Antisocial Commentary Release Party...

OR what the heck are cyber-friends good for anyway?

Today is the day we've all been waiting for -Diesel's self-published book Antisocial Commentary From the Secret Files of the Mattress Police is finally out for sale. Why am I helping this dude in his shameless bid for publicity? First of all Diesel is a very funny fellow. He has a gazillion factoids stored in his giant throbbing dome and he manages to write about them all, sometimes simultaneously. Secondly, Diesel is an equal opportunity jester -he makes fun of everybody! Finally, I have come to believe that he is a genuinely good guy.

So go forth fellow bloggers* and check Diesel out. If you're not laughing out loud, you will at least be smiling.

*note to the Vixens, he also thinks our guy rocks!

You Can't Stop the Beat: Hairspray

I was completely charmed by this movie today. My guests, Warrior Princess and her BFF Maria also thoroughly enjoyed all the singing and dancing (and of course they were already big Zac Efron fans).

I never saw the original movie or the stage musical, so I didn't even know the plot. WP and I saw the preview when we went to see Nancy Drew (a good movie to see with a young daughter) with my mom in VA. She turned to me in the theatre and said, "We have to see that!". She is definitely my movie-musical buddy because there is not a chance in hell of convincing Hubby, Test Case or FPM to see any movie where there is singing involved.

The cast was wonderful. Nikki Blonsky plays Tracy the overweight main character, Tracy whose personality is so infectious, you cannot help but root for her. Christopher Walken usually gives me the creeps but he was sweet in his role as Tracy's dad and principle cheerleader. John Travolta plays Tracy's mom which sounds weird but it really works. Elijah Kelley plays Seaweed, Tracy's detentional hall dance buddy. He shows her some of his moves. He shows Tracy's BFF Penny (Amanda Bynes) his million megawatt smile and romance blooms. Naturally Tracy falls for Link (Zac Efron). And what's not to like about Queen Latifah? The bad girl mother-daughter duo of Michelle Pfeiffer and Brittany Snow don't fail to make you hate them.

I just thought it was highly entertaining. Yes, some of the 60's dance moves make people look like they are having seizures (and I would know, hehe), but still, in all there was nothing in this movie that would prevent you from enjoying it with your mom or likewise your kids.

That is my short but sweet movie recommendation for your weekend viewing pleasure.

Tai Shan, Meerkats, Reptiles and Random Aquatics

For the second year in a row, the baby panda (Tai Shan) at the National Zoo has made an appearance for me. Yes just for me! Can you believe it? Well he's hardly a baby anymore at age two, but he is still quite adorable.

And the meerkats -they had babies this year - playful, so tiny, and just starting to forage for a little food.




Can you find the chameleon? He is very hard to see. We were also at hand when the reptile keeper hand fed the veiled chameleon (crickets -you wanted to know!).
Click on the picture, it gets bigger.




AMAZONIA!


























Wanna Kiss?!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy Jig

Ten days in Virginia might have been too much or not enough, depending...
Thank G-d I had the Warrior Princess by my side.
I saw All my sibs, one only briefly. Most of that was good fun that was funny. Then there was the drunken outburst from one brother that led me to declare him "a douche bag" to his face. I'm not sorry, cuz he really was acting like an asshole.
My mother was acting strangely childlike and it caused me to gaze upon her with a fearful eye, yet in some very important ways she is living her best life ever.
Auntie was friendly and nice, all faculties intact. The remaining non-drunken sibs and their offspring were for the most part friendly and we enjoyed getting to know them again. I like WP to hang out with her cousins, she doesn't have any here.
WP and I spent some real quality time together exploring D.C. She's only 11, so we still get along fabulously.
Back on the home front, the guys kept all animals healthy (and -bonus!- the house didn't smell bad!). Most of the plants and my garden survived. We were missed. I brought gifts.
Happy, happy, joy, joy.