Brothers

Totally didn't realize it was Friday today. That makes me sound crazy, but the inconsistency of my work schedule makes me forget what day of the week it is, especially this week since I'm working Saturday morning. All that to say, no Friday Five this week.

But with the new movie Brothers (Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire) coming out, I wanted to put something out there. This movie is a remake of an incredible Danish film of the same name. It's a subtle, emotional drama about the dynamics of changing relationships. I loved it so much, it sent me on a Danish-film-watching adventure. And now I own the movie. The previews for the remake don't do justice to the plot, and just promote the the showdown at the end of the movie, which was not the purpose of the original film. I have not seen the new film, so I have no comment on it, other than I want to see it. But I want you to see the original Danish film. Watch it today, with Netflix streaming!

Friday Five

1. I watched Twilight on DVD, but I saw New Moon on the big screen Sunday. Watching the movie in a theatre full of teen girls was an experience. The hoot & hollering that occurred when Jacob (Taylor Lautner) took of his shirt was worth the price of admission.
   
   
2. Being the faithful Cowboys fan I am, I've always wanted to go to a Thanksgiving game. Even before I followed the Cowboys, our family always watched the Thanksgiving game. This year, due to my sister's work schedule, we had Thanksgiving on Wednesday, freeing up my Thursday. Eileen and I were finalizing our plans for the Dec. 13 game when I mentioned how much I wanted to go to the Thanksgiving game. Her family celebrated Thanksgiving last week, and she could come to the game. So she brought her son, Darren, to town, and the three of us went to the Thanksgiving Cowboys game. My last year in Lubbock, I watched almost every game with Eileen, and taught Darren how to cheer for Romo and do touchdown dances, so they were the perfect people to go to the game with. Eileen went with me to a Cowboys game the final season in Texas Stadium, so it was fitting that we went to a game together the Cowboys first season in Arlington's Cowboys Stadium.
   
   
   
   
3. Participated in my first Turkey Trot. Because of the tendinitis in my foot, I haven't been in a race in more than a year. I miss racing, even though my goal is basic: to not finish last. The weather was great, if a bit cold at the beginning. I've been running with walk breaks to protect my foot but ran the entire Trot, and I loved it! I never get in a rhythm or groove when I train now because of all the walks breaks. So it felt great to do that for this race. I also loved the residents that watched and cheered from their front yards.
   
   
4. Monday Night Football last some of its relevance when it moved from broadcast TV to basic cable. (I will spare you my rant about that.) But I still love to watch the intro with Hank Williams singing "Are you ready for some football?" It's a perfect fit!
   
   
5. Can't wait for Christmas to get her. I'm taking off the week of Christmas - actually having Christmas on Monday - and the following week I'm going skiing in Colorado with Eileen, her family and some friends. Bring on the snow!
   

Friday Five

1. I turned my library book in on the "Day of Grace" and was charged a late fee. What? When I went to pay, I asked why they didn't have a Day of Grace. Every (American) library I've used offered this benefit. Turns out a patrol that this policy was unfair because not everyone knew about it, and he took his complaint all the way to city hall. So now the library charges late fees the first day past due. Why would anyone complain about a policy designed to give customers a break? It must take a grumpy person to wage a battle against grace.
   
   
2. I'm only in the first chapter of My Life in France by Julia Child, and I already love it!
   
   
3. Even though it was abrupt, I enjoyed the seasonal temperatures this week. I actually got so cold at night, I had to close my window, turn down my fan and add a blanket. It makes me happy.
   
   
4. Plaid really is back, isn't it? It makes me feel old that fashion styles from my lifetime are cycling back.
   
   
5. I'm Team Jacob.
   

Friday Five

1. One part of my job I'm still adjusting to is the openness of strangers. You walk into a business, introduce yourself, and the stranger before you starts spilling personal details about a cancer diagnosis or recent loss. I don't always feel comfortable with the conversation, but I always enjoy telling them the many different ways the ACS can help them.
   
   
2. I'm seeing the stage production of Sweeney Todd tonight. The trailers for the movie included the refrain, "I will have vengeance." And then I saw the movie. After that, I couldn't get that refrain out of my head! So if you see me in the next few weeks, expect that song to be in my head...and to pop out my mouth.
   
   
3. Oscar (from the Office) speaking in a Southern accent = hilarious!
   
   
4. I'm a little worried about my plan to run the half marathon in February. My tendinitis-afflicted foot has bothered me all week. And I'm only running three miles. Maybe this week is a fluke.
   
   
5. Even though it sounds ridiculous, I've never successfully cooked with a crock pot (other than queso). I follow the recipe, the cooking directions, everything, but my food always burns. Last week I made chicken tacos! And I had enough leftover chicken to make Mexican stack and tortilla soup throughout the week. I did leave work early to make sure my food didn't burn.
   

Friday Five

1. Went to a Derek Webb concert in Deep Ellum on Sunday. Between him and Third Day last week, it felt like 1998. Oh, college memories.
   
   
2. Anyone have any book recommendations? Leave them in the comments. I'm looking for my next favorite book.
   
   
3. So I've never seen a Chorus Line, but I just watched the documentary Every Little Step about casting the revival. Anyone seen the doc? Now I just need to see the Broadway show.
   
   
4. I had my performance evaluation today. Ouch. Got a "failing grade." Sucks to be in fundraising when the economy goes south. Because I didn't meet my money goal, I started at 65 points (out of 100.) Obviously, I wasn't perfect in every other category. At least it was a low year for everyone.
   
   
5. Read a great advance review of Place of Execution, the two-part miniseries premiering this Sunday on PBS' Masterpiece Contemporary. It's a psychological thriller about a filmmaker and a 45-year-old murder investigation. And it's British! Can't wait to watch it.
   

Friday Five: Short and Sweet

1. Saw Oprah and Martina McBride at the State Fair of Texas!
   
   
   
   
2. Went to a U2 concert at Cowboys Stadium! That place is huge!
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. To ACU Homecoming I went! No pictures though. Left the picture taking to Rachel, and she had to cancel at the last minute. Had fun hanging out with Rachel and Ben, Wendy and Lisa, and Jeremy. Good production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.
   
   
4. Saw Third Day in concert on Thursday (no pictures - I wrote this on Wednesday).
   
   
5. Decided to run the Cowtown Half Marathon on Feb. 27 with Joe V. and Jaime A. We are all first timers and slow, and our only goal is to finish. So join us!
   

Friday Five

1. Kristin Chenoweth was on GLEE this week, and she was amazing! I agree with Janie: If you own a TV, you should be watching GLEE. Although it's far from perfect, it's infectious. Even though this is the farthest thing from real life, I couldn't stop laughing when I watched this scene last week.
   
   
   
2. DIY headboard isn't complete yet, so here is a photo of my kitchen, one of my favorite areas of the apartment. Second favorite is the closet, but photos don't illustrate its vastness. I've always lived in apartments with small kitchen with limited storage and counter space. Not in my apartment! It's OK to be jealous.
   
   
   
   
3. I'm going to see the movie Precious tonight at a museum film festival. Ah, culture. Love it!
   
   
4. I've started running again, and it's going well. I'm including walk breaks to protect my foot, and so far it seems to be working. The goal is to train for a half marathon. I'm hoping the walk breaks will prevent my tendinitis from returning.
   
   
5. Gov. Perry's decision to replace three members of a commission investigating a possible wrongful execution stinks. It looks like a cover-up when the man that refused to stay his execution disrupts the investigation two days before a critical report is expected. Perry's decision could be justified, but I still think it stinks. No marketplace of ideas for Perry.
   

Friday Five

1. I've been listening to NPR's Fresh Air podcast in the mornings when I run. Love it! The host, Terry Gross, is an amazing interviewer. She asks intelligent, probing questions, and it's always entertaining. Give it a try if you like arts and culture.
   
   
2. Is anyone else enjoying this Fall weather? I know it won't last, that the Texas heat will return before cool temperatures stick around, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.
   
   
3. Here is a Before Picture from my new apartment. Boring bedroom. I decided to change my bedding, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. So I found a pillow with colors and a pattern I liked and started building. But right now, it's a boring room. Hopefully next week I will have an After Picture to share with you of my bedroom with a DIY head board I'm making with Rachel. I also need to repaint my lap because I bought it to go with my old bedding, which was black, white and red.
   
   
   
   
4. So I visited a church last week where the singles class series is about how to date. Literally. The teacher talked about what you should and shouldn't do to make a good impression on a first date so you'll go on a second date. That was the topic of discussion in Bible class! At the end, the teacher did tie it back to the Bible, by describing the Bible as the best guidebook you can find for making a good first impression on a date. I'm not joking.
   
   
5. I spent Thursday in one of my communities. I visited 10 businesses, had a lunch meeting and attended a Chamber mixer. It was exhausting. I'm glad the Chamber mixer included free fajitas because I did not feel like cooking dinner. I did win a free gift card to a spa!
   

Friday Five

1. Even though I'm doing the same job in a new location, it's totally different. I'm traveling much more frequently, which I like, even though it doesn't come naturally to me. Today I had lunch with a complete stranger to recruit her to be a volunteer. Mildly successful. Tomorrow I'm meeting another stranger for a similar reason. I am excited about my new assignment for October. Because it is Breast Health Month, I have to schedule at least 10 meetings with different organizations (including the mayors of all my territories) to talk about the ways we can encourage breast health among their female employees. I like this assignment because instead of asking people to help me, I am telling them what I can do for them.
   
   
2. Went to a Rangers game this week. In the rain. And they lost. But at least it was Dollar Hotdog Night. Thanks, Jenise, for the hook-up.
   
   
3. Many, many stories lines came out of the US Open, both positive and negative. I'm still in shock that Federer lost to Del Potro. I had that gut instinct it might happen, a la Safin's defeat of Sampras, but I didn't trust my instincts. I should always trust my instincts. They have a good track record.
   
   
   
4. The new season of TV is upon us! I have a slight obsession with numerous TV shows, so this is an exciting time of the year for me. And the Oscar-caliber movies start showing in theaters.
   
   
5. Sorry my posts have been boring lately. Other than the move, not much going on.
   

Friday Five

1. Sorry about the lack of a new post last week. I'm adjusting to life in the Big City. I've lost an hour from the end of my day. This week I've been watching tennis all night, every night. So before I knew it, Friday came and went. But this week I found my routine. Sort of.
   
   
2. My job involves driving. That hasn't changed with my move. But I've lived in small cities with little traffic for the past six years. I'm still adjusting to the traffic and how quickly I go through a tank of gas. I've filled up three times this week!
   
   
3. I had a good Labor Day weekend. Went to WestFest with some friends. After living so close to West, eating kolaches isn't the novelty it once was. I still came home with some. And some jalapeno cornbread. Yummy. On Labor Day, I had barbecue and spent the day in the pool with some other friends. And I didn't even have to drive in for the weekend.
   
   
4. I have no motivation to decorate my apartment. I've unpacked everything (except books; I need a bookshelf) but I haven't put anything on the walls. I want something different than I have, but I don't want to spend money. (It's not cheap to cancel a lease.) So my apartment doesn't feel like home quite yet. Maybe I'll do that this weekend. Pictures to come.
   
   
5. I'm eating hazelnut gelato purchased from Central Market in Plano. So glad to live in DFW again!
   

Friday Five

1. I am busy packing for my big move. I have boxes a-plenty, which I did not expect. We go through boxes quickly during event season because we are ordering so many materials. But event season ended in June, and the box surplus dried up. As luck would have it, one of the volunteers was adamant that the boxes for her event be recycled, and so she set them aside. And forgot to recycle them. So I load of my car with boxes every few days. If anything, I have too many boxes. So I will Reuse the boxes, and when I'm done, Recycle them. Everybody wins! Yes, simple things excite me.
   
   
2. Watching the trailer for Taking Woodstock on Sunday, I was reminded how much I like director Ang Lee. His resume is diverse, and his movies are always well made. I fell in love with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in college, and remember being surprised to learn that the director also made Sense and Sensibility. He's since won an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain, and made another foreign language film. It looks like he'll be adapting the Life of Pi for his next turn behind the camera. Check out the book if you haven't read it already.
   
   
3. For some interesting reading, check out the 'A Week Without...' series on the ReadyMade website. The first two diaries involve giving up plastic and processed foods for a week. Sometimes you don't realize how much you consume something until you give it up. On a related note, what is the best way you know to keep herbs fresh without using a paper towel? I followed the Rachael Ray method of folding most herbs into a paper towel and putting them into a plastic bag. I stopped buying paper towels over a year ago, so that doesn't work for me anymore. (I bought a roll a few weeks ago for a quick-fix rinse of quinoa, but once that roll is used up, I'm back to hand towels, so I need another method.)
   
   
4. I feel sorry for Hilary Clinton. Obviously, as a diplomat and representative of the United States, I expect her to control her temper and act more professional. But diplomats are not robots (or are they?) and feel insulted like the rest of us. And the question posed to her in the Congo was insulting, especially considering the purpose for the visit was to demand the government show zero tolerance for the rampant rape and torture of women in the country. I can only imagine the outcry for not practicing what she was preaching if she had ignored the insult and acted like nothing happened. I'm glad the whole world doesn't dissect and judge all the over-reactions I've made in my lifetime.
   
   
5. It's Blog Participation Time! As you know, I'll be living in the Metroplex this time next week, and I'm in need of a church home. I'm on the liberal side of the Church of Christ spectrum. I'm looking to make friends, so a vibrant singles group or young couples that don't discriminate is preferred. :-) Although Church of Christ is my heritage, I am open to other denominations. I'll be living in Lewisville, so I'm not looking to go to church in south Fort Worth. Where should I visit? Leave your suggestions in the comments.
   

* I'll be moving next Friday, so no blog post. Once I get settled, I'll post pictures of my apartment. Be prepared to be jealous of my closet.

Friday Five

1. Everything with the move is happening so quickly. I found out I got the job on Thursday, and on Sunday I found an apartment in Lewisville. Next week I'm traveling to one of my territories and meeting my new co-workers at a staff meeting. I've been in the right job at the wrong place, so this move should make everything click.
   
   
2. I'm going to see U2! I have always wanted to see them in concert. I knew they were coming to Dallas but the show sold out before I knew tickets were on sale. But they released more tickets this week, so I'm going with Janie and Jon! The concert is at the new Cowboys Stadium, so that makes it even more exciting!
   
   
3. Last week I skipped a number on my list. Here is what I intended to share. The picture is amazing. Can you imagine seeing it for yourself?
   
   
   
4. My computer was invaded by all sorts of mean viruses this week. Totally freaked me out because I thought I had the software to remove the viruses, but I did not. I had to purchase software online while my computer was hacked and hope for the best. So far, so good. (Knock on wood.) I called my credit card company immediately to let them know I authorized the charges but anything else was not mine; I hadn't used my credit card in more than a year so they had already sent me an email alert. Yay! I think the viruses are stalking me because they infected my work computer Thursday. By the end of today, I hope it's clean.
   
   
5. “Hmmm, usually this is the point in my process where Liz Lemon steps in and takes care of everything. Heavy is the head that eats the crayons. Gonna take a nap, see you in 10 hours.” - Tracy Jordan
   

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.
   
   

   The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
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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.
   

Friday Five

1. I keep thinking I'll get tired of the song "Gives You Hell" by the All American Rejects, but I haven't yet. Every time it comes on the radio, I turn up the volume.
   
   
2. Here's a photo of my beautiful sister and her husband. For all you ACU readers out there, Melanie's sister took her photos.
3. So I went from the shocking violence of the book Gomorrah to the surprising gore of Jane Austen with the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Austen's prose stands up well; the portions of the book written by her are superior to the additions by the new author. In case you are curious, a plague that turns humans to zombies is ravaging England. Mr. Bennett sends his daughters to the Orient to become trained warriors, and they are well trained, particularly Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy is also a skilled warrior. The plot is the same with much of Austen's writing, but with embellishments. Probably wouldn't recommend this book for the Austen purists. I haven't even made up my mind about it.
   
   
4. So the big entertainment news this week is the decision by the AMPAS to nominate 10 movies for Best Picture next year. Initial reaction: the "big prize" just became less prestigious. Hopefully more foreign films and documentaries will get nominated for BP this way, in addition to critically-acclaimed blockbusters. I will say this. My goal to see all films nominated in the major categories (picture, director, acting categories, foreign, documentary) just became more challenging.
   
   
5. Pete Sampras is my favorite tennis player. Federer surpassing the record set by Sampras for most Grand Slam titles is inevitable. I do not want him to set a new record at Wimbledon. Come on Roddick, Murray or Djokovic! Also, go Venus!
   
   

Friday Five

1. Here are some pics to prove Rachel and I went to Denver for Brent's wedding.
   
   
   Me and Rachel with the mountains behind us.
   
   
   Me and the groom minutes before the ceremony.
   
   
   
   The ACU gang that came to the wedding.
   
   
   
   
   
   Me in the mountains, being adventurous. :-)
   
   
   
2. Country music has changed since the '90s, at least the country music endorsed by the radio stations. Can't stand most of it. I do like Lady Antebellum. They have an old-school country sound. And great vocals. And their lyrics aren't about drinking ... or whatever Kenny Chesney sings about.
   
   
3. I'm just about finished with the book "Gomorrah," the expose on the Italian organized crime network more powerful and violent than the Mafia. Crazy brutal! If that title sounds familiar, it's because the book was made into a movie. It's on my Netflix queue. What should I read next? Leave your suggestions in the comments. I think I've had enough murder and corruption, so send me in a different direction. I just want a book I can't put down, one with well-developed characters, good plot and excellent writing.
   
   
4. I finally saw John Michael Montgomery in concert! I've loved JMM since his first single, "Life's a Dance." He performed at an ACS charity event. I dressed up like a cowgirl for this event. It was fun! I now own a pair of cowboy boots. Here is a picture back at home after spending five hours outdoors on a hot Saturday. Luckily my job was in the shade.
   
   
   
5. I've blogged before about my buckwheat pancake recipe. The pancakes are small, about the size of the palm of your hand. The recipe makes two servings, pictured below.
   
   
   Can you believe that is only two servings? I eat two pancakes for breakfast, topped with strawberries, and served with yogurt. I can't imagine eating seven of these dense pancakes in one setting. I make this recipe and it feeds me for two weeks (Monday-Thursday). (I don't know why this text is formatted as a link.)
   
   
   

Friday Five: Soapbox Edition

1. I'm mad at Kelly Clarkson. Get your eye-rolling out of the way now, Rachel. I like Kelly. I love the song "Breakaway," and it's the reason I have all her albums, except the most recent one. I've been resisting buying it because of the hit single, "My Life Would Suck Without You." I do not like the message this song sends, in particular the line, "Either way, I found out I'm nothing like you." I can't listen to that song without shaking my head at those lyrics. What kind of message is that to send to all the 13-year-old girls that love her? And what self-respecting female would release a song with that message in it? It's the whole "You complete me" messaging again. The idea that we are incomplete, pathetic, or nothing without another person infuriates me. And it doesn't matter if the other person is a boyfriend, parent, sibling, etc. And the song is about a dysfunction relationship, which makes the sentiment far worse.
   
   
2. Miss California USA Carrie Prejean. Enough already. I don't care if she lost her title because of her stance on gay marriage or for violating her contract. I will say this: freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Just ask the Dixie Chicks. And they don't represent a company with an image and brand to protect.
   
   
3. The uproar over Judge Sotomayer's "wise Latina women" comment. Yes, as the nominee for a vacancy on the Supreme Court, she is accountable for her opinions, public comments, etc. No problem questioning this comment. But man, it would be nice if people factored in context and background before making assumptions. I've read the entire text of the lecture this quote came from. Very interesting thoughts on the role our backgrounds, heritage, culture and experiences have on decision making. A good read. Here is the context.
   
   "Justice O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases. I am not so sure that I agree with the statement. First, as Professor Martha Minnow has noted, there can never be a universal definition of wise. Second, I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.

   Let us not forget that wise men like Oliver Wendell Holmes and Justice Cardozo voted on cases which upheld both sex and race discrimination in our society. [Holmes ruled to sterilize a woman against her will because "three generations of imbeciles is enough."] Until 1972, no Supreme Court case ever upheld the claim of a woman in a gender discrimination case. I, like Professor Carter, believe that we should not be so myopic as to believe that others of different experiences or backgrounds are incapable of understanding the values and needs of people from a different group. Many are so capable. As Judge Cedarbaum pointed out to me, nine white men on the Supreme Court in the past have done so on many occasions and on many issues, including Brown.

   However, to understand takes time and effort, something that not all people are willing to give. For others, their experiences limit their ability to understand the experiences of others. Other simply do not care. Hence, one must accept the proposition that a difference there will be by the presence of women and people of color on the bench. Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar. I simply do not know exactly what that difference will be in my judging. But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage."
   
   Whatever you think about Judge Sotomayer after reading that is not important. What is important is that you read it and came to a conclusion. Based on the dialogue we've been reading and hearing in response to her comment, how many TV, radio and print media personalities do you think looked into her comment before decrying her a racist or unfit for the Supreme Court? Very few I would guess. Get the facts before making a decision. I encourage you to read the entire text. You can find it here.
   
   
4. I don't have a lot of patience for other people's emotional instability. Maybe this makes me a bad person, but I can't help it. Whatever your emotional issues and needs are, don't bring me into it. I won't indulge you because it is not good for you. Get yourself together! (Can you tell I'm an extremely rational person, which could be considered my issue.)
   
   
5. I ran out of soapbox topics. I'm about to walk out the door and head to a free outdoor concert along the river. Fun times!
   

Friday Five

1. I'm going to Denver this weekend for Brent's wedding. Happy for Brent. Ready to escape this Texas heat for cooler mountain air.
   
   
2. Now that my schedule is back to normal, I'm home at night to cook dinner. I bought a Williams-Sonoma "eating by color" cookbook at Marshall's for $5, and I've been cooking from it this week. I've only made four recipes, so I'm not ready to recommend the book, but it's fun mixing-and-matching recipes to eat five colors a day.
   
   
3. I'm sure you are all wondering what I did at work on Thursday. I practiced my hula-hoop skills! One of the guys in the accounting firm down the street stopped by the office to socialize. When he gets bored, he comes down to our office. A lady in my office is married to one the partners in his firm. Today he noticed a stack of hula hoops in someone's office. So he wanted to know who could hula hoop. If you said you could, he made you prove it. I said I wasn't very good, and he still made me prove it. After he left in disgrace - he was the worst one- someone picked up a hula hoop again and found the secret to keeping it going. We all tried again. And we called the guy back to the office to see our new hula-hoop skills. She wanted to have a "hula-off" between our offices in the street. I work for the American Cancer Society, and we take time to hula hoop.
   
   
4. Nadal lost his first ever match at the French Open. It's been a shocking French Open hasn't it, tennis fans? Anything can happen, but it looks like Federer is going to equal Sampras' record of Grand Slam titles in a few days. Most people will concede he is the Greatest of All Time if he wins this tournament, but I don't agree. How can you be the GOAT when you can't consistently beat another player (Nadal) in your generation?
   
   
5. Does anyone else enjoy the categories Netflix creates and provides recommendations for on the Netflix home page? So specific. Here are five categories I've seen recently, a little bonus Friday Five.
   
   • Critically-acclaimed romantic thrillers
     
   • Suspenseful space-travel TV shows
   • Dark political documentaries
   • Feel-good teen musicals
   • Visually-striking dramas with strong female leads