ROSE IS RED

Puppets!

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:56:28 GMT

Alrighty then.

Since I can't find the original link for what I wanted to post before, I'll just post these singing puppets from The Craig Ferguson Show.

I don't watch much late night teevee, so I just stumbled across him opening his show one night with the puppets and found it hilarious. So here's a few to have fun with.

This one was on my birthday

This one is my favorite

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:11:51 GMT

Posted using ShareThis

And Happy New Year!

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:54:11 GMT

I received some good news today. Early in September, I submitted my short subject screenplay to a screenplay contest. I had worked on it and edited it and hoped for the best. Well, I found out today that I made it as a semi-finalist. I was surprised and happy. However, I didn't make it as a finalist, so :(. At least, once the winners are announced, I'll get critical feedback from the review committee. I look forward to that because I want to know other peoples opinions on my writing. The reality is you can't improve without it. Though I admit I'm a little disappointed in not making the final cut, I also admit I'm pleased I got this result the very first time I sent that particular screenplay to a contest.

One thing that I have been really working on, despite my working hours, is getting my social life back. I got to dress up and go out on Halloween. Haven't done that in years. In the last week I've seen two concerts. First, I saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra out at the Izod Center (formerly the Meadowlands). You may have heard of them from the intensely driven Chrismas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24. They put on a great show. And their light show, which they are known for, was massive. I'm pretty sure I suffered a seizure or two. Probably a small stroke. :D It was really great when they brought out the special guest at the finale, Steven Tyler from Aerosmith. My friend and I had a great time. Navigating NJ Transit, however, was a pain in the ass. Through the amazing and much needed kindness of strangers, we made it out there and got back safely. Thanks to all those good folks. Here's a video of TSO performing Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 live. It includes the spoken intro (the CD this comes from, Christmas Eve and other stories, is done in story form--a concept album for lack of a better term). It's from a few years ago, but you get a good idea of the intensity of the music and light show, which is much bigger now.

Six days ago, another friend and I went to see Oasis at Madison Square Garden. They were AWESOME! They don't do light shows. No outrageous stunts or showmanship. They just blow you away with their music. I loved it, loved it, loved it! I think I'm still over-the-moon excited now that I think about it. What a Show! This is a video that shows and almost identical vantage point that we had. And this song, What's the story, morning glory?, had the whole audience singing along the loudest. Even over Wonderwall. Another one of their huge songs. The audience was drowning Liam Gallagher out and he gestured to the sound guys to increase his mike. :D That was funny. Liam doesn't like to be upstaged by his own audience. Noel Gallagher, his brother and the lead guitarist and songwriter, suffered the same fate on one of the few songs he sings, Don't look back in anger. Noel fought it less than Liam. But he did end it the way he wanted to, not how the audience did it. That's what I like so much about the brothers. They will do what they do, out of loyalty to each other and their music. They are both guilty of verbal diarrhea in the worst way. Too some, they're abrasive and outrageous. To me, I can't fault them for any of it. They're rock stars. They get it.

Did I also mention I started taking guitar lessons about two months ago? And did I mention that I found out only a couple of weeks ago that my guitar teacher has been friends with the founder and leader of TSO for 20 years, and has worked on one of their albums? I am sooooooo working that connection next year. ;D

Merry Christmas!

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:06:39 GMT

I am actually in a good mood about Christmas. And I know why. It's because I am going away for the holidays. My mom and my sister and I are going out to Vegas to see my brother and his family. Including my nephew's new baby girl. For once, the pressure and stress that is usually kickin' my ass this time of year is off. Not that I didn't buy presents and do Christmas cards (OK, I finally did that today. Ha!). I did do that stuff. And since we're in the horrible, crushing, will-destroy-us-all Depression, I've held back on going overboard on gifts and, VOILA!, I have some money left. Hooray! for me. One of the things that bothers me the most about Christmas is I end up spending too much. I've learned to reign it in. And that makes me happy.

Why we're going to Las Vegas has to do with last year. Last year, my mom had her gall bladder removed right before the holidays. Well, she ended up having to go to the ER. Long story, short, my siblings and I never really knew how old my mother really was until last year. You'd understand how this happened if she was your mom, believe me. Well, without telling us, our mom reached the milestone age of 80 last year. It was a shock to us because we thought she must've been 8 or 10 years less than that. Yeah, mom looks real good for her age. Anyway, we agreed that we would get her out to Vegas with as much of the family together as possible, to celebrate her 80+1 birthday (actually, it was Monday, but she didn't want to travel on her birthday). So, we've been dropping hint after hint this past year and finally did the hard sell in the last couple of months and...tomorrow, actually later today, we leave for Vegas and will be away until after the New Year. Can't wait.

However, I'm suffering kitty guilt. Because we're going to be away so long, I had my two cats, Max and Silkie, boarded. They left today. I was frazzled because the Pet Chauffeur showed up nearly an hour early and we were not ready. I had to scramble to put them in their carriers, label the carriers, the bag of kitty toys, a quick brush and no proper goodbyes. Of course I called later in the day to check on them and was told they were fine and were even allowing people to pet them and pick them up. That was great to hear. If you think that lessens my kitty guilt and anxiety...you'd be wrong. :/

It will be a relief to have a real vacation. Especially since November started off terribly. Either I had a bad cold, or most likely, the flu, that lingered for two weeks. I pretty much lost my voice which is horrible because I depend on my voice to do my job. I still blame this stupid girl (I refuse to call her a woman because she is so immature) who kept coming to work despite the fact she was so sick. And then she'd spend the whole damn day talking about how bad she felt. Well, fine! Then go the hell home, moron! Instead of infecting the rest of us. Even through the illness I've still been working more hours. And I really want to switch back to daytime hours. I finally had a talk with my supervisor about my job and, not expecting anything, I may have worked myself into a new job. More on this as it develops. I really hope this goes somewhere because I desparately need a/to change.

Your the worst maker ever!

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:08:18 GMT

If none of these pictures needs explanation to you, then you watch HBO's True Blood. In fact, if you recognize these pictures, that means you love True Blood because you're up-to-date on the last episode. Awesome! I was apprehensive about this show (in other words, I thought it would suck, so to speak), but I liked it from the first episode. And each episode leaves me wanting more. I'm always ready to watch the next episode as soon as the latest episode is over. Alas, after Sunday's episode, this season is over. Augh! Why does HBO do this? They make you wait half a year between seasons of your favorite shows. The last episode revealed the killer (if you hadn't guessed) and we get to see if he's captured. Will Sam capture him? Will it be as a man or dog? Will Bill be able to rescue Sookie despite the sunlight? And who is the mystery lady and her pig? A friend of mine suspects (and I think she's right) that the woman is also a shape-shifter and she's really after Sam. And what will become of Jason? He's finally been touched by love (although I still think Amy was crazy). Will his grief lure him into the arms of anti-vampire fanatics? You know, I doubt it. I think Jason is finally becoming a man. And he wants more for himself than to live a life of hate. I didn't even know this was a book series until after the show aired. But I refuse to spoil myself. Except for one plot point in the next book, I don't wanna know anything. It's more fun for me that way .

Will Sookie be rescued from the killer? Will Jason be saved, or "saved"? Will Lafayette remain fabulous? Will Tara be more than somebody else's pawn and free herself? Will Sam get fleas? Will Jessica be the wildest vampire ever? Let's watch tomorrow night and find out. :) Just so we can be left hanging for months. :/

Get Cirqued Widget

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:45:37 GMT

It's time to choose...

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:29:51 GMT

"I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics." Barack Obama

Yes, America. It's time to choose. America needs good government and good leadership again. So vote. If you're reading this and you're of voting age, vote. Vote for the candidate you believe in. Regardless of party. But vote. America needs her people to stand up for her. And we, the people, need to reclaim our democracy. So. Vote.

Eureka! This is fun!

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:47:24 GMT

Darn it! I haven't posted in over a month? That sucks. Let me tell ya what happened. First, back in early July, my aunt, Bea, (my mom's sister) came to stay with us.  Since last year, she's been living with her son (my cousin), Darryl, and his family out in their new house in NJ. Well, they went on vacation, and, basically, they needed somewhere to keep her. That's not harsh, it's true.  My aunt could not be alone in that big house. And she refused to go to a nursing or elder care facility So, it was arranged that she'd stay with us. It was supposed to be five days (it became eight). Well, it was quite a week plus one.  Understand that, while my mom is definitely a senior, my aunt is elderly. My mom is one of four sisters. My mom is the youngest of her sisters. My aunt Bea is the oldest. She needed more care and attention.  I love her dearly. She took care of me when I was a little girl while my mom was at work, before I started school. But elder care is hard. Believe me, this issue is going to be HUGE over the coming decades because so many families will be faced with taking care of their parents or other elder family members. And it's hard. But I digress, as usual. Well, it took a lot out of both me and my mom. It didn't help that it was the hottest week of the summer so far. Anyway, it threw me off quite a bit.  There were other things, too. But I'm finally back on track.

About those other things. I've rarely talked about it here, but I've written and completed two screenplays. One feature length, the other short subject. Because of family issues, I've put both on the backburner of my life. No more. I just can't do that anymore. I've dusted them both off and have been working hard, especially on the feature, with the intention of entering it into contests. My ultimate intention, as it would be with anyone with a screenplay to sell, is to find an agent.  I haven't read through the feature for so long.  Boy, did it need editing. *__*   All the way down to the ending, which still needs polishing. The short, much less so. But it needs tweaking and re-writing. Sometimes, I don't like to say it out loud but, these are really important to me. As is the poetry I've written, which I want to get published.  It plays on my emotions, my writing, and the hopes I have for it.

Anyway, my first reason for posting is about Eureka!, the teevee show. I missed the whole of the second season, except maybe a couple of episodes. Since I don't work on Tuesdays, I've been able to catch up on the new season. And I'm liking what I'm seeing.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I don't know how I feel about this sudden loss (disappearance?) of Nathan. Yes, I do like the Allison/Carter pairing. I'd love to see them together. But to win her like this? Hmm, it seems too easy with Nathan just gone. Then again, Allison won't exactly be running into Carter's arms now, will she? Not after losing Nathan like this.  So, is it a case of one step forward, two steps back with Allison and Carter? She said she loved Nathan. But was it more out of comfort, or was it truly romantic? Does she really think of Jack as her "true friend"? If so, Nathan's loss will be heartbreaking. I guess since there's a new egotistical villainess, Eva Thorne, in the house, the writers felt they didn't need two, so out the door Nathan went.  And now we have Jack's sister, Lexi, in the mix.  With a baby on the way, no less. Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember that random people, even family, couldn't just show up in Eureka? Or at least they couldn't stay for long because Eureka wasn't a normal town? Maybe I'm mis-remembering something I heard from the first season. And what's with the Degree product placements?!

"Does your ego even fit in this building?"--Carter.  LOL That was hilarious

Ballad of Truth

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:09:42 GMT

I recently alluded to my "little obsessions". Most are fleeting. Some have stood a long time. One of those is anime. Japanese anime are, but cannot really be characterized as, cartoons. Yes, there are plenty of anime shows that are cute, silly, funny and just for kids or just for laughs. Some that make it to the US and are shown on tv are aimed at kids. But most are not. For every kids-oriented anime, there is more young adult/adult themed anime. The more popular series in Japan are the ones that make it to US televisions. For instance, I just watched the finale of Death Note. This was a mind-bending anime not meant for those who are not thoughtful or who are impatient. As a matter of fact, patience is a key to anime. The Japanese do not tell stories quickly. It took nine years just to tell some of the story of InuYasha before the series ended. Almost all anime series starts with a manga (comic book series). Sometimes, the manga precedes, and/or exceeds the series. As is the case w/InuYasha, in which the manga just recently ended in Japan. But the anime series ended 2 years ago. My all-time favorite anime is Cowboy BeBop. It had amazing storytelling, animation, perfect voice acting and english dubbing. And it made me realize that an animated story can be filled with intense emotion, tragedy, and can even bring tears to your eyes. My co-favorite is Fooly Cooly. Total opposite in tone. More comedy, less tragedy. But it was very human and real in it's emotion. And ultimately, it awed me with it's immensity. My current favorite series is Bleach. And this too, will be a loooooog one. But it's great. It's one of the most popular anime series ever in Japan. And that popularity has transferred to US shores. But I digress. You may wonder; but why am I not explaining these stories? Because they're not the point. My real point is about J-pop. Japanese pop. I love it. And I was introduced to in thru anime.

From Outlaw Star to Bleach, I have heard music that I absolutely love. Most of the songs I first loved came from the InuYasha series. But Bleach has since surpassed InuYasha in my mp3 player. Thru anime, I also discovered artists I've become a fan of. Yoko Kanno is a prolific composer of amazing talent. From Cowboy BeBop to Ghost in the Shell, she has composed a vast amount of wonderful music. If Hollywood won't "discover" her, Cirque du Soleil should. Her work is right up their alley. And well beyond. One of the bands I've become a fan of is Do As Infinity (D.A.I.) The band is named after it's founder and composer and guitarist, Dai Nagao. The other two main members are vocalist Tomiko Van and guitarist Ryo Owatari. They lasted from 1999 to 2005. A shame because they were very good. Tomiko Van, or just Van, has gone onto a solo career and I haven't caught up with her solo work yet. Two of their most popular songs became closing songs for InuYasha. Fukai Mori (Deep Forest) in season 2 and Shinjitsu no Uta (Ballad of Truth) in season 5. Fukai Mori became their signature song. And it's a sad song at heart as it's about a friend of Van's who died too young. The only way to really know if you like music is to hear it. So I looked over Youtube to find some D.A.I. videos. Unfortunately, the official videos for both of these songs are "copyright protected" and keep getting yanked off Youtube. A shame. However, altered versions aren't a problem. Since I love these songs so much I have to share. Even if it means sharing bastardized forms of videos. It's all about the songs, anyways. This 1st video of from a live performance of D.A.I. performing "Fukai Mori". Please forgive Van as she is especially choked up at the beginning because, like I mentioned before, it's a personal song for her. Unfortunately, the song is cut short a little, but you get most of it:

This one is a slightly altered version of the original ending from season 2 of InuYasha. First, the images were slightly altered in order for it not to be "embed disabled" (again copyright issues). Second, the text was removed. Which makes it so much easier to see the featured character in this particular ending; the gorgeous, flawless, deadly, full-blooded Great Demon lord, Sesshomaru--half-brother to half-demon InuYasha. It's a looooong story, but suffice it to say that Sesshomaru is my absolute favorite character in anime. Bottomline, this was my first introduction to the song. Just hearing a piece of it, and I still loved it:

Last, is season ending 5 song, "Shinjitsu no Uta". It's been translated at "Ballad of Truth" and "Song of Truth". Either way, it's a strong, powerful song that's sung with power and emotion by Van. The original video was yanked like I said. This is, I think, a karaoke version because it features the words in both styles of Japanese writing, and in English. Personally, I find the English lyrics more distracting than the Japanese. It's a bit hard to see the video, but the song is what's important. Hope it grows on you like it did with me:

If this is all new to you, I ask you to give a chance. If it's not up your alley. So be it. But try it first. In the end, it's just pop music in a different language, not rocket science. Why do I like it so much? I dunno. I just do. For right now, that will suffice. And I haven't even gotten to how much I love Hyde yet. Or to the music from Bleach. That's good stuff.

Curiouser and curiouser

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:00:54 GMT

Since The Dark Knight is my newest obsession. I found something most curious. Compare and contrast the following photos. Photos from the last movies of Brandon Lee and Heath Ledger respectively. What does it all mean? Something profound? Nothing of consequence? An interesting coincidence?

Brandon Lee, "The Crow"

Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Some smaller pics to make life easier:

Or not:

Let's just say I find this interesting. WHy So Serious?

Why so...

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:14:37 GMT

Happy Dance

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:45:33 GMT

Yes, it was the biggest Bollywood wedding in India in like, ever. And the happy couple, "AbhiAsh" as they're dubbed are bigger than "Brangelina" throughout Asia. And I'm sure it was a beautiful ceremony. It's been a tough week in the news, so let's relax and celebrate something happy. In pictures. But first, turn up the bhangra music and...EVERYDODY DANCE! Just like in a Bollywood movie.


You can dance if you want to. And you know you want to.



Ahbishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in Toronto back in January where they premiered their film
"Guru".




Here is "AhbiAsh" back in January around the time of their official engagement.


It's the wedding day.  Here the groom looks out
through a veil of flowers


Notice the lovely detail of the Mendhi decoration.


This is as good a look as anyone outside the ceremony will get of the bride.
Unless an official wedding photo is released at some later time.





  Dear God: I would like to look like this for just 24 hours. That's all. Just
  24 little hours. Are you there, God? No. How about Satan? Satan? Dude, help
  me out here. Oh, the havoc I can unleash! }:)>


This is Aishwarya Rai at Cannes in 2003 w/acclaimed, but nearly
unknown in these parts, French director Patrice Chereau (La Reine Margot).
I bring this up because I have his autograph!


This is my Patrice Chereau story. Back when I was studying French at Alliance Francais here in New York, I took advantage of ticket discounts to attend the French Film Festival at Lincoln Center. The festival premiered his latest film at the time, "Ceux qui m'aiment prendront le train" ("Those who love me can take the train") and the premiere included an in person appearance by Monsieur Chereau with a Q&A session to follow.  Which was tricky for him (or so he said) because his english was so-so.  I've never had the opportunity to sit in on a film premiere with the director in the audience and I have to say it felt pretty cool (hee!). It didn't have to be a red carpet event. And I didn't care if the director came from Timbuktu.  It's still pretty cool.  At the end, I got to ask a question and yeah, it was a fan-girly question. I asked him how he was able to get Vincent Perez to dress in drag for the film. His response was he had no trouble at all. Vincent had told him once, drunkenly, at a party, that he was dying to play a woman in a film. So, when Monsieur Chereau had this script and the character of Viviane, he knew who to go to first.  There was laughter all around at that. Trust me on that. Afterwards, he stayed around to answer more questions personally and sign autographs. I had bought with me a book I kept with poems I'd written in it. I thanked him for answering my question and asked him to sign it, which he did. He was very gracious and was actually very eager to answer more questions. However, the event organizers were intent on whisking him away to some private reception sponsored by Alliance Francais, so he had to say goodbye. However, in what time he had, he was very good at answering questions personally. He listened very intently and answered every question put to him.  And he would look you directly in the eyes when he spoke to you. Which can be unnerving for a lifelong New Yorker like myself (ha, ha) but I appreciated it very much. I think I asked another question or two, but I don't remember what they were. I still have my book, with his autograph, written in purple ink. So that's my Patrice Chereau story.

Quick Notes

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:01:16 GMT

It will start soon, but here's my prediction for tonight's "24". I think tonight is the night Jack Bauer dies. For real, this time. Jack has gotten himself into too much trouble this season to easily get out of it. And I've had these suspicions since the arrival of Rick Schroeder. Besides, they[ve been hinting at Jack's death for two seasons. So tonight. I think this is it for Jack Bauer.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled LJ.

Hoo-Ah! Again.

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:53:20 GMT

To date, I've seen the movie "300" twice. I will probably see it again before it's gone from theatres. When I went to see it the first time, the movie wasn't even 10 minutes old, the principle players weren't even onscreen yet, when I realized I loved this movie and nothing in heaven or hell could change my mind. I had to see the movie after "Rome" ended because I couldn't get enough of men w/swords and sandals. Heh!

I wasn't aware how much narration was in the film before seeing it. And all the narration is done by David Wenham, the Spartan's Storyteller. His narration starts the movie and ends it. The first thing I was struck by was how much David Wenham reminded me of a younger Sean Bean! Peter Jackson was so right to cast him as Faramir in LOTR. The movie is intense. Visually, it is stunningly beautiful. That may seem a contradiction, to say this about a movie that has one brutal battle after another. But it is. The director, Zack Snyder, did say he wanted a "ballet of death". He made it happen. From the first commercials and trailers I saw, I knew this movie was unlike anything I'd ever seen. I have to say a word about the trailers here. The trailers are so well done, the music (NIN) is so perfectly matched, that I found the trailers (from teasers to full length) positively mesmerizing. I should know. I watched them constantly on YouTube. :D I still had my doubts about whether I'd like "300" going in, but obviously they've been put to rest.  You know how it is (Great trailer. Can't wait to see it. Disappointing movie.  Lost money and time you can't get back). I also realized the second time around that I missed much of the humor. I guess I was so into the movie the first time that it passed me by. Dunno why because it's so obvious. I'd estimate that half of what King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) says is said in jest. I was also not prepared for the appearance of King Xerxes.  He towers over Leonidas. Over everyone! Emphasizing the image of God-King. I believe that the grotesque imagery of some of the characters is meant to emphasize how "monstrous" the Spartans enemies are to the Greeks, as it is told by the Storyteller. "They are not like us.", in other words.

It begins with the story of one Spartan child, as told by the Storyteller.  A baby boy deemed fit and spared the pit of death. Taken away for the agoge at the age of seven, the boy learns to fight to survive.  He survives to become a man. And not just any man, but a King. It's King Leonidas' story. A King for many decades until the steps of his nation is darkended by an outside force, threatening enslavement or extinction, if the "offer" of surrender and submission isn't accepted. "Madness? This is Sparta!"  (Note:   I've seen Gerard Butler in absolutely nothing before this movie.  But somehow, as an actor, I don't think he knows the meaning of "tone it down a notch." LOL That's an observation, not a criticism. I think he does a fine job and is perfectly cast as King Leonidas.)   The "wise elders" forbid the King from marching his army to repel the invasion. He has no choice but to respect their judgement. In fact, the "wise elders" have been paid off by the Persians. He reflects on what he must do with his Queen (the beautiful Lena Headey). She exhorts him to do what is right in the name of their freedom. He chooses to defend his kingdom. Barred from marching his army because of religious observances to fight the invading Persians, he chooses his finest 300 warriors, and leads them himself to the "Hot Gates".  Known as Thermopylae.  He says goodbye to his family and his Queen the only way a Spartan can. Without sentiment and fanfare. His Queen sends him off the only way a Spartan woman can. That he come back with his shield. Or on it. We do not see as much of the Spartan Queen, Gorgo, as we see of the King. But there is no question she is his match in terms of loyalty, honor and dignity. She decides on her own she will do whatever she can to help her husband get the army he needs. Otherwise, they are all certain to die. With an additional thousand+ Greeks, the 300 set out for the "Hot Gates". They are prepared to fight. They are prepared to die a "beautiful death". "This is where we stand. This is where we fight. This is where they die.", shouts the King as he rallies his men. ( "Give them nothing.  But take from them everything!", is sure to become the rallying cry of many a sports team.) And fight they do. Wave after wave of Persian infantry. The Spartans hold. Waves of Persian horsemen. The Spartans hold. The pile of dead Persians rises at their feet. The Immortals come. The Immortals die. The Spartans hold.  Raging beasts are set on them. Even the beasts die. Persian arrows do indeed blot out the sun. And when it is over, the Spartans are still standing.  Persian King Xerxes himself offers King Leonidas a vast kingdom to rule over.  All he has to do is allow himself to be ruled by Xerxes. Leonidas refuses without a second thought. He tells Xerxes that he does not understand the difference between them. King Xerxes will send men to die for him. King Leonidas will die for his men. And he will die if he must, to preserve his people. He promises Xerxes only, that before the end, a God-King will bleed. In the meantime, the Queen has arranged to appear before the council to plead for aid to the 300. But first, she must win over councillor Theron. Or there is no hope for her to sway the councillors.

The 300 continue to battle. They fight on. Battling "wizardry" and cunning soldiers.  The 300 take casualties.  Some deaths harder to take than others. Meanwhile, they are betrayed. A misshapened hunchback, rejected as a soldier by Leonidas, has betrayed them to Xerxes in exchange for the God-King's offer of treasures. He shows Xerxes men the goats path behind the "Hot Gates". The 300 are undone. The other Greeks abandon the Spartans. King Leonidas sends his Storyteller away with them. "Remember us", he tells him. "Tell our story." Reluctantly, the Storyteller leaves behind his brothers, knowing he'll never see them alive again. He takes the King's token to return to his Queen with him.  King Leonidas rallies his soldiers for one last chance at glory. The Queen seeks the help of Theron. He will help her. If she offers him her body. "You will not enjoy this.", he gloats over the Queen. She gives him what he wants. Then the Queen appears before the council. Her words, strong and loyal, appear to sway the councillors to her husband's side. Theron, seeing his hold over the council challenged, accuses the Queen of adultery.  That she easily gave herself to Theron, among other men. Theron demands that the now disgusted and angry Queen be removed. Before she is taken, the Queen takes a knife and kills him. And in doing so, reveals him as a traitor to Sparta who has taken Persian money.  The 300 will have their support. But it is too late. Now surrounded, the last of the 300 with him, Leonidas is asked to surrender to Xerxes. Before addressing Xerxes, he offers the hunchback a Spartan curse, "May you live forever." He appears to surrender and kneel. But it is a ruse. In fact, Leonidas readies himself for one last throw of his spear. In doing so, he makes the God-King bleed, as he had promised. Knowing he's about to die, Leonidas remembers his Queen, his love. And for the last time, the arrows of the Persians fall.  The Storyteller, Dilios, returns to Sparta.  He delivers the King's token to the Queen and the news of the fate of the 300. One year later, he tells his story again. This time to rally an army of 10,000 Spartans and 30,000 Greeks against the Persian army.  The Greeks are outnumbered 3 to 1. Pity the Persians.

At my job, there is a diner located in the building. It's run by a Greek family. Yes, it seems stereotypical. But it's also true. (In fact, there are two separate diners in my neighborhood run by Greek families.)  Anyways, it turns out they are from Sparta. I've taken to calling the younger brother, Sparta. He doesn't mind. But his name is Peter. He told me there is a stone and plaque at the site of the Battle of Thermopylae dedicated to the 300 Spartans and Greeks who fought and died there. He also told me that the pit, where they threw the "defective" babies, is still there, too. At this I said, "Oh." Then I thought, "Ohhhhh." As in, "That's unsettling and unhappy to think about."  Right now, I feel hard-pressed to judge their society when just two days ago, a woman put her newborn baby in a plastic bag and left her to die out on a porch.  At this moment, I have to say their society was what is was, and ours is what it is. No, that won't do. I have to say our society is far more merciful. But do we value personal honor also? We don't need to be maniacal about it as they were. But do we have any sense of honor? Everytime another reality show debuts, I believe whatever honor our society has erodes away a little more.  IMHO, we can borrow a touch of their respect for personal honor to restore what I think is our tarnished value system. I say this in regards to our leaders who we've chosen to represent us. They won't get any better until we expect better from ourselves, and therefore our leaders. Personal honor is a good measuring stick to go by.  That's just my 300 cents, anyway.

God! My recap of the film is longer than the movie  :O

Hoo-Ah!

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:34:31 GMT

Almost two months ago I was lamenting the fate of the New York Rangers and their playoff chances. They were losing games at the rate "300" sprays blood. They were out of playoff contention. And their most inspiring leader, Brendan Shanahan, went down with a serious injury. I was climbing the walls with anxiety. My emotions rose and fell with every game.  It got worse. Key players went down with, or were hampered by injuries that would take weeks to heal. But something wonderful happened.  In the face of adversity, the team pulled together. They started winning. And winning. And kept winning. And finally, tonight, they clinched a playoff berth with a win over Les Habitants, aka the Montreal Canadiens. Shanny came back. Sean Avery, who was acquired from LA in February, has become the gutsy, never-say-die spirit of the team. And King Henrik is their WALL. Captain Jagr raised his game and took control of the team and they got their act together and have played the best hockey of the season. The playoffs start next week and I couldn't be happier or more proud of this team. Let's celebrate. In pictures, of course.


Rookie Ryan Callahan absorbs a hit from the Canadiens' Francis Bouillon

Callahan gets sweet revenge when linemate, and resident Ranger cutie, Petr Prucha scores the first goal of the game.

Jaromir Jagr celebrates what would be the game-winning goal with linemates and fans.


Capt. Jagr celebrates the third goal by defenseman Marek Malik with teammates. There's firebrand Sean Avery, #16, with the black mouthguard.

I love it when they do this! After the game, the team celebrates their victories by raising their sticks and saluting the fans. Nice.

King Henrik is named 1st Star of the game and celebrates the Rangers entry into the playoffs.

Yes, I'm a bonafide hockey nut. No apologies there. I love the game, no matter how much agita my favorite team gives me. The season isn't over yet. One more big game to play to determine their playoff seeding. Their first-round opponent is yet to be determined, too. But they're in. They were almost dead in the water but they turned it around and made it.

Way to go, boys! And congratulations.

It's all about me/me

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 05:44:18 GMT

I exorcised this from sofiaagapao's LJ. Try it. You might like

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

Not as easy as you might think.

1. Where is your cell phone?   Recharging

2. Describe your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/lover? None

3. Your hair? Brown

4. Your mother?   Asleep

5. Your father?   Dead

6. Your favourite item?   Cats

7. Your dream last night?   Anxious

8. Your favourite drink?   Lemonade

9. Your dream car?   Porsche

10. The room you are in?   Family

11. Your ex?   Gone

12. Your fear?   Lost

13. What do you want to be in 10 years?   Mother

14. Who did you hang out with last night? Television

15. What you're not?   Tall

19. The last thing you did?   Eat

20. What are you wearing?   Shorts

21. Your favourite book?   Epic

22. The last thing you ate?   Soup

23. Your life?   Transition

24. Your mood?   Frustrated

25. Your friends?   Missed

26. What are you thinking about right now?   Future

27. Your car?   None

28. What are you doing at the moment?   Thinking

29. Your summer?   Away

30. Your relationship status?   Unknown

31. What is on your tv?   Picture

32. When is the last time you laughed?   Yesterday

33. Last time you cried?   Months

34. School?   Undone

Copy.
Paste.
Answer.
Questions.
In.
One.
Word.

Finally

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 08:24:44 GMT

And so it ends.

The Battle of Actium is over. Vorenus is alive. Antony is alive. And Antony, now completely and utterly defeated, realizes there goes his hope to return to Rome in splendor and glory. As a Roman hero. As a Roman god:

"I was far away. All my life, I've been fearful of defeat. But now that it has come, it's not near as terrlble as I'd expected. The sun still shines. Water still tastes good. Glory is all well and good. But...life is enough, nay?"

I almost felt as if the series could've ended right there. Antony's words touched me deeply. Here's why. At times in my life when I've suffered a great loss, specifically a death, I have felt this way. That though my world was changed, the World itself remained unchanged. The sun still shone. Water still tasted good. Life went on. And, in the end, it was enough.

Now Antony, once so proud, looked so dejected and sad. In Rome, he's a clown to be mocked. A renegade, a traitor of all things! Meanwhile, back in Rome, Livia, the First Bitch of the First Citizen, lords over a host of ladies, including the bored and not at all deluded Octavia and Atia. Unlike anyone else among Rome's elite, they can speak their minds and ain't a damn thing anybody can do about it. And Livia's mother is nothing but a little squirrel compared to Atia. I love this from Atia (about Octavian):

" He wasn't like that as a child. He was a good honest boy. I don't know what happened. I'm to blame, probably."

I loved Atia in the end. But that's for later. "I hope my child is well also", is Pullo's inside joke to Vorenus. And good for a laugh inside such heavy moments.  Is it wrong that I don't even blink at orgy scenes anymore? But we see there was a real bond between Antony and Cleopatra. But that love was apparently contingent on letting the good times roll. Seeing Antony in his drugged out haze and spinning out-of-control was sad. But he knew what the Roman world and Roman life was about. His honor and name were gone. He knew his future was spiralling downward and only death lay at the bottom. He knew there was no real hope. He was holding off the inevitable because losing his Roman identity was too painful. Cleopatra on the other hand, did not know Rome as he did. She did not heed Antony's warning about Octavian. Ohh, pretty kitty. Here, kitty-kitty. Ok, I was distracted there. Sorry.  "Look at you. Look at us. Apollo and Isis, it's pathetic."  Yes, they did live. Now, it's over.  Antony has one solution. Honorable by Roman standards. Cleopatra has another. Honorable by hers. I admit that the little s/lasher part of my heart found it mighty interesting that Antony chose to spend his final hours with Vorenus.  When the message came to Antony that Cleopatria killed herself, I couldn't help but say to myself, "Dammit, Anthony! Go look for her body. She's not dead!" And he did love her. He wept for her. And I just knew it would be by Vorenus' hand that Antony would die. And no Egyptian knife. By a proper Roman sword. He literally died in Vorenus's arms. And there goes my little s/lasher heart beating away.  }:)   And Lucius. Always a soldier. Always loyal. He prepared and dressed the body Roman-style just as Antony would've wanted. And Vorenus would've followed his "master" if not for Caesarion. That is a testament to Vorenus's other loyalty and great love. That to Titus Pullo. And then the deception is uncovered. Cleopatra emerges unscathed. Tracking Antony's blood across the floor.  The look on Vorenus's face is priceless. I have to wonder at why he didn't drop the bitch in her tracks. Maybe out of respect for Antony.  Probably because he knew just how much she'd suffer at the plans of Octavian and a quick death was too good. The scene between Octavian and Cleopatra was priceless.  How long did it take before she realized her feminine charms would not work on this icy young man whose ambitions touch the gods?   She should've listened to Antony. She should've listened to Vorenus, but that was too late. At least she listened to him about Caesarion. Octavian "charmingly" made it clear she was Rome's captive and puppet. And there was no hope for Caesarion. (And why was she wearing that garish orange frost lipstick in that scene?  It was distracting because it was so out of place. Just me nitpicking.) Perhaps you'll come next summer. Perhaps you'll come sooner. Perhaps right now. Antony warned you, woman. Now it's too late.  Death by asp. Bitten right on the breast.  Sometimes, history's way is the best way, right?   Cleopatra's last words to Octavian are fitting. However, he could've said the same about her. I like the way Pullo had to force himself to contain his happiness at the prospect of having to go after Vorenus and his son. "Handsome isn't he?", he says. LOL And Pullo with his usual matter-of-fact way informs Caesarion of his mother's death. Well, he is a soldier, not a priest.  It was at this point I dared to hope we'd have a happy ending. Then Vorenus says he doesn't expect to go back to Rome. But it was just talk so I still held out hope. Back to Rome. Atia's non-reaction to news of Antony's suicide was not at all convincing.  And then he (Octavian) has to go on about whats "impolitic" and, grrr, I could've just grabbed him and hit him upside the head.  But he did bring Antony's children to Octavia.  They are so much better off with her than Livia and Octavian. Besides, she is still Antony's Roman wife. Back to the crossroads. And again, how well can Pullo read people?  He knew the boy couldn't contain himself. And then it happened. Lucius was stabbed in the back.  For a moment I was hopeful. The affectionate head butt between Pullo and Vorenus seemed to say all was well. It wasn't. Lucius was going to die.  I feared this so much. And yet, I wasn't completely surprised.  I suspected that between these two, if one was to die, it would be Lucius. Still, it hurt. In Rome, Atia is consumed with the grief she has denied. And Octavia cannot bear her mother bereft of her strength. Meanwhile, Lucius has held on long enough to return home. To say goodbye. His iron will has kept him going this long.  On his death bed, his childresn should've run to his side. I know about the past but I can't help but feel that's what should've happened. But finally, they did. Vorena finally kissed her father. Not out of duty, but forgiveness and love. At last, he can join Niobe in the afterlife with a lighter heart.  And Atia? All is forgiven. I totally loved her at the end. Octavia was not the only one who couldn't hold back a smile when MOTHER walked into the room. Atia gets knocked down, but damned straight if she doesn't get back up again. (That reminds me of a song. Hee.) And this is priceless vintage Atia (to Livia):

"I know who you are. I can see you. You're  swearing now that someday you'll destroy me. Remember, far better women than you have sworn to do the same. Go and look for them now."

That's right, bitch. She's the Muhammed Ali of Roman women. Check that, she's the Laila Ali of Roman women. Nobody takes on Atia and wins. Nobody. Octavian's Triumph was grand. But Caesar's was grander (budget issues, I bet). Regardless, it was impressive. And "Rome" will continue.  Without us. The loving glace exchanged between Agrippa and Octavia. The flame still burns.  But that moment, when the carriage bearing the dessicated, decayed bodies of Antony and Cleopatra. That was powerful. Octavia hung her head in shame for her brother, embarrassment for her mother. "How could you?", her gesture seemed to say. But the look Atia gave Octavian. It was the last straw. There would be no forgiveness for anything, ever, from now on. None. Octavian, for his part, his expression seemed to say, "Sorry. But not really. Besides, I had to show my people (and you) that I finally beat him." Atia turned away. She would not let her son see her cry. She would not show anyone her grief. She loved him (Antony) with all her heart and could never say goodbye like she would've wanted to. I loved the expression on Atia's face and all the emotions that fell across her face.  It was wonderful and sad at the same time. At the last, Pullo tells Octavian that, sure, Caesarion's dead. Sorry about the head. And, oh yeah, Lucius Vorenus is dead, too. Octavian's convinced. Pullo can go back to his son. "About your father..." I'd like to hear that story. It will take a long time to convince "Aeneas".  But in the end, he'll have no choice to accept it. And Pullo is, for Roman times, a good man. There are far worse fathers. Yes, life in "Rome" continues. Without us.

I enjoyed the finale. But something crucial for me was missing. It was the final goodbye between Lucius and Pullo. Some of it was there in their final hand clasp, before Vorena came to her father's side. You could argue, and I guess they tried to show this, that what was left to say between them? They were the best of friends. They've saved each others lives. They've both suffered great loss. They don't need any big goodbye. But was that it? Antony's death scene with Lucius was longer. Was that fair? Pullo and Vorenus have so much more history. I hear the argument. But I don't buy it. I felt cheated. They are the heart and soul of this series. If anybody deserved a real emotional and heartfelt goodbye, it's those two. If there is any "blame" to be given, it probably had to do with the fact this second season was cut by two episodes. These last two felt rushed. So much story to tell in so little time. But they did an excellent job otherwise, with such restraints in place. In my previous post, I mentioned that I hoped the "Rome" DVD would come with extras. I'm doubly hoping that the season 2 DVD comes with extra scenes. This season could've easily added, two, four (more?) shows.

Can I say I love all the henna tattoos. I've had them in the past. I'm not yet convinced to do it again.  But you never how I'll feel tomorrow.

About my icon. In Antony's suicide scene, I heard him say, "Lucius Vorenus--Iron til the end." But on later viewing with closed-captioning, it shows Antony saying "Lucius Vorenus. I enter the end."  Since I can't lip read in that scene, (Antony's back is to the camera), I'll say closed-captioning is right. But I prefer Antony saying Vorenus is "Iron til the end". So, the icon will remain as is.

The last great quotes:

Lucius to Cleo:   "Define good." (loved that one)

Antony to Cleo: "I'm a soldier. I'm not a fucking magician."

Antony to Messenger: "You go and tell that frog-spawned homunculus..."

Antony to Cleo: "I'd sooner eat my own children than surrender to him.

Dying Eunuch to Antony: "Really, sir, I must protest."

Slave to Cleo: "Majesty has felt Anubis breathe on her before now."

Antony (before suicide):   "Anythiing to be rid of this fucking hangover." (Tip: Try not to go to the afterlife with a hangover. It'll just ruin the experience.) :)

Lucius: "It's been an honor serving you, sir."
Antony: "Has it?"

Antony to Lucius: "Tell the people I died well. I died Roman."

Lucius to Cleo: "Kiss my ass!"

Cleo to Octavian: "You have a rotten soul."

(This exchange I found priceless)
Octavian (re Cleo): "Why would she lose heart now?
Macaenas: "You can have that effect on people."
Octavian: "No. I was all sweetness and light with her. Charm itself."
Macaenas: "Yes. That is your most disheartening manner."
Octavian: "Hmm."

Pullo: "...bit his tongue out. Tasted just like chicken."
Caesarion: "That's disgusting."

Pullo to Vorenus (re Vorena the younger): "Anyone misbehaves, she's gives them a look like Medusa on the rag." (Ok, been there. Done that.)

Lucius: "Thank you, Dr. Pullo."
Pullo: "You're awake then? Make up your mind."

To my own amazement, I didn't collect any of the Nunciator's speech or gestures. My shame. Next time.

Question. Is it only me, or does anybody else get hungry while watching "Rome"? I don't snack when watching tv, but when "Rome" is on, I do. I think it's because the characters are often eating little nibbles and things and I end up going to the kitchen without even thinking about it and looking for little nibbles to munch on. What no grapes? No olives and bread? Ok, found honey-roasted peanuts. Good, these will do. Anybody else?

I've also, on a weekly basis, gone over the cast list on the HBO Rome site and mentally checked off the dead (or replaced). There are few survivors. I don't think any show has killed off so many regular cast members. And that includes "The Sopranos".

Goodbye "Rome". It was fun while it lasted.

Swan Song

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:21:39 GMT

So this is it. "Rome"'s finale looms and I am so sad about it. Yet, I'm so happy I found this marvelous show right at it's debut. There's been nothing like it before. And there will be nothing like it again. Everytime I've said teevee is a wasteland, I'll remember "Rome" and eat my words. In fact, there's been quite a lot of good shows on teevee that I've discovered in the last couple of years, just when I had written off the medium. I love this show. It has been an amazing journey with these characters. And a wonderful viewing experience. I already miss Lucius and Pullo. I'll miss Antony's immense ego and crackling one-liners. I'll miss watching the brilliant, calculating, egoist boy Octavian, become the brilliant, calculating, egoist tyrant, Augustus. And with that, the Roman republic finally fell. And I have to give great praise to Ciaran Hinds as Julius Caesar in "Rome"'s first season. After watching a couple of last season's episodes, I realized what a towering presence he was. At first I thought the credit should go to the fact he was playing such a strong character. After more views, I see that the credit should go to Hinds for an amazing performance. Kudos. Thankfully, there will be the DVDs to reminisce with. Hopefully with loads of extras. ;) So long friend. Sorry to see you go.

Here's what the HBO site sent me in an email re the finale:

";De Patre Vostro (About Your Father)" The Series Finale

Will the stalwart Vorenus remain by Antony's and young Caesarean's side as Octavian sends Pullo to Alexandria? Will a humiliated Atia be satisfied by her son's great triumph?

On the series finale, find out how Mark Antony and Octavian's epic battle for supremacy altered both the exulted and the ordinary lives of the empire. All of Rome hangs in the balance in the dramatic series conclusion, Sunday at 9 pm.

Note the spelling of "Caesarean". Interesting choice. Also, I wonder if they're trying to soothe us fans worries over the Fate of Lucius and Pullo by giving the finale that title. Especially Lucius, as far as I'm concerned. I just worry that only one of them is going to come out alive and it won't be Lucius. Well, it won't be too long before we find out.

In other news, I've totally jumped on the "Gerard Butler is Hot" bandwagon. Not without help, tho'. What with co-workers gushing over the guy for weeks now. And that's before "300" came out. Repeated exposure to those blue eyes finally killed me and made me give in. I'll see what I think after I see "300" tomorrow. Everytime I watch the trailers (and I have. a lot!) I get positively worn out.

Seriously, tho'. This is hot.

And so it goes...

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 08:46:15 GMT

OK, so my night went something like this: Ranger-Penguins scoreless after 1st period--"Prison Break"--blah, blah, blah--Sarah--blah, blah, blah--Oh, Ben's still alive?--blah, blah, blah--Sucre's teamed up with whats-his-name?--Rangers-Penguins still scoreless halfway thru 2nd period--Mahone in deep doo-doo--Rangers-Penguins scoreless after 2nd period--Michael and Lincoln fight--blah, blah, blah--Michael's got a boat!--Everybody's heading to Panama City to kill T-bag. Why not? It's such a lovely place to go--blah, blah, blah--whatever--Start of 3rd period--"24"--Jack's hurt--blah, blah, blah--blow up foreigners--White House intrigue--drones in the air--blah, blah, blah--Rangers score! It's 1-0.--blah, blah, blah--more intrigue--traitor in our midst (Jack will probably torture her)--blah, blah, blah--Penguins score. Dammit. It's 1-1--Less that 4 minutes to go--Rangers score with 35 seconds left--"The play is under review"--more review--more review--It's a goal! Rangers lead 2-1--tension--more tension--empty net--more tension--Game Over!--Rangers win!--more "24"--Jack lands the drone--Oh, wait, it's radioactive--blah, blah, blah--whatever--Black Donnellys--ok, not great--whatever! Rangers won. Still in playoff contention. Good job, boys. Shanahan may be back Wednesday.

Now "Rome", after putting the last ep under review:

Lucius still dreams of Niobe. So beautiful. So sad. Everything he ever cared about is still in Rome. Eventhough everyone else has gone native, even Posca, Lucius remains a steadfast Roman. Still walking the streets and the palace grounds in his Roman uniform and helmet. Stubborn and resolutely a Roman. And Pullo has Gaia. Rather, Gaia has Pullo. Just what she wanted. And Mascius has moved up the ladder, as promised, to #2 man. Though he's lost Gaia (he's actually a winner there but he doesn't know it). And then there's Memmio. Memmio? What the hell! They keep him as a jibbering idiot in a cage. That's majorly fucked up. And we see it's four years later. Here's where I nitpick. They switched out Lucius to an older child. Ok, fine. That was expected. But why not wait 'til now then, to switch out Vorena the younger, instead of five episodes back? It just looks awkward now. Lucius is bigger now, she isn't. Weird. Back to the the high-born. Back to more nitpicking from me. For a penultimate episode to an epic series, this episode dragged unnecessarily. So much time setting up the finale. The exposition had to be done, yes. But the writing was flat and presented dully, there was so much wasted screen time it was exasperating. Antony is going to do this because Octavian will do that. So, Octavian does this. Oh, wait, I get it. If Octavian does this, then Antony has to do that. Right, right. I get it, thank you. The plot lines were served up like SPAM on fine china and linens. Perhaps the direction may be at fault. The best directed episode, IMHO, was "Heroes of the Republic" by Alik Sakharov. Hopefully he or Tim van Patten will direct the finale. And I'm completely expecting Bruno Heller to write the series finale. No one else should touch it. The season opener, "Passover", still remains an outstanding episode of this second season. The tension is so high now that it's hard to get in touches of humor. But is was amusing to see Lucius "the Roman Soldier" telling Caesarion about his father. Where everyone else talks about Caesar to the boy, he's clearly talking about Pullo. But what was with the endless game of catch? What, is he teaching the boy baseball 1900 years before it's invented? Couldn't they come up with a different way for them to interact while these conversations took place. A little imagination there would've helped. And the boy's curiousity about his father couldn't help but foreshadow how Caesarion may escape death. I had reservatios about Antony in charcoal eyeliner, but James Purefoy maintained his sexiness with it. But I admit by the end of this episode I had had my fill of the near S&M sex scenes. Enough was enough, already. By the time Antony and Cleopatra got at it, I was rolling my eyes saying "Not again.". I was actually bored by it. Not good. Yeah, the scene was about Cleo manipulating Antony into doing her bidding and sending Atia (especially Atia) and Octavia back to Rome. But it went on and on. Cleo and Antony fighting. Octavia and Atia bitching about the heat and the waiting. On and on. It became tedious and ridiculous. I couldn't help but think "What a waste of so little precious time left. This is the best they could write?" However, Atia's meltdown, when she realizes Antony has made his final choice of what woman he wants, was sad. Her useless lashing out at Lucius, who truly seemed to feel for her, made this sometimes pitiless woman, sympathetic and human. She really loved him. She waited for his letter. She really hoped he'd send for her. And he really broke her heart. Atia gets down but she's never out. Revenge is still her best frirend. Jocasta's sudden appearance was amusing but felt forced. Like they were killing time. As if the series had sooo much time to give away. But I was glad when Lucius allowed Jocasta and her teddy bear hubby Posca, to slip away back to Rome. It's about time Posca returned to home of the Julii His (Lucius) message to Pullo was touching. He misses his family but feels he's not worthy of them. Vorena wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to pay. And so he is. When will she give it up? The hatred the younger children have for their father comes from her. Will she finally be satisfied when he's dead? I know that she's suffered. But I don't feel sympathetic towards the character anymore. And isn't Pullo excited about seeing his old dear friend again, after he accepted Octavian's assignment? They are BFF. They can't be separated. There's no denying it. Pullo-Vorenus Forever. And Gaia, finally, the bitch got what she deserved. Not just to die. But to die by Pullo's hand. The outrage he had to feel knowing she murdered his love and lied her way into her bed. I'm sure he'll say prayers against her in the afterlife.

The finale to this great series is coming all to quickly. I've moved beyond sad to resigned. We know who will definitely die. But who will live? My initial impression from the previews is that Lucius will be witness to Antony's death. Or will be told by Antony to kill him. I can see that happening. This is what I think may happen with Caesarion. Pullo will be charged by Octavian with killing the boy. Or Lucius might. As an act to prove his loyalty to Octavian after reporting to Octavian that Antony is dead. Either way, both Pullo and Lucius will find Caesarion. Lucius will tell him in no uncertain terms who his real father is. And he'll offer the boy a deal. Accept who your real father is and live the life as the son of a soldier. Or, if Caesarion continues to believe that only Caesar can be his father, then they'll kill him. I'm pretty sure which option the boy will go for. They'll substitute a slave child for Caesarion and Octavian will be satisfied. Anyway, I can't believe Pullo will just stand around and let Caesarion be killed. He'll have to do something. Of course, this scenario depends on Lucius surviving if he meets up with Octavian's soldiers. If Lucius survives, will he return to Rome? Will his family be waiting with forgiveness? I know I want to know the answer to those questions. And by the end of Sunday night, I will. And that will be the end.

Erin go Woo Hoo!

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:44:01 GMT

Ok, so I was to have given a recap of last week's "Rome" by now. Shame on me for not getting to it sooner.  It will be different after tonight. The stakes are getting higher. The emotions are getting tenser. And sadder. Two more episodes left, and my heart is already broken. I expect more heartache to come before Octavian is crowned Caesar Augustus and Rome's future is sealed for the next 5 centuries. Well let me say this:  I have gone beyond hating Gaia to wishing her total destruction, but I was impressed by her skills as a fighter--doesn't change anything; I will miss dear, sweet Eirene, Adela from beyond the Rhine; Poor dear, dear Pullo, but he will make a good surrogate father to Lucius's children; Ack!  Lucius. His familial happiness was a mask for profound guilt. He had no answer to his daughter's accusations and hatred, and retreated with Antony. So sad; As for Antony, the look on his face when he realized he could not longer physically intimidate Octavian was one of defeat and resignation. A postion he is most unaccustomed to; Octavian is a freak on a leash. And he probably enjoy the leash; Octavia can't win, can she?; Agrippa gave Octavia up for his master. (Mad at Agrippa); I don't believe Vorena spoke for her brother and sister about hating their father. For Lucius, it didn't matter, but still. I believe Lucius loves all his children very much. Tho' I don't hold out much hope for it, I hope he'll reconcile with his children. If he survives the ending; Glad to see Memmio and Omnipor got what they deserved. Btw, haven't seen a lot of commentary on naked Pullo. I mean, NAKED PULLO! Sheesh. Did no one care?

But I'm actually still full of excitement because I was at last night's Rangers game. The team's been in and out of playoff contention.  My Blueshirted boy toys have been toying with my emotions for weeks. I got a ticket from a friend (really good seat too). For reference, the last game I went to was last March '06. The Rangers clinched a playoff spot that night. The best they could do last night was improve their playoff chances.  I was simultaneously anticipating and dreading the game. But WOW! What a show my team put on for me. And on St. Patrick's Day, no less. And yes, there was no shortage of Wearin' O' the Green at MSG. Not to mention the Flowin' O' the Green Beer in the green souvenir cups. It was a rowdy, but thankfully, happy crowd. Just for me, they scored 7 goals, had 4 fights, 1 injured player (not for me, but fortunately he'll be ok), and 0 goals against. After playing several games in a row unable to score more that 2 goals a game, they erupted for 7! Six goals in the second period alone! Either I need to go to more games, or they need to think they're playing on St. Patrick's Day all the time. And yeah, they knew I was there. That's why they did it. Obviously, I need to let them think I'm always there. Maybe I'll send them a cardboard cutout of myself for inspiration. :D    This game was tailor-made for Ranger, Brendan Shanahan, whose parents are Irish-born. Unfortunately, Shanny is still recovering from a concussion and couldn't play. However, the Irish Pride was held up by fightin' Sean Avery (1 goal, 3 assists, 1 fight), Matt Cullen (2 goals), Ryan Callahan (2 goals, 1 fight), and David Liffiton (1 fight, very red hair). In fact, rookie Ryan Callahan scored his first AND second NHL goals of his career. And he scored his first fight. Congratulations! Every player remembers his first goal. But not every story is as memorable as the one Callahan will have. It wasn't just a good night for the Irish. "King" Henrik Lunqvist of Sweden was brilliant in goal and stopped everything, sometimes spectacularly, that came his way. The Czechs checked in, too. Petr Prucha scored 1 goal, and Captain Jaromir Jagr had 3 assists. Wow, guys, a 7-0 victory. Now keep it going and make the playoffs.

Ryan Callahan celebrates his 1st NHL goal w/Sean Avery. On St. Paddy's day, no less!


                                                                   King Henrik makes a pointblank save.



                   King Henrik always knows where the puck is!


                    King Henrik will not be beaten on this night.

                   Martin Straks is helped off the ice. Although already playing with an upper body injury, Straka will recover from the leg injury.

On March 8th, Ranger Ryan Hollweg was deliberately hit in the face by NYI Chris Simon



For the record, Hollweg was injured but not seriously. A few inches above or below the chin, he'd still be in the hospital.
Simon was suspended, and the possibility of criminal charges still exists.

As of last night, Ryan Hollweg was back to what he does best against Jeremy Reich of Boston.

Come on, boys. You can make the playoffs happen. NOW. Go for it.

You say it's your

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 04:28:08 GMT

Birthday. Before it's too late and the day is gone, I want to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to nutmeg3. I hope your day was lovely and special at best. And at least, contented. *huggies*

I also need to say a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to queenofthorns. I had missed your birthday when it happened and I figured I was too late to say something. Then I thought, "Wait a minute. Isn't it better to let someone know you're thinking about them and wishing them well, eventho' you're not on time?". And so, late as I am, a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to QoT. And here are some roses. Those thorns can be bothersome without the pleasure of the blooms. *huggies*

Oopsie!

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:58:39 GMT

Oops. I had said I would put off commenting on last week's "Rome", and consequently, totally forgot to do so. I will attempt, probably in vain, to do this fast.

The actual "Death Mask" of Brutus itself was creepy. But not unknown thoroughout human history. It's what the family photographs of those who could afford it. Actually, it was probably a "life mask" done while he was still living.  When I went to Rome, I saw the life mask and death mask of the poet John Keats. The former was interesting. The latter was a bit disturbing. If you were wondering, yes, there is a difference between the two. Back to "Rome". But my sadness for Servilia is tempered by the knowledge that she is the author of her own tragedy. She gathered the conspirators to assassinate Caesar. She pushed her own son into it. Ultimately, it let to his downfall and his death. I did feel sorry for her grief. But pride and ambition unchecked will always lead to sadness at least. Tragedy at worst.

The wedding of Jocasta and Posca was a surprise, wasn't it? Even in sadness, Jocasta is funny. But Posca sure looked happy! And Antony will never be ready for marriage. But if that's what Atia wants, what the hell? He really won't change his screwing around all that much anyway. He'd just be more careful about it. Later on, I liked watching Antony literally tear up the map as the Triumvirate decided their territories. I wasn't convinced at Octavian balking at taking Rome. It's the heart of the empire. How could he not want it? And then the men deciding on a marriage between the families. "A woman is not allowed to be present when men are discussing marriage." Tell that to a 21st century bride and see if all hell doesn't break loose. LOL But Servilia's curse had already sealed Atia's fate. One noble born cursing another noble born was big deal in ancient Rome.  Yeah, I read the "Rome" historian on the HBO site. Hee! Way to go, Antony, and tell Atia to face Servilia. Well, it had to happen eventually. It would have been the only way for her to stop. But the moment Servilia pointed the horns at Atia, you had to know there would be no wedding for Atia to Antony.  And then sealing the curse with her suicide and her slave's? Hey, Antony was right. That was some exit.  Poor Octavia. She's just everyone's pawn.  One thing I would've liked to have seen was the scene where Atia and Octavia are told of the marriage contract. Oh, to see the looks on Atia and Octavia's faces! And Atia's reaction! Grrrr. I feel deprived. I would've really liked to have seen it.

I fear for Posca. Or maybe Jocasta. I don't think Antony was convinced when Maecenas told him the news of Prince Herod's "gift" came from Herod's man (did you notice Maecanas was getting his legs done in the scene between him and Posca?). Speaking of Herod. I hope that the alternate storyline featuring Timon and his brother, Levy, is over. I'm guessing it was a way of foreshadowing the events that would later take place in Jerusalem, during the reign of a future Herod. However, since those events take place 60-70 years later, what does it have to do with now? I hoped this "Rome" would completely avoid and Christian references. I want to see my Romans fully, undiluted pagan. I really didn't appreciate this "future-sight" reference, if that was what the Timon storyline was leading to. Interesting that Timon chickened out when he saw Atia. Old, impossible love never dies. I couldn't help it, but, everytime I heard Herod mentioned I kept thinking about Jesus Christ Superstar.  Yes, i confess i love the musical/movie.

And what about Octavian watching Atia and Antony have sex?  That was so wrong in sooooo many wrong ways.

Now Vorenus/Pullo. First Vorenus. Looking at the preview, my biggest fear is he may kill his own daughter. But in the end, he may just banish her. Or send her to Lyde. (please Lucius, don't kill her!) Memmio will deserve to be cut to ribbons.  Now, Pullo. *sigh* I hate Gaia completely. I'm angry at Pullo and I have every reason to fear for Eirene. But I love them and await the coming tragedy. The scene between them in the bed was so sweet and wonderful, you just knew something awful was going to happen. It was bitterly funny when Eirene told Pullo to "beat" Gaia like that every week. *laughs weakly*  And we only saw young Vorena in this ep once and no Lucius Jr. I wonder if we're about to switch out kids again?

Best Quotes:

Antony (at Servilia's death): "Now that is an exit."

The Nunciator:  "All mockery of Jews and their one god are to be kept to an appropriate minimum."

Antony (to Atia about Octavian): "I don't care if all Italy burns. I'll not marry him." (Best quote IMHO in a grim episode)

Atia (at wedding): "I'd rather eat shit."

I look forward to, and dread equally, tonight's episode.

See you there.

loose ends

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 08:47:29 GMT

I want to make this quick. And I mean it this time. Usually, I spend way too much time thinking about what I'm going to write. Not this time. I hope.

I haven't watched "Prison Break" or "Heroes" from this week yet. But I recorded the shows. I only got to watch "24" and part of "The Black Donnellys". I try to cram in so much stuff at the end of my weekend (I work Tuesday-Saturday), that I'm always in a rush on Monday nights. And, of course, that's when a lot of the shows I watch air. I need to learn to plan better.

What I can do is go back to last week's "Prison Break" and "Heroes" and catch up later. "Prison Break" is exasperating me, but I'm sticking it out. If Ben (C-Note) is dead, I'm sorry for that. I had expected him to go back to prison, but apparently, no such "luck" for him. But I've been wondering if this isn't a portent for the future. Four of the escapees are dead. T-Bag sure as hell deserves to die. And Sucre, I've said before I don't want him to die, but there may be nothing stopping that. What I'm wondering about is, even if Lincoln is exonerated, and by association, Michael, will they end up dead anyway? Right now, that's the only ending I can see for them. The conspiracy they're submerged in involves powerful people who don't take losing that power lightly. And they seek a permanent solution to getting rid of their enemies. So, I can't see Michael and Lincoln surviving (for very long) the revelation of the conspiracy. At least, that's what I believe now.

I really enjoyed last week's Claire-centric episode of "Heroes". These people can beat Kevin Bacon's Six Degrees hands down. Ok, Mr. Bennett isn't a nice guy. No matter how they try to portray him, he isn't. But seeing how he really loves his "Clairebear" did make him more of a man than he showed before.  Watching the flashbacks was almost like the "Wizard of Oz". And Claude was there. And Hiro was there. And the Haitian dude was there. Hee! And what is Haitian dude's name? Did they say it and I just missed it? I don't thing so. And now we know he can talk just fine.  Now, I have to catch up and see what's happened to everyone. Especially that dead Simone part. She better damn well stay dead!

Now "24". Heh. Is there an enemy that Jack Bauer can't make? He'll have all of Eur-Asia after him soon. Right now what I'm most amazed at about this show is the fact that, in real life, military officers have had to school their soldiers by telling them that Jack Bauer's tactics are Highly Illegal and Just Plain Wrong in so many ways. And that they are not to imitate him. What part of "It's a tv show" is not getting through? Scary, boys and girls. Very scary.  Assad is dead and I'm sorry about that because Alexander Siddig was rockin' that beard and he looked pretty hot. But I want to know who these people are in the secret government behind the government already. Because all hell is about to break loose in the world of the alterna-America.  And it's stuff like this that unnerves me, especially when the government in this America is rattling the sabre at Iran.   And I love the fact that Charles Logan is back and you can't tell whether he's crazy, vengeful, or truly sincere. And yay, we get to see Martha next week. She's got her new man and everything ( I do hope she's better).

I didn't watch all of "The Black Donnellys" this week. Just about the last 20 mins or so. But I've decided I like it. Not completely sold, but liking it enough to keep watching. I wasn't sure of last week's pilot episode, until those last five minutes, when Tommy made his life changing (and life ending, for others) decision.  Now this week, he finally told the girl who loves him (see, I can't remember all the names yet) he loves her, only to have her immediately walk out on him. I need to watch the whole thing on the web to see if, and how, she learned what really happened to her husband. What I really want to see tho', is Tommy's background so I can understand better what it is he gave up in life by becoming a gangsta'.  I also like the way each episode ends where you're not sure if the guy is telling the truth or whether he's lying. Was he really there with the brothers, or not? Is he making everything up to save his own ass?  Interesting idea.  So far.

As for "Rome". I can't. I just, I just can't talk about it right now. That posting? That will take time to write. *sigh*

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 10:13:10 GMT

Wishing everyone prosperity in the Chinese New Year of the Golden Pig! Or the Golden Boar, depending on which country in Asia you're in. I'm not Chinese (actually I do have Chinese ancestry going back a couple generations, but now we're talking fractions), but I wanted to usher in what is supposed to be an auspicious year. So I ordered up too much food from the very large Chinese restaurant/buffet nearby, and it was all delicious but there are leftovers. It is the Year of the Golden Pig after all, so there's plenty of time to finish it. :)

With each new episode of Rome, I say to myself that the shite hasn't hit the fan yet. But in each episode, it does. And there's still more! Amazing.

In the opening credits illustrations, I'm sure of two more myth stories, The Race of Atalanta and The Abduction of Persephone.

Ah, the "Death List'. I love Antony when he's a bastard. Which means I love him all the time. "You are a ferocious little cunt...with a pen." Octavian is ferocious when he has time to think. And by all means, add on as many names as you can. Antony has a few. Atia has one. For goodness sakes, they were out for serious blood. And check out Maecenas with the "We've got an army to feed and they've got lots of money." line. Anything for the Republic, right? Uh, right. *sniffs* It's all about the Republic. I'm sure Tranquillus never knew what hit him or why.

In the category of fortunes won and lost, we see how wealth and influence can shift so easily when the tides of power shift. No one was safe or comfortable were they, regardless of status? Poor Jocasta learned that lesson. But Atia's plan to get rid of her, executed so ruthlessly, put Jocasta right in her own house. Best laid plans, eh?

I hated seeing a depressed Pullo. "I'm a soldier.", he tells Vorenus. No good in peacetime. I believe that last season he said to Vorenus he had no talent for peace, like Lucius did. I think. You could see the yearning in his eyes for soldiering and for battle. And there he was writing XII on the table, all bored listening to Lucius lay out his plans to the other captains. And then shining his helmet up when Eirene finds him.  And then Eirene tells him she's pregnant. Or preglant. Preglant! Or however you Romans say it! And a shocked Pullo turns all smiley and proud.  Aww, now he's a happy guy.  You just want to bear hug him. Vorenus still hasn't softened his edges, dammit. Vorena is still vulnerable and sad. And the Aventine is sure as hell no place for his children. His love for them has left them open to the scheming of his rivals. Memmio is going to use poor Vorena. *Hates Memmio* Yet, I think it will backfire on him.  What if Vorena decides she will never allow any other man to use her and not be punished for it? She is her father's daughter, isn't she? And revenge isn't something he would shy away from is it? And little Lucius is so cute. I love the fact he takes his toy elephant, which Lucius fixed, everywhere with him. And he wants, and gets, big hugs from stepdaddy. I'm hoping the boy's tendency to run off is just youthful exuberance, and not some sort of foreshadowing. This show is so chock full of foreshadowing, portentous embraces and telling glances, it doesn't need anymore. And Gaia. Oh Gaia, I'm hating her now.  She's going to seduce Pullo. Bitch. What happens when Eirene finds out?  She'll be heartbroken. What happens when Mascius finds out? I don't think his threat to Gaia was an empty one when he said he has his limits.

Cicero, in the end, died nobly. In death, he redeemed any earlier (perceived or actual) acts of cowardice. Finally, he became history's Cicero. However, his hairstyle remained unfortunate. And Pullo got peaches.  What a curious moment to drop on us to observe the difference between the famous statesman Cicero, and the very matter-of-fact, but also famous, Titus Pullo.  When a man's got a job to do, best let him do it then. Pullo was so pleased to know that Cicero knew him. And that Cicero wasn't so stuck up, after all. I'm thinking it was meant to be amusing, watching Cicero try to breathe in one last observation of the world's beauty before his life is taken, and having Pullo interrupt him by asking for the peaches for his wife. But I just found it sad. And yes, Pullo was there as an assasin, but it didn't show him in the best light. Given his history, I actually think Pullo wouldv'e been more respectful. I guess I'm saying it didn't ring true to me about Pullo.

And oh, Octavia and Agrippa!  Hot, sexy couple #2 (behind Antony and anyone else, I guess).  Hot, sexy couple in bed. Hot, sexy couple in the shower. And Octavian can figure those two out. He is astute. Maecenas did before anybody. And they know their love is doomed. I felt for her when she cried because she knew she loved him but they had no future together. Sweet Agrippa. A common man, indeed. I hope they live out their love on the sly. I like seeing Octavia free to be herself. However, shortlived it may be. Especially, after seeing the preview, it's a safe bet Octavian will marry Antony to Octavia. And Atia will be crushed by that. I wonder how he'll do it?  Will he offer to draw up a marriage agreement and secretly slip in Octavia's name? Or will there be an outright confrontation? Most likely secretly. Octavian doesn't do well in open confrontation with Antony. "Nobody can possibly say I don't keep my word.", says Antony, with a telling look to Octavian. He's still intimidated by Antony. What will he do next, that wicked, wicked boy?

And Octavian still looks like he's playing at soldiers.  Yes, the uniform is impressive. But it still doesn't fit him.

The battle scenes at Philippi were harsh. But I've seen worse killing in a Tarantino film or a horror movie. Still, it was tough. Arrow under the eye? That's a new one. Antony, as always, was having way too much fun. Could they (Cassius and Brutus) be anymore unprepared for what it takes to face a real battle? That message is played out in the opening scene. With Cassius fretting over grain rations. And then bitching about whether the soldiers will fight as well as they eat. *scoffs* Dude, you had to go to other countries and beg for/buy soldiers and their loyalty. Better show some love and appreciation.  And that scene with Brutus reminding Cassius it was his birthday?  And then the "You give the signal. Oh, No, please, you do it", bit. Oh, I'm so scared of these two.  After that, I couldn't wait to see them get whipped.  Historically, so they say, Cassius and Brutus committed suicide at Philippi. So I didn't buy seeing them race into battle. However, Brutus' death, seeing him die the same death he plotted for Caesar, for dramatic purposes, was an interesting choice on the part of the writers.  In the end, I'd have to say he was lame. "Tell my mother something suitable."? Talk about having no poetry in one's soul.

My favorite episode, and it is hard to choose, is "Heroes of the Republic". I can easily say this episode, "Philippi" wasn't my favorite. The writing didn't seem to flow as effortlessly. Or the direction. Each scene didn't pop and crackle as in previous episodes. I think what I didn't like was the clumsy way, IMHO, that Vorenus and Pullo were namedropped in the tent scene between Octavian/Antony/Lepidus and yes, Atia.  Take this to Lucius Vorenus, and tell Vorenus, and make sure Vorenus and Pullo know this. And btw, have Vorenus and Pullo kill Cicero personally. No, no. Too much. I couldn't buy into it. It took me out of the whole scene. And then, because little Lucius runs into the road, the crucial letter never reaches Brutus and Cassius. Because of Vorenus and Pullo. Overkill.  It was amusing/ironic seeing the kids make a hat out of this life or death letter, tho. But wouldn't somebody have read the damn thing first? You know, "Hey! Look what that man dropped." I know it still would've ended up as a hat or firewood, but come on.

Favorites quotes from the first watch:

Acerbo: "Spend the money and be the big man. Make us look bad."
Lucius: "For that, you need no help from me."

Posca: "Antony has many enemies. It takes time to remember them all."

Pullo: "Save me some of that chicken, girls. Or I'm eating Lucius when I get back."

Pullo: "Good peaches."

Antony: "Woe unto Rufus Tranquillus."

Octavia: "I'll marry who I like."
Agrippa: "No. No you won't. You'll marry some useful nobleman of your brother's choosing."

Atia (about Antony): "He's an arrogant shit, I know. But he's a good and honest man."

Atia (to Octavia): Please don't lie to your mother. It's futile.

Atia (to Octavian): "Don't be cold and superior. It will only provoke him. It provokes everybody. We all know how clever you are. No one needs reminding."

Antony: "If you need to urinate, now would be the time."

Antony: "Watch closely now, boy. This is how history is made."

Antony: "Breathe deep, boy. The smell of victory."
Octavian: "Smoke, shit and rotting flesh."
Antony: "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Antony: "Have the head packed in salt for transportation back to rome. People appreciate the little touches, I find."

And yes, I'm also deeply tired of hearing about THAT WOMAN, THAT dead WOMAN, I should say, her self-screwed up life, and her many baby daddies. Enough! Thank goodness for another Britney Spears meltdown. Shouldn't somebody take her aside and say, "Hon, is there something wrong?" I'd been hoping for some other celebrity to act totally out of proportion to their actual importance in this world (that is, normal), but the usual suspects are out of sight. I suspect this is because the Oscars are coming and a lot of people are on their best behavior because they want some votes. Speaking of the Oscars, I'm thankful to HBO for not bothering to put up the next episode of Rome against the Academy Awards. Smart move, guys. Plus it extends Rome's run an extra week. Yay! Small pleasures are always welcome.

What fresh hell is this?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 04:15:50 GMT

I'm a New York Rangers fan. There I said it. Almost like a confession at AA. A big fan, too. I haven't written about it much, because this team has caused me more stress and strain, as opposed to joy and thrills, than I care to relive in my own writing. Shakespeare would've envied the tragedies on Broadway this team has performed. Unfortunately, there are no awards or applause for such tragedies, and none were done on purpose. I bring all this up because this team teeters on the edge of breaking my glass heart yet again by not making the playoffs. They triumphantly returned to the playoffs last year only to die an ignominious death in the first round and were swept away by the team from NJ whom I refuse to name. Who or whom? Dunno. Back to the narrative. That's not the worst of it. Right now, the Rangers happen to have two players on their roster who've I've been a fan of for years, ("long time, first time"--that's a sports radio joke. heh. ahem.) but played for other teams, Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan. Last Saturday's game against the team from Philadelphia (whom I refuse to name also), was a disaster on many levels. So literally painful, it was inspired. A bad loss, multiple injuries to key players, truly, exquisitely horrible. So bad, it requires pictures. Nevermind the blood.

This is Brendan Shanahan representing the Rangers at last month's NHL All-Star game. He's an alternate captain for the Rangers behind the captain, Jagr (see icon). Here he's competing in the fastest shot contest.

Be ye not afraid! He is not a vampire, I swear. Last Thursday, in a game in Carolina, he was hit in the mouth by a puck and lost a tooth. Whether is was a real tooth or already a replacement, I dunno. But he did pick it up from the ice before returning to the bench. He's a tough SOB, and that's not hype.

On Saturday night at MSG, in a game that the Rangers were rapidly losing their grip on anyway, "Shanny" collided almost face-to-face w/Philly player Mike Knuble. In the fall to the ice, he hit his head again. He was out for almost ten minutes.

He was taken to St. Vincent's where, thankfully for him, he was released today w/only a concussion.

Shanny throws a puck to his adoring public in an earlier game this season. *Hearts* Shanny.

For his part, Knuble suffered a fractured orbital bone and cheekbone and requires surgery. I should feel bad. He clearly got the worst of it. But he's one of them! Alright, gosh, I feel bad!

And lastly, a gratuitous Jaromir Jagr picture.

Please, unbreak my heart. That's all I ask. The Rangers top goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist, was hurt in Saturday's game, but he managed to play today. Good man. They aren't going anywhere without him, either. One thing I've learned never to do with this team is to ask what more can possibly go wrong. Because they can find a way to make it so much worse. Being a fan of shows like Rome is a piece of cake by comparison.