Just....really bad

I love Ellen, but rarely get to see her show anymore.  Luckily, she has a website which features a photo gallery called Worst Paid-for photos, or something like that.  Oh, I could have SO contributed to this collection.  Let's just be happy I didn't know about it.  Enjoy....

Don and Betty Draper: The new Barbie and Ken?

   The NYTimes reports the addition of four "Mad Men" dolls to Mattel's ridiculously still-popular Barbie line.  I don't know how I feel about this from a marketing point of view,  but I will note that a) the red-headed Joan Holloway (I refuse to use her married name) is the best likeness and b) the plastic Don Draper and Roger Sterling can't fill out a suit like their in-the-flesh counterparts.
   Sorry, Mattel.  I don't think I'll be buying the dolls, but when miniature versions appear in Hallmark stores as Christmas ornaments, count me in!
   Meanwhile, Season 4 begins in July, 2010.   Will Betty still be a major character? (The doll seems to suggest she will.)  And will little Sally still be a part of Don's life?  She's the only one who's got it together in that family! 

Old Spice: Old school to new cool

   Every man in my family - from my grandfather to my 28-year-old son - wears Old Spice.  Not the hippest choice, until this genius ad campaign changed everything.  "I'm on a horse."  Priceless.  
   (OK, who cares about any of that?  I just wanted to put that steamy Isaiah Mustafa on my blog so I can see him every day.)

An Oscar postscript

I promised myself I wasn't going to do an Academy Awards wrap-up post because, frankly, I was beyond bored by the show last night.  But since this blog is a tribute - of sorts - to us folks of "a certain age," let's give props to fellow baby boomers Jeff Bridges (born 1949), Sandra Bullock ('64, she just made it into the club) and Kathryn Bigelow ('51) for taking home the big prizes last night.  Hollywood may be a playground for the young, but experience and time-tested talent usually win gold.

Contact lens: Not ready for my close-up

At my age, it's hard enough coming up with a profile pic that I can tolerate, much less post online for all to see.  That's why, when one of the kids snapped this one Friday night as a test of my new smartphone's camera, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself not cringing at the result.  OK, so the eyelids have become droopy over the years and the neck's a little turkey-like, but it wasn't totally unfortunate looking.  Except for that weird arrow-shaped reflection in my right eye (where I wear my one contact).  What the what is that?!!

After zooming in and sharpening the focus, I look like some kind of weird Scientology follower having her last meal before a stint of hard labor at Sea Org.  Take me to your leader, Tom Cruise!

My Oscar ostracism

 

Why are all these little Oscars snubbing me?  Because I have seen so few new movies this year, I shouldn't even be allowed to watch the Academy Awards tonight.  I did watch "The Informant" with Matt Damon on 'On Demand' last night and enjoyed it tremendously.  (I realize it was 'so last year' but that's how I'm rolling these days.)  So, I vote for "The Hurt Locker" simply because I want a woman director to win although, the truth is, I liked the directing a helluva lot more than the movie.  I'll be rooting for "Precious," sight unseen, and George Clooney in anything because, well, he's George Clooney and always gorgeous in evening wear. 

March Madness, Martha Stewart style

  Every year at this time, I throw decorating caution to the wind and transform my living room mantle into a shrine honoring my alma mater's basketball team: The Kansas Jayhawks.  The picture above is really a "before" shot since by the time the NCCA tournament is over in - my lips to God's ears - early April, the shrine will have taken on a ticky-tacky life of its own.  Friends and family will have come for watch parties and added flowers, t-shirts, dead taxidermy prairie hawks, red and blue Mardi Gras beads, lucky Nacho buckets (don't ask) and the like - for good luck not necessarily good taste - until my humble shrine rivals Lourdes or Elvis' grave....

 God, I love basketball post-season!  

"Giant panda in the room"

Yes, it's another shameless plug for my favorite sitcom, "Modern Family" and my pet character, Cam.  In this scene, Cam and Mitchell's adopted (duh) daughter, Lilly, has just said "Mommy" when their female Asian pediatrician comes over for dinner.  Just in case you missed it...

Trololololo...

   Dear friends, phantom spam comment leavers and stalkers,
   I've been away from the blog for too long and I want to make it up to you.  So, watch this video.  I couldn't figure out how to embed it and it might take a little while to download, but it's worth it.  I promise.
   Warning:  Don't watch it more than once.  This little ditty's as sticky as "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" and you'll be singing it for days.  Here's a link that explains it, should you be that curious.
   I'll try not to be a stranger again.  At least, not any stranger than the Trololo guy.
   Love,
   Me

"Lay Down" by Melanie

Tonight's episode of "Big Love" closed with a song I hadn't heard in decades. I traced it in memory to my friend Susie's "Woodstock" album but that wasn't it. Thank God for Google. Here's a little taste of Melanie in "Lay Down (Candle in the Rain)." The video's not great, but ya gotta love those Edwin Hawkins Singers!

Collectors run amok and the new Mr. Blackwell

21,000 '68 pennies, 600 nuns and a houseful of golf paraphernalia.  Here are three over-the-top collections I saw this week (and I thought my Polish pottery was out of control) plus a report on my spouse's scathing Olympic analysis.