I'm not usually a big fan of the Academy Awards... it's boring and long and largely superficial, but I just had to rave about how the new way they presented the acting awards. Five past winners each with a dedicated speech to each nominee, I was more moved than I thought I'd be. I especially loved the best actress presentation. Marion Cotillard was just breathtaking (her speech also felt the most heartfelt) and no one deserved an Oscar more than Kate Winslet.
PS: Anything with an A.R. Rahman performance... you just have to watch. And the clean up job by Slumdog Millionare, well deserved.... and Sean Penn's shout out to the president and to gay marriage.. loved it!
22 February 2009
20 February 2009
19 February 2009
musings....
Don't Eat & Drive
So I was driving earlier and this stupid woman swerved into my lane. She would have hit me had I not swerved out of her way. When I looked over at her, she was eating Mac N Cheese, with a fork. What the fuck? I can imagine chips, a cookie, a banana.... but Mac N Cheese? What's next Spaghetti? I'm guilty of snacking while driving, but if you're eating an actual meal like lunch or dinner, you need to pull over and eat it properly. Please spare the rest of us who are patiently waiting for a safe time to eat (in my case, I'm probably driving on my way to food..) and get the hell off the road!
So I was driving earlier and this stupid woman swerved into my lane. She would have hit me had I not swerved out of her way. When I looked over at her, she was eating Mac N Cheese, with a fork. What the fuck? I can imagine chips, a cookie, a banana.... but Mac N Cheese? What's next Spaghetti? I'm guilty of snacking while driving, but if you're eating an actual meal like lunch or dinner, you need to pull over and eat it properly. Please spare the rest of us who are patiently waiting for a safe time to eat (in my case, I'm probably driving on my way to food..) and get the hell off the road!
17 February 2009
Procrastination.... the bane of my existence.
Here I am sitting in front of my computer, in ugly dirty sweats and a piping hot cup of tea in hand. It’s gloomy and raining outside. It’s morning and the house is quiet. The dogs are still in bed – my bed, sleeping their lazy little ass off. I’ve got bills to pay online, floors to clean, laundry to do, studying that should have been done days ago, dishes too crusty to wash, and possibly vegetables beginning to rot – since I should have cooked them last week. Lots to do today, but what takes precedence… my blogging efforts, twitter, Facebook and YouTube. None of these are necessary, but since I apparently have all the time in the world, leisurely going through my day is the way to go.
The thing is, I have this whole week off from work, and my Monday evening class was cancelled since it was President’s Day. I have class tonight and Thursday, but not until 5:30 pm. Last week, while I was fantasizing about “To Do” lists and my super efficient, life changing week off from work, I thought come Tuesday morning I would be 5 lbs lighter, with a clean organized room, and have no papers to write. Well, it’s Tuesday morning and I haven’t achieved anything. My only goal yesterday was too finish the mixed cd for my dad – an avid fan of Ingrid Michaelson, Jason Mraz and Sara Bareilles. Guess what….. I haven’t even finished it yet. I lost my “To Do” list and I place the blame on that. If I had my list, I would have gotten everything done, right?
So here I am with the whole day ahead of me, and I’m sitting in the dining room, typing away and not getting anything necessary done. Having this week off was supposed to be this life altering week, where I cooked all my own food, exercised every day, spent time training & walking the dogs and tackled a few projects to get done each day. It’s now Tuesday, and nothing has been done towards that. So here I am, promising to all of you that I will henceforward spend the rest of the week away from this blog, away from Facebook, away from Twitter and away from YouTube. I will focus on what needs to get done, rather than procrastinating on the World Wide Web…… but first, I have to upload the pictures from my camera so that I can change my profile pictures.
The thing is, I have this whole week off from work, and my Monday evening class was cancelled since it was President’s Day. I have class tonight and Thursday, but not until 5:30 pm. Last week, while I was fantasizing about “To Do” lists and my super efficient, life changing week off from work, I thought come Tuesday morning I would be 5 lbs lighter, with a clean organized room, and have no papers to write. Well, it’s Tuesday morning and I haven’t achieved anything. My only goal yesterday was too finish the mixed cd for my dad – an avid fan of Ingrid Michaelson, Jason Mraz and Sara Bareilles. Guess what….. I haven’t even finished it yet. I lost my “To Do” list and I place the blame on that. If I had my list, I would have gotten everything done, right?
So here I am with the whole day ahead of me, and I’m sitting in the dining room, typing away and not getting anything necessary done. Having this week off was supposed to be this life altering week, where I cooked all my own food, exercised every day, spent time training & walking the dogs and tackled a few projects to get done each day. It’s now Tuesday, and nothing has been done towards that. So here I am, promising to all of you that I will henceforward spend the rest of the week away from this blog, away from Facebook, away from Twitter and away from YouTube. I will focus on what needs to get done, rather than procrastinating on the World Wide Web…… but first, I have to upload the pictures from my camera so that I can change my profile pictures.
08 February 2009
25 random things found in my bedroom...
1. A sampling from my playing cards collection. I don't do shot glasses when I travel, I pick up playing cards instead. These are just a few of my favorites: New York, London, Paris, & Amsterdam.
2. Frog magnifying glass. It was a holiday gift from a very old aunt of mine. Not very useful actually. I just use it to house item #5.
3. My Harry Potter Bookmark Collection. I have other stuff, but this is a favorite of mine.
4. My suitcase. I love this suitcase. We've been everywhere together and it's still in top shape. It's been to New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, London, Paris, Nice, Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam, Brussels & of course San Francisco. I can fit quite a bit in it, it's perfect because it can house my laptop and is small enough to use as carry on luggage. I've even checked it in with my laptop inside. I was a bit worried about my computer, but upon retrieval, was perfectly fine.
5. This little thingymajig.. holds the key to my jewelry box. It was a gift from an old friend back in 1999.
10. Marilyn Monroe 2009 calendar. I really needed a wall calendar for 2009 and then I visited Michelle and she gave this to me as a holiday gift! Perfect! First of all, I love Marilyn Monroe, especially as a teenager. I watched a lot of older movies back then and I just fell in love with her. I've even read books about her life and controversies/theories about her mysterious death.
11. Bags all over the floor. I've gotta lot of bags. Some inexpensive, some a bit expensive. Although I've never spent more than $250 on a bag. If I had $300 to spend, I'd rather get a bag and a pair of shoes. Overall I have at least 20 bags.
17. My light switch. I bought this in Notting Hill in London. I several scattered all over the place. I always change the plates on light switches because I hate the generic ones.
2. Frog magnifying glass. It was a holiday gift from a very old aunt of mine. Not very useful actually. I just use it to house item #5.
3. My Harry Potter Bookmark Collection. I have other stuff, but this is a favorite of mine.
4. My suitcase. I love this suitcase. We've been everywhere together and it's still in top shape. It's been to New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, London, Paris, Nice, Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam, Brussels & of course San Francisco. I can fit quite a bit in it, it's perfect because it can house my laptop and is small enough to use as carry on luggage. I've even checked it in with my laptop inside. I was a bit worried about my computer, but upon retrieval, was perfectly fine.
5. This little thingymajig.. holds the key to my jewelry box. It was a gift from an old friend back in 1999.
6. Antique soap dish. This is definitely one of those useless indulgences I try to justify owning. I use it to house some of my earrings and brooches, therefore it's now necessary to own.
7. Bracelets from Paris. I got this from a little shop on Ile St. Louis. This looks better in person. It's some where in my room. I love these. I actually tend to have more gold toned jewelery than silver ones.
7. Bracelets from Paris. I got this from a little shop on Ile St. Louis. This looks better in person. It's some where in my room. I love these. I actually tend to have more gold toned jewelery than silver ones.
8. Wii remote, hence I own a Wii. I use it to play Wii Fit, which I pretend is actual exercise when I'm to lazy to go to the gym..... which is pretty often. I'm also quite excellent on Mario Kart.
9. Eco Friendly Binders. Only really use one of them, the rest is just there because it's pretty. I have a week off from work coming up and I have a few things planned for them.
9. Eco Friendly Binders. Only really use one of them, the rest is just there because it's pretty. I have a week off from work coming up and I have a few things planned for them.
10. Marilyn Monroe 2009 calendar. I really needed a wall calendar for 2009 and then I visited Michelle and she gave this to me as a holiday gift! Perfect! First of all, I love Marilyn Monroe, especially as a teenager. I watched a lot of older movies back then and I just fell in love with her. I've even read books about her life and controversies/theories about her mysterious death.
11. Bags all over the floor. I've gotta lot of bags. Some inexpensive, some a bit expensive. Although I've never spent more than $250 on a bag. If I had $300 to spend, I'd rather get a bag and a pair of shoes. Overall I have at least 20 bags.
12. These are my books. I've got another bookcase, but this houses the ones I've already read.
13. More books. A few recently read favorites... Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi; Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone; Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine; The Laws of Evening by Mary Yukari Waters.
13. More books. A few recently read favorites... Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi; Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone; Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine; The Laws of Evening by Mary Yukari Waters.
14. My theatre programs and playbills.. Not everything, but whatever I could find at the moment. I believe these were all from 2008.
15. Japanese Rice Paper Lamp from my cousin. He gave this to me when he redecorated his loft. I actually love it. Once I have my own house this is definitely going with me. I'm a lover of modern design, but have realized my future home will have ethnic and antique tones/accents.
16. Set of coasters from Paris. I bought this of a street vendor and actually negotiated with him in French! I got a really good deal, I bought several sets for 10 euros. The rest I gave away as gifts.
16. Set of coasters from Paris. I bought this of a street vendor and actually negotiated with him in French! I got a really good deal, I bought several sets for 10 euros. The rest I gave away as gifts.
17. My light switch. I bought this in Notting Hill in London. I several scattered all over the place. I always change the plates on light switches because I hate the generic ones.
18. My TV. This was a gift from my wonderful Dad and I've owned it for quite a while now... I can't part with it.
19. I love collages and this is are pictures taken by me during my travels in 2006.
20. Oil diffuser. I don't know what this is called. I own several, I really should know. This was another holiday gift, from my boyfriend's cousin.
19. I love collages and this is are pictures taken by me during my travels in 2006.
20. Oil diffuser. I don't know what this is called. I own several, I really should know. This was another holiday gift, from my boyfriend's cousin.
21. My laptop lap desk? Again, I don't know what this is called, but it's really useful. I had a foreboding sense I was developing Carpal Tunnel and this recent purchase has given me peace of mind.
22. My dog's beds. Every night I tuck my dogs into bed and shoo them away when they attempt to jump into my own bed with me, but every morning I wake up with one on each side, under my blanket. At that point, I get up and just let them sleep in while I get ready for work.
23. My shopping bags.... These are mighty useful. One bag can carry a whole shopping basket worth of merchandise.
23. My shopping bags.... These are mighty useful. One bag can carry a whole shopping basket worth of merchandise.
24. My other shopping bags.... Great for produce and anything not angular. I use this at the Farmer's Market all the time. Just not good for grapes.
25. My personal tea service. So this doesn't really belong in my room, but it just so happens I drink tea all the time and this is more often found in my room than anywhere else.
25. My personal tea service. So this doesn't really belong in my room, but it just so happens I drink tea all the time and this is more often found in my room than anywhere else.
So there you have it... some random waste of time.
04 February 2009
My 2008 Theatre Experience
I just picked up my tickets for Wicked this morning (I'm watching the SF production next week) and I started thinking about all the shows I saw last year. It wasn't many, but for the most part I loved each experience.
May 2008
Dream (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
This was a very unique experience. The play was performed in several languages including English, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit... to name a few. Some people didn't quite get it, but I loved it. The set was beautiful and the whole play felt intimate, dramatic, provocative and oozed sensuality. With dancing, martial arts, acrobatics, thrown in, it was definitely an imaginative take on the comedic play.
July 2008
Wicked, Apollo Victoria, London, UK
Aside from the numerous YouTube videos floating around, this was my first time seeing Wicked live. I read Gregory Maguire's novel back in 2001 when I first discovered it, and I'm quite glad I'd forgotten most of its plot points. This musical vaguely resembles the novel, but adapted for the stage perfectly. My only caveat with it was "Dancing Through Life." That number, although staged and lit beautifully, seemed long in some parts, and the point were most people stopped paying attention. There's a lot of things mixed in that moves the plot along, but you have to really pay attention. "Popular" which comes next, reels you back in and is my favorite number from the show. It's also the one number that can be acted very differently by each actor and is therefore fun to watch different interpretations. From the music, to the set, costuming and lighting, the light comedy and drama, Wicked is the quintessential modern day musical.
August 2008
Wicked, Apollo Victoria, London UK
I like to see things more than once and I definitely jumped at the opportunity to see this again. It was only two weeks later and the end of my holiday, but what a way to end it. Btw, I definitely liked and appreciated more Glinda's character this time around.
September 2008
Spring Awakening, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
RENT, Century Theaters, San Bruno, CA
I watched both shows a day apart. RENT was shown in the movie theaters and was supposedly the last show filmed, but really wasn't. It was a show recorded a month before, with the final curtain call added in. RENT was my musical for a long time and let's just say..... Jonathan Larson meant this musical to be experienced live. This was my first time seeing Spring Awakening and what a first time it was. I remember leaving the theatre knowing I liked it, but didn't quite know how to feel afterwards. I thought about it for days and I realized that I was actually blown away. This is truly my musical. Everything about it I loved. It's in your face and subtle, it's funny and sad, it was just perfect. The contrast from the music and the play was spot on and I just had to watch it again......
October 2008
Spring Awakening, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
I saw Spring Awakening twice this month and was very sad to see the production leave San Francisco. Watching it for the first time, I felt like I had a lot to take in. The second time, I understood and appreciated the plot even more. The third time, I just sat back and let the play take me on a thought provoking journey accompanied by stellar music. I really need to write a proper review... but I'll save that for a later time.
December 2008
Phantom Of The Opera, Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, CA
I posted a review of this, so for a full one, just scroll down. For now, let's just say this is definitely the musical of the 80's. From the staging, lighting and music, you can definitely feel it's age and Andrew Lloyd Webber's glory days..... It's just not anytime recent.
Spring Awakening, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, NY
When I found out Spring Awakening was closing on Broadway, I was flabbergasted. When I went through all the list of shows that were closing/closed, I was just sad. There is a bastardization of Broadway going on..... I feel like most of the great shows have fallen prey to this and we're left with mediocre shows. Don't get me wrong, there are still a few good ones out there, but none that I love. Boy did I love this show..... So I made sure to see it one last time, at the theater were it started. (Although this is arguable.... The Atlantic production was of course the true beginning.) It was quite bittersweet.
All in all, I had a pretty good year at the theater. I wish I could have seen more shows, but I do need to eat and pay rent too. I also discovered my current "It" show and mourned its closing on the Great White Way. I hope 2009 has some amazing shows in store for me.
May 2008
Dream (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
This was a very unique experience. The play was performed in several languages including English, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit... to name a few. Some people didn't quite get it, but I loved it. The set was beautiful and the whole play felt intimate, dramatic, provocative and oozed sensuality. With dancing, martial arts, acrobatics, thrown in, it was definitely an imaginative take on the comedic play.
July 2008
Wicked, Apollo Victoria, London, UK
Aside from the numerous YouTube videos floating around, this was my first time seeing Wicked live. I read Gregory Maguire's novel back in 2001 when I first discovered it, and I'm quite glad I'd forgotten most of its plot points. This musical vaguely resembles the novel, but adapted for the stage perfectly. My only caveat with it was "Dancing Through Life." That number, although staged and lit beautifully, seemed long in some parts, and the point were most people stopped paying attention. There's a lot of things mixed in that moves the plot along, but you have to really pay attention. "Popular" which comes next, reels you back in and is my favorite number from the show. It's also the one number that can be acted very differently by each actor and is therefore fun to watch different interpretations. From the music, to the set, costuming and lighting, the light comedy and drama, Wicked is the quintessential modern day musical.
August 2008
Wicked, Apollo Victoria, London UK
I like to see things more than once and I definitely jumped at the opportunity to see this again. It was only two weeks later and the end of my holiday, but what a way to end it. Btw, I definitely liked and appreciated more Glinda's character this time around.
September 2008
Spring Awakening, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
RENT, Century Theaters, San Bruno, CA
I watched both shows a day apart. RENT was shown in the movie theaters and was supposedly the last show filmed, but really wasn't. It was a show recorded a month before, with the final curtain call added in. RENT was my musical for a long time and let's just say..... Jonathan Larson meant this musical to be experienced live. This was my first time seeing Spring Awakening and what a first time it was. I remember leaving the theatre knowing I liked it, but didn't quite know how to feel afterwards. I thought about it for days and I realized that I was actually blown away. This is truly my musical. Everything about it I loved. It's in your face and subtle, it's funny and sad, it was just perfect. The contrast from the music and the play was spot on and I just had to watch it again......
October 2008
Spring Awakening, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
I saw Spring Awakening twice this month and was very sad to see the production leave San Francisco. Watching it for the first time, I felt like I had a lot to take in. The second time, I understood and appreciated the plot even more. The third time, I just sat back and let the play take me on a thought provoking journey accompanied by stellar music. I really need to write a proper review... but I'll save that for a later time.
December 2008
Phantom Of The Opera, Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, CA
I posted a review of this, so for a full one, just scroll down. For now, let's just say this is definitely the musical of the 80's. From the staging, lighting and music, you can definitely feel it's age and Andrew Lloyd Webber's glory days..... It's just not anytime recent.
Spring Awakening, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, NY
When I found out Spring Awakening was closing on Broadway, I was flabbergasted. When I went through all the list of shows that were closing/closed, I was just sad. There is a bastardization of Broadway going on..... I feel like most of the great shows have fallen prey to this and we're left with mediocre shows. Don't get me wrong, there are still a few good ones out there, but none that I love. Boy did I love this show..... So I made sure to see it one last time, at the theater were it started. (Although this is arguable.... The Atlantic production was of course the true beginning.) It was quite bittersweet.
All in all, I had a pretty good year at the theater. I wish I could have seen more shows, but I do need to eat and pay rent too. I also discovered my current "It" show and mourned its closing on the Great White Way. I hope 2009 has some amazing shows in store for me.
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