Voldemort Resurfaces

Brilliant!

My friend Danielle picked this up for me at 2008 NYC Comic-Con.

No No Nanette

Friday night, I went with my friend Warren to see "No No Nanette" at New York City Center Encores! starring Sandy Duncan, Charles Kimbrough, Beth Leavel, and Rosie O'Donnell.

Rosie and Beth were amazing at the stage door. I didn't see Kimbrough, and Sandy Duncan couldn't be bothered to actually step off the stoop to greet the people who were waiting in the light drizzly rain to see her.

Here's a video of the evening. You'll spot an additional celebrity encounter in the lobby at intermission. An icon of icons was standing sipping coffee, and I approached her for a photo. Just as Warren was about to snap the shot, someone passed in front of the camera-- I said to the iconic celebrity, "Obviously, he didn't know who I am." She smiled at my joke-- I think.

Here's the link to Rosie's "talkie Blog" post where she mentions the gift that someone gave her at a booksigning in response to her son's question "Whoah! Who made this?" As confirmed in my conversation with her at the stage door, that's ME, and my decoupage box! :) I almost peed my pants.

Mom

Do the right thing

I remember seing this on the news when it happened, but my friend Suzanne sent me the link, and thought it was worth posting!

Coexist

Quotes that Grabbed Me

"Beware the terrible simplifiers."
-- Bill Moyers

"You do not need to agree with someone to defend them against injustice."
-- Lillian Hellman

Julianne and Apollo Dancing with the Stars

Last night, DWTS counted down their top ten "perfect 10s" dances from the 1st 5 seasons. They included Apollo and Julianne's quickstep, but their samba was by far one of my favorites of that season, and (in my opinion) more entertaining than the quickstep.

Happy Birthday, Bronica!

Bronica is one of very few people from high school that I have had any desire to stay in touch with. She was always very real. She knows who she is, and she puts it out there. I love that about her. We lost touch briefly when I went away to college, but when she ended up at CU-Boulder a year later, we reconnected and have been great friends ever since-- I would venture to say one of my very best. Today is her birthday, so here's a special message to her.
(Be patient-- the feed from the Jib Jab site takes a minute to upload. You'll see their logo in the box when it's ready.)

Don't send a lame Birthday eCard.
Try JibJab Sendables!

Martin's Monday Morning Movie Musings

Lars and the Real Girl- Wow! I loved this movie on so many levels. It is absolutely NOT what you expect from the summary, quoted here from Netflix:

"Ryan Gosling plays the title character in this oddball comedy about a delusional young man who buys a life-size sex doll over the Internet -- and then falls in love with her. When the besotted young man starts telling people that the doll is his girlfriend, his brother and sister-in-law decide it's time to intervene in this film co-starring Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Kelli Garner and Paul Schneider."

It is not raunchy, dirty, or even remotely risque, despite the "sex doll" plot element. It is a film about family, loss, coping, mental illness, and above all, compassion that extends beyond simple interpersonal relationships to the community level.

Ryan Gosling is probably the most under-rated actor of his generation, and I like Patricia Clarkson more and more every time I see her!

A real "gem." I watched it twice!

Dumbo- Everyone knows the story, so no need to recap the plot. However, I do have two comments:

1) I miss my Mommy!

2) The film was made in 1941? I woudl have guessed square in the 60's. You can't tell me that "Pink Elephants on Parade" is not the result of an acid or mushroom trip! Maybe opium?

Bill Moyers: I've never seen anything like this

Dad and I argue frequently over politics-- typical, I suppose. We also often find ourselves both a little more to the moderate end of the scale in our respective liberal v. conservative, blue vs. red, young vs. old, left vs. right (right vs. wrong???) positions.

He surprised me the other day by NOT falling into the moderate "safe zone" when I asked him about his (and other Hoosiers') views on the Rev. Wright silliness in the media.

I truly think the media is fabricating an absurd story by suggesting that Senator Obama's past association with Wright somehow conveys a parallel point of view. As if associating with someone makes you guilty of sharing a brain with them or something. I thought, being as smart as he is, that he would see through the snow-job.

I do NOT believe that the response to the Rev. Wright situation can be measured in black and white (no pun intended). Race is a complex issue, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to understand the complexities when we deal with it only in absolutes. I do not agree with most of what Rev. Wright says, but I get where it comes from. To me, that seems like the first step in a better understanding.

Bill Moyers nails it... Especially in the last few minutes of this essay.
Brilliant!

Marissa Walk to Benefit the NMF

I spent the weekend in Boston with my friend Suzanne and her family, where I represented the National Marfan Foundation at the 6th Annual Marissa Walk. Here's a little video I made about it.

Doh!

Football (Soccer) star Sebastian Kehl has a wardrobe malfunction.

The Media Frenzy Over Rev. Wright

Courtesy The Daily Show with Jon Stewart