According to the kids over at ohnotheydidnt, Hallmark is rebooting the Rainbrow Brite franchise, but with an "updated" Rainbow Brite. THEY ARE STEALING MY CHILDHOOD AND IT IS NOT COOL.

Before:
Rainbrow Brite rides on her horse Starlight spreading Rainbow seeds and making the world a more lovely, colorful place. Also is a friend to gays everywhere.

After:
Scientists mate Bratz Dolls with Miley Cirus and come up with these vapid, corseted mini-harlots.

I WILL BAN HALLMARK UNTIL THIS GOES AWAY. Not that I shopped there anyway; they're overpriced and way too cutesy for me in a "oh look! a little snowman on skiis who wiggles his butt and sings Let It Snow!" way. Which is the worst way.

This weekend was a lot of fun. On Saturday night, some friends and I went to see Sleepy Hollow the play. Then we decided to rent the Johnny Depp movie and watch that too. I spent Saturday morning baking - one of my favorite activities. Tragically, I couldn't find my pumpkin/ghost cookie cutters. Serendipitously, I found some halloween sprinkles while looking for the lost cookie cutters! I also made fortune cookies, which I thought were so-so. But everyone liked the sugar cookies and we had a lot of other food as well. Sadly, I only managed to eat a couple sugar cookies- I sent some home with everyone else and then Heather took a plate to her parents- and they're gone.

On Sunday, Julie and I did some shopping... I tried on like a million pairs of brown boots but can't find the perfect ones. I think I'll try Aldo. That evening, Julie and I watched "Battle of the Blades" on the Canadian Broadcasting Company channel. This is a Canadian reality-competition show in which real figure skaters pair up with retired hockey players and try to teach them to figure skate. It's like Dancing with Stars but for skating. It's pretty funny to watch and Julie knows some of the skaters. No one got a concussion this week.

Today I brought in my deck-chair cushion. I thought I was procrastinating bringing it in because I was lazy, but today I realized it's because brining in the deck furniture is admitting that summer's over. As much as I love fall, it's hard to say good bye to bare-feet weather and long days. Ah well... here's a picture from the Pure Michigan Flickr, that reminds me why I love fall in Michigan:

Not to be all like "OMG cute pictures of animals!!11!!" but... I saw this over at cuteoverload.com and I just had to share. It's so cute and such a cat thing to do.

This week, my mom and I visited Stratford Ontario for the annual Shakespeare Festival. We saw Ever Yours, Oscar and Cyrano de Bergerac. They were both stellar performances and I'll discuss them a bit more below.

Besides seeing the plays, we did a bit of shopping (including a kickass bracelet at Art in the Park), looked at the gossies and ducks on the river, ate a TON of really delicious and overpriced food (we found a Mennonite pie store out in the countryside and I had a small cherry pie for dinner last night, LOL), and relaxed.

Ever Yours, Oscar
This one-man production featured actor Brian Bedford reading from some of Oscar Wilde's letters. He also provided background information for context. We all know Oscar Wilde wrote some hilarious bon mots. But he was no fool- perhaps the most memorable of the letters was one he wrote after he was released from an English prison (he was there for "indecency"; i.e. being gay). The letter wasn't complaining of his own treatment; rather it was an appeal for leniency for the children who were regularly imprisoned with adults and suffered abuse, starvation, and torment by the guards. His description of what he witnessed was probably the saddest part of a tragic play that demonstrated how the hate and vitriol of an intolerant society can not only destroy a man's life, but also deprive the world of untold talent and brilliance.
Brian Bedford fun-fact: he voiced Robin Hood in the Disney movie of the same name.

Cyrano de Bergerac
This play really broke my heart. I can't say enough good things about it. Colm Feore was magnificent. He has excellent comic timing and the play was very funny at times, but he also made the audience fall in love with Cyrano, nose and all. The play is a fictionalized account of a man who is extremely brave in battle and in politics (he routinely satirizes corrupt politicians and church leaders with witty poems) but is afraid to confess his love for the woman to whom he's been devoted since childhood, Roxane. Then Roxane enlists Cyrano's help in wooing a fellow soldier, who then enlists Cyrano's help in wooing Roxane. Hilarity ensues. Then they go to war. I agree with Canada's National Post that this production "taps directly into everybody's store of erotic self-pity, and achieves a kind of greatness in doing so."
Colm can also be seen in movies like Chicago and Changling and in 24.


You don't have to put on the red light

OMG you guyz... the paparazzi got a photo of me and Chris outside the play, and it's posted on a couple celebrity blogs!
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/07/22/chris-pine-carriers-stills/
http://pacificcoastnewsonline.celebuzz.com/2009/07/chris-pine-also-loves-his-fans.html


idk, my bff Chris Pine?

Hottest. Picture. Ever.
Well... today.

That reminds me, I was eating some Combos today (a cheese filled pretzel snack) and on the back of the bag it said "The Official Cheese Filled Snack of NASCAR." Who knew NASCAR got so deep into categorizing their official snacks?



unf

Today at work, a tech guy had to remote-in to my computer to install some software. He was like, "ooh, I forgot that was coming out Friday!" at which point I remembered he could see my Star Trek/Chris Pine desktop. I felt a little embarrassed- not about the Star Trek part- but about the Chris Pine part. It's the badass "Kirk II" pose, below, but he's so smokin hot I feel like it should have a little "Tiger Beat" logo in the bottom. Actually, both my computers AND the refrigerator are Chris Pine themed right now.


OK but I promise to stop talking about Star Trek!

In other news: Leonard Cohen will be in concert in Detroit this Saturday. They have cheap tickets on Stub Hub, but they're sold in pairs (!) and the ones sold single-ly are better seats/higher priced. I'm cool going or not going though. I love Leonard but I'm saving money for going to San Francisco.

Speaking of spending money I just bought these super cute earrings on etsy, but they were only $12.

You guys.... I am so sad. I had a great day today. I went out to lunch with Heather and Amanda. We ate at Bob Evans, one of my favorite places. I had CARBS. Then we went shopping and I got clothes on sale. We rounded out the day with milkshakes. And then I got home and in our mailbox was the Spock cover of the new Entertainment Weekly, which means that I DIDN'T get the alternate Kirk/Uhura cover, below.



Nothing against Mr. Quinto but look how hot Kirk II looks!!! I never complain about which cover of EW I get. I'm always happy with what they send me. But THIS is a travesty. I had a 50/50 chance of getting the hot one and I failed. I'm just.... so.... sad. No amount of carbs will heal the Chris Pine-shaped hole in my heart.

In other news, we saw Wolverine and it wasn't as bad as everyone's saying, unless you're really into X Men canon and/or continuity. If you come to it just to see gratuitous violence, Hugh Jackman (shirtless!), and just a fun and sometimes funny (both intentionally funny and WTF-bad-funny) movie, you won't be disappointed. Besides, you have to do something to pass the time between now and Kirk II and obviously Entertainment Weekly isn't helping any.

uhhhh it's 2 a.m. and I can't sleep! Why does this always happen when I have to get up early the next day?! This is the second Tuesday in a row I'm missing volunteering (but last Tuesday I had a cold and was legitimately sick). Because if it's 2 now, there's no way I'm getting up at 7 to go somewhere and not get paid. But I'll make up the time Thursday because I feel obligated to be at least somewhat reliable.

I hear Swine flu has made it to Ohio and maybe even Livingston County, MI! WTF?! I'm too young to turn into a pig and die (or whatever swine flu does).

In other news, I subjected myself to the travesty that is Just My Luck because I was scrolling through the On Demand movies and saw Chris Pine's name.

I can't type any more because my carpal tunnel is being a BITCH (my left hand just went numb. I am not kidding.) so I'll just leave you with this:


kkkfjpppffffkkjjkl

Yesterday was eventful. I bought a car... I'm hesitant to post about it because it's not actually in my possession yet and I'm terrified that I'll ruin it somehow if I talk about it too much. But here goes... it's a 2007 Subaru Impreza- the exact car I wanted except that my first choice would have been blue. But it's low-milage and beautiful and it was a wonderful price- quite a bit below bluebook. Here's the pic from the dealer:



I pick it up Monday after finalizing my loan at the bank, and trading in my old car, Lumina. It's going to be very sad for me to say goodbye- I get attached to inanimate objects.

Last night Heather and I went to see The Watchmen. It's getting mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it- the characters were fleshed out and believable and the plot involved more moral ambiguity, and therefore depth, than you usually see in a superhero movie. Instead of being "good guy" versus "bad guy" it was more like "sometimes the people brave enough to do what needs to be done also have psychological issues." I can relate, since I'm someone who wants to help people and make a difference in this world but also not afraid to claw someone in the face when I have to.
I will say this, though. Watchmen was the most violent film I've ever seen, and I think it also had the most graphic sex scene in it I've seen in an R rated movie. Since I have some of that moral ambiguity I mentioned, I'm able to LOL when a criminal gets his arms sawed off in a fictional story.
And OMG almost forgot to mention! This is only the second movie I know of to feature a Leonard Cohen song SUNG BY LEONARD!! (not counting I'm Your Man, which is a documentary about Mr. Cohen, so yeah, he sings in it).

Bitch don't play when it comes to her weave.

I have all this stuff I want to buy all at one time but I'm trying to be fiscally responsible. Here is the dress that I'm waiting for a sale to buy:


Here are some boots that are on sale at Amazon that I'm thinking about (not to wear with the dress):


Leonard Cohen will be performing in Detroit in May, and tickets are kind of pricey (after the Ticketmaster $billion surcharges). I haven't decided if I'll try to go or not. And there are a bunch of DVDs and CDs I want (Chris Isaak has a new one out!) that I've been too lazy to buy. But I'll also probably be shopping next weekend at the outlets and I've been known to find a lot of cute stuff at the Banana Republic outlet. Mostly next weekend I'm going to Frankenmuth and eating birthday-chicken. (This weekend I'm going to Windsor and eating waffles).

I think I'm getting this one:



It has the features I liked about the Blackberry without the ridiculous monthly charge.

On NPR this morning, they were talking about how Obama is an "occasional" smoker. I really really think he needs to quit because that's a terrible example for the country (and his own kids!). I talk to people every day who are pressured to quit because their health insurance premiums are higher for smokers. Now, there's good reason to raise premiums for smokers, but I know that a lot of those people are resentful that they're paying more for insurance while people who engage in other unhealthy behaviors don't pay extra. So until President Obama (I love typing that!!!) quits, he should have to pay like $50 more a month for health insurance. I know that's not a lot of money for someone like him, but it's the principle of the thing. American citizens are, after all, paying for his health care.

Instead of posting something about the election, I come with far dorkier news. I just read that Captain Pike will appear in the new Star Trek prequel. Too bad because I like his later, "after the radiation accident" look better.


Before


After

And in election news, don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way back to Alaska.

Charlie went to heaven today.
And I have no words.

This is a picture of Charlie sleeping, about a year ago

My brother flew in to Michigan from Seattle yesterday and he's staying with Heather and I for a couple days (then he and I head to our mom's). He looks so thin! Every time I see him I'm reminded of the cruel joke that is genetic independent assortment. He eats full-fat everything (you should have seen his face light up when I told him I bought real butter & coffee cream (not low fat) & donuts just for him) and never gains a pound. Also, apparently turning 30 requires facial hair (admittedly, without it he still looks 20, but isn't that good?! I prefer clean shaven Nico).

artist's rendition of Nico's facial hair

Anyway, he's making stir fry and salad for Heather and I tonight so it should be fun. We spent $40 on ingredients at Meijer last night so I expect awesomeness.

In other news, I'm recovering from a cold. Boooo.

I bought a honey bear (which is honey in a plastic bear-shaped squeeze bottle) at the grocery store today and the receipt called it "Honey Bear Squee" and I totally have something to squee about because OMG ya'll!! Bones is back in 2 weeks and it's a TWO HOUR PREMIER! If it seems like I'm yelling, I AM! In a preternaturally high pitched voice!! I love Bones! And then the next week is HOUSE! Heather was saying all this stuff about how I should calm down because "it's only a TV show" but that's crazy talk. And then she was like "put down the knife, Amber." Pffft. Honey Bear Squee is the only one who understands me.



They look excited.

We've had some really awesome thunderstorms this weekend. I've been fortunate enough to escape any of the serious damage. Saturday night, my mom and I watched Dial M for Murder during the storm, so the suspense of the movie was punctuated with flashes of lightening and rumbles of thunder. So that was pretty cool (I highly recommend that movie, by the way). It's also storming right now, but not having the same effect. Instead of an Alfred Hitchcock suspense film, I'm watching Star Trek: TNG with Heather (and we're ripping it apart. Oh 2nd season... so hilarious.)




The red shirts never make it back.

I felt super dizzy earlier- for about 2 hours I couldn't stand up without the room spinning and my stomach freaking out. I think I ate some poisoned veggie chips/dip but I'm over it now. Possibly, Heather's cat is trying to kill me. I think it put arsenic in the sugar bowl.

And it's a darn good thing I'm feeling better because tomorrow is my day off of work!! I'm going to get a haircut and a massage! I'm having a really good hair day today (despite the nausea) so I'm having second thoughts about the cut- below is what I was thinking of getting. Maybe it's too much off? Right now the bangs are quite grown out and the rest is below my shoulders. Man, I have real serious grown-up problems.


Hair: thoughts? feelings?

Zooey's album (a collaboration with Matt Ward under the name "She and Him") comes out March 18th. I'm looking forward to hearing it~ it's sure to be unusual if nothing else. I'm sure I'll buy it- I love her voice- but I'm not sure what to expect as far as musical style or song choice.


Zooey and Bones!