-when-will-amc-air-it

Some Good Quotes

You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.
 - Scott Adams

If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.

- John A. Wheeler

You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play.

- Warren Beatty

Afternoon Delight

Here's another classic song - Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band from 1976 - 



It was used in the soundtrack for the Oscar winning movie Good Will Hunting - which you should see if you never have!

Dancing Queen

I love ABBA and this is one of my favorite songs of theirs. We have their greatest hits on DVD.  Another favorite of mine is Waterloo.

Enjoy -

The President's Speech

This is hilarious!! From Jimmy Kimmel Live -

Quote of the Day

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."



- Marie Curie

When Harry met Sally

One of my favorite movies of all time!



Best movie Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal ever made!  Plus I love the great Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby (may he rest in peace).

Bewitched

I love Bewitched!  It looks as good today as it did in the 60's. Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York are one of my favorite TV couples.  The show reminds me a lot of Mad Men!!

Here is one of my favorite episodes -

Sunshiny Day

This song is almost too beautiful for words -

Amsterdam

Tulips as far as the eye can see

Rescue Me

One of my favorite shows is Rescue Me on FX.  I have watched this show from the start.  Not only does it have great writing and acting but lots of hunky firemen with their shirts off!

http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/rescueme/cast.php

Jon Hamm's 40

I read in the paper that today is Jon Hamm's birthday.  Happy birthday! 

Sending you some Spring



Snowman

I'm sending you some Spring!

Click on the snowman. You will get a black page.


Hold down and drag your mouse all over the page (I really covered it!)


Enjoy!!!!

How Great Thou Art

I love this song and especially the way Dixie Carter sang it on Designing Women

Six Feet Under

This is a clip from Six Feet Under - one of my favorite shows from HBO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpcPgfNAsio

She can really sing!

And the Oscar Goes To

Best OSCAR show ever!
I enjoyed it from start to finish!

Anne Hathaway & James Franco were great, fantastic hosts! Everyone looked beautiful. All the presenters were young and professional; great pairs of presenters.  Anne can really sing!

Best Dressed Women -

Anne Hathaway
Annette Bening
Marisa Tomei
Amy Adams
Scarlett Johannsen
Cate Blancette
Helen Mirren
Michelle Williams
Melissa Leo
Natalie Portman
Sandra Bullock
Halle Berry
Gwyneth Paltrow
Celine Dion
Hillary Swank
Helena Bonham Carter
Reese Witherspoon

Best Dressed Men

Colin Firth
Jake Gyllenhaal
James Franco
Jude Law
Hugh Jackman
Kevin Spacey
Russell Brand

Best Dressed Couples -

Mark Ruffalo and Sunrise
Robert Downey Jr. and Susan
Jeff Bridges and wife
Mark Wahlberg and wife

Best Acceptance Speeches

Natalie Portman
Colin Firth
Christian Bale
Aaron Sorkin
Melissa Leo
Original Screenplay    -  oldest winner, overcame stutter
Best Director - Tom Hooper Kings Speech - thanked his mother, told story of how Kings Speech was created
Documentary - Inside Job
Makeup  - The Wolfman Rick Barry
Original Score - Randy Newman

Memorandum - Celine Dion sang beautiful song

Lena Horne – Halle Berry tribute

Kodak Theater - Beautiful, I have been there when visiting L.A.

Missed Seeing -

Leonardo DiCaprio
Kate Winslet
Cameron Diaz
Jon Hamm
January Jones

Great Commercials

Cindy Crawford and kids
Jennifer Lopez and twins

All the songs nominated were lovely this year.  I was especially moved by Gwenyth Paltrow's preformance from her movie Country Strong.  I haven't seen that movie yet but it's now higher on my list!

I think I was too hard on my review of Inception.  We went to Paris and the movie was filmed in places we had been. I should see it again!

The Winners this year were easy to predict.  I correctly predicted 17 of the nominations.  I usually always get the Best Supporting Actress winner wrong!  It was great to see Kirk Douglas present the award to Melissa Leo!

Great to see Billy Crystal! It was neat the way they had Bob Hope hosting from years ago; Billy told a great story about meeting Bob Hope when he hosted years ago.

I saw the BAFTA Awards (held in London) for the first time this year.  I thought it was brilliant!  The Oscars this year were equally wonderful!

The Finale -

Enthusiastic preformance by the children (from New York).  They sang Over the Rainbow.  All the new Oscar winners came out and sang along at the end.

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards from 2010 will always be my favorite!  I've been watching the Oscars every year since I was 10!

The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'll write a longer review soon. I really enjoyed this one!!

Countdown to the Academy Awards

The 83rd Academy Awards will be on this Sunday.  I can't wait!  I think I have watched the Oscars every year since I was about 10.  This year I watched the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on BBC America.  We never got that channel before - it was really great! 

http://www.bafta.org/

Here's the site for the Oscars -

http://oscar.go.com/

More on all this later...

My photos

I want to give my husband the credit for all the beautiful pictures he took on our trip to Europe.  Most of the pictures you see here were taken by him. :)

Memory - a spoof

This is a fun video from YouTube about "senior moments" -

Goodreads

I can't tell you how much I enjoy Goodreads.  It's really changed my life (no kidding!)  I have always loved to read and to connect with others who love to read too has been so wonderful.  More on this later.  I need to sign off - step away from the laptop!

Wishful Drinking

I can't wait to see Wishful Drinking on HBO.

Here's the preview on video -



The book is great too.  I reviewed it on Goodreads.

ABC trailer

Here's the trailer for Mr. Sunshine -

Mr. Sunshine

Matthew Perry has a new sitcom on ABC.  He is a writer and producer on the show.  I thought it was really good and plan to keep watching.

He's on the cover of Parade magazine (last Sunday's newspaper).  Check it out!

Mad Men 60's Trivia

Check out these quizzes - I enjoy doing them.

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2011/02/60s-era-trivia-quizzes.php

Russell Brand on SNL

British actor Russell Brand was a really great, funny host on the Valentine's Day episode.

You can check him out on http://www.nbc.com/.  I thought he was the best host since Jon Hamm!

You Light Up My Life

Here is You Light Up My Life again since I lost the other video I had posted -

The Kids Are All Right

Here is a behind the scenes look at The Kids Are All Right -

Bounce

The movie Bounce starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow was on TV recently.  I really liked it when it came out in 2000.  One of Ben's best and I'm a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow -

Great Movie

We watched The Kids are All Right the other day.  I really loved it.  Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo are all outstanding.  I highly recommend it!  I may watch it with the Director's Commentary if I have time before I need to return it to the library.

Chinese New Year recipes

The Year of the Rabbit -

http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/823385/let-the-celebrations-begin?utm_source=EmailDirect.com&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=FC+020111+Campaign

Hong Kong

I just received a fantastic email from GOOP by Gwyneth Paltrow -

Check this out -

http://goop.com/newsletter/115/en/

Happy Chinese New Year! 

Quote of the Day

Household tasks are easier and quicker when they are done by somebody else.

- James Thorpe

Goodreads

Joy's book montage

Joy's favorite books »

Mad Men Season 4

From the Mad Men blog on AMC -

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2010/12/season-4-interviews-men.php

Oscar snubs

I read that people thought the director of Inception should have been nominated.  I have to say - I hated that movie.  I thought it was incredibly boring and I had a hard time even staying awake.  I told Jackson it was a good sleeping pill.

My Oscar predictions

I haven't seen The King's Speech but I think the Oscars are pretty predictable this year -

Best Picture - The King's Speech

Best Actor - Colin Firth

Supporting Actor - Geoffrey Rush

Best Actress - Natalie Portman

Supporting Actress - Annette Bening

Top 10 Seinfeld episodes

I would put The Soup Nazi first but these are fantastic clips!!

Newman's Best scene

Classic Seinfeld - you gotta love it!

I've never been to me

This beautiful song is by Charlene -

Quote of the Day

Thanks to my friend Merry for the Quote of the Day -

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote of the Day

Today's quote -

The greatest mistake a man can ever make is to be afraid of making one.

- Elbert Hubbard

Ultimate Fan Quiz

There is a fun "Jon Hamm Ultimate Fan Quiz" on the AMC website.  My score was 70% - I missed 3.  Not bad, eh?

How well do you know Jon Hamm?

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2011/01/jon-hamm-quiz.php

Quote of the Day

From George Carlin -

"The reason I talk to myself is because I'm the only one whose answers I accept."

He was great!

James Bond returns!

Good news for James Bond fans!

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/11/james-bond-returns/?xid=email-top25-today-James+Bond+returns%21+And+not+a+moment+too+soon%21

I like Daniel Craig as Bond so I'm happy to hear this!

Arizona Shootings Reaction

I'd like to share this link to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart with his comments on the Arizona shootings. 

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-10-2011/arizona-shootings-reaction

I am a regular viewer of the show and this demonstrates how smart Jon is and I just wanted to put it out there.  Here is a good review of the episode with the link to the program -

http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/01/10/jon-stewart-gabrielle-giffords/

Forever Young

At the end of The Wonder Years today this song "Forever Young" was played.  It was the perfect ending to the episode and one of the most beautiful songs I have heard in ages. It actually gave me goosebumps!  Joan Baez sang the song on the show but it was originally a Bob Dylan song.  I haven't heard his version but here is Joan singing "Forever Young" -



I can't imagine anyone doing a better job singing that song, can you?  The lyrics are quite meaningful, so Bob Dylan does get the credit for that!

Quote of the Day

The quotes for today are from my good friend Wendy -

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

I don't know where she got that but it's excellent advice!

“Tomorrow is always going to be a great day!"   Thanks to Wendy for these positive quotes!

The Human League

I was watching a movie today called Cyrus starrring John C. Reilly and Marisa Tomei.  There is a scene where the song "Don't You Want Me?" by the British new wave band called The Human League, is played at a party and John's character really gets into it and starts singing and dancing to the song.  This is a song from the 80's and I hadn't heard it in a long time but it was such a fun scene that I looked for "Don't You Want Me?" on YouTube.  Cyrus is not the greatest movie but it's well acted.  Anyway, I'm glad I saw it, if for no other reason than I had the chance to hear this song again! 

Enjoy! -

Actor Pete Postlethwaite died

Oscar nominated British actor Pete Postlethwaite died of cancer on Sunday at age 64.  I had seen him recently in The Town where he played a tough Boston mob boss.  I remember him most from his Oscar nominated role as Daniel Day-Lewis' father in In the Name of the Father in 1993.  Recently, he was in Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio but I haven't seen that one yet.  I hope to see it soon.

Here are the reactions of Day-Lewis and Ben Affleck (who directed him in The Town):

Daniel Day-Lewis, who played Postlethwaite’s son in 1993′s In the Name of the Father (for which they both earned Oscar nominations), and co-starred with him in 1992′s The Last of the Mohicans: ”Pos was the one. As students, it was him we went to see on stage time and time again. It was him we wanted to be like; wild and true; lion hearted; unselfconscious, irreverent. He was on our side. He watched out for us. We loved him and followed him like happy children, never a breath away from laughter. He shouldn’t have gone. I wish so much that he hadn’t. There’s a tendency to make lists at this time of the year. When we get to the Best of British, if Pete isn’t at the top of that list, he shouldn’t be far from it.”

Ben Affleck, who co-starred with and directed Postlethwaite in last fall’s The Town: “Pete was a wonderful actor and an extraordinary man. I will miss him as will the countless others whose lives he touched either personally or through his work. This is a great loss of a wonderful man. My prayers go out to his family.”

It's sad when anyone dies but it's especially hard at the age of 64.  He sounds like a great guy.