Aplace

I just want to use this space to mention that pretzel m&ms and Golden Oreos are two of the greatest snack foods that have ever been invented.

I am very preoccupied by them at the moment because I am going to be in a wedding in about three weeks and the fit of the dress is a major concern. As such, I have been in high diet mode. One hour at the gym 5X a week. Oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch etc.. etc... grim. grim. 5lbs in 6 weeks is doable, right? God, I hope so.

Anyways, within this context, Pretzel M&Ms suddenly seem very important to my continued existence. My co-worker has a bowl of them set out on her desk and I cannot avoid them. Sigh...

I am always obsessed with Golden Oreos. They taste like the old Mr. Christie Girl Guide cookies.

Does anyone have any good crash-dieting tips? No, no one does because they are not starring in an episode of Degrassi Junior High.

OSCAR DERBY! *link fixed*

Hey everyone,

It's Oscar Derby time! Time to make your picks and compete for international bragging rights.

Click here to make your selection.

This page will be updated with your choices :)

Happy Derbying

Melanie L's picks

Best Picture: The Artist

Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Best Actor: George Clooney for The Descendants

 Best Actress: Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady

 Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer for The Help

 Best Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen

 Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

 Best Animated Feature Film: Puss in Boots

Best Foreign Language Film: Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)

 Original Song: Rio: Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, Siedah Garrett ("Real in Rio")

Best Documentary Feature: If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front: Marshall Curry, Sam Cullman

Katherine Y's picks

Best Picture: The Artist

Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Best Actor: George Clooney for The Descendants

Best Actress: Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer for The Help

Best Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Best Animated Feature Film: Kung Fu Panda 2

Best Foreign Language Film: A Separation (Iran)

Original Song: The Muppets: Bret McKenzie ("Man or Muppet")

Best Documentary Feature: Hell and Back Again: Danfung Dennis, Mike Lerner

Becky R.'s picks

Best Picture: The Artist

Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Best Actress: Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids

Best Original Screenplay: Bridesmaids: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Best Animated Feature Film: Rango

Best Foreign Language Film: Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)

Original Song: The Muppets: Bret McKenzie ("Man or Muppet")

Best Documentary Feature: Pina: Wim Wenders, Gian-Piero Ringel

Fred D.'s Picks

Best Picture: The Artist

Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

Best Actor: Jean Dujardin for The Artist

Best Actress: Viola Davis for The Help

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer for The Help

Best Original Screenplay: Bridesmaids: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo

Best Adapted Screenplay: Moneyball: Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin

Best Animated Feature Film: Rango

Best Foreign Language Film: Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)

Original Song: The Muppets: Bret McKenzie ("Man or Muppet")

Best Documentary Feature: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky

 

Movies seen at the theatre 2011 (so far)

Bolded means excellent. Underlined means actively horrible. Nothing means neutral

1. The Descendants
2. Jane Eyre
3. Ides of March
4. Somewhere
5. The Hangover, Part II
6. Beginners
7. Something Borrowed
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II
10. Barney's Version
11. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
12. Hanna
13. Scream 4
14. Bridesmaids
15. Midnight in Paris
16. X-Men: First Class
17. Larry Crowne
18. Friends with Benefits
19. Crazy Stupid Love
20. The Help
21. One Day
22. Our Idiot Brother
23. Moneyball
24. What's Your Number

 

“If trouble comes when you least expect it then maybe the thing to do is to always expect it.”
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road

I can attest that this is a terrible life philosophy.

The cells I am at the moment...

That's a picture of me, the first week of September 1996. Fifteen years ago this week. At the time, I though I was hideous but now looking at the photo, I think I look nice. Nice like a nice person.  I marvel at my neck, though. It seems so scrawny. How could it support my head?

I didn't expect to come across this photo today.  I was doing some of my periodical self-googling when I saw they had uploaded several years of my high school's yearbook (ugh?). And as I was flipping through the virtual pages,  I saw this picture of myself. Doesn't it already look so old and grainy? Like it was taken in 1982 or something? I remember this day. How can a picture of it already be fuzzy and fading away?

Anyways, this picture isn't the whole truth. I remember battling terrible acne that year. My skin looks laughably clear in this photo. I remember having an obsessive crush on a boy in another homeroom who couldn't stand me. Yet,  I remained steadfast in my devotion.  Then, I turned around and acted annoyed towards a boy in my class who liked me. I was too stupid to realise we were in the exact same boat.  I think about that a lot.  Isn't it the worst to suddenly remember some unkind word or deed you committed in the past? You just are walking along thinking, I'm an okay person, and then you remember that mean thing you said and you think, jeez "Actually, I'm kind of a jerk".  And maybe, all the slings and arrows you yourself have suffered were sent forth by people who, like you, think they are basically decent. 

I'm just philosophizing.