Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Someone should tell Sophia Loren what decade it is...

O.k., so I am still learning about Blogger. This picture goes with the last paragraph of this post. I am not smart enough to even figure out how to delete it or put it in the right place.




So I have solved a little mystery - call me Sherlock. I had misplaced my gold circa 1986 prom dress that I love to pull out for special occasions. I was so sad because it really was very classy and timeless. I was at my wit's end all weekend until I tuned in to the Academy Awards on Sunday night. Thank the heavens and all of the angels, it turned up. Sophia Loren was wearing it.


I am not really sure who told her that the dress was a good idea. Her stylist probably thought that such a garish gown might possibly distract from the train wreck that was her face. It makes me so sad that because of plastic surgery, a woman who was probably one of the most beautiful in the world, now just looks like a burn victim. I am reminded of Catharine O'Hara's character in "For Your Consideration". After she is nominated for an award, she undergoes plastic surgery, and the result is terrifying. (If you have never seen this movie, watch it immediately!)
Besides Ms. Loren's fashion adventure (and thievery...hm!), the Academy Awards were pretty enjoyable. They showed their recession roots when it took about 30 seconds to open up the curtains for a video presentation, but the musical numbers were exciting (directed by Baz Luhrman!) and Hugh Jackman was "just as cute as [he] could be"! (if anyone can identify this slightly altered quote, you will be the winner of this post, and my undying admiration for your knowledge of 1960's live action Disney films.) The clothes were understated with hints of couture (see Kate Winslet's dress and Jessica Biel's), the politics were about as over-bearing as they could be (We get it already, California!), and the right movie won Best Picture. Seriously, if you haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire, you really need to. Here is an interesting fact about the director: He also directed one of my favorite movies, "A Life Less Ordinary".
This past weekend was also the premiere of the "25-35 Lethbridge Midsingles" group with a fabulous pot-luck on Friday night. Leita and I have been planning to get a group started for awhile, and so we organized and advertised the pot-luck. At 7:00 pm on Friday, when there was only one person there, I was pretty worried. However, by 7:20, there were about 50 people there. It was such a tremendous success!! See the picture at the beginning of this post! There is so much excitement for another activity, and we are going to start planning right away!
Have a wonderful week, everyone!






Wednesday, February 18, 2009

This post comes to you today from the desk of the sick and the lethargic

I was about to say that I hate being sick, but that would be implying that there are those who enjoy it, and I can’t imagine that there is anyone who likes feeling like garbage. “Yay! I have literally no energy, and my face is leaking.” No. These are words you will never hear from a sane individual. Of course, there are those hypochondriacs who, in the words of my father about his Aunt Edith, do enjoy their bad health. These people, however, probably also enjoy a good funeral and a really exciting car crash. I am suddenly reminded of a commercial on television for which Denise and I have an abject hatred. It is a face wash ad which begins with 2 girls saying “I hate pimples!”. It really bothers us for the following reasons:

1. The girls look like they have never seen a blemish in their lives
2. Doesn’t everyone hate pimples? I mean, the statement doesn’t even merit a worthwhile conversation due to its glaring obviousness.

Anyway, enough of my craziness for one day. Yes, I am sick with a cold and slight case of the flu, and I am very perturbed because I had held out for so long without getting ill. I have also been promised good stories from a certain friend, but I can’t go visit anyone right now without reigning down illness and possible irritability on them.

As for good news, however, I have just finished a poster for our Information Session that we are hosting next month, and I have emailed it out to many people.

I also had the opportunity to go to the new East Indian restaurant, Taj, yesterday. It was absolutely delicious. It was a lunch buffet, so there was homemade Nan (to die for!), rice, and these amazing fried potatoes. Then there were various sauces and meat dishes to have with them. The Butter Chicken was the stuff that dreams are made of… If you get the chance to go, head to the lunch buffet from 11-2. It will give you the chance to sample a variety of dishes. As for the room, the decorations were quite understated, but there was a plethora of hookahs about the place. My only complaint was that it was really small inside.

Have a great Wednesday, everyone, and here’s to hoping that you stay healthy…

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Beauty and...the actress...

Oh, my sweet Ryan Adams. In the words of the immortal Jesse Mcartney, you do indeed have a "beautiful soul", even if your hair is extremely unfortunate


Now I know I am a bit behind on this news, but I just read that Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore are engaged. I have to admit that this seems like a weird couple to me. Does not the picture speak volumes? He looks like the eccentric and talented musician that he is (I may be a bit biased..."I love you Ryan, you should have picked me"!!) and she looks like a regular-type mediocre musician/actress. Once again, I may be a bit biased in this summation of her professional skills as I have only seen her in teen movies. I did just watch "A Walk to Remember" this weekend as our DVD machine was not working, and I had to resort to our VHS collection. (Really, just a terrible movie - could Shane West be a worse actor?) So, that was the image of her I had in my mind when I heard of the forth-coming nuptials: A sickly overly-Christian teenage girl who is dying of leukemia.

Mandy Moore's character: "I told you not to fall in love with me!"
Shane West's character: a confused silence followed by an extremely awkward grimace

Just chalk up my disdain of her to jealousy that she has dated both Zac Braff and Ryan Adams, I guess.

This week is Reading Week, and I only have students in quite sporadically. I am pleased to be able to catch up on paper work, but especially to spend quite a bit of time planning our Information Session / Gala that we are having on March 26th. Yay! Planning events is what I love to do.

So, if you are feeling like you want to know a bit more about what I do, then come to "The Sunflower Room" between the hours of 4pm and 7pm on the specified day to hear about our incredible program. There will be refreshments, so it will be worth your while.

Monday, February 16, 2009

New template!!

I am pretty excited for my new Template...especially since I downloaded it myself! Isn't it beautiful? I love the flowers, and it is really going well with the new floral theme that is beginning to pervade our house these days. We have decided to embrace our girlishness, and our decorations are following suit.

I am home today because it is "Family Day", and it is a good thing it is a holiday because I feel like garbage. I am nauseated and feverish, and just generally enjoying my bad health. Anyone who knows me knows that I am an absolute baby when I am sick, and I relish the role of martyr. Just ask Denise, who is much sicker than I am, but who is a trooper. I did go out to lunch with my parents and cousin Jeff, but I politely declined the opportunity to see "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" with them. I have little to no desire to see that movie.

Enjoy your Family Day, everyone!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

A quick update

My dear blog is like an old friend that I just can't seem to make time for. So, news:



1. Today is my last class with the Home Alone Course. Thank the heavens and all of the angels, I will be finished with Satan's little darlings.



2. I did my last shift at Chapters on Tuesday, and I no longer work there! It is extremely hard to believe, but I will now have the majority of my evenings and Saturdays free...well, at least until I can fill those up as well. The staff were so wonderful, they all pitched together to give me a $50 gift card. I am really going to miss a lot of the people there. Who will I deconstruct 30 Rock with without Rob? Who will let me know about all of the amazing Bargain cook books, if not Karen? Kathy did let me know that I could come back any time, and I am thinking about it for Christmas.



3. Things here at the College have gotten beyond crazy with students acting out, one of our team members quitting, and school work increasing every day. If we make it through the semester relatively unscathed, it will be a Spring miracle.



4. I really want to get healthy and active, but I am finding it harder than ever. If anyone has any ideas to get motivated, please let me know...

Have a great Thursday, everyone!