Calling all angels

Here it is nearing the sad anniversary of Katrina and yet, I hear there's another new hurricane headed toward Louisiana.

In any event, I've been thinking about our collective need for angels. Especially now. For reasons both deeply personal as well as global.

I've been trying to define for myself what I think being an "angel" means, exactly.

I've dug out Tony Kushner's script for Angels in America as well as put Jane Sibery's timely, haunting song Calling All Angels into my cd player.

(By the way, if you would like to hear more from this musician, I highly recommend her astonishing CD, Bound By The Beauty)

It appears that someone's done a nice job creating a video of it for YouTube, so if you've missed hearing this about a decade ago, you can hear it here.

After all -- It's clear that right now there's practically nobody who is not in dire need of calling all angels.

See First McCain Palin Campaign Photos

Roman Holiday on PCH

Okay, so. Lots of blogging to catch up on:

For instance, I just have to share with you a wonderful evening we enjoyed recently.

We attended a screening of Roman Holiday -- at the Huntington Beach Pier. Yep, on the corner of PCH and Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA. (You did read that right.)

It was part of a wonderful event (hosted by TripAdvisor.com) which involved the very cool idea of installing an inflatable movie screen under the stars to watch the classic film Roman Holiday, outdoors. Brilliant.

I believe it was all part of a TripAdvisor.com-concept to drum up interest in a contest to win a trip to Rome which, I have to say, sure worked for us. (Oh, please pull our names out of your hat!)

Anyhow, the entire evening was everything you would want it to be and more.

Stars, ocean breezes, yummy food from Savannah and best of all sharing a classic black and white film staring the one and only Audrey and Gregory with my girls for the very first time.





So, how cool is that? Very.

In fact, it was so wonderful I had a little maternal epiphany. It unexpectedly crystallized something important.

In the future, as my lovely daughters careen through life, if ever stumped for advice, (and they can't find me. ) they need only ask themselves, "What Would Audrey Do?"


W.W.A.D? Seriously. Girls, print that on a T-shirt and don't forget to read it. When in doubt, ask Audrey.

Because, the truth is, I cannot imagine Audrey Hepburn giving bad advice to anyone, ever.

When you consider the body of her work, both in film as well with UNICEF, she adds up to one of the most beautiful, elegant and extraordinary women to grace our planet.

Audrey Hepburn is a role model that I, as a mom, whole-hearted approve of.

In any event, an "elegant" time was had by all.

Below are a few snaps from our beach soiree and screening.



My girls at Savannah. (No, the chardonnay belong to me.)

The gracious (also very elegant) Beth Laski and yours truly. (Louise) Who can't seem to ask herself often enough "So, W.W.A.D?")

Note to self: Turn off cell when not in use

Just returned home from picking up the kids at school to following email from husband.



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I think your phone called by accident a while ago


"You know, you have a Mercedes and its attached to a blinker. You should use it. Dork."

Does that sound familiar?

P

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Yes. Sadly, it does. This is because our kids require us to car pool past Leisure World every day and, I'm sorry, but retirees drive like it's 1943 and they're still on the golf course. But, I will try to curb my elder-road rage, tomorrow.

Catching up: Eric Schaeffer, (I Can't Believe... Season One) Flipping Out, Shear Genius and more...

Okay, so some of you, know I seem to have been keeping a running commentary about certain television shows:

Such as "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single," Eric Schaeffer's latest creative venture which is, apparently, a documentary about the author's cross-country book signing of his memoir"I Can't Believe I'm Still Single."

Below is a link to his Showtime promo, which, as usual, has more action in it than the rest of his series put together.




Look, I've been tough on him in the past, so I'm going to really try to be fair now.

But, the show is boring. Sorry, but it's true. It's emotional landscape is like stumbling through Ikea. I keep waiting for it not to be quite so dull, I keep waiting to be surpised, but nada. Seriously, even all the potty talk (literally) in world can't seem to save this show from a slippery-slope of it's beige, touchy-feely, mono-blather.

I even felt guilty about dissing him on the IMDB message boards, (you can follow that pissing match there.) and ended trying to offer up some humility in my last posting about him, as some sort-of verbal peace offering to his very loyal fans, but, in the end I have to return to the wise words of Emilio: "That was then; this is now."

Truthfully, I don't know why I bother watching. Except that I feel obligated since he's already in Vegas, it can't be that much longer to get to Portland, Me., can it? (Just for the record, I'm also equally committed to other reality-shows, too, like "Flipping Out," "Shear Genius," and of course, "Project Runway." More on them later.)

Yeah, so we've followed the tiny bladdered Eric Schaeffer and his staff (I mean, "crew.") of two, to Las Vegas and the opinion barometer of it all is "ho-hum."

I mean, good God, how many times does he have to discuss his bodily functions? Have other women seriously enabled this kind of warped chatter? Look, I don't want to sound, well, judgmental, (which I never am.) but, am I glad I got out of the dating game when I did.

Also, has it occurred to him that perhaps some of his excessive peeing by (or is it on?) his car on this road-umentary may be actually be due to some sort of medical condition? It's a whole lot of peeing he does, at least while on camera.

Maybe it was just faux-urination for comedic value? He likes to play with the windshield wipers as he pees so it can disguise the fact that he is using his car rental as a fire hydrant. (Get it? ha.)

I'm less than enthusiastic about the show right about now, because not only is it kind of gross, it's not even being entertainingly gross. I just wish he'd find someone to fall in love with already.

You know, someone young, beautiful, sexy, funny, smart and, apparently, someone to "rub my back when I'm (can't even write it, it's so repulsive. Let's just say his idea of a great date is doing something only Freud could accept -- AS A DREAM). And even that's a long shot.

Just so you know, he made it to Vegas, right? I think it was Vegas, who knows? I don't know all those Days Inns sort-of run together in the show. There is a conspicuous lack of scenery as it's pretty much just a camera focused on Eric Schaeffer sharing wisdom from behind the wheel of a car rental. It's like watching an hour of crack addict/Yoda. Really, you guys have GOT to watch this one! It's great!

So, who rented that car after he dropped it off at Hertz in Portland, Me? (Poor them.)


_____________________________


Okay: Posting update: After this last show I finally really began to like his show.

I think it was when he started to cry when he was reading his book. I don't know but the intimacy of that moment really changed how I saw him. I just have to say that, because I have been so hard on him here.

I like the show so much more with his not spewing shock-value stuff at the camera and just really exposing his feelings about how alienated he felt.

That made me feel connected and care about him.

Just wanted to say this.
_____________________________



Okay, so what else am I watching. I was watching Shear Genius with my daughters, but some of them swear so badly I realized I'd better stop sharing the show with them. (Why can't they speak with good taste, like they do in Project Runway? I mean, What-Would-Tim-Gunn-Do?)

I couldn't find a clip of Paulo anywhere on You Tube! So, you'll have to settle on their behind scenes fashion show.




Anyhow, Shear Genius: This week Paulo (Who looks a whole lot like Goat Boy) got the boot. It wasn't such a surprise since his "creation" appeared to have been accomplished using a food processor followed by a blow torch. He only got "eliminated" after that? I'd have killed him.

Okay, so on to "t-cheff Lewis" (which is Zoila-speak for "Jeff Lewis.) in Flipping Out:

How can you not love a guy who lets his cleaning lady, Zoila, live with him?

How can you not love someone who orders take-out drinks the way he does? I think I actually am sort-of like him, deep down. So, I get it. I get how important the details can be to a person. And it endears him to me.



Flipping Out. However, to be fair, I don't think it was as funny this season as it was last. Maybe it's because Jeff has so much "plumping" in his lips (which only upsets me, since he's already handsome.) which makes it difficult to read his facial expressions, as easily as last seaason.

Or maybe it's just that everyone in LA is crabby and anxious because of the housing slump. Not to mention that all the help quits before they get fired, which is really not great entertainment.

They need to hire some low self-esteem people to hurry up and take Monkey in for more kitty acupuncture. (Does PETA approve of acupuncture for pets?)

But, that reminds me that that is an unexpected trait in Jeff -- He only seems to adopt mutts, and not, as I would have thought, over-bred, puppy-mill dogs, which makes me like him evem more.

Why doesn't he have an African Grey Parrot? Every pet-loving gay guy I know likes birds, wouldn't it be great if he had an African Grey mocking them all behind their backs? I think so. I'd be like the nanny-cam on acid.

I used to baby-sit an African Grey for my neighbors and very entertaining. He'd answer the phone in both my neighbor's voices, including the ringing of the phone, I'm not kidding -- those birds do it all. Yeah, I've decided Jeff needs an African Grey. (Jenny, are you listening? Why don't you find one for Jeff to rescue off of Craig's List?)

I do really love Jeff, though, and so I'm still going to cross my fingers his show is picked up for another season. But, he should really get rid of that painting of his cleaning lady. She's much prettier in real life.

So, that's my TV show updates for this past week.

EXCEPT THEY ONLY PUT MAD MEN ON ONCE A WEEK?!!!

I love that show. LOVE IT.

Now, on to other less important things, like all that Olympics stuff.

Hello? Didn't we see that same old, tired crap about four years ago? They just do the same stuff every single time, and we all act like it's such a surprise and soooo great.


And so what if Russia invaded Georgia? I thought Georgia, was Russia. How do you invade yourself?

FYI. Clearly, I josh: I loved all the games this year, we all did at La Casa de Larsen. The opening ceremonies were almost too astonishing to be comprehended. They were like a massive fusion of Pina Bausch, Laurie Anderson and a whole lot of Super Bowl thrown in. I think I'd have happily braved the Bejing smog if I'd had a chance to experience even one tenth of that in person.

and I've been waiting for "Pooty-poo" to hurry up and stab us in the back for the past 8 years, so I happen to think all this Georgia thing is probably just the beginning of the great unraveling of all that USA /USSR bonding that Bush did for us all.

So, what else is on tonight?

Bunny Man

For some reason, "Sk8ter Bunny" was left on my computer keyboard.

My kids tell me this is "Bunny man." (Or, "Nick Jonas: Bunny Man.")

I don't get it.

Uhm, apparently the white things under the "wool bunny suit" are leggings made from paper and tape.

Is this my punishment for letting them watch "Project Runway?"

Nightmare on Bird Street.

So, I won't go into all the things that made today so uniquely un-fun, but I will tell you that I freakin' found two dead birds in my backyard, one of which the county just confirmed had - West Nile Virus.

Say what?!

As if that's not gross enough, but, hello? I found another little dead guy this weekend which I put in a cardboard box for the vector mafia to pick up only to discover: Like all good organized crime (fighters) they do NOT work weekends.


So, I did what any good citizen should do: I posted this on the local news website in the area. Click on link to find out what you can do if you find a string of young, dead birds in your backyard.


I don't meant to complain, but as if my family doesn't have enough weird health issues to stress about, but West Nile Virus in my backyard, too? Wow.

I'm serious, today ended up being just plain a whole bunch of "badly timed personal news."

Recent Bad News:


Un-fun personal issue #1.

Last week I couldn't breathe, again after having major sinus surgery only six months ago.

I find out my body is allergic to "myself" which pretty much means it goes into severe inflammation response to any kind of allergy or small infection (by reaction I mean severe asthma and pneumonia -- out of the blue.). So my CAT scan last week about floored my ENT who couldn't believe I was running around with as much non-air space (read:"Severe inflammation.") in my head. (Does this mean I'm clinically a fat-head?) He was going over my former scat scan with the following emotions on his face: In order: Trepidation, disbelief, and genuine sympathy.

Then he looked up my nose with this scary, tiny camera (It feels like someone sticking a long elephant hair up to your eyeball) and then remarked: "Wow. Are these the same sinuses? The prednisone worked miracles here! But, unfortunately it probably won't last. Sadly it will probably return just as soon as your current cortisone levels wear off. Sorry. It's probably due to all that dryness from your "Sjogren's Syndrome."

As he explained it, apparently my body has a hyper-reactive inflammatory response to any infection or allergy, no matter how insignificant it might be in other people. And I said. "Oh, okay."

He said my current situation will probably require one or two more surgeries, but we won't plan that until my current sinus infection subsides.


Un-fun personal issue #2.

I am getting my older daughter ready to go to Middle School where, yet again, she will no doubt be surrounded by peanut proteins only one of which could trigger anaphylaxis, like it did before.


While the sky may not be falling, dead birds are. And they are falling out of the sky into my backyard with icky, life-threatening diseases.

Current fav music: LCDSoundsystem and MGMT

I know this doesn't nearly qualify as a blog entry, but I just want to say how much I love LCDSoundsystem and MGMT.
Can't get enough.

I actually didn't mind my 4+ hours road trip to USC (To see my ENT & Rheumy about my that thing on my face some people run air through. I think it's called "a nose," but mine works differently.) from Seal Beach yesterday due to these CDs...and a thrift fix from my not-so-secret Catholic Charity store.

I'm not nerdy enough to figure out how to put their music up here to listen to. (Someone geeky please tell me how.)


But if you click here to go to LastFM.com you can listen to their music free.

OR to see and hear some of the latest from MGMT: Click Here!


You. Will. Not. Be. Sorry.


Ps. My husband kindly informed me that my cd cover here is actually posted sideways. Being new to this blogging process, I knoweth not how to "flip the image." If it really bothers you, then be a good geek and tell me how to fix it.

For the record, Pete, my husband, also coincidentally informed me that those two new groups I breathlessly said "I'd just discovered off KCRW!" had already been in his car's CD player for, say, months, which is the kind of things that happen you're married to a pop-culture reporter. You get husbands who hog the good stuff and don't share it with the mommy van.

I am a pop-culture reject

Things that render me a pop-culture reject:

1.) I have never seen Scarface or Xanandu.

2.) Who is Zac Effron? I mean, Efron.

3.) Although my kids talk about them non-stop, apparently I never "got" that the Jonas Brothers were in Camp Rock.

4.) I have never seen Camp Rock. But, my eleven year old thinks it would be creepy if I had.

5.) "You're not supposed to watch Disney Channel, you're a grown-up."

duh.

Elizabeth Edwards is my hero.

Elizabeth Edwards is My Hero! ~ Storyville OriginalsT-Shirts, Tee Shirts, Storyville




This woman has survived so. damn. much. And still keeps ticking.

Read Elizabeth Edwards full statement here. (from Daily Kos)

By the way: Excuse me, but WTF, John?! What is with you southern boys? Keep your freakin' pants on, you idiots.

Alas. Since ancient Rome, there have always been "Rielle Hunters." She is an archetype that will always exist. Until men figure out that keeping their pants on is "a good thing" for establishing a solid political career, there will always be a "Rielle Hunter."

However, that being said, still, today was a let down.

Any hero's left?

HORN-DOGS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY: KEEP YOUR PANTS ZIPPED AND STEP AWAY FROM THE BAIT."

(Okay, Michelle...You need to put the fear of God in your, boy, because apparently all power corrupts.)

Obama had better not let us down, that's all I can say.

What a bummer.

Until I get started selling rubber bracelets that say "Pray For John Edwards," you will have to do with the link to the following company that sells "Elizabeth Edwards Is My Hero" t-shirts.

"What Would Peggy Do Post Season One?"

According to "Pedro," of The Orange County Register, there are now websites devoted to different characters from Mad Men.


I'd just like to say that when they are old enough that our daughters will only be allowed to view the blog titled:

"What Would Peggy Do Post Season One?"


Funny stuff also about this via BuzzFeed, too.