“I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made.” ~Marilyn Monroe
I was reading through a magazine this weekend and saw that Michelle Williams (the blonde actress from Dawson’s Creek, not the forgettable ex-member of Destiny’s Child) is going to be playing Marilyn Monroe in an upcoming production. I remembered this quote that I wrote down a while back, and it seemed to fit with the general theme of a holiday weekend.
I spent the weekend with my family, with my parents and sisters and nieces. I don’t want to be the kind of daughter, or sister, or aunt (or friend, girlfriend, etc.) that doesn’t live life to the fullest. I don’t want to skip a boat ride because it will be windy and make my hair look disgusting. I don’t want to not laugh and smile in fear of having lines on my face one day. I want my nieces to look up to me and think I’m a fun Aunt who is daring and silly. Man-go-round always tells me that one of the first things he noticed about me (five years ago, I was 21 for the record) is that I had little smile lines on my face, and that he knew that we’d get along great if I did that much smiling.
Therefore, I’d like to give a general “cheers” to Marilyn, to my family and friends, and to anyone anywhere who enjoys the spice of life without obsessing about the appearance of things (physical appearance, money, doing what’s expected… I could go on).
Here’s some photographic evidence that I’ve been doing just that:
s'mores are likely to get messy and you'll have chocolate all over your face...going on a walk, you're sure to get bug bites...don't frown if you get all vowels playing scrabble......and digging around for rocks like these will get some dirt under your fingernails!
What fun things did you do this weekend? Do you care if you get dirty, or don’t look perfect, or show signs of aging? Or do you see it as a life well lived?
Here’s tonight’s sunset (something I see quite often):
…and here’s something I see much less often: the sunrise.
Venice, in January 2011
I show you these photos because A) they are pretty, and B) because tonight I want to talk about one of my all time favorite books: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (Hence today’s cheese-tastic title).
I first read this book either towards the end of high school or the beginning of college, in my classic literature phase. I was deep in the pages of Kafka, Vonnegut, Toni Morrison, and Flaubert. When I wasn’t pouring over Siddhartha, I was writing my own creative short stories while suffering delusions of my own grandeur (some things never change) and dreaming of the day I could visit one of these different worlds.
The Sun Also Rises is about a group of Americans living in France. They take a holiday in Northern Spain for an annual festival (The running of the bulls), and the novel follows the characters’ exploits as they try to navigate their next steps. The characters are incredibly solid and interesting (even the exasperating Cohn and Lady Brett). The narrator of the story has a Fitzgeraldesque lack of chutzpah or personality, leaving you inside his head to feel as though you are experiencing expat life for yourself. There is no doubt that this romanticized version of Spain was a huge part of my decision to go to school in Madrid.
Strangely enough, when I ended up living in Madrid I read about Hemingway’s life in France instead (A Moveable Feast). Read that book if you haven’t- its quick and it makes you step back and think about life.
I am sort of a sucker for “lost generation” literature, and can’t help but feel sort of nostalgic and bittersweet each time I read one of these books. Even if you aren’t usually a Hemingway fan, give The Sun Also Rises a shot.
I promise, you will want to visit Spain afterward. You will also probably want to strangle one or more of the main characters.
Have you read The Sun Also Rises or any famous American Expat Literature? What do you think of it? Are you more of a sunrise or a sunset kind of person? What kind of books did you read in your most “formative” years?
I had a great time with TV month, and was so happy to have so much participation from readers! It’s time to tackle a new topic tonight though… here’s a hint:
“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.”- Irish Murdoch
(Thanks to my dad for picking this quote out of an Arizona Highways magazine and reading it to me, prompting me to write it down in a notebook for months later. I think this was over Easter.)
I have been adoring the local sunflowers immensely this past week. Each day I walk past a different stalk in the ‘hood to see who is blooming and who is wilting. The one in the middle must be the size of my head.
Anyway, what on earth is my point, and what on earth is September’s topic?
Quotability! Holla! This means:
-Some of my favorite books (novels, non-fiction, drama, etc.)
-Some fabulous quotes I’ve accumulated
-Perhaps a few fantastic words that didn’t make it into Word Nerdery last November.
I can’t wait! Sure, they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but does that mean I don’t want to read or hear those thousand words? Of course not! In fact, in this case I’m not sure if I’d choose my sunflower photos or Ms. Murdoch’s words.
Thus, we begin. Come along to play!
Do you have a favorite quote? Or a favorite flower that you’ve been ogling? Or for bonus points- do you know any fabulous quotes about flowers or books with flowers in the name?
For the grand finale of TV month, I wanted to do something a little fun (well, fun for a dork like myself, anyway). Before I unveil September’s topic, I thought we should have time for one last quiz!
This one’s fun. Choose the drink option below that most appeals to you (don’t scroll down and cheat!), and then find your Mad Men Alter Ego. Don’t worry if you don’t drink booze- no peer pressure here. You can just assume its a non-alcoholic version, or you can just choose the description that sounds best. Or you can ignore this post altogether and just tell me your favorite thing to drink!
****and one last disclaimer: This is meant to be fun and to make fun of the show, and ourselves- not to get all offended by!****
What’s your Poison? A Mad Men Quiz by Meri
A Black Russian
A Strawberry Margarita please, with extra salt
A bottle of Dom Perignon, Maitre D
I’ll have what he’s having
A shot of Jagermeister
Miller Lite
So…. which did you order?
photo source
1. If you chose a Black Russian, you’re Don Draper (E). Dark and mysterious, you’re different than the rest. It’s hard to see what’s below the surface. You’re also strong and traditional, and like to make an impression.
2. If you chose the Strawberry Margarita, you’re Joan Holloway (D). Sweet and tart all at once, and delightfully fun and colorful. You’re fun and like to have a good time, but you can get a little “salty” around the edges at times.
3. If you picked the Dom, you already know you’re Betty Draper (F). Beautiful, classic and refined, you know you deserve the best. You aren’t always the most original, but you do like to stand out and sparkle a bit.
4. If you go with the flow and order what you’re drinking partner is having, you’re definitely Pete Campbell (B). Easygoing at times, and schmoozy and
spineless other times. You haven’t quite found your own identity yet, but you’re always out making the rounds.
5. If you picked the Jag, (and when I say or type Jag, I have to try not to gag…) you’re Roger Sterling (A). Reckless, manly, and full of life. You make irresponsible decisions and later often regret them. You love to have a good time, and don’t always let others see your serious side.
6. So if you picked the Miller Lite, you’ve probably figured out that you are Peggy Olson (C). You come from a humble background, and don’t carry a lot of pretentions. You long to be one of the guys, but sometimes end up feeling like people don’t take you seriously. Your day will come, Peggy Olson!
Honorable Mentions:
Full bodied Chianti- Salvatore
Jameson on the rocks-Ken Cosgrove
A nice fat joint… Paul Kinsey
Anything, as long as the glass is pristinely clean- Bert Cooper
So… based on this, I’m either Betty or Cosgrove. I guess I choose Cosgrove because I find Betty beyond obnoxious. And Cosgrove got published.
Who did you get? What’s your favorite thing to drink (booze or otherwise). Did I miss any characters? Do you have better drinks for them?
Today is a drizzly, gross kind of day. Despite that, I’m feeling pretty optimistic because I powered through about half of my list today, and now I’m smelling strawberries and cinnamon drying into fruity goodness in the oven!
In progress... flipped once already!
TV month is drawing to a close, and tonight I wanted to focus on the stock character types and character relationship formulas that writers and producers love to build TV shows around. We watch them, we recognize them, we love them.
Now let’s talk about them!
1. The Sidekick: Think Ethel on I Love Lucy, Chandler on Friends, Potsy on Happy Days, Eric “E” on Entourage. Think Margaret Cho’s assistant on Drop Dead Diva, Summer on The OC
2. The Kook: Kramer on Seinfeld. Phoebe (Friends) Beth (the redhead) on News Radio. Duane on the office.
3. The butt-of-all-the-jokes: Screech Powers (Saved by the Bell), Andy Dick (News Radio) Buster/ Tobias on Arrested Development
4. The womanizer/manizer: Joey Tribiana (Friends), Shane (The L Word), Samantha Jones (Sex and the City), Richard (Coupling, UK), Karen (Will and Grace) Kitty on Arrested Development( “say goodbye to THESE!”). Hank (Californication), Edie (Desperate Housewives), Barney (How I met your mother) Vince Chase (Entourage)
5. The neat freak. Danny Tanner (Full House) Monica (Friends) Felix (The Odd Couple)
6. The Fashionista: Rachel (Friends), Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City), Karen (Step by Step) The two scheming assistants on Ugly Betty, plus Justin. Gabby from Desperate Housewives (in the first seasons). Stacy (Drop Dead Diva).
7. The genius/nerd: Urkel (Family Matters), Mark (Step by Step), Lisa Simpson/ Millhouse, Carol Seaver (Growing Pains). Rachel (Glee). Ross Geller (Friends), Jessie Spanow (Saved by the Bell)
8. The “cool guy.” The Fonz. Zack Morris (Saved by the Bell),
9. The tough guy/gal: Ryan (The OC). Tori, Ronda (remember her?) (Saved by the bell), Tony Soprano, Puck (Glee). Xena- Warrior Princess
10. The workaholic: Mr Big (Sex and the City), Kate (Castle), Christina (Grey’s Anatomy), Kirsten/ Caleb (The OC), Don Draper (Mad Men), Miranda (Sex and the City), Sue Sylvester (Glee), Lynette (Desperate Housewives)
What types of TV characters did I miss? What kind of weather are you having today? Do you sometimes bake just for the lovely smells too? I can’t wait to try my strawberries!
I’m happy to report that it’s time for another Making my List Monday!
Here’s whats on the docket this week:
Go on more walks to soak in sights like this:
Read library books- one on Festivus, and one called Warhol-o-Rama
Make another stencil with man-go-round (its almost fall, which means arts and crafts time!)
Solidify Labor Day Weekend plans. Yea three day weekend!
Write. Because when I do, I stare at these Monet-like clouds:
Kitchen projects, including investigating these dragon beans, and MORE fruit chips! (This week I made cinnamon apples and pumpkin pie spiced asian pear chips. Next up? Strawberries? Cantaloupe?)
Fill Prescription. Blah blah blah
Pay Rent, Pay Bills, Remind myself I’m a grown up.
Upload library CDs onto my computer: White Stripes, Natalie Merchant, LCD Soundsystem, Butterfly Boucher, Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys.
Keep trying to plan next vacation! Mama, help!
and now… for those of you who read this far STILL trying to figure out what on earth Taboo-ya means, it means BOOYA, I LAUGH in the face of all things taboo- cause they are awesome!
To explain myself, Make My List Monday might not be complete without one last list- but this one is related to television month at least!
Underwatched TV Shows due possibly to their Taboo Subject Matter:
Show #1: Six Feet Under
Taboo: Death. (It’s about a family that runs a funeral home. Each episode begins with a death scene. There is quality time spent in the embalming area. It’s a bit grisly)
Why I love it: The acting is phenomenal, and I love so many of the actors on this show. The writing is creative and the storylines are unique and different. It feels very real, even though I have no idea what living in a funeral home would be like. It’s sort of diverse.
Show #2: The L Word
Taboo: (Same sex) Sex. (It follows the relationships of a group of lesbian women living in LA. Each episode begins with a tryst of some sorts. It has full nudity including pregnancy, transgender bodies, homosexual, and heterosexual couples).
Why I love it: It’s superbly funny. It’s wittier than sex and the city and Alice cracks me up every time. Jennifer Beals is super hot and awesome. It gives me characters to make fun of until the end of my days (ahem, Jenny Schecter and her stupid carnival writing career). I get to make fun of the theme song.
Show #3: United States of Tara
Taboo: Mental Illness (Toni Collette’s Tara has Dissociative Identity Disorder, which used to be known as multiple personality disorder. She transitions to diverse alters including a teen girl and a masochistic dude. They don’t glamorize it at all.)
Why I love it: Even though they cast one of my least favorite actors in the world (Aidan from SATC) for her husband, they still have Toni Collette, who rocks. And the other family members are awesome. And Diablo Cody can’t make anything that sucks. It’s very quirky.
Now go watch these shows! Do you watch any shows that cover “taboo” subjects like this? What are you doing this week?
Last night man-go-round and I were watching an episode of Rick Steve’s Europe- Spain and Portugal- that I had picked up from the library. He saw a blonde woman (a rubia, if you will) on screen, and asked me if I got a lot of attention while living in Madrid for having blonde hair. I had to remind him that at the time, I was a not blonde or brunette, but rather a saucy redhead, rendered even more cherry red by the stylists I visited while living there.
I spent a good hour or two reliving my mysterious redhead days. And then, remembering that it was TV month over here at meri-goes-round, I decided to do a little tribute to the best (and worst) redheads on television.
Meri Sees Red (on TV)
1. Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy)- the Original Redhead
2. Donna Pinciotti (That 70s Show)-the Redhead Next Door
before she went all blonde on us
3. Danny Partridge (The Partridge Family)- The Orangehead
4. Grace Adler (Will and Grace)-The Redheaded Best Friend
(I’m a vegetarian, so I don’t make chicken dinners).
Tonight I’ll share with you the results from M’sTV Awards- Parts I, II, and III. Because I know its the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Live from TVLand…
1. Best Hair: Grace from Will and Grace!
No matter what I do, my hair will never look like this
Losers (In order) Serena (Gossip Girl), Rachel (Friends), Jill (Charlie’s Angels), Moesha (no votes…)
2. Worst Theme Song: TIE! The L Word/ Friends. I’ll tip the scales to the L Word because I hate it so very very much.
Losers (or in this case, winners…) Three’s Company, Brady Bunch
Write-in vote: Golden Girls
3. Best Gay Tween/Teen: TIE! Justin (Ugly Betty) and Isabel (Weeds). I’m going to give the “M”my to Isabel because she has horrible Celia to deal with
Losers: Marshall from United States of Tara. Not sure anyone else has ever seen this show.
Write-in votes: Kurt from Glee (multiple votes), Rickie from My So Called Life, Doogie Howser…
Ricky- I hope the fact that I forgot about you doesn't contribute to your teen angst!
4. Best Classic TV Parents: The Foremans (That 70s Show)
Losers/ Write-ins: Huxtables (formidable amount of votes), Cunninghams, Seavers, Lopezes, Keatons- pitiful scores. Arnolds (Wonder Years)- one write in vote.
5. Grossest TV parents: The Camdens (7th Heaven) Yes, everything about this show is gross.
Losers: Walshes (90210), Brady’s, Step by Step parents, My so-called life creepy parents
6. Best Single Parent on TV: Lorelai Gilmore. Although Michael Bluth (Arrested Development) scored pretty high too- perhaps in a crossover episode these two could get together and superparent?
Losers: Shirley Patridge, Ruth Fisher (six feet under) Write-in: Joyce from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
7. Ridiculousness in Parenting: The Bundy’s (Married with Children) Aw, PEG!
Losers: Addams family, George Sr./ Lucille Bluth. Write-in- Costanzas (Seinfeld)
8. Worst job of Parenting on TV: Nancy Botwin. At least her hair is great though.
Other horrible parents: Celia Hodes (Weeds), Danny Tanner (Full House), Desperate Housewives in general.
Write-ins: Frank (it’s always sunny), Gob (Arrested Development), Ross (Friends), Toddlers and Tiaras
9. Most Useless TV Child/Sibling: Chrissy from Growing Pains. Almost a complete shutout
uh... Chrissy would be on the LEFT, not to be confused with Brian Krakow. Still laughing over this one...
10. Best Magically Powered TV Character: TIE! Jeannie (I dream of Jeannie)/ Sookie (True Blood)
Losers/Write-ins: Samantha (Bewitched), The witches from Charmed, Sabrina the teenaged witch, Willow from Buffy, Cheerleader from Heroes.
11. Slick/ Skeezy (depending on your opinion) older Brother character: Silas from Weeds. Thus, due to who won, I say slick/ sexy!
Losers/ skeezes: Matt (7th heaven), Eric (Boy Meets World), Nate (6 feet under), Dean (can’t remember which show, it was a write-in).
12. Biggest Bitchface on TV: Another TIE: Karen from Will and Grace/ Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl.
To break this tie, Karen will suggest a contest of who can drink the most martinis and sleep with the most older gentlemen. Blair will suggest a scheme-off and they will alternately be too drunk/ busy scheming to remember to care who won.
Thus, one of the runners up will sneak up and take the win anew:
Will it be Heather Locklear from Melrose Place, Sue Sylvester from Glee, or Jackie from that 70s Show?
Muah ha ha ha.
Thanks everyone for voting, and have a fabulous Friday!
What are you doing this weekend? And what’s for dinner? I wasn’t kidding- I need to go grocery shopping, so I’m probably making pancakes 🙂
Fashion! You’d never know it from the way I dress in real life, but I am fascinated by clothes, style, fashion, and accessories. I like smutty glossy magazines from the library (I may be frivolous in taste, but I’m cheap…), I like to read style blogs, and I like to admire clothing on TV and movies. No TV show seemed to be more about the fashion than Sex and the City. Before Blair and Serena, better than anything before it- there was Carrie Bradshaw.
Everybody who watches the show seems to have their “love” looks by Carrie as well as “ugh” looks. I’m feeling positive tonight, so here are a few of my very favorite Carrie looks.
I love this whole look- the dress and hairSuper hot power suitI want this dress, and I want to twirl in it like a princessLooking smokin' hot... except for the whole smoking thingis it a dress? a coat? who cares, its Jackie O and its awesomeone of many awesome outfits she wore in the Paris episodes
Do you give a crap about clothes and fashion? Which of these is your favorite Carrie look? Did I miss any of your favorites? And if you are into style/fashion, where do you get your inspiration?
Hello out there! Tonight’s post is all about sub-ins. Sub-in Salsa is first, and my Guest Blog on Autism is over at one of the sassiest, smartest blogs I’ve read- Eden’s. Hop over here to read it! http://www.edeneatseverything.com.
Remember last night when I showed you my delicious little grape tomatoes? Well, I decided today to make them into salsa so I could also use some of the onions around here. The trouble was, I didn’t have any garlic or spicy peppers. Instead, I made salsa with what I had (the “real” ingredients first”)
Grape tomatoes, pearl onions, yellow onions, salt, pepper
and then I added the “fake ingredients” or sub-ins!
jar-o-garlic and hot sauce!
So to recap:
one pint grape tomatoes
one medium yellow onion
5-6 pearl onions (I got tired of peeling them so I stopped)
2 tbsp garlic, minced (fresh or jarred, in my case)
one green bell pepper
half a lemon
about 2 tsp hot sauce, or more ( I’m super heavy handed with the hot stuff)
salt, pepper
I would also have added cilantro, celery (yes, celery!) yellow peppers, or other herbs if I had them.
The result? We agreed it was a bit “overprocessed” for our tastes (my processor is an overachiever, I guess), but the flavor was delicious! Semi-homemade, just like Sandra Lee.
I’ll be back with more teevee talk tomorrow! Go buff up on Autism at my guest post!
Hello out there! I'm Meri. This blog has had a few incarnations in its day, but the latest one is my "slap happy" project. Each day I will spend at least 5 minutes focused on something that brings me happiness. A meditation, a reflection, a photo, a poem or a dance. This blog will catalog some of this journey. Please join me if the spirits move you :)
