Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Progressive Voter advice for the May 19, 2009 Statewide California Special Elections

Okay, so, it's time to start ignoring the sky is falling and start to think about important things, like the California special elections coming up on May 19, 2009.

Hard to know where to start, however, since I know and trust the Courage Campaign, here are their links and info re: their progressive California Guide and their CA proposition choices.

I'll post more info as it comes up -- Will dig deeper, shortly, on what our voting options are for Orange County, CA, too.

Stay tuned for more on this subject later

------------------------------------------------------------------

The Courage Campaign

According to The Courage Campaign, their STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS are as follows:

The Courage Campaign staff is recommending you vote "No"on Propositions 1A, 1C, 1D, 1E, and 1F. We are not recommending a position on Proposition 1B. The staff believes these propositions do not offer the progressive solutions that California needs. Briefly, here are the reasons why we are recommending a "No" vote on Props 1A, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F:

  • A "No" vote on Prop 1A will stop a spending cap that will force long-term cuts to core programs such as schools and health care.
  • A "No" vote on Prop 1C will stop Arnold Schwarzenegger from throwing our unpredictable lottery revenues to
    the derivatives market on Wall Street.
  • A "No" vote on Props 1D and 1E will protect the programs for children under age 5 and the mentally ill that voters previously approved.
  • A "No" vote on Prop 1F rejects a meaningless right-wing attack on our public officials.

For more in-depth information on the Courage Campaign's staff recommendations, please read our full recommendation here


Reality Blogging: Watch Swine Flu Spread Worldwide in "real time!

Is the proverbial sky really falling, or is this Swine Flu scare just more freaky crap to distract us from the fact that our economy is crumbling underfoot, and there's no more money?

Hard to say.

Yesterday I was contacted by a health reporter for Associated Press who had at one time interviewed me about my child's peanut allergy.

This time she inquired

"...we are looking into whether people have made little changes to their routines or lifestyles due to the threat of swine flu. Do you have any friends/acquaintances etc who might fit the bill and whom I can speak with? "


Looks like I'm the "go to Gal" when it comes to Chicken Little reactions to health concerns.

I told her the truth which is that my kids are far more excited about the prospect of more "home days," than worried about illness, and that as I see it, the cat's out of the bag. Mexico dropped the ball on this one, for whatever reason, and now the virus is simply all over the place.

I can only be upbeat and remind them to wash their hands and pray that if it really does get nasty that we can all get our hands on Tamiflu ASAP.

But, panic won't work. It's a waste of time.

Right now, I'm already knee-deep in organic soil for our "Recession Victory Garden," so I'll just channel my stress into planting more fruit and veggies.

What else can we do?

I suppose, at the most we could stock up on water and soup and face masks...but, it if gets that bad. I not sure what can be done except live each day fully and try to remain upbeat.

I sort of feel like we're all on the Titanic together, but personally, I'm hoping that band up on the deck is really, really good.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Am I the only one blogging re: Eric Schaeffer, right now?

Can it be that I am one of the only people blogging about Season Two of "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single?"

Come on, say it ain't so.

Really? I'm the only person blogging about this clown's quest for the perfect wife?


Oh, well. In any event.

To recap last week's, again, extremely strange, installment of "I can't believe...I can't find a better name for my shitty show than this" we got a weirdly defensive lecture on why Eric thinks he really is straight, I think.

He used a white board. He scribbled crazy things and circled stuff. He ran his hands through his receding hair line a lot. (Why doesn't anyone ever tell him the truth when he grills women on how they like his hair? )

Eric: "So, how do you like my hair? Like this kind of long on the sides, or all short and choppy like in the movie I did..." bla, bla, bla?

Me: "Actually, neither. Both look like crap on you because your hair plugs are wearing out and you can't hide it anymore. Every year your forehead gets bigger. It's called 'aging.' Find a place of Acceptance. -- Namaste."

You know, when I was a sophomore I had a geometry teacher like him.

One day during math class he paused to explain his theory to all of us who clearly were bored as hell and still "not getting it."

He impatiently placed his foot on the low windowsill next to his desk for emphasis and simply tumbled right out the window. It turned out that wasn't coffee in his mug. Another story. It was the best math class I ever had (Yes, he was fine. It was the first floor.) However, those crazy scribbles and the rambling sounded so similar.

Back to Eric's show. So, after his inexplicably odd, long explanation, diatribe on what Schaeffer's sexual orientation "really is" he agreed with his sidekick that maybe he is just a paranoid bisexual.

Oh, okay. Glad we figured that out.

Who knows what he was going on about. It's hard to say, since it was crazy and he licked his lips a lot, and it sortof scared me that people just let him spew self-congratulatory nonsense, without once calling him on his crazy douche-nozzle blather.

Coincidentally, earlier the same night, I caught some of some special MSNBC was running focusing on how wacky Charles Manson was. It was late at night I couldn't fall asleep, so naturally watching this scary documentary on how Manson was able to talk all those hippie losers into doing his evil deeds, wasn't helping, so I flipped over to something else mindless and amusing, like Schaeffer's show.

However, what actually happened as a result of watching these two unrelated episodes back to back reminded me that there is no end to people who will try to convince you the world is flat. And their passionate sales talks can either be quite funny or disastrous.

Anyhow, I think, what I really gathered from his earlier monologue was that he would have gone on to pursue his gayness as a young adult, if only his fear of getting AIDS hadn't impeded his curiosity. After all, he's far more worried about his safety than he is in trying new things.

At least, that's sort-of how it sounded to me, but it was late.

Also, later in this last episode he also made two different trips to Brooklyn (Hts?) to see two different women. And, lucky him, actually, ended up on three dates, unexpectedly.

One date was a nice, young woman named Adi, like some his other dates, too vulnerable for her own good. She had very kind eyes.

He described her as an Israeli, who was very honest and sweet, but in the end didn't really rank high enough on his emotional chart to earn her receiving one of his holy "Nemo-scat-bars." I think his reasoning was that "he could always just make her one." She may be a tough as nails Israeli, but she's still way to nice for that.

So, he left her at the table, alone in the restaurant in Brooklyn to move on to other people. Naturally.

Then he hooked up with a self-described "wonky-eyed gimp." Seriously. Not funny. Sad.

She was all of the above and as well as rather freakishly tall, and, in my opinion, way too stylish for anyone as dumpy as Mr. Schaeffer.

She broke my heart, too, by babbling on about how great her breasts were, which was sort-of like sitting through an audition for a Neil Labute film by a developmentally disabled actress. All it said to me was that it was her perverse way of trying to control a life inside a body she couldn't control at all. It made me sad to hear her talk about herself like she wasn't in the room. Of course, Schaeffer didn't seem to notice this at all and proceeded to pick up her friend, which the tall, physically challenged chick pretended she was just fine with and that it was even possibly all her idea, anyway.

(What is the matter with me? I just want to hug them, then sit them all down and give them a stern talking to about self esteem and respecting themselves. It's like I've gone all "Miss Jean Brodie," or something.)

Later, after he told the gimp to take a hike, the friend hung around (on camera) and Eric fawned on her at the restaurant. She was a dull, tattooed, I don't know, really -- a band groupie? Hard to say. Oh, yeah, she worked in a bar and commented that she felt out of place on the Upper West Side which always happens to the ultra hip, like me.

She may have had lots of tattoos, (all "done by her mother." Really? Terrific.) but she looked so young underneath all that work.

All I know was that I still like Lauren the best.

But, I really, really, really hope she is wise enough to mull things over during his insultingly long time to think about it all, since she's equally entirely capable of thinking, too.

And I hope she considers whether she can do better for herself than be a side kick to a sad clown, with thinning hair.

But, seriously, I'm thinking I may be the only person blogging about him, right now.

Well, if and when he gets around to googling himself, discovering this fact should really freak him out.

Oh, well.

-- Namaste.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Don't buy things at malls that sponsor cruel circuses.

So, I'm driving in by my local mall and noticed that dwarfed in between the giant digital billboard and tucked into the corner of a massive sprawling parking lot next to Best Buy, still selling giant television screens and mega home entertainment electronics was an old, familiar sight; A circus tent.

The Westminster Mall is hosting a visit by Circus Vargas.

The circus is in town.

Why?

Circuses are not cool. They are a throwback to a very unflattering form of brutal entertainment I do not understand our enabling in the year 2009.

Circus animals have a cruel fate and I can't imagine why, with all our technological advancements for entertainment, there is any kind of fun to be had watching animals be mistreated to line the pockets of a few carny acts.

Then, coincidetally I read on Meta Filter that we will soon be able to see a wonderful series, The Elephant Diaries.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/elephant_diaries/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/06/60minutes/main1479398.shtml

http://www.circuses.com/fact-vargas.asp

To read the long list of past violations involving Circus Vargas click here.

I do not believe animals should used for entertainment, and if you do, too you may care to check out this site, here.



Friday, April 24, 2009

Facebook Manners

Facebook etiquette.

Good, but would have been funnier shorter.

Also, there was something about the way it was filmed, that made me think that someone (or thing) scary was going to come bursting through that white door in the background...

Maybe I'm too in touch with my inner Hitchcock.

Uh, wait. That didn't sound right...

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

I Can't Believe I'm Not "Sherman's March."

I keep thinking that Eric Schaeffer's show, "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single" reminds me of something, but until now, couldn't figure out what it was. I knew it wasn't Woody Allen...What was it?





Finally, I finally put my finger on it: It's a knock-off of "Sherman's March," which does happen to be a terrific cult documentary from 1986.

Sherman's March was a genuinely unique and terrific film. If you haven't seen it, do. It's wonderful.

But Schaeffer is no Ross McElwee. McElwee is has depth and substance with a deep respect for women, despite his search (on film) for the right one.



Now, I get it: Schaeffer's doing his own "Sherman's March" thing on Showtime.

On last week's episode we saw his second "potential" girl friend on "I can't Believe I'm Still Single."

This time his femme du jour was a sweet natured, comic and dog-walker named "Lauren."

Let me just say, I was utterly prepared to think disparaging things about any woman who'd agree to be filmed dating Eric Schaeffer, but, I have to admit, I really liked her.

She was adorable. Too adorable for him.

I really liked Lauren and I think she was so sweet and funny and genuinely, that I really wanted her to understand that she is so much better than Eric. He doesn't deserve someone as open and real as she is.

She was so cute and vulnerable and I wanted to smack him when he put his nasty hands on her.

It's sickening to hear him babble about himself all the time to these women from the minute they are alone.

He catches himself in a reflection and it's:

Eric: "I'm not bloated, am I?"

Lauren: "Uhm. I don't think so."

Eric: "Wait! Enough about you, already, am I getting fat?"



The only thing wrong about Lauren is that she may have some rosy colored glasses on about Mr. Schaeffer.

Because, it will be all about him, him, him. All the time.

What sane woman would want that?

Oh, Lauren, if you read this: Your clips from your improv show were REALLY good! You have talent and do not need this for anything, but a springboard to something much better for you. Please have faith in yourself and move on.

You are very attractive, and funny and real and...just get yourself a really good agent from this show and DO NOT EAT THE NEMO BAR.

THROW IT OUT THE F*ING WINDOW RIGHT NOW.

Do not kiss him. Do not eat the junk food. Think about it? He gave you a bar of processed scat to eat.

That isn't cute, it's gross.

Get an agent. Get a great boyfriend who'll stop interrupting you all the time to tell you how great he is.

---------------------------------------------------


UPDATE: Yo, yo, yo, Dawgs --- Yesterday, when I posted this I left out mentioning Mark Ebner.

I forgot to mention here that, unlike in my previous posts about "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single" for this second season Schaeffer has added as second sounding board to his schtick.

This time around, along with his endlessly patient, female, yet not terribly reactive producer, "Em," (Emily Sinick), he's added, yet another male sidekick, or verbal sparing partner to his next collection of shows. Not a bad idea, since I think giving Eric someone to challenge his beliefs and odd-ball theories is key to his humor.

What I've just come to learn is that this guy, Mark Ebner, is, among other things, a former Rolling Stone reporter and occasional contributor to Gawker. Since I'm a fan of Gawker & Jezebel, happen to think this is kind-of cool.

Ebner's not a bad writer, either. I'm already almost through one of his previous stories Death Of A Nethead. It's pretty interesting. Check it out.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Simple was perfect.

This weekend, we did nothing in particular, and it was just right. Life was in balance.

We did some shopping for the kids's school clothes. We talked about native plants in our garden.

We rented Some Like It Hot, and made simple dishes at home and we tended our new growing lawn of green.

Why did we pick this movie for our "Girls Night In?"

Watching this movie with my daughters was a great opportunity to discuss how men and women are treated differently in society.

It had plenty of laughs for the kids and the clever dialogue kept, me, as a grown up quite entertained and moved without having to traumatize the kids with the more complex and cynical subtext of the film. It was a good choice for me because I've been wanted to show them the older films that rely on talent of the performers to entertain. It was wonderful to show them that a great scene is shot without a laugh track or any manipulative music and even without color and can be so much more magical and haunting than the junk that passes for entertainment these days. Also, it was a great way to learn about gender and power and how people see each other.


Also, growing a new lawn requires lots of watering, but instead of fighting this, we just hung out while doing this twice a day and chatted as we coated our new garden with a gentle soakings of water.

We caught up on homework and rest and laundry and at the end of our long, long spring break, we spent the day at Sunset Beach.

I watch daughter #1 attack the surf with a gusto and daughter #2 dance in the sea foam. They were delighting in the day.

I watch kids laugh at nothing and find shells and dance with sheer joy at being free and young and enjoying each moment as it blissfully unfurled. Remember when you wanted to be in the waves so badly you didn't even notice it was cold? That's what I mean. Kids who are genuinely passionate about the simple joys. I feel ashamed for my cynical side around that kind of appreciation of life. It's a lesson for me.

There was no rushing, or expectation of anything extraordinary, just peace and easiness and contentment. I didn't bother to bring a book or a magazine or any other distractions. Just my beach towel under my "Brattleboro, Vermont" baseball cap and breathing in all that clean salt air.

I wanted to sit there and watch the waves break on the sand and take it all in. I wanted nothing more than to "be here now."

As we ended our day at the beach and make our way home from Pacific Coast Highway, daughter #1 hugged me and said "this was the best weekend of my life."

And I said, "Really? That's so good. Because making sure you guys have memories like this is the most important achievement I can think of."

And the best part? I meant it.

It was so simple and right and peaceful.

Less really is more.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Coachella Widow & our three-day "Girls Night in!"

I am currently an official Coachella Widow, who is not at all going to feel resentful that I am missing Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst (NO!!!) and Beatle, Paul, tonight.

Actually, I'm a Coachella virgin, too. So, that makes me a Coachella virgin and widow, actually.

This is what happens when you marry a journalist. They go out and journal. This pays the rent and so I will get over it. Really. Soon, I promise. But, I not only miss my husband, as well as more very cool music.

But, can I just state something that perhaps not everyone will "get," But, for the record, this omission-of-mutual-escapism comes at a bad time, because for the record:

I have spring break BURN OUT.

Above: Me by the time we end our Spring "Staycation."

Yes, I have two kids with separate vacation schedules, which sounded so easy at the time.

You see, at one time, two different vacation schedules seemed like a very noble thing to juggle. But, 24/7 kids for three long weeks is...challenging.

Initially, I felt this year round schedule vrs. traditional school schedule would give me "quality time" with both of kids. But, I give them lots of quality time, anyway. And, guess what? My kids actually LIKE each other, so not spending time off together is not a good thing. So, hello? I'm reviewing the situation for next year.

In any event, after spending the entire Easter week gardening our asses off, (3000, yes that many sqr. feet of lawn and garden to cultivate and replant from seed) which I am still achey from attempting -- therefore it was not with unfettered joy that I received the news my husband gingerly broke that, uhm, did I "remember that Coachella was coming up?"

I did not.

And that he would be covering for three days? That, honey, this weekend he gets to PARTY LIKE A MANIAC AND GET PAID FOR IT. Maybe I'm over-reacting to the party part. I'm just grumpy because I hate missing things. And people.

Oh, it's true. I'm probably too tired to rave, right now, but I would LOVE to get away with my husband and also party like it's 2009 without having to do the dishes for just a little while. Especially when it also means getting to hear most interesting acts Coachella could book this year.

So, it's HOUSE PARTY, 'round here! And the water is FREE!

So, I'm stocking the weekend DVDs for our "girl's night" and the minute I step away from the keyboard I'm going to be cheerful and put on my Nanny McPhee hat for the home stretch. And since by now I'm so tired and frazzled that I have started to even resemble Nanny McPhee which is such a scary thought, I want to hurl.

Anyway, right now I now need to consider which movies can I rent this weekend which will be fun for three girls, ages 7, 12 and 48?

What I really need is (And no obvious cracks, puleez.) is a dvd of a screwball comedy. Do people even remember them? They're the best. But, finding them locally is a challenge.




Something by Peter Bogdanovich, would almost be okay for my second grader...Maybe.

What I need for viewing this weekend is something... musical (hopefully pre-1968...In other words, not Hair or Chorus Line...this year.) or something really funny, like, the Marx Bros.


Or even, something slapstick, like Palm Beach Story...(BTW why, oh, why is the What's Up Doc never available at Blockbuster?)...or something weepy, but great, like an animal movie.

Born Free

What would be some great kids-and-mom movies that aren't about vapid tweens falling in love or something entirely inappropriate? I'm stumped for the time being...




However, I guarantee, we three will stay up late and goof off. And, if there is laundry to be done come Monday morning, -- so be it.

By the way, before I go I just have to say -- this has nothing to do with my posting topic -- I absolutely love this video

Oren Lavie - Her Morning Elegance

Just viewing it makes me feel like I've spent the day at the spa. (Ah, hem. I wish, however I did just discover they are having a two for one at Glen Ivy Hot Springs which may be just the ticket for us, when he returns.)

Well, it's off to Blockbuster which I hope has more than just Hairspray and Mamma Mia, in stock, tonight.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Eric Schaeffer: I Can't Believe I'm Still Single. Pt. 2: The Marquis of Doucheboro.

Wow. He's back.

And the journey lives on, just like The Iliad, or Don Quixote or Popeye.

I was amazed he had a Season One, but turns out I'm not the only voyeur who loves to hate Eric Schaeffer, so now, there's a Season Two. Apparently Gawker shares my incredulity, as well.

So, since I last saw Mr. Schaeffer (previous post regarding the conclusion of "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single," Part One.), unemployment hit record numbers, Circuit City bit the dust, however Eric Schaeffer managed to survive the recession to open yet one more big ole' can of fat-ass on more astonishingly naive (read: dumb) women for his second round of "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single, Part Two" on Showtime. Go figure. More proof that Hollywood thrives during our national disasters.

BTW. I love women. More than Schaeffer does. I just have to smack my forehead when I see them show up for filming all dewy-eyed and vulnerable knowing that he will probably make them wear clown make-up before long. While begging them to wear a strap-on.

And, yes, I can't believe I'm going to watch it. But, I will. Sure, I'll watch his occasionally disturbing, often funny, completely mesmerizing car crash of male-ego, yet, one more time. He's unique, that's for certain.

So, the question really isn't "Why would you watch his show?" It's "Why wouldn't I watch it?"

He's like the friend you had that you always you looked forward to having lunch with on Monday so you could hear about all those crazy, stupid things they did that weekend, yet you cringed to hear them spoken aloud. Yet, you still wanted to be at lunch anyway. I think it's an addiction to observing someone's inner dirty laundry. Not proud of that, but, that's what it is.

So, yeah, I'll watch.

I can't say I think he's really capable of finding that real love he's always says he's seeking, but, hey -- as long as his epic search continues to be entertaining, who cares?

Previous posts regarding Eric Schaeffer:

The scariest person I used to know. And I sure don't mean biblically.

Catching up: Eric Schaeffer, Flipping Out, Shear Genius and more...

The conclusion of Eric Schaeffer's "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single."

AND FINALLY --

A few links to one or two rants I'm guilty of participating in regarding
Eric Schaeffer off of Internet Movie Database.* (MUST READS.)

*And, yes, Yours Truly is "Mrs. Shrew." ( That needed explaining?)




Thursday, April 2, 2009

Nouveau "Recession inspired" Pets: Chickens and Miniature Horses

,

Don't ask me why, but several mommies I know have suddenly opted to raise chickens as pets, lately. One of them is smart enough not to attempt this in an urban setting.



Even though the thought has crossed my mind that raising just one rooster would be perfect revenge for our party-happy next door neighbors, I just can't bear the thought of chickens running round my feet. Even though I would appreciate the eggs. (To be honest, chickens freak me out.)

However, I'm not exempt from my own peculiar desire for a livestock style pet.

In the spirit of green living, I have been longing to adopt a miniature horse.

Just think: It would be a green-living grass mower, it would self-fertilize the soil, and it would be a companion for Buddy to romp with.

Besides they are simply the cutest things I've ever seen.






Will be investigating the residential codes for these this week...

Mental note: Tell husband we're getting a pony.



UPDATE: I ran the idea by him and he asked me what I was smoking.