2013 Oscar Snarkiness

Yes, I have a ton of reading I should be doing for school, and hey, sleep every now and then is nice,  but what would the DivaDomain be without a snarky blog recapping the Oscars?

This year I saw several of the nominated films, including Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, Pitch Perfect (wait, that wasn't nominated?  Well it should have been) and Lincoln.  I haven't seen Argo or Flight yet, although I intend to at some point.  Here are my observations from this year's Grammys (Grammies?  What is the correct plural?  It's too late and I'm too lazy to look it up) - I mean Academy Awards.

• I think it is ridiculous to give the Oscars a musical theme, and then not allow all of the songs nominated for Best Original Song to be performed live.  If I were Scarlet Johannsen and my nominated song wasn't being sung live but I had to suffer through yet another rendition of Jennifer Hudson belt "And I Am Telling You," I would be ticked.
• Seth MacFarlane- no Stewy impersonations, the jokes were neither funny nor offensive, just boring.  Seems to me like he played it safe.
• Also not funny- what was up with Paul Rudd and Melissa McCartney?  Something didn't translate well tonight because I do think they are both great comedic actors.
• What WAS funny:  Jennifer Lawrence tripping up the stairs, Christopher Plummer's "Von Trapp Family Singers" intro, and Meryl Streep scratching her behind (she clarified and said she was stepping on her dress, but I still choose to believe she was working on a wedgie).

Poor girl!  Has this ever happened to anyone before?

• How classy and gracious was George Clooney for not trying to get some camera time during Argo's Best Picture win?  He let Ben Affleck (and the third most-sexy producer in Hollywood) have their time to shine.
• Ben's rambling speech-on-speed was endearing.  I supposed he had to cram in a Best Picture and Best Director speech into one since the Academy snubbed him on the latter. 
• Charlize Theron must have one heck of a publicist- she danced and presented, but has been fairly absent in films lately.  She certainly is beautiful.  Guess this screen time was her way of reminding the directors that she's still out there looking for work!
• Anne Hathaway is beautiful and classy and her speech, while it seemed rehearsed, still came off as sincere and poised.  
• Barbara Streisand, while no one questions that you can still sing the pants off of most anyone, can we all agree that your long, straight, platinum blonde hair is unnatural looking on a 75 year old woman?!
• My favorite dresses were Jennifer Anniston's, Amy Adams', and Jennifer Hudson's.

• Kristen Stewart looked high.  And perhaps the ladies who won the Oscar for Best Hair & Makeup got a hold of her tresses before the show.
• The 9 year old girl nominated for best actress was the epitome of not-humble when she whooped it up every time the camera caught her.  
• I was pleased that Quentin Tarantino won for best original script for Django Unchained, and that Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor and felt both were deserving.
• The orchestra was so loud that they drowned out the singers all evening.  It was annoying to not be able to hear or understand the vocalists while the glorious music swelled behind in front of them.

Because we needed to hear Russell Crowe sing one more time

• Though you couldn't always hear Adele (see above comment... and with a powerful belting instrument such as hers, it is a shame she wasn't heard over the music), she looked and sounded good.  I'm choosing to ignore the pitchiness at the end of Skyfall.  You would be flat too if you were being blasted by an orchestra and trying to be heard (or pushing, just trying to hear yourself!).  Real women have curves.  It's refreshing to see a woman on stage who looks beautiful but isn't stick-thin.  Kudos to her Oscar win for best song.
• I was disappointed that Hugh Jackman didn't win for Best Actor, but my second personal favorite nominee was Daniel Day Lewis, so I could handle the win.  Much better than Mama B anyways who threw a small Bradley-esque fit when Meryl Streep announced the winner.
• I love an excuse to say Jean Dujardin's name! 

This is your official Critic-of-the-Movie Critics, signing off!

All I Ever Need to Know About Law School I Learned by Watching Legally Blonde

Tomorrow is the big day, and I feel confident and prepared as I head back to school after a 10 year hiatus, thanks to one Elle Woods.

• I feel comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life
• Come prepared to class
• Bring laptop.  Leave the fuzzy pen and Hello Kitty notepad at home.

• Make friends and study buddies
• Find an older, eligible law student to date
• Glasses make you look academic
• Stay away from skeezy professors
• Combine studying with sunbathing or hair appointments to multitask

• This is going to be just like senior year... only funner!
• When in doubt, the Bend and Snap, works every time!

Let's get this party started!

Restaurant Review: Cantina Laredo

Due to paling around with some somewhat-swanky people, I’ve had the opportunity to go to the Gulch’s most trendy Mexican hot spot a few times, Cantina Laredo.  For the non-Nashvillians, who may not even know what “the Gulch” is, it’s a trendy spot in downtown Nashville with lots of condos, restaurants, and bars. 

Here’s my short and sweet restaurant review:  This place is way over-hyped.  Their home made salsa is quite good, but their guacamole, which is what they are supposedly known for, is bland, and their food is too.  I’ve eaten there twice, and both times I was seriously underwhelmed.  The group I ate with the last time all came out complaining about how bland their entrees were, so I was glad that it wasn’t just me who felt this way.

 

I’m not one to be downtown at the see-and-be-seen times these days, so I’ve heard that Cantina Laredo is one of those places that trendy hipsters and downtown dwellers go, so I would guess if you stick to the chips and salsa and margaritas you might be alright, although when I went this summer, I tried one of their signature margaritas, and it was nothing special either.

So if you’re around the area looking for great Mexican food, skip Cantina Laredo.  Try Rosepepper Cantina, or TacoMamacita.  Nashvillians, help me out, what other legitimately good Mexican food is out there?

Gallery Night: Preschool Style

Last night Bradley's school held an Art Exhibit night.  All of the classes worked on various art projects to display, some modeled after famous artists' works.

4A's art inspired by Kandinsky

The artist and his work (B's is the middle one, bottom row)

The preschool was hopping on a Friday night - a far cry from his previous daycare's lame attempt at nighttime events.  These parents and kids actually showed up!  Bradley had fun running around with his friends, and I had trouble keeping up with him through the throngs of people.

Caught playing with a friend

Diarama made by B and a few friends

And of course, what gallery night would be complete without cheese and crackers, and a little sparkling grape juice?  They really know how to host an event!

Bradley's class made objects out of clay as one of their projects

He's been in a bat phase for a while

This cracked me up

Painting with Salt

Bradley was channeling the minimalists' with his art - less is more!  Some of his classmates' sheets were filled with color, but this little one just has not patience for art.  When he was younger, I thought it was just a matter of maturity.  Now I've come to accept that it's just boys being boys, so when it comes to him drawing me a picture, or sitting down to attempt an art project with him, I'll take what I can get.

Stockwell, Angel

Baby Stockwell with Lucky

Christmas 1998

This past Monday, as Heather so aptly stated, Stockwell became the angel he never was while he was with us.  We're all in mourning as we had to say goodbye to a family member who happened to be a pet who spent 14 years with us.  I stop short of declaring him a good dog, however.  Because when I think back on all of Stockwell's antics, he was anything but a good dog.  He was, however, an animal with personality who always got a second glance by a stranger at his odd shaped body, and who was loved by all who knew him.  I can't begin to cover all of the funny Stockwell stories, so I'll try to hit some of the highlights.

Stockwell & Mom in their Christmas shirts

Food Stockwell has stolen over the years

• Baguette (read that story here)
• Haubstadt cake from Christmas Village
• My entire box of Valentine's Day Godiva truffles
• A smaller entire box of Schokolaud truffles
• Mass quantities of sugar cookie dough out of the trashcan (earning him the nickname "Sug")
• Countless other foods from counters and tables

Stockwell Sunbathing

Nicknames

• Precious (or "My Precious" as in LOTR)
•  Bull dozer
•  Stockily Wockily Broccoli
• Stocky
• Stockwell Angel (as in "Stillwell, Angel" from A League of Their Own)
• Sug (the sugar cookie dough incident)
• Little Heater
• Devil dog (the early years!)
• StockHELL (another early years name!)

Snuggling in bed

Quite possibly the biggest lapdog you've ever seen

Stockwell was a bassadore (half basset hound, half black lab) given to our family by Jenni and Tara Stockwell.  The Stockwell sisters picked him up free from the Brentwood Kroger, and then gave him to us when their parents told them that they absolutely could not get a third dog!  So they brought him over to our house where Laura and I fell in love with the adorable black puppy and reminded our parents that they had promised us that we could get another dog when we moved to Brentwood, several years earlier.  We named him Stockwell in honor of the family who was the reason we got him.  

The most graceful swimmer

He much preferred jumping in after frisbees to riding on the floats

Stockwell thought he was a lap dog from the get go, and even when he was 60+ pounds and full grown, he preferred to be laying on laps, and sleeping on top of legs in bed with you.  If you have ever visited our house, chances are Stockwell has climbed in bed to snuggle with you.  His shiny black coat smelled of Fritos according to Laura, and for the first four years of his life, he was a hyperactive dog who had to be given "puppy downers" who liked to steal shoes, socks, and hats and take off with them, dig up rosebushes repeatedly, chew speaker wires, hump and chew up throw pillows, and destroy pool cushions leaving a yard full of cotton snow in the heat of the summer.  He loved the pool, and his favorite spot was sitting on the top step in the water where he would sunbathe and help himself to a drink.  He would go swimming whenever a frisbee was tossed in the water, and would run the length of the pool barking whenever anyone would jump in.  You would think a black dog would seek the shade, but Stockwell always wanted to lie in the sun.

A lapdog from the get-go

Howling along to the harmonica

Stocky was true to his nickname, long and short to the ground, but the long body allowed him to stand on his hind legs and reach for food which he would steal and swallow quicker than you would even realize it was missing.  He had a major sweet tooth, and would sniff out candy or desserts throughout the house, and making him sick on occasion from over-indulgence.

Bed party - June 2008

A curious Bradley climbs on Stockwell

He was a cuddly animal who would let you lay on him, and snuggle his silky ears and meaty thighs and almost every picture we have of Stockwell is of him snuggling with one of us.  His favorite toys were a yellow bear, and Larry the Cucumber, and he sang bass in the trio of canines whenever anyone played the harmonica for him, Julius and Oscar.

I will share one funny Stockwell story.  When I was a senior in college, I lived in the Sugar Shack (an off campus condo), and mom and dad came to visit and they surprised me by bringing Stockwell.  I was so excited to see him, but the minute he ran in like a wild man into the strange condo, Stocky immediately saw this picture of Kramer on the wall and began to growl at him!  He was not a fan of the Kramer portrait!

Several days have gone by since Stockwell left us, and the gaping whole he left behind is still ever present.  I know he was just a pet but he literally followed us from room to room and went everywhere we went.  Though he couldn't talk,  you would swear he was thisclose to speaking English by the inflections of his moans and howls.   He was as close to being a person as a pet could be. Many have suggested he's in Doggie Heaven now, playing with Lucky, and swimming in that big swimming pool in the sky.  I myself would like to think he's found a nice lap to climb up in, and he'll be waiting for us with wagging tail someday.

waiting for his next lap to climb into

I'm late for a very important date

My practical New Year's resolution this year is two-fold:  to give up the snooze button, and to be on time.  

I hate being early for things.  Something about the way I'm hard-wired makes me think that being early is a waste of time.  Why get somewhere 10 minutes early, when I could have spent that ten minutes fixing my hair, talking on the phone, or grabbing a coffee?  At the same time, I despise being late, which is how I typically operate.  I'm late, I'm grouchy, Bradley is slow, and I am stressed.  My habitual tardiness makes me 10 minutes late for choir, or 15 minutes late to work, and it's become a habit I am none too pleased with.  So I am trying to change that mentality and be more proactive about getting up earlier and leaving earlier so that I'm not constantly in a rush, and allow myself to relax and enjoy the 10 "extra" minutes I might have by arriving to my destination with time to spare.

So hello 2013, and goodbye snooze.  

Since we are a good ways into the month now, I will admit that old habits die hard, but there has been a vast improvement, and I am headed in the right direction.  What are your resolutions, and are you keeping them?

Oh Say Did You Sync?

Lip Sync, that is.  Yes, Beyonce, I am talking to you.  Say it isn't so, Mrs. Jay-Z!  Why would you feel the need to pre-record and perfect the national anthem when you are standing still and singing the Star Spangled Banner for such a momentous occasion?  It's not like you were dancing and huffing and puffing, or singing in a stadium where the echo would throw you off.  And you are a darn good singer.  So I don't see why you would cheapen the song and reduce it to singing along to a recording.

When I heard you sing Monday, your rendition of the national anthem was amazing, or at least it was before I heard rumors that you were lip syncing.  Now it's just a big old fat disappointment.  Just like the first lady's red inaugural gown.

Too Much T.V.?

I have been on a TV binge for the last month and a half.  Ever since I took the LSAT, I have been playing catch up on all the fall TV shows I neglected, and let me tell you, I am Loving it!  Every night after I put Bradley to bed, it's like a whole new world!  2 episodes of Grey's Anatomy here, an episode of Glee there, a season's worth of Nashville;  I could really get used to this!  My current shows, in alphabetical order, are:

• Downton Abbey
• Glee
• Grey's Anatomy
• Nashville
• New Girl
• Parenthood

If Nashville weren't my hometown I wouldn't waste my time on this one, but I love the shots of the city and the fact that the show centers around country music.  New Girl makes me laugh out loud every single week.  Grey's has gotten good again and keeps me hooked every week with cliffhangers.  Parenthood makes me cry every week, and Glee is the guilty pleasure I just can't give up.  The big group numbers just take me to my happy place of singing in choirs.  Downton Abbey I'm watching on Hulu and catching up (currently started season two) so that eventually I will be able to watch the current season three on TV.  Lately I dream in British accents, and being a maid seems like such a glamorous lifestyle. 

And of course, whenever the Wildcats are on I'm glued to the tube as well.  It sounds like a lot when it's all written down like that, but my television habit is not an addiction or anything.  I can quit anytime I want to.  No big deal.  Anyway, why haven't there been any new Tori & Deans?  Seems like it's been forever since the last season.  I must nurture my love for Tori, and it's hard to do that with no new shows.  I've had several other recommendations by people, but there literally aren't enough hours in the day for me to add any more, but here they are, in no particular order:

• Big Bang Theory
• Modern Family
• Suits
• Game of Thrones (thanks to Ari, I will forever think of this as Game of Thongs)
• Portlandia
• Justified
• Breaking Bad
• Boardwalk Empire
• Some show that's supposed to be the modern-day FRIENDS?  Can't remember the name.

What else am I missing that I absolutely must watch?  What should I bump to make room for any of the above?  What are you watching?  Yes, you.  

Law School Bound

We interrupt these regularly scheduled movie reviews for some important information:  as most of you know, I have decided to get off my rear end and pursue a childhood dream of mine to become a lawyer.  21, oh alright, 32, is not too late, and so next month I will begin my 4 year adventure into law school.

I admit that when I look at the paltry amount of blogs I posted last year that I am ashamed.  Though 2012 was a turning point for me as I navigated the waters of dating once again, and spent almost half a year studying for the LSAT, as well as working full time and of course taking care of the Little One.  There were many pictures not posted, and many stories not told in the blogosphere, and I hope to step up my game in 2013.

I love to write, and I do enjoy sharing the humorous anecdotes I can pull out of life, encouraging testimonies of faith, things of the contemporary world such as political commentary, movie and concert reviews, and yes, documenting the family life in words and pictures.  I'm sure I'll have more dating horror stories to regale you with (I'm still saving a good one for you all) and of course gripe about school and being tired I'm sure, but I hope the three or so of you who have stuck by me and still read this blog from time to time will hang around a little longer.

And if not, that's okay too, because I'm happy to keep on writing even if it's just for me, and won't have too much time to cry over lost readers!

Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Oscar winning director of the Hurt Locker, and formerly married to James Cameron), staring Jessica Chastain and a bunch of other men, is based on a true story centering around the CIA hunt for and capture of Osama Bin Laden.  Jessica Chastain just won the Golden Globe for best actress and is the frontrunner to get an Oscar for her performance.  I haven't seen any of the other Best Actress noms this year, but they all seem like a bunch of randoms so it will shock me if Chastain doesn't win.

Here are my take-aways from the movie:

• this movie is long (over 1 1/2 hours) and it feels every bit that long
• It's interesting to see how Bin Laden's hideout was finally discovered and ultimately raided
• the film focuses exclusively on Chastain's character Maya, a CIA agent.  Other characters (predominantly men) wander in and out of the film, but for the most part, names aren't given, and you don't know who any of them are.  This was annoying.
• Hey, Tony Soprano's in this movie!  Who is he supposed to be?  I dunno.  Some CIA big wig.
• Maya likes to say Mother Effer a LOT.
• Zero Dark Thirty does nothing for the tourism industry in Pakistan.
• I must have missed the one insignificant line in the film that references the title.
• Kudos to a prominent female director for tackling a subject matter like this with a strong female lead
• Call me cinematically uncivilized, but this film was a character study on Chastain's character, and I am not particularly fond of Chastain as a matter of personal preference.
• I'm giving this one thumb up.  It was long, it drug, and it was a little more conversation, a lot less action than I would have preferred.

Movie Review: Django Unchained

The second movie I saw over Christmas break was Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino's new flick.  I am a Tarantino fan, so I knew what to expect going in:  quippy dialogue, hilarious cameos, and gratuitous violence.

I LOVED Tarantino's last film Inglourious Basterds, and Christoph Waltz who won an Oscar for his role, so Django did not disappoint as the feel of both movies is similar.  The little vignettes played out scene by scene, and by the time certain actors made their entrance, I was so engrossed in the unfolding plot that I'd forgotten that they were in the movie.  That said, there were maybe 3 vignettes too many as the movie did tend to drag in places.

With the premise of the movie being about a German bounty hunter (Waltz) offering to help a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) rescue his wife from an evil plantation owner (Leonardo DeCaprio), this film has gotten a lot of press about being too violent and disrespectful when it comes to depicting the treatment of slaves.  Yes, the things done to the slaves in Django were horrific.  Some were shown, but most surprisingly were not.  Allusions were made, and then the camera panned away.  I'm sure I would feel differently if I were black, but I actually thought Tarantino tackled this subject matter in his usual snarky way without making it over the top violent or offensive.  

I could not get enough of Christoph Waltz. His delivery of text is perfection in my eyes.  I don't know this to for certain, but I'd bet money that Tarantino crafted this role specifically for Waltz, and shine he did. Leonardo DeCaprio dominated his scenes with palpable tension as the role demanded, and there was one random scene with one random actor that will be known by all who see it as the comedic high point of the film.  Jamie Foxx was good, but overshadowed by the brilliance of Waltz and Decaprio, in my opinion.  

Overall, I'd say One and a half thumbs up.  If you're a Tarantino fan, you've probably already seen it.  If you're not, you can wait to rent this one.

Did you hear the people sing?

It’s a rare occasion nowadays that I go to the movies (flash back to my early 20s when this blog was a happening place for movie and concert reviews, and humorous anecdotes staring my twenty-something friends). However, having spent Christmas away from Bradley this year, I had time to see not one, but two new films. Here comes movie review #1.

Of course, I had to see Les Miserables. Not only am I a musical junkie (Sorry, Eric!), but the movie had plenty of star power, and I was intrigued at the way Les Mis was filmed. In case you didn’t know, the actors sang the parts live, with an accompanist following them, heard by the actors only through an ear bud, and then the orchestral accompaniment was added to the vocal tracks later. I would imagine that was maddening difficult for the conductor and musicians who had to follow the actor’s whims of subtle tempo changes throughout.

So Christmas Day came, and I was all set to see Les Mis. Just as we were ready to leave, I checked to make sure it wasn’t sold out. It was - along with every other showing of the movie that day at every nearby theater. Turns out, everybody and their mother goes to the movies on Christmas Day. Who knew? Immediately, I secured tickets for the next day, and thus I finally settled into my seat the day after Christmas, ready to hate Anne Hathaway.

I’ve been annoyed at the way the previews and movie posters have made her out to be this huge part of the film, when I and anyone who has seen the musical knows that Fontine isn’t around for very long, so I couldn’t understand why she was being billed seemingly as the star of the show.  I tried to dislike Anne Hathaway for this very reason, but alas, I could not. Her performance, small in part, but grand in delivery was one of the highlights of the film.  Plus, let's face it.  Anyone who makes themselves look ugly and cut their hair for a role is practically guaranteed an Oscar.

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean was also outstanding, and the benefit to film versus theater in this case is that the audience gets to see in detail the physical aging transformation of Jean Valjean up close and personal.  Due to the scoring of the music, Jackman was able to take his time and give real feeling behind the lyrics, staying true to the music, but also allowing for the rubato that the circumstances needed.  He's a strong contender for the Best Actor Oscar.

Who was that guy who played Marius? Eddie Redmayne is his name.  I'm not usually one for blondes, but he was a cutie patootie, even though his vibrato was visible by his shaking throat.  Redmayne was well cast for this part, and his heartfelt rendition of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was moving to the point where I understood this song in a way I never had before.  (That’s the song Marius sings after he survives the battle and goes back to the barricade ruins, for those who aren’t as familiar with the musical) which brings me to the best/worst song of the fim:

Favorite song – Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

Least Favorite song – Anything by Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe was an abomination to this movie.  Les Mis surely didn't need his star power.  I can remember seeing the previews for the film months ago, thinking to myself, "huh, I didn't know Russell Crowe could sing."  And then I saw Les Mis.  "Nevermind, he can't."  The meaty role of Javert as the pious villain has the powerhouse songs of Les Mis, and Crowe's vocals were in tune (though with the modern technology available through autotune, you can't necessarily credit Crowe with that), they were thin and flat and had no power behind them.  Even his acting was subpar so not even that could make up for him being cast in a major role in a MUSICAL.  As someone who knows and loves Les Miserables, I waited for Javert's songs, only to be majorly disappointed.  He was by far the weakest link of the cast.

2nd weakest link was a tie between Amanda Seyfried as Cosette and Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier.  Seyfried doesn't have a strong voice either (Hello, Mama Mia!) and so what should be light soft vocals ended up being overtaken by birdlike vibrato and an inability to sustain endings of songs, so the vocals were abrubptly cut off.  Sacha  Baron Cohen did a decent job as Thenardier, but he wasn't as hefty and grotesque as Thenardier is supposed to be, and when you're up next to Helena Bonham Carter, you're gonna lose.  Bonham Carter stole the show as Madame Thenardier in every scene she was in.

Overall, I give Les Miserables 2 thumbs up.

Back to Blogging

Hey, remember that time I posted regularly to the blog?  Yeah, me neither.  I'm trying to turn over yet another new leaf and resurrect this thing as far too many events have gone by undocumented.  For starters,

• Bradley turned 4 and had a Star Wars themed birthday party at Monkey Joe's (and I didn't even capitalize on the "May the 4th Be With You" theme when I could have - old age man, I tell ya, I'm slippin')
• I visited Mexico for the first time with "my best friend Heather from home" in July
• Fall soccer, the Green Dragons, went better than last year, but I am not certain soccer is going to be a sport my son enjoys
• Halloween as Darth Vader and Princess Leia
• I turned 32.  Yuck.  I like to pretend I'm at least a youthful 29.
• I finally got off my rear end and decided it was high time I gave law school a shot.  Being a lawyer was a childhood ambition of mine that fell by the wayside when music took over my life, and so better late than never, I studied as much as I could for nearly half a year, and am currently awaiting the LSAT results.
• I am cautiously treading through the waters of online dating, so I'm sure I will be bringing you many tales of woe from my trusty laptop; however, if any of you knows any amazing eligible bachelors, feel free to send them my way!
• Laura and George welcomed baby Atticus into the world, and there is not yet a single picture of him on here. 
• I am still coming to grips with the fact that I am not Superwoman, and there are not 36 hours in every day.  I fall short of my expectations and to-do lists every day of my life, and am trying harder to strike a balance with everything.
• Bradley is learning all about sarcasm.  I bet you'd never guess in a million years who felt it was necessary that he familiarize himself with this literary mechanism.  What's funny is that he grasps the concept. 
• I just experienced my first Christmas spent away from Bradley.  In short, it sucked.  Mothers should never have to spend holidays away from their children.  But my wise old father helped me put things in perspective, and that lifted my attitude considerably.  It's been a long week, but I'm anxiously awaiting celebrating Christmas II tomorrow when I pick him up.
• Happy early 39th anniversary to my amazing parents!  As Sarah Palin said, Learnin's hard, but marriage is harder.  Okay, that was admittedly a paraphrase.  But in a society where divorce is more common than not, I am blessed to witness first hand the sacrifices a husband and wife make for one another to remain in a committed relationship.
• My big 2012 resolution was forgiveness, both for myself and for others.  I'm not there yet, but I am definitely closer than where I was last year at this time. 

Welcome new readers and old, subscribers and silent lurkers.  I've got plenty of things to say, so I hope you'll read it.  But even if you don't, I'll keep on writing as this virtual log is a way to track my amazing, blessed, hysterical life, that I am happy to share with you, or keep to reflect for myself for years to come.

Repti-conned into Going

Saturday I took Bradley to this really cool, interactive, hands on, totally geared for kids reptile exhibit at the Factory.  No wait.  No I didn't.  That's what I thought I was taking Bradley to.

The Living Social deal I got the week before touted this Repticon exhibit as being a family event, and then later last week, an email was sent out saying Williamson County school employees were allowed in free to take their families to this family-friendly event.  Okay, so I'm not a WCS employee myself, but I am related to one.  And kids under 5 get in free, so Repticon, here we came!

The first thing I noticed when entering Jamison Hall in the factory, a place many brides and grooms hold their wedding receptions in (my sister included), was the overwhelming reptile stench.  I could not have told you what this smelled like before Saturday, but you walked into the place and this odor just knocked you back a second- not so gross that you'd want to breathe through your mouth, but enough to cause you pause and say "ohhh, so that's what a room full of reptiles smells like."

And then we stepped inside.  At 5 minutes till 12, we timed our entrance to the exhibit to make the 12 o'clock "show."  I was envisioning a goofy guy in a lab coat, or dressed like a zookeeper, a stage, and bleachers, where the emcee would show a group of fascinated kids different kinds of frogs, snakes, spiders, and teach the kids fun facts about the animals and at the end I would get some great photo ops of Bradley petting a snake which I would then show to my mother who is terrified of snakes, and snicker.

But instead I walked willingly into my mother's worst nightmare.  Let me just toot my own horn and say that I am good mom.  Because I took one look at the first table we came to, with one clear circular container after another, stacked on top of one another, with a live snakes in them, all of them moving around and hissing, because, well, they're alive, probably 30 on each table, and I didn't turn around and leave.  

I took a deep breath, and thought, okay, I can do this.  They're just snakes.  And we pushed through the people to find the "show" that would be starting soon.  When we found it, I realized this whole thing was a gross misunderstanding.  The interactive show was about chameleons, 4 of them to be specific, and Bradley was able to touch exactly one of them.  This was not an educational show for the kiddies.  This was a sales pitch to get you to buy a chameleon.  In fact the whole exhibit was a haven for reptile buyers and sellers; crazy reptile lovers with piercings, tattoos, and wearing black t-shirts.  People were buying snakes right and left.  Not me.  The guy trying to sell us chameleons ignored the fact that most of his audience was under 12 (hey, at least I was not the only fool in Franklin who thought this was a great Saturday activity for her child) and did his best to yell over the noise in the large open room in the little area where a few rows of chairs were set up, because he was too lazy to wear his head mike, while he educated us on how to keep a chameleon's tank humid.  

After the sales demonstration, I took Bradley firmly by the hand and led him through the exhibit hall.  "If we're here, we might as well see some snakes," I thought to myself.  We saw tank after tank of giant snakes (think Nagini), every kind of lizard, tarantula, giant cockroach, tiny frogs, all sizes of scorpions, and container after container of snakes.  I had a small humanitarian moment and felt sorry for the animals confined in such small containers, and then I started over-thinking things and watching them writhe and twist, and the longer we were in there, the more freaked out I got.  I envisioned Snakes on a Plane, but instead saw tables tipping over with snakes slithering all over the floor, and people panicking and running everywhere.  I held Bradley's hand tightly as he was mildly interested in looking at the different animals and asked to touch a few snakes.  And yes I let him, but it was not quite the cheery photo op I had hoped for.  Instead I never let go of his hand, calculating how fast I could whip him towards me if the snake he was petting decided to lunge at us.  It was all I could do to see a furry tarantula leg poking out of a small clear container, and silently curse the day my mother let me see Arachnophobia in the movie theater.

But I was a good sport, and we managed to stay in Jamison Hall a good 30 or 40 minutes when I was able to tell Bradley happily, that it was time to go.  And go we did, where we promptly scrubbed our hands with soap and water when we got home, and I tried to shake the willies for the rest of the day.  

A Bad Booty Call

I love me some country music, and love me some Kenny Chesney.  What I do not love are blatant booty calls masquerading as romantic love songs.  Case in point:  Kenny Chesney's current single, "Come Over."  Before I even look this up, I'm going to make the bold assumption that I bet this song was written by men because no woman would ever feel this way.


... writer takes 2 seconds to verify male songwriters' identities...


Shane L McAnally, Josh Osborne,& Sam Hunt... yep, a group of men.  


Shame on you!  Only a group of male writers would see it as a romantic gesture to miss a woman enough to ask her to "come over" but not have to miss each other or "say forever."  News flash men- we want you to say all those things... and mean them!  Read these lyrics for yourself and see if you don't agree.

"Come Over"

I turn the TV off, to turn it on again

Staring at the blades of the fan as it spins around 

Counting every crack, the clock is wide awake 

Talking to myself, anything to make a sound 

I told you I wouldn’t call, I told you I wouldn’t care 

But baby climbing the walls gets me nowhere 

I don’t think that I can take this bed getting any colder 

Come over, come over, come over, come over, come over 

You can say we’re done the way you always do 

It’s easier to lie to me than to yourself 

Forget about your friends, you know they’re gonna say 

We’re bad for each other, but we ain’t good for anyone else 

I told you I wouldn’t call, I told you I wouldn’t care 

But baby climbing the walls gets me nowhere 

I don’t think that I can take this bed getting any colder 

Come over, come over, come over, come over, come over 

We don’t have to miss each other, come over 

We don’t have to fix each other, come over 

We don’t have to say forever, come over 

You don’t have to stay forever, come over 

I told you I wouldn’t call, I told you I wouldn’t care 

But baby climbing the walls gets me nowhere 

I don’t think that I can take this bed getting any colder 

Come over, come over, come over, come over, come over 

Come over, come over, come over, come over, come over. 

Come over, come over, come over, come over, come over. 

Why would a woman ever be persuaded to "come over" when you've already said up front that you're not going to make any promises or tell her what she wants to hear.  Who falls for this just because neither of you "can take this bed getting any colder?"

No woman would ever offer these things, lest she sound completely desperate! But apparently, it's sexy for the man to to ask these things.  And yet here we are, swooning over Kenny's latest offering, written into a power ballad format in the same vein as "Somewhere With You," another gut-wrenching emotional song about missing someone.  

At least with the most famous of the country ballad booty calls, Need You Now, it seems that both parties are well aware of their arrangement.  In "Come Over" it's left totally one-sided, and I for one, cannot condone the side that's been taken.

Reaching a milestone

For his 4th birthday, Bradley got a really cool Spider Man "big boy" bike with training wheels to graduate from his piece-of-crap plastic tricycle. I don't care if I age myself when I use the phrase sincerely, "they just don't make toys the way they used to!"

As our driveway is sloped and we live on a hill, there isn't anywhere for Bradley to ride here, so we have to head to the park to get some pedaling practice in. Here are a few pictures from our first venture at the park:

And one from the 4th of July neighborhood bike parade:

I was so proud of him on July 4th because they had the kids all ride around the roundabout in our neighborhood, which turned out to be up and down a hill, and much further than I thought the parade's path would be.  

Last week however, we went to the park one night after dinner and Bradley was able to ride the entire mile loop around the park. My wheels are spinning (pun intended) and I am hoping to have a new exercise buddy! If he can pedal, I will have someone to go running with, or at least next to! I have visions of sugarplums and mother-son workout time dancing around in my head.  But for now, I am just proud of him for learning how to ride, and excited that he has reached this "milestone."

Tribute to a Great Tennessean

As a woman, a Tennessean, and a lover of basketball, this video is a must-watch. It was shown at the ESPN ESPY awards last night. Even if you don't fall into any of those categories, I highly recommend you take a few minutes to watch, too.


Pat Head Summit is one of the most inspirational people of this generation, and she's prepared to tackle Alzheimer's with the same fire and passion that she's had in coaching. If her track record as a champion and one who overcomes is any indication of how she will fare, I'd say if anyone can fight this disease, she can. I love one of the ending quotes from a former player who comments, "the amount of people that this woman has impacted in women's basketball is nothing to the amount she will impact for the cause of Alzheimer's." Go get 'em, Pat.

Things I'm obsessed with these days

John Mayer's newest album, Born and Raised - for me he's the songwriter who tracks right along with where I am in life, from the self-discovery of my early 20's, to the dating and breakups in the years that followed, and now he tackles getting older.  I love his lyrics, and yes, his gravelly smoky voice.  I agree he's a polarizing figure; you either love him or you hate him.  My favorite track on this album is a tie between the "Age of Worry" and "Something Like Olivia."

The Pistol Annies - I still can't believe I hadn't heard of them before a few months ago. Do yourself a favor ladies, and check out the killer country twang, tight harmonies, and snarky girl power of their single, "Hell on Heels."

I am loving my no-frills moisturizer, CeraVe, recommended to me by my dermatologist.

Kale... who knew it was so tasty?

I have no choice but to be surrounded with Star Wars and Superheros.  I'm learning more about either than I ever wanted to. Welcome to the world of little boys!

• My new Kate Spade purse.  She's my first, despite the fact that I have been obsessing over these designer bags for the past 11 years... But who's counting? I snagged this oversized leather bag on super-sale and am pleased with my purchase.
• Bullet points
• And for my guilty summer pleasure : season 2 of the Glee Project.

Bradley the Bookworm

This summer Bradley participated in the library's summer reading program.  I was delighted to discover they have reading programs available for pre-readers.  My summers were always spent doing reading programs at the library, and it is important to me that Bradley's love for reading is nurtured like mine was.

Grandma B was able to take Bradley to the library for story hour and to check out books, and thanks to her, Bradley participated in the reading program.  Here's a picture of his bingo-card-like check list of activities to do in order to win prizes.  

After 6, Bradley got an orange water bottle, and after 12, he was able to pick out a book of his choosing.  Bradley immediately went for the book about stars and constellations.

We make reading aloud every night a priority, and I hope his love for reading continues as he gets older.

A Special Mother's Day

I woke up on Mother's Day feeling like I hadn't slept a wink.  An early morning visitor who tossed and turned in bed with me for an hour left me groggy as I crawled out of bed on Sunday morning, and prepared the nebulizer for my congested little boy.  This, I thought, is what being a mother is all about!

When I picked Bradley up from church (don't worry, he wasn't contagious or running a fever!) I was treated to a homemade card and a picture with his hand prints- treasures I will keep forever.  When we walked into the house after church, we were greeted by a spread of quesadillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, 2 kinds of beans, rice, and chips, compliments of Chef Laura.  My sweet sis even made me my own special vegetarian quesadilla because let's face it folks- if it ain't a greasy McDonald's cheeseburger, I'm just saying NO to meat.

My home made picture B made at church this past Wednesday night

Me and My Little Angel on Mother's Day

 After we all ate way too much, the moms opened their presents.  Laura and I got mom a deluxe size of her favorite Bare Minerals makeup, and a brand new coffee maker with a built in grinder.  Everyone in my family drinks coffee, and yet we continue to use a cheapo coffee maker that spills every time you pour from the pot, and a broken coffee grinder that you have to stick a knife in to get the grinder to work.  Both were extremely ghetto.  We decided that a new and improved coffee maker was long overdue.

 I got a homemade card from Bradley, along with a refridgerator magnet with his picture on it that he made at daycare, and my first-ever Tervis Tumbler.  I was very excited to take this baby to work today and sip water all day with the worry-free, no-sweat cup.  Mom told me that at the store, they had several different kinds of Tervis Tumblers, and that Bradley really wanted to buy me a Toy Story cup, but she convinced him to get one that I would like... so he chose the Kentucky one.

Super excited about my Tervis Tumbler- how have I made it this long without one?!

 The best gift I received was a paper that Bradley answered all about me at daycare.  I laughed reading every answer with his perceptions of his mom.  Some favorite answers of mine:

• I think my mom is 58 years old.
• I think my mom weighs 40 pounds.
• When my mom grows up she wants to be a real princess.
• My mom wears a size high heel shoe.
• My mom's favorite color is purple.  (Clearly I have not bombarded him with enough pink, so I'll have to remedy that!

Roses from a special guy, delivered on Sunday morning

 Another gift I received was a drawing of me and Bradley taken from a picture.  At first glance, I thought it looked like my mom with Bradley.  Apparently at first glance, Bradley thought the same thing!!!  I guess I must just look really old, which explains the jowells on this drawing, and explains why Bradley thinks I am 58 years old.

The inspiration for the drawing

I made Snapfish cards this year, and nearly had a panick attack when they didn't come until Saturday's mail!  I made one card for mom from Bradley, and then Laura and I went in together and created one that said "Our favorite things about our mom," on the front, where we proceeded to list some serious (how she takes up fiercely for those she loves), but mostly funny (how she exaggerates everything... her elastic waistband pants... how she mixes up phrases) reasons why we love Mama B.  She laughed; she cried; it was better than Cats.

After the lunch settled, we enjoyed chocolate ganoche cake and strawberry shortcake for lunch, and had an all-around nice afternoon together despite the gloomy rainy weather.

Finally, a picture with all the Moms and Moms-to-Be on Mother's Day...

That's right- all of the Bradley women are mothers... Laura Lee is expecting a baby this October!  Congrats to Laura and George, Happy Mother's Day to my amazing mom, and happy first Mother's Day to my beautiful sister!  Being a mom is the best/hardest job in the world, and I'm thankful I am so close (both literally & figuratively) to my mom and sister as she begins this journey as a mom, too.