R.I.P. Boo

A tribute to a member of my family...

BOO

April 5, 1995 - April 8, 2011

16 years is a good long life for any kitty, but Boo was diabetic and got insulin shots twice a day for the last 8 years or so (I can't even remember - it's been so long).  He was a crotchety bugger with an attitude and I will miss him dearly.

Even though he once slapped me in the face. Once on each cheek. No claws, but I believe he made his point.

No more donning welding gloves and quilted jackets with my sister to groom him.  He would scratch your arms to the bone! Good times.

He was one of a kind.

Bye bye Boo Boo.

Oscarpalooza 2011

It is that special time of year again... Oscar Time! The Golden Globes were handed out last Sunday and I had a lovely time having a "virtual" Globes party with Red (we texted our zingers back and forth for 3 hours!).

Oscar nominations will be announced early next Tuesday morning, the 25th and the awards will be given out on February 27th.

That gives me 38 days to watch all 10 of the Best Picture nominees, plus any others nominated in the major categories. Who else is up for some movie-watching??

Since the noms have not yet been announced, I have a running list full of safe bets:

1. The King's Speech
2. Black Swan
3. The Fighter
4. The Social Network
5. 127 Hours
6. Barney's Version

You are probably all aware of my dislike of Facebook (you know, I just really thought it was going to be a fad...), and that dislike has extended to the film about it. But I shall watch and try to reserve my judgement until the end. 

127 Hours has the potential to be the Precious of my 2011 Oscar season. I reeeaally did not want to watch Precious, and I have heard that 127 Hours is also difficult to watch (albeit for very different reasons). However, 127 Hours has two very good things going for it: 1) James and 2) Franco. So I am looking forward to it (and scared at the same time).

Start up the popcorn maker, Oscarpalooza 2011 begins!

Filming fit tips with Tommy

If you are like me and enjoy watching people suffer on TV, then you have probably seen "The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp" and "Bulging Brides" on Slice.

Tommy Europe puts people through workout hell in their quest to get fitter and leaner. Having seen it many times from the comfort of my couch, I just finished filming a few little fit tip spots with Mr. Europe himself. Now I only had to do about 60 seconds of combined time of each exercise, but I needed to rest. At one point I couldn't get up off the mat. Seriously. I had to roll over and then push myself up. Yikes!

Tommy doesn't mess around. These exercises are HARD. I believe theses spots are destined for the show's website on slice.ca.

Now I know why I swim.

Tommy was very nice and generously gave me some additional pointers. Maybe I will have to do these movements in combination with my swimming. Then eat ice cream. Now you are working out the Candy-Coated way...

Here's a link to Tommy Europe's twitter page with a photo of the shoot. Witness my pain.
http://ow.ly/i/5cir

Friend of the Environment...Ms. Sarah H

Hey Ms. Sarah, on behalf of Mother Nature:

THANKS, LADY!

My dear friend Sarah has just returned home from caring for oiled birds in Louisiana. Yes, the birds that have been appearing covered in oil courtesy of BP and their bumbling. Admittedly, I don't know much about the hows and whys of this disaster (I don't like to watch the news-it makes me angry. I prefer to simply get onto my soapbox and bitch about it instead), but really, how much longer can this go on? I don't care about BP or how much this disaster is going to cost them. I care about about the toll on the environment.

The toll on the environment is exactly what Sarah has seen first-hand as she worked 15-hour shifts in sweltering heat to clean, care for and rehabilitate these birds. Not to mention the snakes and other wildlife she encountered on her porch when she came home for the day (snakes-eep)! Ms. Sarah worked hard for a month and has come home to tell us about it. We should all listen to her experiences and learn from them. I hope I never have to see oiled birds popping up in my Vancouver coast backyard, but when I go to the beach or look out at the water from downtown, all I see are tanker ships. It could so easily happen here.

Yes, there are many environmental issues out there, but the BP Gong Show has brought the oil/water debate to our dinner tables. Sarah has done her fair share (and will continue to do more, I am sure) for Mother Nature, and so I say... again... Thanks!

From one treehugger to another - I salute you, madam!

Read about Sarah's adventures on her blog (which I am following - you can find the link to the left), which is also where I snagged the photo of the baby pelican.

Just fill the goddamn cup with water, you losers!

There is nothing that pisses me off more than watching TV or a movie and the characters have a "cup of coffee" that is obviously an empty cup. Holding an empty disposable to-go cup from Starbucks looks a lot different than holding a to-go cup of actual hot coffee.

How hard is it for the props department to at least put some water in their friggin' cups? As soon as I see this act of laziness, I get ticked off and stop paying attention to the story. Hey, actors! If the props people won't fill your cup, at least think back to acting school and try to create realism. You are supposed to be acting with all your senses - and we all know that you can't gesture wildly without your dark roast flying around and those little cardboard coffee collars do not insulate your hand from the scalding beverage that was boiled on the surface of the sun. So at least try to act like you have something in the cup - and as an actor, you should know what imaginary beverage you have in the cup without it being mentioned in the script. Sheesh.

Empty Cup Syndrome runs rampant in Hollywood. When you start looking for it, you'll see it everywhere. Oh, and in live theatre as well.

Plus, Empty Cup Syndrome leads to an even worse condition called The Fake Swallow, which sounds dirty, but get your minds out of the gutter, people! I don't care if you are Meryl Streep, Robert DeNiro, or some hack in community theatre - no one can pull off The Fake Swallow.

Actors, please see this lesson on "Sense Memory" from Acting with James Franco.

Acting With James Franco Episode 1: "Sense Memory" from James Franco

Challenge of the Blogs

Recently my good friend Red proposed a blogging challenge. Never one to back down, I have picked up the gauntlet she has thrown down.

One week.

Seven days.

Seven blogs each.

Heck, I may do more than one blog per day. So there.

P.S. It starts today. It's on, Red.

Oscarpalooza... It's Over

The Oscars were held and, as predicted, The Hurt Locker is the Best Picture. Shame of shame - I did not win the Oscar Pool.

Curse you, Red!

I have not been able to duplicate my 2008 win. I declare war. 2011 is my year!! Even though I will be participating long-distance. I have been promised to be skyped in to the Calgary festivities from my new home in Vancouver.

I lost it in the smaller categories... that's where Red got me.

Good on you, Red! But next year - it's on.