Bad Blair

This was the episode with Bad Blair, who sits in her negligee and drinks whiskey with scuzzy guy. Bad Blair also wears hot Herve Leger dresses and spills society secrets. But really now, Bad Blair and Everyday Blair are more or less the same. Obsessed with college; teasing Chuck; being a bitch to everyone? That's the same Blair as before, right? I think we are supposed to believe that in some universe, Blair was a good girl, but all of that was back when Serena was a bad girl. Hey, Gossip Girl, we weren't watching the show before it was, um, on television.

After all of the ridiculousness about Yale, I actually feel bad that Blair is college-less, although I can't believe that Constance Billard would let her only apply to one place. Also, the hazing of a teacher thing is so bogus. She gave Rachel the wrong time for the opera! And the whole "Dan Humphrey did the teacher thing," while not technically true at the time, was obviously prescient. That should count for something. I don't believe 99% of colleges would give a flying headband what Blair did.

Bad Blair — who kind of morphed into Sad Blair — hooking up with Happy Nate is an interesting development I suppose. His pep talk to her was very sweet and was the most Nate has spoken in months. I think he represents stability and comfort to Blair, which she is craving right now. This was all happening while Nate was reconciling with his blindingly rich grandfather, who apparently ditched him after the minor life-hiccup of Nate's coke-head dad losing all their money, running away to the Islands, leaving his family as squatters and ultimately going to jail. Nice one, Grandpa.

After a touch football game, in which I expected to see their blood run blue, and some group hugs, Nate got sucked back into the rich family vortex and left Vanessa and their planned Eastern Europe backpacking trip for an internship with Mayor Bloomberg. From what I can tell, Nate can barely read, so I'm not sure what he is going to do for the Mayor. It was nice to see him happy and in possession of an actual storyline though. He and Chuck are going to step though. Chuck wants Blair bad. Bad enough to turn down her offer for cheap, public sex at the Vandy mansion. He loves her. Awwww.

Who else was in the episode? There was an idiotic story about Rufus and Lily making lists of their past conquests. Lily's included Slash and Trent Reznor. Rufus' included 13 people, which is about as believable as two adult parent(ish) — where the f is Eric?— people making lists like this. Serena has probably slept with more people than Rufus. If Dan Humphrey keeps bedding the faculty, he could be up to 13 in no time. I was kind of happy that Lily didn't apologize or try to make too nice with Rufus. He's such a baby.

Dan Humphrey inexplicably got invited to all of Nate's family functions and can apparently play football. Not to mention ask his sister for something cold to put on his sore ankle! When I was Jenny's age I would have required payment to remit that sort of assistance for my brothers.

Dan Humphrey also got slapped by Serena for the costume-closet incident with Rachel. I've been thinking about these two and I feel kind of ripped off. They had this great courtship and sweet romance and one mad and one sad break up and since then have had lame reconciliations followed by lame break-ups with lame lovers in between. I know this is the model for the teen show, but it's sucking the wind out of Danrena.

Rumor on the Internets is that Serena is going to tap her inner Anne Hathaway and get involved with someone interested in creative financing. Timely yes, but I'm sure Dan Humphrey will save the day and we will have another tepid reunion to take us into the summer. I'm a bit like the GOP about this, I have no better ideas, just venting.

It looks like next week real life loves Vanessa and Chuck are going to attempt to make Nate and Blair jealous by hooking up. Jesus, I sure hope this group uses protection. Chuck alone could cause a terrible outbreak.

Sorry this recap is so late. I'll do better next week. Or not. xoxo

Status Updates

I'm just going to launch into this one without a lot of preamble. We all know what status updates are, even though it's called sharing now. We all know my blog is having an identity crisis, so let's play along. (And please allow a little creative license, while I stretch this conceit beyond the point where it makes any sense.)

Sarah is doing a lot of research about Greensboro, Alabama. Intrigued? Stay tuned.

Sarah is just finished a most annoying, but nicely written book, Breakable You, by Brian Morton. Am I losing my tolerance for reading books about middle class New Yorkers that are miserable?

Sarah is also not sure why she battled through Netherland. It was the 5-page long descriptions of cricket that did me in. At least Breakable You was an easy read.

Sarah is in need of a book she is going to love.

Sarah is worried about Sawyer's goodness.

Sarah is frustrated by Idol.

Sarah is happy that Grey's Anatomy seems to be making a comeback.

Sarah is in love with these chilean lime chips. They are cooked in avocado oil, which means they have 30% less fat than your average chip. Avocados are really good for you; chips are fun and these are really, really tasty. Super-salty, tangy, crispy and great with sandwiches. I promise they don't taste like cardboard. One caveat, the bags are smaller than an average chip bag, so the risk of eating the whole bag is high. Unfortunately, doing this would still be around 80 billion calories of chip consumption, despite their 'healthiness."

Sarah is counting the above item as a product review.

Sarah is obsessed with this perfect sandwich:

Soft grainy bread
Soft avocado, spread on one piece of bread
Goat cheese spread on the other piece of bread (if I don't have goat cheese, I just slice up gruyere or cheddar)
A couple slices of tomato
A few pieces of pancetta cooked until crispy

Smush it all together and eat. You can add egg for extra yumminess and obviously take out the pancetta for meat-free action.

Sarah is sure that TV bloopers watched on YouTube are the cure for any bad mood. The Seinfeld bloopers are really great.

Sarah is happy her husband is home.

Sarah is happy she blogged today and thinks she will do it again tomorrow.

And yes, I would like to share.

*photo by Adam Saynuk at StudioSaynuk

Mimi and Violet and Coach and Dan Humphrey, oh my

With the mister still out of town, my lazy blogging has veered towards blog-negligence. I endure though and instead offer small summaries of the goings on in my life and on television. This requires thinking and writing in tiny doses. Single motherhood has exhausted me, so tiny doses are good.

First, a shout out to my daughters. I'll admit that when Adam left for his trip I feared for my sanity, but they have been sweet and helpful and understanding that the schedule is a little different and Mommy a little more tired. Violet has slept with me most nights and even with her feet in my neck I love the softness of her sweet self there next to me when I lean over to hit the snooze button 5 times every morning.

This morning when I dropped Mimi off at school, she was already sitting at a table intently cutting out a shamrock before I had even left the classroom, and my heart ached a bit for the baby that she isn't anymore. I know she's only 4 and that later tonight when she is screaming in the bathtub, because a droplet of water splashed in her eyes, I will yearn for her to be older and self-bathing, but this morning I wondered where the time had gone.

I wish sometimes that I was more present for them in the present. We are always cleaning up or rushing out or getting ready for a meal, bath, bed, whatever the next thing is. I'm not a great player, so we watch a lot of movies and read a lot of books and I direct them to things that they can play with together. Lately we've been watching Beatles videos on YouTube, which has been fun. I just hope that they like the mother that I am. I also hope that maybe when they are in a different stage, I can like the mother that I am a little more or at least cut her a break. (sob)

That was heavy, dude. Let's move on.

Friday Night Lights

I am TWO recaps behind on FNL, for two reasons. One, time is not my friend lately and two, as much as I enjoy writing about the show, it either ends up as a straight up summary or my analysis ends up more or less the same every recap, because great as the show is, its themes don't change. It's about growing up, taking responsibility, messing up and fixing it — these things, when told well, are very moving, but difficult for me to write about in an interesting fashion every week. I think. Or maybe I just haven't had time! So, a quick run down. Street moved to Jersey, despite me telling him that it is too expensive. I found that whole story a little Pollyanna, but I loved him and Riggins male-bonding in New York.

Tyra's boyfriend turned out to be pretty suck. The pill-popping lead to the money-owing and the man-handling of Tyra and a lot of sweating. I still don't get where the baby mama from a few weeks back fits in? I guess he was lying about that and he is the father or she was trying to collect on someone else's behalf. I wish Tyra could get her shit together. I liked Coach in romantic mode, wooing Tami at the hotel, but I also liked him in protective mode, picking up Tyra and keeping the Rodeo junkie away from her. Coach is multi-awesome like that.

Saracen and his mom seem to be forging a nice bond, and despite her being a worthless mother for most of his life, she is at least there now, telling him to go to college and not give up his life for Grandma. I do love Grandma, though. She isn't trying to hurt Saracen and she raised him to be such a good guy. She's just scared. Saracen and Julie seemed to have settled into a nice post-coital romance. Looks like Coach gets an eyeful next episode though. I'm thinking that's going to be awkward for him.

Saracen is a wide-receiver* now and he and Riggins were making plays and getting it done in the play-off game. JD is showing his nerves a bit. I think that's a nice direction to take this kid. Anyone else think he is awfully little? I know quarterbacks aren't huge, but he is tiny. There is clearly trouble brewing between Coach and Mr. McCoy.

Riggins and Lila got into fight about Riggs going to college, but he stopped being a dumbass and appears college bound now. How is all of this going to come together if FNL gets renewed? I want more, but not if it means they all go to Dillon Tech together, 90210 style. But FNL: The Next Generation is weird too. Thoughts?

Gossip Girl

In theory, I'm so happy it's back! Woot! Woot! In practice, last night's episode was only a lukewarm lava bomb for me.

The Chuck stuff is so, so, so lame. I guess it was all a set up to bring back the scuzzy guy and show what a true heart Chuck actually, maybe, has. But does Chuck even go to school anymore? Does he even see his friends anymore? He's like 40 now. And boring. I got excited just seeing him sit and wait for Blair, hoping to get a little bit of pop to add to his fizzle, but nope. She's going to be with scuzzy guy now, because she is apparently embracing the fact that she isn't very nice. I appreciated her telling Serena not to try and convince her that she is actually a good person. She isn't particularly. And all of this Yale business has really brought out the worst in her and not even in a fun way.

The Age of Innocence is one of my favorite movies, so I found it cool(ish) that the senior class was putting it on as a play. The director storyline was just annoying, although initially I thought he might be Serena's new man and was pleased that he was so much hotter than greasy Aaron. He ended up being a dick and gay, so it doesn't matter.

Dan Humphrey and Rachel the Idiot Teacher were still getting it on and it was hot, but she was lame and I didn't understand how Dan Humphrey could go from someone like Serena to Rachel. I mean, brain-wise I suppose I see it, but we didn't have enough to work with in that department either. And she dressed so badly! I think I wore her professional version of mini, tank, cardi combo in like eighth grade. Dan Humphrey telling his dad to step back was pretty killer. I like a little bad-ass in my geek boys.

What else? Jenny still looks like a 25-year old Lower East Side bartender circa 1999. Nate and Vanessa have nothing in common, which is just shocking! Nate's assertion that Age of Innocence was 'heartbreaking' was about as convincing as Charles Isherwood actually liking the play the Gossip kids put on or Vanessa quoting Vincent Canby. Contrary to CW's belief system, there is something between neophyte and savant, be it film or literature related.

I'm intrigued by previews that show a possible Blair/Nate hook-up. I thought we had retired that couple. Also, word on the street is that Georgina is coming back. Not sure how I feel about that one. xoxo

This has run on too long for me to get into Idol business, except to say, no more dancing or Sally Jessy glasses out of you Danny Gokey!

In blogging news: When Adam gets home, I get back on track. That's the plan.

* The scene where Coach threw passes to Saracen as a try out for receiver was everything perfect about FNL. It was football; it was heart and it was funny.

More idle and Idol thoughts

We are headed into night 4 of daddy out of town and the kids and I are getting into a groove. The time change nearly derailed everything, but last night was better than the night before, so it's all up from here. After last week's total crapness, it is nice to be feeling better. With this new found joy, I thought I would share a little what's the what with my loyal readership of 12.

It's best to start with Idol. It still sucks. Even the contestants that were good didn't get me out of my seat. (Figurately speaking, of course. I'm no Paula!) I don't understand the judges. Paula has been so sharp all season, but last night she was off (or on) her meds again. I do find it interesting, that even in her diagonal state, she is the only one of them that actually gives advice. That's new this year.

I can't for the life of me figure out why Simon would say that Idol isn't the place to try new things, when just last May the winner of the competition changed it up every week. Billie Jean, anyone? Or Blake Lewis kicking Bon Jovi's ass two years ago? Wouldn't Simon get bored hearing the same bombastic crapola every week? Really though, it's not the contestants artistry that is the problem, it's that they are all tools. Well, maybe not Scott MacIntyre. He's just boring.

I'm going to disagree with Slezak's inital thoughts about Michael Sarver. I not only really liked his vocal last night, but I don't care that he is up there because Simon said he deserved a break. He does! This country sucks right now and if dude gets a few months away from the oil rig, and hopefully gets to go on tour, it will suck a little less for Michael Sarver. He's not hurting anyone. It's not like he got picked to be on the Secret Service. And he's a better singer than Jasmine Murray, who was a fembot last night. Even Jorge Nunez' audition for Fantasy Island performance of "Never Can Say Goodbye'' had more heart than Jasmine's performance. Jorge and Jasmine are my picks to go home.

I think two people are going home tonight, although there is some surprise that I couldn't get a bead on between Paula's slurring and all the cross-talk. I am sure it will be the kind of surprise you find on the bottom of your shoe after what you thought was a nice stroll in the park. That would be on par with the rest of the season.

Other quick impressions from last night:
Adam: Still gives me the creeps. Still hate his hair. Kid can perform though.*
Alexis: She wants it, but I think she's just alright.
Anoop: Wasn't as bad as the judges said. Not sure he has much of a voice though.
Alison: Acts like a 16-year old. Sings like, well, Ann Wilson. Love.
Danny: He's really growing on me. He's a good singer and I liked his big, funny family.
Matt: Don't remember him, so I'm going to say 'not memorable.'
Kris: Very cute. Love the guitar. He'll go far in the competition I think.
Megan: I love her husky voice and I don't care that she doesn't hit the notes (Brooke White didn't either — didn't care), but that has to be the worst song choice in Idol history. And did I see her flapping her arms like a chicken? Really, dawg?

In the category of idle — and random — thoughts, wanted to quickly share a kickin' recipe that I tried last night. It's flat bread that I made with garbanzo bean flour. The kids made theirs into pizza and I dipped mine in tomato sauce and hummus (I like chick peas with my chick peas) and ate it with olives and manchego cheese. I've been cooking a lot lately and this is one of the tastiest recipes yet. It's a Mark Bittman recipe. He's been my cooking boyfriend lately. Here it is and enjoy! http://www.markbittman.com/recipes/easy-whole-grain-flatbread

* Just watched Adam Lambert's performances of "Satisfaction" and "Black or White" again and I'm reconsidering him. I think he might be the grown-up of the group, and even with the Broadway stylings, he can kind of really rock. My skeeves might be fading.

Tatiana and My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

It's been a colossally crappy week for me for a variety reasons, from family stuff, to not having my favorite mittens in the snow,* to Adam working late and preparing to leave for two whole weeks,** to having to cancel Violet's birthday*** party,**** because Mimi is illin', and last but not least, to the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day Parade generating a disgusting fraternity like atmosphere in our apartment building and a Seinfeldian parking nightmare — it's not though, that we couldn't find our car, it's that WE COULD NOT FIND A PLACE TO PARK IT! So a big eff you to the last 10 days.*****

There were however, some interesting TV developments.

American Idol

What is going on with Idol? Maybe I am overly influenced by Slezak over at ew.com, but this season is whack. It is the opposite of a molten hot lava bomb, wait, that actually doesn't sound like a good thing. Suffice it to say, it's been sucking and for a variety of reasons.

A) Kara. She is useless. She isn't dissenting or smart. She's just another seal clapper, who adds nothing. Her constant talk of how "commercial" an artist could be, is off-putting. I'm not naive. I know that they want a whole package deal, but nobody would have looked at David Cook with his bad hair and dorky sweater vests a year ago and called him commercially viable. Carrie Underwood had a perm! Picking Jasmine Murray over Felicia Barton for the wild card (and ultimately the top 13), because of her pretty face, is just cynical. Let's keep it a singing competition and see where we end up, k?

B) Simon. He's just being a jerk this year and I'm usually a Simon fan. He seems unhappy to be there and irritated by the show. Come to think of it, maybe he's just like me, waiting for the real Idol to please stand up, please stand up.

C) Season 8 of weird homophobic sexual innuendo between Ryan and Simon is about 8 seasons too many, especially when they drag the contestants into it.

D) Tatiana Del Toro. Clearly the judges knew who they wanted to advance to the Top 13 and they didn't want to make it difficult for themselves, so they gave crazy Tati the wild card, with her fake accent and kneeling before the judges, just so they could mock her and bat her around a little more. It wasn't funny the first 5 times. They chose her, because they didn't want their minds changed by giving a real talent with a real chance of advancing, another shot. Idol is off the rails, yo. What!?

Lost

Make no mistake, I am not usually a Lost prognosticator. I don't see or look up most of the Easter eggs. I remember much of the mythology very haphazardly and primarily I watch for the characters, which is how I came up with this thought: Sawyer is the most genuine character on the show.

I am generally a Jack fan, but during this week's episode, "LeFleur," it occurred to me that Sawyer loves and is loyal because he does and he is. It's not because the Island is telling him to, like Locke, or because his own screwed-up life has made him feel that he must protect at all costs, like Jack. He is just a good man. Yes, he was a con man and we still have to see what lengths he goes to in order to keep his new Dharma life with Juliet, but I think his good heart will win out in the end.

I'm not over Jack, I'm just taking a longer look at Sawyer.

ER

Returning castmemberpalooza has been awesome. Loved seeing Morgenstern. George Clooney next week will no doubt send me into palpitations, but the Carter and Benton reunion? That's the good stuff. As unwilling mentor and student, they had great, roller coaster chemistry. That is a friendship I can't wait to revisit.

I'm out. I'm getting some sort of weird-weather cold. When will the bad juju stop? Time to watch Friday Night Lights. Will I recap? Who the hell knows.

* I found them today, when it was 65 degrees. Thanks Random Spiritual Guide, in whom I only marginally believe in as it is!
** He'll be doing Project M in Maine for two weeks, which gets a big WOOT WOOT! I am so proud of him. We'll miss you, baby.
*** I can't believe my sweet little girl is going to be 3. Where is all the time going?
**** On a positive note, many excellent baked goods left over. My friend Joanne Laurie, made the most amazing Angelina Ballerina cake (see photo). She's the Martha Stewart of Hoboken, so look her up the next time you need cake or cupcakes.
***** On another positive note, my in-laws came to visit. That was lovely.

What Would Tami Taylor Say or WWTTS?

I haven't blogged in NINE days. 9. That's almost two weeks. Sort of. What is happening to me? Where has my mojo gone? What will become of all my hopes and dreams? Maybe Tami Taylor knows. She always has the best advice. 

First things first, wouldn't it be nice to be as wise as Tami and as hot? Connie Britton doesn't have children in real life, so she gets to show off boobs that haven't been destroyed by pregnancy and nursing. (Friday Night Lights is very fond of its female character's cleavage.) I've said that she and Kyle Chandler are the best actors on TV, they are also the hottest mom and dad. 

Tami's excellent marriage was on display when she and Coach went to Jamarcus' house to convince his mom and dad to let him stay a Panther. Coach was all football, while Tami managed to gently interrupt her husband, praise his skills with the young men on the football team, and convince Jamarcus' parents that football was a good cure for their son's lack of focus. Coach is a molder of men after all. They agreed to let their son play, and we were rewarded with a Jake Houseman-style* "you looked great out there."

How charming was it when Coach opened the car door for Tami when they were leaving? He knows how good he has it.

Also, in need of counsel was our hapless Landry. I've always been on the fence about Landry. The 'oops I killed a guy' storyline last year with Tyra, while exasperating from a storytelling point of view, was beautifully acted by all involved. (Including Glenn Morshower as Landry's father, where has he been?) We got to see Landry's courage and conscience. Also, he's pretty funny. But I still don't really care what happens with his character. Maybe it's Julie Taylor syndrome — I know he's going to be just fine, which is basically what Tami told him. Years from now when he is miles and miles from Dillon, none of what breaks his heart now is going to much matter. If only we could all go back in time and tell our teenage selves that! 

I'm all for more gay characters on TV, so I'm down with the cutie, lesbian bass player. Loved that Landry didn't go hater on her. He's got a good heart. 

I actually felt bad for Buddy Garrity this week and that never happens. The guy is a major asshole and he never learns and he would destroy just about anything, except maybe Lila, if it was for the good of the Panthers football organization, but I felt bad that his kids were being so hateful. He was really trying, in his Buddy way, to make their trip fun. The camping was a disaster, steaks and verbal assaults were launched and Buddy stalked off. Good on Lila for telling her sibs to knock it off. Buddy broke my heart a little when Lila picked him up and he said that the whole thing had been awful. Such honesty and embarrassment in that one line. 

Was it just me or did you think Buddy looked doubtful when Lila said "you still have me." He knows that Lila is graduating soon and sleeping with/in love with Riggins. He is going to be very alone, very soon, in a town of people that don't like him very much.

In other dysfunctional family news, poor JD McCoy. His father might be worse than Buddy. I can't believe he ditched his kid after the football game, because he played a rough first half. Thank goodness he has a decent mother. Mr. McCoy and Coach went head to head not once, but thrice in this episode. With McCoy winning the first face off at dinner and Coach resoundingly whupping him at practice and during half-time. Don't mess with Coach's practice or his players. You aren't daddy when the uniform is on. 

Another quick shout-out to Kyle Chandler, his "get the hell off my football field" was a throw away line, but so organic to the character. Sometimes, I think Coach is a real person.

Street and his society of half-wits actually managed to finish and flip the house. I don't know if I believe it would have happened, but all good things for Street and Riggins, so I will let it lie. Loved the open house. Billy Riggins should totally take up real estate sales. 

Street told Lila that he is going to make a go of it in New York. He needs to be closer to Erin and Noah and do more than sell cars for Buddy, but again, it strains believability a bit. Aside from the fact that it's insanely expensive, are there really sports agents that don't have MBAs from Wharton? But if it gives me Riggins and his cowboy boots and shearling coat strolling the streets of Manhattan in next week's episode, I'll let this one lie too. 

Lila and Street have been through it and back again. Their scene together was a nice conclusion to their arc. Classic FNL. As was the highlight reel that Street made for Riggins,' with Coach praising his toughness and Billy talking about the 'best day of his life' when the Panthers won the State Championship. Still waters run deep with Riggins — he is tough, but I also think maybe he is smart and despite my earlier predictions, maybe he won't become the ex-football- playing, town drunk. 

In blogging news: Clearly I owe to my legion of fan to make no predictions, lest they be disappointed. 

* Dirty Dancing of course.

It's Oscar Night!

I'm quickly jotting down the movies that I have seen from this year's Oscar nominees. I listed them in the order that I liked them, but Tropic Thunder would be nowhere near my Top 10 normally.

I love the Oscars. It's a bit of a holiday in my family and I miss watching them with my dad and sister, but Adam has become a faithful viewer, even if he drifts off towards the middle.

I know my list is incomplete, because I haven't seen everything, notably Frost/Nixon. I did pretty well though and spent countless hundreds on babysitters to do it. That's movie love for you.

Here it is:

1. Milk — Loved. It. A nearly perfect biography of a fascinating man.
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Slumdog Millionaire — The hype has actually made me rethink this one, but I was so charmed by it when I first saw it, that it stays in the Top 5.
4. The Visitor — I think it somewhat over-simplified a very complicated issue, but the tenderness and heart make that aspect relatively unimportant.
5. WALL-E — Always makes me teary and I've seen it 20 times. The soft-shoe that WALL-E does with the hub cap especially. I love those damn robots.
6. Vicki Cristina Barcelona — ScarJo sucks, but everyone else is perfect and the scenery is gorgeous. My favorite Woody Allen since Sweet and Lowdown.
7. The Wrestler — This could probably be higher on the list, but here it is. The Mickey Rourke/Randy the Ram meld is something to behold.
8. The Dark Knight — So much more than a comic book movie. Mainly though, if I don't put it within the Top 10, Jeff Labrecque will ban me from ever seeing his wife and children again.
9. The Reader — I adore Kate Winslet in nearly everything, but his was an odd character in a movie with a strange point of view, but it definitely had me thinking.
10. Rachel Getting Married — I was very surprised this one got so much attention. I thought Rosemarie Dewitt's hair was the best part of the movie. Also, the wedding scenes were moving.
11. Tropic Thunder — Biggest movie disappointment of the year for me. I was bored and didn't laugh but a few times.

Happy Oscar Night!