Friday Five

1. Raise your hands if you watched Torchwood: Children of the Earth on BBC America? Alexis? Very gripping television. And dark. I'm talking Battlestar Galactica and The Wire dark, possibly darker. Gotta love British television. It's available on DVD, so if you have similar taste to me, I encourage you check it out. But be prepared for it to sucker punch you. I thought this quote from a British TV critic described it quite well. "Anyone who had been watching Torchwood Friday as the prelude to a “big night out” would have silently taken off their stilettos around 9.30pm and sat silently on the sofa with a large vodka, crying." Probably not the best sales pitch. :-)
   
2. 
   
   
3. Seriously, what is with the Birthers? Love Obama or hate him, refusing to believe something despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary astounds me. And yet, their viewpoint keeps gaining ground. I'm writing about it! Did anyone else see the crazy lady on the Colbert Report. Check it out.
   
   

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4. I know the Emmy nominations were announced weeks ago, but I just can't let it go. No Kyle Chandler or Connie Briton from Friday Night Lights? No Mary McDonnell from Battlestar Galactica? And as much as I love 30 Rock, it was nominated for all but one of the slots for comedy writing. Seems a little extreme.
   
   
5. So a few weeks ago I hinted that I might have exciting news to report. And I do. I am moving to Dallas! I am staying with the American Cancer Society, just moving to the North Texas Region. I'm super excited. My new jobs starts in month, so I have lots of packing, moving and apartment locating to do.
   

Friday Five

1. After traveling three straight weekends, I used last week to be lazy, which is why I didn't blog. I slept in, read books, watched DVDs and relaxed. I'm traveling again this weekend, so it was much-needed.
   
2. After reading the biography of the Duchess of Devonshire, I'm ever-so happy I don't live in the 17th or 18th centuries. Women were completely dependent on their fathers or husbands. Even giving birth to a female was not greeted with enthusiasm. The Duchess' influence in political matters was unheard of and amazing.
   
3. Even though I've been in Central Texas since December, I'm still shocked when I walk outside and instantly start sweating because of the humidity. Crazy.
   
4. What exactly is the point of Supreme Court confirmation hearings? The candidates never say anything new, at least Roberts and Sotomayor didn't. Senators just get to grandstand, which is nothing new.
   
5. Overall, underwhelmed by the new Harry Potter movie. It felt like a teenage love story with a little Fighting Evil thrown in.

Friday Five

1. I love watching movies or TV shows and reading books that make me think about subjects that don't come up in every day conversation. Can we ever overcome our true nature, if there is such a thing (A History of Violence)? What is the best argument for supporting gay marriage but not polygamy (Big Love)? How do we live in a world where the bad guys can't lose (Gomorrah)?
   
   
2. As I mature and continue to solidify my views and opinions, I keep coming back to how the church heritage I grew up in seems so at odds with the person I am today. The limited role of women is one of the areas where we disagree. You can find a great conversation about this issue at Rude Truth, a blog I just discovered. It's nice to know you aren't alone in your frustrations.
   
   
3. I'm traveling for the third weekend in a row, this time for work. Enough already! I just want to spend a lazy weekend at home doing all the things I haven't been able to do with all the traveling. And really, having to work on a hot weekend in July is cruel, don't you think?
   
   
4. I finished "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" (still unsure about) and moved on to "Grace Eventually" (did not enjoy) and now I'm reading "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire." My to-read list just grew exponentially with recommendations by Newsweek and Nick Hornby. I think I'll start where they overlap.
   
   
5. Why is it so hard to find five things to write about every week?
   
   

Friday Five

1. Four-day weekend! Those don't come along too often, so I'm looking forward to it. Have a safe weekend!
   
   
2. Had a fun girls' weekend in the Metroplex with Lubbock friends last weekend. Ate a hot dog and garlic fries at a Rangers game; saw a chick flick (The Proposal: cute); ate fondue; chased fireworks in Grapevine (can't really say watched because we drove toward them and when we finally found a place to pull over, goodbye fireworks); had relaxing pedicures. All in all, a good weekend.
   
   
3. I might have some exciting news in a few weeks. Stay tuned. :-)
   
   
4. Watched Oscar-nominee "Waltz with Bashir" this week. Extremely moving film. The final images take your breath away. Wasn't sure what I thought of the film when it started (it's a foreign-language animated documentary about Israel's invasion of Lebanon and a specific incident) but as the movie concluded, I noticed I was leaning toward the TV in anticipation. Haunting images. War if awful. Highly recommended.
   
   
5. "Witty movies directed by Woody Allen" is one of the categories suggested by Netflix. I'm hit and miss on Woody Allen. Never see "Melinda and Melinda." The acting is so awful, I can't believe I watched the whole movie. I expected it to improve.