Tag: entertainment

Kind of adorable

I received an email from a reader who’s turning 25 today (July 31). He jokingly asked what songs I was listening to when I was “ten.” We all know I wasn’t really ten in 1986, but I will divulge what my favorite songs were that year (not that all of them were released that year; they are just what I was listening to). Happy birthday, M., and here are 25 songs I enjoyed in 1986. I think you may be surprised.

    1. Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer
    2. Amarillo By Morning – George Strait*
    3. Boys of Summer – Don Henley
    4. Broken Wings – Mr. Mister
    5. Diggin’ Up Bones – Randy Travis
    6. Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears For Fears
    7. Everytime You Go Away – Paul Young
    8. Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days) – The Judds
    9. Guitars, Cadillacs – Dwight Yoakam
    10. I Fell In Love Again Last Night – Forester Sisters
    11. KISS – Prince
    12. Kyrie – Mr. Mister
    13. Life In a Northern Town – Dream Academy
    14. Mama He’s Crazy – The Judds
    15. Missing You – John Waite
    16. On the Other Hand – Randy Travis
    17. Pancho and Lefty – Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
    18. Pink Houses – John Mellencamp
    19. Small Town – John Mellencamp
    20. Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
    21. Talk To Me – Stevie Nicks
    22. True Colors – Cyndi Lauper
    23. West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
    24. What Have You Done For Me Lately – Janet Jackson
    25. Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen

    *To illustrate: He’ll be looking for eight when they pull that gate…

    Your assistance is required

    One week from today is the first show of Project Runway’s Season 9 on Lifetime. This is one reason why I’ve been getting my Model Muse pool in order. I have no idea which dolls I’ll use, but I’ll probably start with new models, of which I’ve acquired several since the previous season.

    The lineups of familiar and new models are these:


    Tim Gunn poses with the Birthstone Beauties. Standing left to right: Dandy, Natalie, Tajma, Patricia, Katie, Sarah, Emily, Toni. Sitting, left to right: Olivia, Gina, Ava, Lily.


    From the Basics 01 collection, left to right: Marcella, Laura Lee, Alexandria, Jillian, Maia, Cassidy, Tabitha, Rachel, Justine.


    From the Basics 02 denim collection, left to right: DJ, Amelia, Arlina.


    From the Basics Red collection, left to right: Sharon, Rome, Juliet.


    I have three of four Basics 1.5 dolls, left to right: Morgan, Louise, Gail.


    Random Model Muse dolls, left to right: Grace, Barcelona, Cari, Victoria, Esperanza, Dallas, Heidi 2, Ellison, Heidi 1, Rocky, Christine, Noelle.

    And of course, the Top Models, who began this madness.

    Left to right: Summer, Lacy, Susannah, Rita, Tamala, Faizah, Barbie, Kikki, Maggie, Tanya, Jessica, Abby

    Finally, in case they’re needed, male models are standing by. They do not have names yet, but I’m taking suggestions. If you give me a name and I choose it, there’ll be a prize. Damn if I know what the prize is, but I’ll come up with something. Here you see the unnamed Basics 2.0 models posing with Twilight’s most malicious vampire, Jane.


    I’m disqualifying either “Edward” or “Jacob” as their names, and not just because I have the actual Edward and Jacob dolls. I’m refusing to choose Team Edward or Team Jacob. When New Moon director Chris Weitz is asked to choose a team, he always diplomatically says, “Team Bella.” But I’m not Team Any Vampire, because in truth, I am Team Bella’s Truck. It is the thing she has that I most envy. In the book, it’s a 1953 Chevy, like this one:

    In the movie, it’s this 1963 Chevy:

    Frankly, I would love either of these trucks, or any old beat-up red truck that Kathy S could keep running for me. (Hi, Kathy!) Until then, I’ll just dream of Bella’s truck. Now you know my true secret Twilight obsession. I got those pictures from the web site On Screen Cars, and you can read more about the Chevys or vehicles in other movies on that site. If you’re into that kind of thing.

    Sorcery and sewing

    Now that the new and final Harry Potter movie is out, I decided that I could wait to see it until after I watched all the other Harry Potter movies again. I’m averaging one a night. In putting them in order for viewing, I realized we were missing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I’m wondering if that’s because it was so sad that I didn’t feel compelled to watch it again immediately. Regardless, I bought it yesterday so that when I get to that point, I won’t be stuck in the middle of the night trying to choose between delayed gratification and a trip to 24-hour Walmart.

    Here is what I’m realizing (sometimes for the first time, but sometimes again) as I’ve re-watched the first three:

    1. How good they are.
    2. How I must have seen the first two movies only one time each because so much has seemed–not new, really, but fresh. I’ve forgotten a lot.
    3. How well they chose the three principal actors. It’s a leap of faith, isn’t it, to pick child actors in a franchise that will cover years of filming.
    4. The other casting is brilliant, as well. Though The Prisoner of Azkaban is probably the only one of the HP movies I’ve seen multiple times (because Tom seems frequently to stumble over it on TV and get caught up in it), and it may not be my favorite of them, each time she appears, Emma Thompson is a treat as Sybill Trelawney. And I.love.Snape, thank you Alan Rickman.
    5. Even though I’ve read all the books, it’s been a long time, so I’m grateful to avoid movie spoilers. I love getting lost in a film’s world.
    6. I seem to see a lot more when I watch movies and shows on my computer instead of on TV or even in the theater. I love seeing panoramic shots in a theater, but sometimes too much sound and image overwhelms me. I’m easily distracted when I watch TV, especially by movement and noise from other people or dogs. I guess I spend so much time alone at my computer monitor that it has become my natural habitat. Also, when I’m watching solo, I can hit the pause button as many times as I want for whatever reason without feeling guilty about other people’s viewing experience. I still love going to the theater, and I still like watching stuff with friends and family. I just think I comprehend more when I watch on the computer.

    Since The Prisoner of Azkaban is so familiar to me, I decided it would be okay to do a little sewing while I watched. In Target, there was a display of socks right across the aisle from the DVDs. I bought a single pair of knee socks (on clearance!) and made all these while Harry and Company were doing a little time traveling and werewolfing:


    Birthstone Beauties Pretty in Pink Argyle.

    Tuesday Compound

    It actually rained earlier. It was after I’d already watered the front yard, but I’ll still consider it a win. Jim always brings the rain when he visits, which is odd, since he’s from Southern California and we all know it never rains in California. I guess the rain prompted my desire to bake. Either that or Tim’s wish last night that we could have cake even though it’s no one’s birthday. So…


    Mini cupcakes, cupcakes, and a cake that Jim says is Tim’s because he’s the one who asked for cake.


    And since the oven was already on, I made sausage and cheese balls.

    The Dogs of Green Acres are visiting. Here’s Paco with Guinness and Margot reenacting what Rex, Pixie, Penny, and Minute are doing with Jim in the living room.

    So you won’t think it’s all food, dog love, and naps around here, I should confess that I plan to force Jim to watch Eclipse later. After all, last year, he saw Twilight and New Moon while he was here. I don’t want to deny him more opportunities of seeing Taylor Lautner without a shirt. I’m a giver that way.

    Famous People Dreams

    It amuses me when I have dreams with celebrities in them because they never really take the direction I’d expect, nor do I spend a lot of my waking hours thinking about celebrities. Sometimes famous people get all tangled up with people from my real life and characters from my novels and from The Young and the Restless. Those dreams leave me tired.

    Here are some famous people dreams I can remember offhand.


    Just a couple of weeks ago, I dreamed I was on the waitstaff of a restaurant owned and managed by Barbara Walters. It was a horribly laid out restaurant, with the kitchen a vast distance from the diners. I wonder if I think Barbara Walters is out of touch. Nah, I generally admire Barbara Walters.


    Once I dreamed that Ringo Starr picked me up in a limo. (Well, he was in the limo. He had a driver.) We rode all around an unnamed city while he told me stories about his life. At the end of our drive, Barbara Bach (his wife) was waiting on the sidewalk. After I said goodbye to Ringo, I left the limo. Barbara shook my hand, smiled at me, got in the car with him, and they drove away. I don’t remember a single one of his stories, but the dream me was enthralled.


    A long time ago, I dreamed that I spent an amorous night with Mick Jagger in a house trailer. I think I remember this one because it bewilders me. I’ve never been particularly attracted to Mick Jagger. And also–Trailer Park Mick doesn’t compute. And finally, the dream was from his Jerry Hall years, and she could totally kick my ass.


    In the late 1980s, I dreamed that Bret Michaels had been my brother in a previous life (maybe early 1800s). We were separated by some cruel mischance, but he had given me a ring belonging to our mother so that he’d recognize me if we ever met again. I remembered every detail of that ring when I awoke. Two years and another state later, I worked with a woman who was given a ring identical to my dream ring for her birthday. Crazy, huh?


    Also crazy, but not about a famous person: I once dreamed I was with my friend Steve R (it was around 1990, and Steve was still alive) in a movie theater. The movie made us cry, so we ran out of the theater, which was in a hotel, and took the elevator to our room to hide under the covers. There was more to the dream, but here’s the crazy part. Four years later, I stayed in an upscale hotel in Delaware, and my room was exactly like the hotel room in my dream. And there’s a theater in that hotel (though it’s for live performances, not films).


    I had a dream that Queen Latifah was my girlfriend. Just because I’m straight doesn’t mean I don’t have good taste in women. I have called her “my Queen” ever since. Women who are lesbians tell me I can’t have her. Bitches.


    And of course, already documented on my blog several years ago, I dreamed Laura Bush was Tim’s mother. She was actually pretty cool; also, they smoked the same brand of cigarette. I wonder if she quit smoking, too?


    ETA: Probably because I wrote this just before I went to bed Wednesday night, I dreamed that I was ironing shirts for Chris Noth, Steven Weber, and some deeply closeted country singer whose name I don’t remember and who may or may not be a real person. I do not appreciate using dream time to iron.

    ETA Redux: Going back through my “Dreams” tag, I see that I’ve had dream appearances from other famous people including that unnamed/possibly fictional male country singer. Also: K.T. Oslin; Rene Zellweger; Al Gore; Bill Cosby; Michael Stipe; Brad Pitt.

    Moments

    We can’t get a break from the heat. We did get two days of rain but desperately need more. Still, inside and outside, I’ve captured some images to share.


    I wanted to go back here with a Barbie or two to give you a sense of this water’s depth. A frog couldn’t swim in this. Maybe a “No Wading” sign instead? Or “No Drinking.” That would better serve the public good.


    One afternoon, Hanley came for a visit. I love to hear her say “Pixie.”


    Not as gratifying, on a night she came for dinner, she kept calling Guinness “Becky.”


    But she did eat her chicken, dressing, salad, corn, and three helpings of crowder peas. I love it when a child is not a fussy eater.


    Also good eaters, Rhonda, Kathy, Tom, and Tim at Kathy’s pork chop birthday dinner.


    Of course there was cake.

    I still owe Kathy a dinner for some heavy-duty landscaping work she and Tom did. Margot shows the ground before. If we ever get rain to wash the rocks, they have more color than their coating of white dust would indicate.


    Tim and I both got our “Jim is visiting soon” haircuts.


    One day I met Alan, Matt, and John(nie) for brunch at Té House of Tea. Yep, those are my paintings hanging there. You can see the entire “Every Moment Is A Window” series and the nine paintings of my developing “Bottle Caps and Friends” series at One Word Art. Reminder: Art makes a great gift for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, and other occasions. And if there’s ever a work you really want but aren’t sure you can afford, I do negotiate.

    The night of July 4, I treated myself to this movie while other Compounders were watching the fireworks from downtown.

    I really liked A Better Life. The role of the father, an undocumented Mexican worker trying to make “a better life” for his son, is played brilliantly by Demián Bichir (the sexy drug lord/corrupt mayor from Weeds). If you’re an urban dweller, particularly of the border states, many of the scenes and situations will be familiar. I always like it when characters are multi-layered, and this movie weaves them into the setting to provide a heart-troubling and thought-provoking tapestry.

    Finally, I leave you with some shots from Houston Pride 2011.


    See ya!

    Button Sunday


    I’m not sure where I got any of these buttons. A couple seem to have been around forever. I might have picked one up at the Austin Record Convention sometime during the 1990s.

    Doors lead singer, musician, poet, artist, filmmaker, and bad boy Jim Morrison died on this date in 1971. It was my brother who got me interested in The Doors. But it was Riley who used to sing “Love Street” to and about me, which sealed their place in my heart. He would draw pictures of me on “Love Street.” This song is part of my repertoire to sing when I’m riding in my car. Alone.

    I still have my vinyl of Waiting for the Sun. It’s probably unplayable, but I’ll never get rid of it for nostalgia reasons. I can see Riley and me lying on the floor of my parents’ living room listening to it and talking about poetry, mysticism, and rock and roll.