Hi Everyone - So as usually happens at least once a week, I have no specific topic to blog about (baaaaaad blogger), so I'm gonna ramble.
1- I will be the first to admit that generally country music doesn't do it for me. There are certain acts I like (Dixie's), certain songs I like ("Live Like You Were Dying"), certain singers (as much as it pains me, Carrie Underwood, post-"Jesus Take the Wheel") but generally I'm not a fan. Mostly because of country music's penchant for remaking songs that should never be remade (Tim McGraw I'm looking at your verison of "Tiny Dancer." That's a big NO SIR!) But I tuned into the CMA's last night for all of four minutes. Long enough to hear the winner of the Best New Artist Award, Lady Antebellum. Surprisingly, I kind of liked them. Enough that I believe I'll be downloading their album. Also, I found it interesting the Darius Rucker is now singing country. Anyway, I'm pretty excited to see the red carpet fashions too.
2- I managed to watch two new to me movies yesterday while I was teleworking. First was Dan in Real Life, which stars Steve Carrell. I'm not going to lie, Steve Carrell gets on my nerves. Generally I don't find him all that funny, and he's kind of like Robin Williams to me, exhausting. But I actually quite enjoyed this movie. Even though Dane Cook was in it (I can't stand Dane Cook). But his presence was offset by Dianne Weist and John Mahoney being in the movie. Weist rocked it as the matriarch of a big and boisterous family. "You'll be doing dishes...alone." Awesome. Plus, I enjoyed Carrell's interactions with his daughters. Especially his 14YO daughter who was in the throws of her first love affair. When he puts the kabosh on the boyfriend visiting, she shrieks at him in that truly young teen way, "You are a murderer of love!" So great. I thought that Carrell had a really nice chemistry with Juliet Binoche, who I love in everything. Overall, it was a sweet little movie that I'm quite pleased to have seen. Overall grade is a B.
Second was Juno. I really meant to see Juno when it was the in the running for an Academy Award. I really did. I thought that it was funny and touching and brilliantly written. I thought Ellen Paige was wonderful and strong and cooky. What I really liked about the movie was that even though it handled a serious topic, it did it was a sweetness of nature about lightness of touch that I appreciated. I liked Juno's interaction with the people who would be adopting her baby. And I thought her reactions to things were priceless. Overall grade is an A. I'll be buying this movie.
3- Tomorrow night is our Thanksgiving Dinner with friends. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, and hopefully will have lots of fun pictures to show. I'm taking tomorrow off to do some cooking and to go over the Chris and Beth's to help set up and then of course, clean up. As I said before, this is my favorite party we do.
4- I'm still reading Salvation in Death. Not a good sign at all. Usually I gobble upJD Robb books practically in one sitting. I'm on chapter 19 of the book and still just can't seem to really connect with it. But, as I think about it, I realize that I've had an off year with Nora this year. I like her new trilogy fine, although I didn't much connect with Sign of Seven, the first in the trilogy. I really was not a fan of Tribute (I think I gave it a C) but figured that was mostly due to the fact that the story focused strongly on home renovation, which I hate with a bloody passion. H. loved it though, so I'm sure it was me not the quality of the writing. Up next for me is Kushiel's Dart, which I'm reading at CJ's behest. She's reading Daughter of the Blood at mine.
That's it. I have no other thoughts.
What's going on with you? Have you seen any good movies? Are you reading anything good?
1- I will be the first to admit that generally country music doesn't do it for me. There are certain acts I like (Dixie's), certain songs I like ("Live Like You Were Dying"), certain singers (as much as it pains me, Carrie Underwood, post-"Jesus Take the Wheel") but generally I'm not a fan. Mostly because of country music's penchant for remaking songs that should never be remade (Tim McGraw I'm looking at your verison of "Tiny Dancer." That's a big NO SIR!) But I tuned into the CMA's last night for all of four minutes. Long enough to hear the winner of the Best New Artist Award, Lady Antebellum. Surprisingly, I kind of liked them. Enough that I believe I'll be downloading their album. Also, I found it interesting the Darius Rucker is now singing country. Anyway, I'm pretty excited to see the red carpet fashions too.2- I managed to watch two new to me movies yesterday while I was teleworking. First was Dan in Real Life, which stars Steve Carrell. I'm not going to lie, Steve Carrell gets on my nerves. Generally I don't find him all that funny, and he's kind of like Robin Williams to me, exhausting. But I actually quite enjoyed this movie. Even though Dane Cook was in it (I can't stand Dane Cook). But his presence was offset by Dianne Weist and John Mahoney being in the movie. Weist rocked it as the matriarch of a big and boisterous family. "You'll be doing dishes...alone." Awesome. Plus, I enjoyed Carrell's interactions with his daughters. Especially his 14YO daughter who was in the throws of her first love affair. When he puts the kabosh on the boyfriend visiting, she shrieks at him in that truly young teen way, "You are a murderer of love!" So great. I thought that Carrell had a really nice chemistry with Juliet Binoche, who I love in everything. Overall, it was a sweet little movie that I'm quite pleased to have seen. Overall grade is a B.
Second was Juno. I really meant to see Juno when it was the in the running for an Academy Award. I really did. I thought that it was funny and touching and brilliantly written. I thought Ellen Paige was wonderful and strong and cooky. What I really liked about the movie was that even though it handled a serious topic, it did it was a sweetness of nature about lightness of touch that I appreciated. I liked Juno's interaction with the people who would be adopting her baby. And I thought her reactions to things were priceless. Overall grade is an A. I'll be buying this movie.
3- Tomorrow night is our Thanksgiving Dinner with friends. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, and hopefully will have lots of fun pictures to show. I'm taking tomorrow off to do some cooking and to go over the Chris and Beth's to help set up and then of course, clean up. As I said before, this is my favorite party we do.
4- I'm still reading Salvation in Death. Not a good sign at all. Usually I gobble upJD Robb books practically in one sitting. I'm on chapter 19 of the book and still just can't seem to really connect with it. But, as I think about it, I realize that I've had an off year with Nora this year. I like her new trilogy fine, although I didn't much connect with Sign of Seven, the first in the trilogy. I really was not a fan of Tribute (I think I gave it a C) but figured that was mostly due to the fact that the story focused strongly on home renovation, which I hate with a bloody passion. H. loved it though, so I'm sure it was me not the quality of the writing. Up next for me is Kushiel's Dart, which I'm reading at CJ's behest. She's reading Daughter of the Blood at mine.
That's it. I have no other thoughts.
What's going on with you? Have you seen any good movies? Are you reading anything good?
8 comments:
lol...I LOVE Tim McGraw's version of Tiny Dancer! Country music has been getting on my nerves for the past year or so, but Lady Antebellum really is a cool group.
Juno is one of my favorite movies, and I felt the same way you did about Dan in Real Life. A very nice movie despite Steve Carell and Dane Cook.
I think I gave Tribute a B or B-. I love home renovation, though, so that redeemed the book for me. I got tired of the story toward the end when it turned into a early 90's style Glitz & Glamour mystery. Blehhhh.
I read Naked in Death some time last year and I've been trying to decide whether to move further in the series. If I do, it'll probably be with the audio books instead of the print books. I'm a lot more forgiving of audio than print.
I've been on a m/m romance binge this week. I've read some pretty good stuff. Amanda Young writes fantastic m/m contemporaries.
I think this weekend I'm going to try a book called True North by Beverly Brandt. It's one of those "honeymoon gone wrong" books. Obscure, but cute. :)
Jen - I have very strict rules about certain songs that should never be remade.
Tiny Dancer by Elton John is one. As is In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel. There must be others...hmmm, I smell a blog topic there.
I *love* the in Death recordings. I'm on book 20. I think the reader is really good and she captures Roarke and Eve so perfectly. The last one I listened to was one where they were at cross purposes for most of the book, and she did a good enough job that my eyes were all welled up with tears when they made up. Of course, I was on the Metro, so I was having to suck it back and not cry so people wouldn't think I was a total freak job. LOL! I really recommend them.
I have a love/hate relationship with country music. I go for months when I love it and months when I hate it. My husband despises country so I can only listen to it in the car - and then the kids complain so I only get a song or so at a time! :)
I'm like you and don't particularly care for Steve Carrell, but really enjoyed Dan In Real Life. I really liked the interactions with Carrell and Binoche in the movie - they just felt like such different personalities but their relationship worked.
"You're a murderer of love!" lol That sounds like something I would have said when I was a teenager. In fact, I think I did say something similar to that to my dad when I was a teenager. :D Wow, how did my parents put up with me?
I haven't seen Dan in Real Life, but I have seen Juno, and I honestly didn't like it. It might have had something to do with the fact that I watched it on an iPod screen, but I just thought it was kinda boring and not funny at all. And as for her relationship with the adoptive parents (the one in particular), I was like, "Girl, what are you thinking?"
I'm STILL making my way through Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I feel like I have to finish it because my friend rec'd it. This calls for major payback as far as I'm concerned. She's reading a romance novel of my choice next month if it kills her!
Gawker echoes what I've been moaning about for months!!!
http://gawker.com/5086030/why-is-entertainment-weekly-so-in-the-tank-for-twilight
Somebody did a cover of tiny dancer? WEIRD! I love your analysis of Steve Carell, though in the episodes of the office I've seen, I think he's great!
Ooooh! Kushiel on Deck. I'm in the thick of it with Blood!!!
I loved 'Dan InReal Life' mainly because I have a teeny tiny crush on the singer from the soundtrack Sondre Lerche. Seen him in concert twice and he rocks. ANd he's sooo cute and WAY too young for me. *sigh*
I finally watched 'Wanted'. What a peice of crap. AJ was far too skinny to play a kick ass heroine. Srsly, I could snap her in half with the flick of my pinkie! Watched Hellboy 2. Wasn't as good as the first one although I did find the baddie strangely compelling and kinda hot. Had a bit of a Will Ferrell day as well and watched Talledga Nights and Blades of Glory. I know he basically plays the same charcter every time but man, Will ferrell just cracks me up.
I haven't really listened to any country music, being from the UK...but I do like old school. Dolly and Kenny rool!
I'm toying with the idea of only reading categories this week. Last week was a m/m week. With some Jourdan Lane, JL Langley, Lorelei James, Carol Lynne.
I have the first Kristan Higgins coming and am excited to read that.
I was really happy that Lady Antebellum won last night. I found them thru itunes several months ago and really like their sound. I finished Salvation in Death on Tuesday. It took me much longer to read than any of the other In Death books, but I did end up really enjoying it.
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