The Antithesis of Fox News

Jimmy and The Roots slow jam the news...enjoy...

Popcorn Remembered

photo credit {suckerpunchpictures.com}

"Popcorn’s death, on March 16, was the final act of a defiant individualist. Of course, like the man himself, it was more complicated than that." -gourmet.com

Read More:

Death of a Moonshiner

Digital City

Citizen-Times

WYFF.com - Knoxville

"Size 14 women 'happiest with life and looks'"

"Happiness, it seems, comes with curves, for a new poll has found that size 14 women are the happiest with their life and looks."

Story from msn/lifestyle...

Relovolutionary Road

This past weekend, at long last, I saw Revolutionary Road. I had so anticipated the film's arrival in a local market. When I initially saw the trailer at the end of last year, I thought, "this is definitely a film to see with your significant other...especially if you are thinking of making a life with this partner." Now that I've seen it, I'm glad that I could experience the film without my significant other, at least for the 1st viewing.

A painfully accurate critique of monogamy and the pursuit of the "American Dream," the film impressed me with its honesty and humanity. Kate Winslet portrays a young woman who becomes a wife, while still wondering what lies for her marriage beyond the conventions of a 1950's family. The children are conspicuously absent from most scenes, allowing the viewer to build empathy and understanding for the plight of a young married couple who have exchanged their love of adventure and sponteigity for persistant predictability. This attention does not diminish the perception of Winslet as a loving mother to her children, but instead reminds us that women {and men}, mothers {and dads} have souls that need to be fed and dreams that need to be realized. Rather than growing complacent and decieving themselves into believing this is is what they wanted out of life, [awakened by Winslet] the two renew their committment to "really living" and not just going through the motions.

Tragic comedy is introduced by their landlord's brilliant son, who has been "institutionalized" due to a mental illness. The director's inclusion and treatment of this character added great dimension to the narrative. I enjoyed the irony that when he visits the "Wheeler's of Revolutionary Road," they find themselves strolling through the forest and discover that among all of their acquaintances in their suburban neighborhood, he, the "insane" professor that fell from grace, is the only one who seems to understand their disatisfaction with their current lifestyle.

Ultimately, I felt challenged by this film. Challenged to follow my intuition, my passion, my dreams, even if it means stepping boldly outside the lines of convention. I don't feel that it was a negative critique of the social conventions of marriage and all that the notion of the "American Dream" entails, instead I read the film to suggest that while that life is fulfilling for some people, it can be damaging for others. Conformity for conformity's sake is called sharply into question. I left the film with a familiar quote ringing in my head, "Ask yourself what it is that makes you come alive, and do it. The world needs people who have come alive."

Nanna's precious little helper, baking Christmas cookies!

Made with love!

"Hey, hey, Mr. Policeman..."

Anticipating this film

Pop goes the 'Country'

Uncle Pen

Epice Designs Winter Scarves | Fashion Atlanta - DailyCandy

Epice Designs Winter Scarves | Fashion Atlanta - DailyCandy

Signs of the times...and times gone by

"Ebenezer Scrooge: Christmas is a very busy time for us, Mr. Cratchit. People preparing feasts, giving parties, spending the mortgage money on frivolities. One might say that December is the foreclosure season. Harvest time for the money-lenders."
The Muppets Christmas Carol

'A Luxuriously Bumpy Ride'

Seeing Australia was one of the most satisfying movie-going experiences I've had in quite some time...probably in the past three years at least. The word 'epic' comes to mind as you watch the long shots of cattle driven by the "rover" (Jackman). Some actors are hard to shake apart from the selves we know them as in tabloid trash and previous roles they've played, but Kidman and Jackman did not disappoint. In other, very non-technical terms; I bought it, I bought into the life I saw presented on the screen. For almost the 3hr. duration, i was somewhere else, absorbed in the suspension of disbelief.

Not only the stunning visual composition a la Luhrman, and the acting, but the narrative and the issues it takes to task were beautifully treated and challenged in all of their complexity...racism, imperialism, assimilation, gender roles, and war...yes, it's a very full film, but not over ambitious.

Then there is the whole intertextuality woven with the Wizard of Oz...so powerful and moving.

My favorite quote... "i sing you to me"...just watch and you'll see.


Click here for a review from Variety...then go see it for yourself!

Working girl blues. I've got them.

Looking forward to an upcoming vacation...no where exotic...just away. Maybe Winston, VA, or the quiet of my own backyard.

Delaney starts school next Monday, pre-K, that is. I'm nervous for her. Beginnings can be scary...but I have a feeling she will be just fine. This weekend I made her a felt jewelry/accessories set as a "going to school" present. Pretty neat that she will be attending in the same building i went to for kindergarten. Wonder if it smells the same? Wonder if she'll cry on her 1st day into her fingerpaint cherry trees? And if she does, she'll be just fine.

Tift Merritt plays the Opry Plaza before the Show begins.

Eye Spy...Dwight Schrute (below)
So this is what he does in the off-season...

Oh yes, ladies...it's HAL!

This was taken on our trip to Nashville, TN outside
the Grand Ole Opry House.

Greens, Greens, Greens...

I'm so excited to have just harvested my 2nd bag-ful of lettuce. This summer I decided to begin learning more about gardening by planting several things in containers. Banana pepper, radishes (from seed!), romaine lettuce, and, as of today, cilantro!

Mamaw's love of gardening has come down through my mama and passed to LeighAnna and I. I love the connectedness I feel with the land, the dirt, the plants. Our first lettuce picking or "harvest" was while LeighAnna and Luke were here and that was so nice to share with them. She showed me a neat way to dry the lettuce [without a salad spinner] so that the leaves are stored dry and last longer without rotting. I practiced this again today- after picking and rinsing the lettuce, each leaf was laid out on a kitchen towel and then rolled and patted to remove excess water. I thought this would crush the leaves, but to my surprise, the result is lovely fresh lettuce that is not crushed at all.

After this, I bagged up the greens...

...and enjoyed a wonderfully fresh sandwich of ham, munster cheese, mayo, and home-grown lettuce! Crunchy, lovely, and oh so rewarding! Yum!

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS Movie Trailer

Went to see this movie last night with Galen. First experiment with embedding video on here. Hope to right a review sometime tomorrow! Enjoy the preview...

Back to blogging...

It's been some time now since my last update on here, so I thought I would get back in the swing of things. I have been learning some new things by exploring Blogger for a website at work. Really enjoy the capacity to customize so many things and to add video especially. With family overseas, it makes me sorry that I haven't been more regular about posting. LeighAnna and Ben's blog keeps us UTD on their travels and adventures in life abroad and early parenthood with baby Luke. I'm looking forward to more posts from their recent trip(s).

Since I last wrote, LeighAnna and Luke have come for a visit to the states and returned for the remaining (brief) months of their stay in Italy. I can't wait to have them home!

Galen left today after a short visit between race weekends. He's heading for Dover, Delaware tomorrow and will be traveling by plane to the next 5 races...'on the road again'.

Work is going well and I'm finding my way, some days more than others. I think I like working with people in the community and the marketing aspects of my job the most right now. I still have to stop and think sometimes, "wow-I'm not in college or grad school anymore..." Sometimes I get nostalgic about the good ol' days of a semester calendar year, then again I enjoy the no-homework aspects of my day-to-day. Well, its after 5...so I'm off the clock and will be back soon with more to say.

I'm having trouble getting pictures to post on the blog today...so check back soon!