Happy New Year Fragment Style

Welcome to my first edition of Friday Fragments of 2010. Please visit my blog gal pal Mrs. 4444 at the home of Friday Fragments.

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So how did your first week of 2010 go?

I've got a new mantra. Not that I'm big on resolutions. But I think my husband stumbled onto something. "The home should be our sanctuary" he says. So I am trying my hardest not to be a stressbag on such a regular basis. It's tough, let me tell you. But I'll give it the old college try (where the heck did that saying come from, anyway?). My attitude so far this year? If things in life get ridiculous, just laugh about it. No stress, life's too short.

We'll see how long it lasts.

Alcohol is certainly helping.

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I've been thinking about what to do with this blog. There's no doubt about it - it was my slowest blog year in a long time, and I'm so tired sometimes I can barely think let alone come up with a semi-coherent post. I can't and I won't blog about work, which is occupying so much of my thoughts and time. I feel a bit out of touch with the kids and the hubby for obvious reasons. I was pretty pumped about BlogHer 10 given my 09 experience, but things have changed. I've thought about shutting it all down.

But I got an e:mail out of the blue the other day. From my sister, who knows about my blog but doesn't have the time (nor the inclination, I thought) to read it very often. And she said she enjoyed getting caught up, that it really captured how the kids had grown, and that it made her miss Dad. Miss him in a good way. I know what she meant.

So I'll keep this going. Whether I manage to write daily, or barely a post a week, I don't think I can stop. It really is too precious.

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I caught a few of good movies over the holidays:

"Up in the Air" with George Clooney, doing the George Clooney thing - but the ladies in the movie stole the show. Great movie. Gives a whole new meaning to work travel - I could learn a thing or two.

"The Princess and the Frog" -in old school Disney animation which I thoroughly enjoyed, perhaps more than the girlie did. She wanted to leave after the first hour (nap time). I wouldn't let her. The message, the music - it was all wonderful.

"The Hangover" - which I finally rented. O.M.G. I LOVED it! The hubs saw it when it was out in theatres, and thought I'd like it (I tend to like guy-humour way too much for a 40-ish Mom, eg. "40 year old virgin, Superbad, Knocked Up, I Love You Man, Old School, Pineapple Express"-come to mind with a giggle).

And this guy ... sigh...

I think I'd mentioned before that the hubs looked like him about 15 years ago (ouch, I know)... but I think Bradley will do okay if he turns out looking like the hubs 15 years from now. Just sayin'.

And the boy was keeping the compliment wave going, telling his dad that he looked like he was this guy's brother...


Or uncle.

Now THAT's an ouch!

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Happy weekend all!

Weekend Cougar Update

So while we await further news about whether the demise of Lipstick Jungle is as imminent as initially reported, the cougar is, in the meantime on the prowl.

We've been watching So You Think You Can Dance Canada as a family since it first aired earlier this fall. And despite the current controversy, especially this week's results where two of the very best dancers were eliminated (Arassay and VINCENT??!!!) while some questionable choices remain, we will continue to watch.

Well, I will, with my children's blessing be watching because of this fellow. He's young, sexy, cute, French, and does he ever dance with passion and heat:



And here he is solo...


Oh I know he's like, 20 years my junior, but there's no harm in admiring, right? Me and all the screaming 16 year olds of the Nico fan club.

And then there's Miles, the cousin of bloggy pal Haley of Cheaty Monkey. He is brillers too:



Miles is a B-boy and Allie is a ballerina! Amazing stuff!

So I'll be watching and voting all right.

Another one bites the dust???

NBC, I am not happy with you.

How dare you cancel my guilty pleasure? Don't you know that these are my girlfriends? Only in my dreams, I know, but imagination is important too.

What am I going to do without my weekly dose of eye candy, including a cute and often shirtless 27 year old?

How can I go on without knowing what happens to my 80's crush turned billionaire?


I guess the 45 year old whose washboard abs are hidden behind 20 years of desk job will just have to do. Life ain't so bad.

(and no, no pictures of the in-house shirtless wonder to be posted... we all want this blog to stay alive, don't we?)

(photos from Google images)

Confessions of a Maddict

Well, the Man is away for work again , so it was a really good thing that there was something for me to look forward to on the weekend.

I haven't been the biggest fan of Saturday Night Live during the last few years (primarily because I can barely keep my eyes open past 11 PM anymore these days). However, I have recently been drawn, like millions of others, to the bang-on impersonations by Tina Fey of the ubiquitous Sarah Palin.

So imagine my excitement when I noticed that Jon Hamm, the number one man on my favourite new TV series, was to host this past Saturday's episode. With a bonus -- COLDPLAY was the musical guest.

Made the weekend an event. Oh I know, I really need to get a life.

Here is my favourite part of the show, and for those of you who do not watch Mad Men on a regular basis, I think you'll still enjoy it.


Methinks that performing this skit with Jon/Don probably sent Amy Poehler into labour.

Coldplay's performance didn't really blow me away; I think Chris Martin's frenetic performance and lack of continual contact with the mike didn't help. They may be more suited to larger venues these days. Still, it was a treat to see them 'live'.

But you know what nearly sent me over the edge? Last night was the finale of the second season of Mad Men. And was it ever a fully loaded episode. There's the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis; a company merger; confessions; unwanted pregnancy; continued marital woes; one night stands ... and just when I thought it was all over for our philandering protagonist's marriage, he goes and writes his estranged wife a love letter. Here is an excerpt:

" I understand why you want to go on without me, and I know you won't be alone for very long. But, without you, I'll be alone forever. I love you, Don."

Oh. My. God.

Swoon... these writers, boy they've got marketers pegged.

Hey, I'm married to a marketer! Hmmmm.

I cannot WAIT for Season Three to begin.

Cougar moment

If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that I have this insane love for Lipstick Jungle. I don't know what it is, but I was hooked from the get go. Likely because it has a beautiful cast, in particular a couple of gorgeous women of a certain age ... heck, their lives and careers are unreal. They are strong, successful women but of course total messes in their personal lives. But I think that's the fun of it.

Okay, I'll admit it. Another main draw for me was a certain actor, who was hugely popular and one of my celebrity crushes back in the 80's. I even talked myself into thinking that the hubs, at one time, even sort of looked like him for half a millisecond. Maybe it was the mullet.

But then watching the first season, there was someone else by the name of Robert Buckley, who just can't seem to keep his shirt on...(lucky Nico)

Season 2 has just got off to a rip-roaring start. Maybe it's just me, but the writing and storylines seem to have gotten better.

But gaaah, you got me again. I've never really been that into Latin men, but let me tell you, if we do renovate the rest of the house, I wouldn't mind this guy for MY contractor...

(images from Google images)