Am I the last person to notice that every Jason Statham film since Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is exactly the same?
Slugging it
I spent the entire day at home imitating a slug – sitting or laying in one place while reading the hours away or watching dvds.
I finished The Hunt Club by John Lescroart. Years ago I was a faithful fan and read all of his mysteries as soon as they were published in paperback – Dead Irish, The Vig, Hard Evidence, The 13th Juror, A Certain Justice, Guilt and The Mercy Rule. Although a few of the main characters from his past novels make cameo appearances, Lescroat uses The Hunt Club to introduce a whole new world of characters. The backstory is well done and all of the red herrings make logical sense. At 512 pages, the book runs a little long and could have used more editing to eliminate some of the repetition.
I started reading The Kite Runner by Khalid Hossei but didn’t get too far because I was distracted by The Assignment. You would think that with a cast that includes Aidan Quinn, Donald Sutherland and Ben Kingsley it would be a halfway great movie. Notsomuch… it was long, a little confusing, and convoluted. And they tried a Basic Instinct-type ending which plain didn’t work because it felt like an imitation of that memorable finale (was she or wasn’t she the killer?). You know? There was so much potential… but it just missed its mark. Though that didn’t keep me from devoting two hours to it.
Then I popped in 11:14. Again, great concept with a solid cast that just missed its mark. The film recounts the events that take place leading up to 11:14 p.m. one night from the viewpoint of the different characters. Using flashback, each perspective adds new layers and details so that by the last recounting you’re finally in on the whole story. Though there isn’t one character I sympathised with or even liked. In the end they all got what was coming to them.
I broke one of my resolutions. I turned on the tv to catch the premier of 24. I couldn’t help myself. It would have been torture to wait until November 2007 for the release of the DVD. So I caught up with Jack Bauer and enjoyed the first two hours of the new season. I think I’m going to have to make a weekly exception for 24 and House.
A part of me feels guilty for really doing lots of nothing today. I should have done a load of laundry, bought some groceries, edited an annual report. I guess now I know what I’ll be doing tomorrow.
I Have a Dream
When I was in 6th grade, my social studies teacher instructed us to find a political speech, learn it, and prepare to recite it. My best friend Dee cried at recess because she was terrified to get up in front of the whole class. She wanted me to devise some scheme to get her out of the assignment… but instead of consoling her, I pointed out how much fun this was going to be. She thought I was crazy.
The next day I told my teacher that I wanted to do “I Have a Dream.” I went to the library and learned all about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement and memorized the speech… well the second half of the speech (from “I say to you today my friends”).
Unlike some people who planned ahead for the long holiday weekend, I’ll be here in DC. Below are some of the activities planned to honor the great man.
2007 Annual Civil Rights “Film Festival”
January 7-15, 2007, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
1411 W Street, SE, Washington, DC
Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday viewing films featuring the struggles and triumphs of the civil rights movement and celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For more information, call (202) 426-5961.
A Martin Luther King Observance
January 15, 2007.
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
1318 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC.(202)673-2402.
Family Day Celebration
January 13, 2007. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
A commemoration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the National Archives – William G. McGowan Theater and Lobby; Constitution Avenue N.W. between 7th and 9th Streets. Meet “Frederick Douglass,” “Ida B. Wells,” “Rosa Parks” and “Martin Luther King, Jr.” and learn about their lives and work. The event includes hands-on activities and a film about the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom at 11:15 a.m., noon, and 12:45 p.m.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration at Strathmore
January 15, 2007, 4 – 6 p.m.
The world class Music Center at Strathmore will honor Dr. King with musical entertainment. This year’s keynote speaker will be former NASA astronaut Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr., the first African American to walk in space. The annual celebration is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and tickets must be reserved.
King Memorial Peace Walk
January 15, 2007, 9 a.m.
Meet at the Big Chair in Anacostia, 2101 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, Washington, DC. Walk to Covenant Baptist Church, 3845 South Capitol St. SW, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brian McKnight and the Let Freedom Ring Choir
Sunday, January, 15, 2007 at 6 p.m.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC. Free performance. This concert is a part of Georgetown University’s Let Freedom Ring initiative, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What have you got planned for the long holiday weekend?
Keep reading to see the speech in it’s entirety. Continue reading
Mamma Mia
Restaurant Week is in full bloom here in DC.
Last night I had 7:00 p.m. dinner reservations for three at Filomena’s in Georgetown. Apparently so did the other 30 people crowded around the host station. After I checked in, I fought my way through the swarm waiting for tables to find my two friends huddled at one end of the small bar.
We spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about the decor. Mirrored walls reflected images of the other diners and their heaping plates of food. Doilies marked individual place settings and I was reminded of my Portuguese grandmother’s formal dining room. It looked like the type of restaurant the Corleone family would use to launder their mafioso money… an attempt by a traditional Italian family to create an upscale dining environment so the family dons could do business in a backroom behind the kitchen.
Once we settled into our corner table, the decor faded into the background as we focused on the aromas and presentation of the dishes around us.
Everything the waiter delivered was divine — from the bread basket to the dessert. First he brought small ramekins of various spices for the olive oil. Then he poured the chianti and left us to dip the various warm breads in the spicy oil concoctions we created. Next he dropped off the appetisers… sausage stuffed mushrooms in a cheese sauce for Karen, a garden salad topped with cheeses and strawberries for Lisa, and a heavenly brushetta for me.
I think I moaned out loud when I tried my grilled tuna steak in lemon sauce. Lisa ordered the same thing and the expression on her face captured exactly how I felt. I could die happy. And Karen’s platter of gnocchi could have easily fed a family of four.
As our dinner plates were cleared away, another waiter dropped off two lead crystal decanters filled with Amaretto and Sambuca, followed by three enormous slices of various chocolate mouselike cakes. The three of us could have easily split one of the slices and been more than satisfied.
We lingered over our aperitifs (I drank the Amaretto because I hate licorice) and our cakes and finally wobbled homeward at 11:00 p.m.
The cuisine and service turned out to be well worth that long wait for a table. I definitely plan to dine at Filomena’s again in the future.
* * * If you plan to try Filomena’s, I recommend calling ahead to make a reservation. The portions are large so it’s best to go on an empty stomach to better appreciate all the fine food you’ll be shoveling into your mouth.
Show me the money II $$$
So American contractors are walking around with hollow Canadian coins that transmit information over radio frequencies. Who would have thought?
I mean:
- Why are Americans carrying Canadian change anyway?
- Is Canadian money easier to fabricate than American? Why not use the Sacagawea dollar?
- Who’s to say that contractor won’t use the spy coin to buy her next daily newpaper?
- Or leave behind as a tip at the local IHOP?
- And won’t the coin metal interfere with the data transmission?
- How did the U.S. Defense Department learn of this braniac plan anyway? Was Rumsfeld transmitting info from the change in his pocket?
- Since the sensors have a range of only a few feet, wouldn’t the person carrying the coin notice the sketchy fella following close behind?
- What if the person hates change as much as I do and gives the offending coin to a homeless person?
Someone needs to fire this criminal mastermind for devising the crappiest surveillance plan in history.
Show me the money $$$
The House voted to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour.
“You should not be relegated to poverty if you work hard and play by the rules,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
I believe this paltry increase still keeps the person earning it at poverty level. I mean, WHO can live on $290 per week before taxes working fulltime? That’s $1160 per month before taxes or about $15,000 a year if you don’t take any sickdays or vacation time.
How do they pay for rent, utilities, food… not to mention medicine???
Over the holidays I got sick and purchased $50 worth of medical relief at Walmart’s low, low prices: Bronkaid, Theraflu multi symptom thin strips, Tylenol Cold for severe head congestion, Vicks vapor rub, a box of 280-Kleenex, and Lipton tea.
How does someone earning the minimum wage buy over-the-counter meds?
And I don’t understand why it took ten years to rasie the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour. Think about it… $5.15! That’s a Starbucks Venti Cafe Latte.
Perhaps, if our elected officials made a proper increase to the minimum wage, the governemnt wouldn’t spend so much money on social services to supplement what these families can’t afford.
Icons
As a girl my idol was Jackie O. She was beautiful, smart, classy, articulate, always well put together. She grew up in Newport and married a Kennedy. She was a lady and I wanted to be just like her.
Over the holidays, I found a scrapbook I had kept of her… filled with magazine photos from Life and Vanity Fair and yellowed articles I clipped of Jackie as a socialite and an editor for DoubleDay.
Later, in college, I discovered Audrey Hepburn and would often return from a night out partying with frat boys to pop Breakfast at Tiffany’s into the VCR. That black dress, those pearls, the oversized sunglasses… I wanted to stand in front of a posh jewelry store, chew on a criossant, and gaze longingly at a lovely display window.
And while I was more familiar with the crazy antics of her wildchild Stephanie, I knew Grace Kelly was an American-born Princess.
Samantha Critchell writes today of the timeless trio — Jackie, Audrey and Grace.
I feel sad for young women today. Everywhere they look they see the antics of Paris, Lindsay and Britney… prime examples of who not to emulate.
Where are today’s trendsetters? Who are today’s role models and icons?
A little positive reinforcement can’t hurt
One week and counting. I’ve impressed myself.
I’m on a budget and sticking to it. I thought for sure I would have splurged on a little something extra by now – but I guess my desire to own property AND travel is beating out the instant gratification of shopping. This is my new mantra — “this time next year I could be moving into a home of my own.”
And while I’m not shopping or splurging on cabs, I’ve logged in almost 75,000 steps around my wonderful city. It’s amazing the things you notice while on foot. Now if I can only make time to get to my gym three + times a week, I’ll be on the way to fit and healthy in 2007.
As for my home, I managed to put away my suitcases, clean out my kitchen and – while I was working my way through five loads of laundry – noticed that my neighbor Jen was selling her comfy red reading chair for $25. The same chair I had been looking at online for $99. And since she is a meticulous person, the chair was in primo condition and the perfect update for my living area.
Television is turning out to be a little harder to give up cold turkey. I’m still watching the TODAY Show in the morning but rely on the internet for all my other news. It’s been a little weird not to have the background noise on at night, but I also find I’m able to get more done without the distraction.
Between blogging on my family’s site and here and projects for work, I have been writing about 25 pages per day. That’s lots and lots of typing – with the added bonus of my not looking down at the keyboard so much anymore. I’m beginning to feel like a pro-typist. Pretty cool!
I bought one of those Spanish word/phrase a day desk calendars and am listening to the Quick & Simple Spanish I Pimlseur CDs. By next month I hope to have graduated to the regular Pimsleur Spanish lessons and on my way to being conversational.
And while giving up meat and chicken has been no big deal so far – I still haven’t managed to kick the caffeine habit altogether. I’m down to one morning cup of Java but am fast working on replacing that with some soothing herbal tea. And this is Restaurant Week so it’ll be interesting to see what vegetarian fare is offered by The Caucus Room, Filomena, Neyla and Butterfield 9.
A wise friend once told me it takes 15 days to make a new habit, so I figure, I’m just about halfway there.
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