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Laura's Online Journal March 2004
Comments? Your movie reviews? I would love to hear from you! lauralu@mac.com
Enough about you, let's talk about me....
March 26, 2004
Dream Come TrueI have never met anyone really famous. I have met the somewhat famous - Andrew Greeley, the writer and Lori Carson, the singer and when I was 8 the wife of the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia touched my nose. Well, I may have the chance to meet someone really famous, someone I never in a million years thought I would be anywhere near, someone who has up until now resided only on DVDs and in the occasional gossip column.
I know you are dying to know so I won't keep you in suspense. This person is Shahrukh Khan, my favorite Bollywood actor. He is the biggest star in India. He was in the first Bollywood movie I saw 6 years ago and has been in probably 75% of the ones I have seen since. He is nice looking, funny and quite the dancer. If you have ever been to my house you have most likely been forced to watch Shahrukh dancing and singing on a moving train.
How, you may ask, may I meet him? Well, he is doing a film where he plays a NASA scientist and portions of it will be filmed where I work. When I heard about this I immediately signed up to be an extra. I was turned down because they are only looking for extras who work in the buildings where the actual filming is taking place so I signed up to help with the production, escorting the crew here and there, directing curious traffic. I have not heard yet if I will be helping and even if I am chosen I have no idea if I will be at the right place at the right time to make a total fool of myself. I will keep you posted.
Wanna see some pictures? Here's a little collection I have. (Just kidding, it's Google's collection.)
March 21, 2004
BoringThere have been several things over the last three quarters of a year that have affected the frequency of my updates but this week it was just boredom. Nothing is going on. Well, except maybe the arrival of a shipment of corn tortillas from Joe's brother in Houston. Since Lynda moved from Houston to Charleston we have had to do without good tortillas and salsas so it is nice to have a new source. Last night we had enchilada pie and Thursday we had a chili con queso that was to die for. Ahhh, the power of cheese.
We have a grocery store very near to us, so near we do not have to go outside to get there. Well it is not a good grocery store in so many ways. Unless we are really short on time we walk one block to the Metro, go 3 stops, and then walk one block to a suburban grocery store that is bigger and better in so many ways. But the bigger and better grocery store is not what I want to talk about. It is the plaza that is behind the store that is the topic and, more specifically, a jewelry store on that plaza. It has the creepiest window displays ever. I would like to know what type of person this marketing strategy works on or is geared towards.
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| This little plaza is set nicely in a cavern between several tall buildings. The glass store front with the black awnings and gold lettering looks welcoming. | You get closer and you notice there are enticing bright colors in the windows. |
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| So you go closer and, oh my god!!!
These are not paintings. They are some sort of 3D bas-relief acrylic painted plaster scenes. |
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Some more movie/DVD reviews
The Godfather
Neither of us had seen this movie. It was almost obligatory to see it
since we are fans of The Sopranos. I remember it
causing a sensation back when it came out in in 1972. It is extremely
violent although not as graphic as films are now. It was interesting to
see James Caan, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Robert Duval so young and
to see all the scenes that I have seen parodied over and over. It is
long (3 hours) and I had to fight the sleepies but I am glad I saw it.
March 14, 2004
Tiny Tragedy UpdateDo you remember the story of Little Billy and his tragic accident? Well, there's an update. The little car has been pulled up the bank to the street which is no longer really a street. Several creeks run under the street and it was costing the city too much to keep up the repairs so the street has been given back to nature. Here is an picture update and another neighborhood picture of a sad treehouse.
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Legitimate Theater Reviews
Cyrano de Bergerac I only go to plays now and then. I seem to be able to tolerate bad dance performances more than bad theater thus I see a lot of bad dance. Well, friends from work, Beth and Louis, invited me to see this production at University of Maryland. It was a student production with a professor in the lead. The professor was excellent and the students did a fine job. The costumes were also exceptional. A very nice evening.
March 11, 2004
SurfacesA couple of years ago my nephew, Graeme, had an idea to make a Lego robot that follows him around the house and carries drinks. This is one of those remarks by Graeme that has become part of our way of thinking and talking. When we are talking about new electronics or automated things, we might ask "But will it follow you around the house and carry your drinks?" I now believe it is creeping into our household purchases.
We have a problem. We don't have enough clear surfaces. They are all covered with knick knacks, books, magazines, boxes of stuff, sewing machines, sewing stuff, bags of chocolate, mail, hobby stuff. Before I go to bed I have dig down to find enough space to store my laptop on the dining room table.
Well, for a couple of months I have been telling Joe that I want a cart for my laptop. Something that I could use to store my computer and something with wheels so I can roll it into the bedroom so I can work on the computer in bed and then just place it on the cart and push it a couple feet away. Joe says that is the epitomy of laziness (or maybe he said craziness) and by the way the Elfa products saleswoman at the Container Store looked at me as I explained the situation she agreed. (It is probably a good thing I did not mention the drinks.) Anyway, here it is. I have since added drawers, which I plan to use for cables, hard drives, books, you know, all the baggage that comes along with owning a computer. And look, I can also use it to transport my boots to the closet!
Here are some more neighborhood pictures. This was taken outside a Mongolian Barbeque restaurant.
Some more movie/DVD reviews
Croupier
I rented this mainly because it stars the guy (Clive Owen) who
drove the BMWs in that spiffy BMW commercial series from a couple of years ago.
Croupier is a slick, somewhat interesting, somewhat noirish British film.
(like those movies where one might hear "She walked into my detective
agency. She was beautiful but dangerous and had gams up to here")
The movie involves a writer who must go back to being a dealer in a
casino in order to pay the rent. At the casino he is presented with plenty
of temptations to resist or give in to. The movie has a tidy
clean plot with a little twist at the end. I would recommend it. I really
enjoyed the scenes in the casino but overall I'd say it is smart but a
bit empty.
March 6, 2004
EntertainmentFirst of all we have two new pets in the family. One is still unnamed despite all my unsolicited suggestions. Take a look.
I have been wasting way too much time at a fun web site lately. It is full of little cartoons, games, humor and hidden surprises. I have seen it described as "clean, but edgy". Joe heard about it through a friend and it is also now highly recommended by my nephew Graeme. If you are interested check out Homestar Runner and his pals.
If you do not have a lot of time to poke around here are some places to start.
- A page for First Timers
- A Good place to meet all the characters
- Strong Bad draws a dragon
- Teen Girl Squad! (I bought a Teen Girl Squad T-Shirt)
- If you are my father you should watch 20X6 vs 1936
I love warm weather and I always hate for summer to end but when it snows and around this time of year I remember why I like having all the seasons. Last week I saw some small yellow blossoms appearing on forsythia bushes. And this week the grocery store had daffodils on sale. I love daffodils. I am now waiting to see wild violets, redbud and then the full onslaught of spring flowers.
March 2, 2004
Oscar Report| My Category | Oscar Attendee |
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| Favorite outfit among actresses I like | Scarlett Johansson |
| Least Favorite outfit among actresses I like | Uma Thurman |
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Favorite outfit among actresses I do not like (mostly because they are overrated) | Catherine Zeta Jones |
| Least Favorite outfit among actresses I do not like | Nicole Kidman |
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Least Favorite outfit among actresses I do not really know | Marcia Gay Harden It's hard to look good when you are that pregnant but why the weird hair? |
| Favorite outfit among actors | They pretty much all wore the same thing I did like Robin Williams' glasses |
