You are here: Home / Archives for pop culture
Feb 22, 2009

Bring On The Glitz

February 22, 2009 By

Years ago when we lived in Oxford (Ohio), Aaron and I would host an Oscar party for all of our friends. We’d invite everyone we knew, buy lots of food and drink for the party, design and print off fancy ballot sheets for each guest, and spend all afternoon cleaning the living room.

Then as evening approached, we’d cram as many people as we could into our apartment right before the red carpet coverage started, and begin our evening of entertainment. Each person would fill out a ballot, choosing who they think would win for each category. Ballots had to be completed before the curtain came up so there was no cheating.

We’d critique and criticize each designer dress that came down the red carpet, laughing at some of the poor choices and applauding those stars who had sensible friends to tell them, “Trust me, you’ll look good in that.”

As each winner was announced, some would groan and others would cheer as we updated our ballots. We turned the entire award show into a sporting event.

Our last Oscar party was in 2004. After that we moved to Columbus, had children, and let life get in the way. We still watched the Academy Awards each year, always remarking how we missed our Oscar parties.

Well, now the party is back. Our house will play host to six others to watch Hugh Jackman try to breathe life back into the old Oscar. The drinks and snacks are ready, the ballots are printed, and it’s going to be a fun night.

My predictions? I’ll give you a few. Having seen Slumdog Millionaire, I’m nearly certain it’s the Best Picture winner. And I’m hoping Heath Ledger gets his posthumous Best Supporting Actor statuette.

I’m putting odds on Kate Winslet for Best Actress and Mickey Rourke for Best Actor. (It could be Sean Penn, but I’m pulling for the underdog.) WALL-E should get Best Animated Film.

As for the dresses, I’m guessing Angelina Jolie will look absolutely elegant, and while it’s always tough to predict the train wreck outfit of the night, Cameron Diaz is always a safe bet.

We’ll see how right I am at the end of the night.

Filed Under: geek paradise, more than parents, pop culture


Jan 23, 2009

Haiku Friday: Gone But Not Forgotten

January 23, 2009 By
Haiku Friday
It’s been a year now
since the news broke on Twitter:
Heath Ledger is dead

I thought it a sick
joke at first, but then it was
confirmed. And I cried.

I remember him
as a young new actor on
the FOX series Roar

I was a fan of
his career. He was even
on my List of Five.

Here’s hoping Heath wins
the Oscar for the Dark Knight.
He’ll be greatly missed.

How ironic that exactly one year after his accidental death, Heath Ledger was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his brilliant portrayal of the Joker. Watching that movie, I’ll admit there were several moments where I completely forgot it was him because he disappeared entirely into the role.

I wish we could have seen more of his work. And I really miss that smile.

(One of his cheesiest roles, and yet one of my favorites.)

To play along for Haiku Friday, follow these steps:

1. Write your own haiku on your blog. You can do one or many, all following a theme or just random. What’s a haiku, you ask? Click here.

2. Sign the Mister Linky below with your name and the link to your haiku post (the specific post URL, not your main blog URL). DON’T sign unless you have a haiku this week. If you need help with this, please let me know.

3. Pick up a Haiku Friday button to display on the post or in your sidebar by clicking the button at the top.

REMEMBER: Do not post your link unless you have a haiku this week! I will delete any links without haiku!

Filed Under: Haiku Fridays, pop culture


Jan 22, 2009

The Past Was Great…Or Maybe Not

January 22, 2009 By

Browsing through some vintage ads today, I happened to find this one:


Sometimes I wish I lived in the past. Skinny girls were out of fashion! Curves were in! Instead of starvation diets, they offered a formula to increase your appetite so you could “add pounds and pounds of firm, attractive flesh” to obtain those “Glamorous Curves!”

But of course there has to be a dark side. And if your appetite increased too much, or those pounds and pounds of flesh weren’t so firm or attractive, you had to endure this:

(Lane Bryant, thank goodness your marketing has improved)

Maybe I’ll just stay in the present.

Filed Under: pop culture, random


Nov 28, 2008

Haiku Friday: Black Friday Revisited

November 28, 2008 By
Haiku Friday
Black Friday is here
Want a digital frame cheap?
Only ten in stock!

I am thankful for
the huz, who wakes up early
to shop the big sales

But this year we’re poor
so no crazy spending – just
looking for cheap gifts

I’m cheating today. I started to write a haiku about Black Friday, and then checked my archives and found I was writing a nearly identical haiku to last year’s. So I revived last year’s haiku for today, adding one new haiku to the end.

We’re going out into the madness again, hoping to score some inexpensive items to wrap up for holiday gifts. Our list is far shorter than last year’s, with the biggest difference being that most of the items are in the under $10 range.

Are you shopping for deals this weekend?

To play along for Haiku Friday, follow these steps:

1. Write your own haiku on your blog. You can do one or many, all following a theme or just random. What’s a haiku, you ask? Click here.

2. Sign the Mister Linky below with your name and the link to your haiku post (the specific post URL, not your main blog URL). DON’T sign unless you have a haiku this week. If you need help with this, please let me know.

3. Pick up a Haiku Friday button to display on the post or in your sidebar by clicking the button at the top.

REMEMBER: Do not post your link unless you have a haiku this week! I will delete any links without haiku!

Filed Under: Haiku Fridays, holidays, money, pop culture


Oct 21, 2008

There’s No Reason Not To Do It

October 21, 2008 By

It’s OK to be nervous if it’s your first time.

If you’re not sure how to do it, there are guides you can read.

You can tell everyone all about doing it, or you can keep it to yourself.

You can do it at night, or you can do it during the day if you don’t have to work.

You could do it at work, too, as long as no one catches you.

You can do it in private or out in public, although people might stare.

You can do it with your clothes off or you can do it with your clothes on.

You might choose to sit your older kids down and explain what it is and why adults do it.

If you’re rushed you can make it a quickie, or you can take it slow and savor each moment.

If you’re not in the mood, you can try again tomorrow.

If the kids are home, you can put on a video for them while you sneak away to do it.

You can invite your friends over to do it together as a group, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Other people may try to tell you the right way to do it, but only you know what works for you.

After you finish, you can have a glass of wine and bask in the glow of what you just did.

*************

What about you?

Yeah, you.

Have you done it?

I’ll confess: I just did it, and it felt great.

Click to enlarge

Wait, what did you think I was talking about?

Ohio’s early voting is currently in progress. You can vote by absentee ballot, or go to any country election office to vote in person. In Franklin County, you can do it in the evening and even on Saturday and Sunday.

Does your state have early voting? Have you voted yet?

Filed Under: politics, pop culture, TMI