lewis and clark had a journal. you, beth-annie, have a diary.

Thursday, December 22, 2005
FINALLY, a new entry, and this  is what we get??
There are three kinds of dreams:  those that leave no impression (aside from that typical "world of weirdness" feeling), those that you're disappointed to wake up and realize they weren't real, and those that you're thrilled  to wake up and realize they weren't real.

The latter-est is what I had last night.  I apparently decided to whack most of my hair off -- myself -- before Kaly's wedding.  Oh, the sense of relief when I woke up from that one.  Now, I know why I had it:  up until a couple of weeks ago I'd been trying to decide whether or not I wanted to get a haircut to my typical shortish (about to the chin) length before the wedding.  Since my last haircut was about 14 months ago, my hair has gotten a bit long, longer than I usually let it get.  I decided to leave it long until after the wedding so that I would have more options as for what to do with it, not to mention wouldn't run the risk of getting a cut I didn't love and having to live with it for such an important occasion -- with a lot of photos.

The problem with having more options is that there are more options.  In other words, I have no earthly idea what to do with my hair for the wedding.  The bride, of course, is getting her hair done in an up-do, but I don't exactly want to pay that kind of money (or any money, really), much as I might like something nice and fancy that I couldn't do myself.

--I could leave my hair down and straight, with just the very ends curled (i.e., how I normally wear it, just done a bit more precisely).
--I could curl it up entirely (i.e., what I did for my own wedding).
--I could curl it up entirely but let some of the curl come out, so that it ends up merely very wavy.
--I could figure out some stylish-but-easy way to wear it up, though I really have no idea how at this point.

I welcome any and all ideas.  And I just know the male readership of my blog will have many.  :-P
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Thursday, December 15, 2005
Please pardon another television post.  It's just that time of year (and I don't have anything else to say anyway, so it's this or nothing).  Don't read if you don't want to.
After my rant about the lack of Golden Globe nominations for certain shows, I feel I would be remiss if I didn't have an anti-rant when some of those shows are in fact nominated by another (some might say wiser) group.

The Writers' Guild Awards nominations were just announced, and include, in the epsodic drama and comedy categories, respectively, the "Veronica Mars" second-season premiere (finally, and thank you!) and "The Office"'s "Diversity Day" episode, which I would say is hands down the funniest episode of that series to date.

In the series categories, which honor a series' entire writing staff for overall achievement, "Arrested Development" made the cut, along with "The Office" and "My Name Is Earl."  And you know what's nowhere to be found?  That's right, "Desperate Housewives."

And my faith in awards shows is temporarily restored.  A teensy bit, anyway.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2005
"Arrested" Update.
From tvguide.com today:

Both ABC and Showtime are in talks with 20th Century Fox to rescue "Arrested Development" from the cold, clammy, hooked hand of the grim reaper. According to Variety, formal negotiations have not yet taken place, but sources still label the networks' interest as "serious," with Showtime being the more fervently interested of the two.

I hope I didn't just jinx it. Dagnabbit...
11:47 AM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005
I officially give up.
I'm used to crap for nominations from the Emmys, but the Golden Globes have always shown more insight.  Afterall, they're the ones who actually nominated Lauren Graham for Best Actress, BBC's "The Office" amongst all the American comedies (and it won, even), and "Arrested Development" and its actors before the Emmys ever did.  But this year they've disappointed me beyond measure.  No Lauren Graham or "Gilmore Girls.  Boo.  No Kristen Bell or "Veronica Mars."  Downright shameful.  And the kicker, NO "Arrested Development."  AT ALL.  That is downright shocking, and so wrong I can't even speak.  How practically every television critic in America can ridiculously laud these shows and their actors and still the awards shows refuse to recognize them just makes me crazy.

And on top of that, who gets four of the five comedy actress nominations?  Of course, those stinkin' and WAY overrated Desperate Housewives, as did the show itself, of course.  Ridiculous.  And Geena Davis for "Commander in Chief?"  Oh, I'm sorry, the criteria for a nomination must have changed from engaging (see: Kristen Bell) to wooden when I wasn't looking.

With the exception of the deserving nominations for "Lost," "My Name Is Earl," and "Everybody Hates Chris," it's all enough to make me do what I said at the beginning of this post and just give up on awards shows once and for all and just not care anymore.  The problem with that is that in a few select cases, I actually think they DO matter.  I'm absolutely convinced that "Arrested Development"'s nominations and wins are a big part of why FOX has stuck with the show as long as they have, and still wonder if it had won the Best Comedy Emmy in September whether FOX would have dared to cancel it in November.  And for another ratings-challenged show like "Veronica Mars," where the critical acclaim is likely the only thing that got it a second season, I really worry that failing to pick up any nominations even after all the buzz its generated may make UPN think twice about about giving it yet another second chance -- especially since the Globes have proven that they actually know UPN exists as a network with the nomination of "Everybody Hates Chris."  As much as I like "EHC" and think it deserves the nod, I fear that as a result UPN could look at "VM" as being more disposable than it was last year when it was really their only stand-out show.  They could get rid of it now and still have a critical darling (and a cheaper one to produce, I would imagine) in "EHC."

I'm already losing "Arrested Development" this year.  If I lose "Veronica Mars" as well, it just might be too much for my little television-loving heart to take.
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Friday, December 09, 2005
And now, kiddies, it's time for another superfun round of Spot the Error.
If ever there was a reason to finally kick the "Joey" habit, this is it.  From last night's episode, as Joey finds out that Jimmy is Michael's father:

Joey:  How long ago did you and Jimmy have sex?
Gina:  22 years.
Joey:  And how old is Michael?
Gina:  22 and 9 months.

I kid you not.
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Thursday, December 08, 2005
Question:  What is an Over the Rhine Christmas show?
Answer:  Just like a regular Over the Rhine show, but with a few original "Christmas songs" thrown in, which basically are only "Christmas songs" in the lyrics department and otherwise sound just like Over the Rhine songs.  A couple other things about the show:  the opener, Kim Taylor, also played some guitar and sang harmonies with OtR, which ended up being a very cool effect as her voice sounds almost exaclty like Karen's, so it sounded like Karen was singing with herself.  Just lovely.  They also did some old songs I never expected ("Etcetera Whatever;" "Jack's Valentine" -- though I don't really care for that one as I can't stand spoken word), and skipped some songs that they've usually done very consistently ("Latter Days;" "Changes Come;" "The World Can Wait").

And finally, I would just like to say how THRILLED I am with Madison's (as of now, at least) complete smoking ban, even in bars, where this show happened to be.  To not have to breathe in cigarette smoke for three hours was an absolute dream come true, and I hope they keep the ban exactly as it is.
12:36 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Skeedrool.
It's that time of year again.  Tonight:  Belleville girls' basketball game.  Wednesday night:  Over the Rhine Christmas concert in Madison (no, I've never been to one of their "christmas shows" before and have no idea how they're different from a regular one.  I'll report back on that, though).  Saturday afternoon:  the Madison Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker (note to self:  seats are seriously sucky: bring binoculars).  Saturday night:  St. James Lutheran's Christmas concert (Verona).  Sunday morning:  Mt. Pleasant Lutheran's Christmas Cantata (Racine) and hopefully lunch with friends.  Sunday night:  Good Shepherd Lutheran's Christmas concert (Madison).  Next weekend:  go to Ames for my bridesmaid dress fitting.  Next next weekend:  go to Ames for Christmas.  Next next next weekend:  go to Ames for Kaly's wedding (though I may actually stay there between the two weekends, not sure yet).

And somewhere in amongst all that we need to find time to get Chrsitmas cards sent out and the rest (read: most) of our Christmas shopping done.  Yay.
4:18 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Monday, December 05, 2005
As promised.
You can find the rest of our Benji pictures here. It contains all of them except for the few I already posted a few entries ago (so no one has to worry about double-downloading).

And because he's still worthy of front-page-blog as well, here are a couple more photos (these ones are among those on the page I linked to, I just couldn't resist posting them here as well):

[practicing his parade wave.]

[benji belts out his favorite aria from "madame butterfly." that or, you know, he's yawning. you choose.]
2:58 PM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Well, folks, the worst has happened.
Iowa State is going to the Houston Bowl. A.k.a. The Bowl on Kaly's Wedding Day. D'oh! Now, the game is at 1:30 and the wedding isn't until 6, so there's no actual overlapment, but 1) we'll have to only listen to the game on the radio rather than watch it on TV (stupid ESPN game), and 2) we may have to have the radio on during photo-taking and just hope no big plays happen at just the wrong time. Or at least that those being photographed can keep a poker face. :-P

Also, later today I'll be posting a page with ALL of our Benji photos so that mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, or whoever else can see/download whatever ones they want.
11:11 AM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Thursday, December 01, 2005
The questions that keep me up at night.
How do outdoor refrigerated vending machines keep the drinks from freezing in the winter?
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