TV!TV!TV!

I am trying really hard (ie. not very hard) to work on my novel revision, but Roseanne is on. I just love this show. It's realistic and funny and sad. John Goodman is truly my favorite actor. This is my last day of freedom (my work contract starts tomorrow), so I might as well get rid of my guilt. If that were only possible.

Sooooo- Project Runway. Last night's show was very upsetting. I think it was a bad idea for the producers to bring family members on the show, and even worse for them to make others design for them. People were mean, and no one's family members need to see their children being insulted by obnoxious design people. It took away a lot of the show's fun. They better make up for it next week.

Tobin is on my lap, purring while I type this. I will definitely miss this when I go back to work. He is so mellow and sweet in the morning. At night, he gets the crazy attack bites. Today will also be my last day of official vacation hang-out time with my mom. We have had such a wonderful time together this summer. We even went to the Jelly Belly Factory in Wisconsin! It was tasty and fun. I bought Matt roasted garlic flavored jelly beans (which I later regretted because they made his breath smell like a garlic tire. I forced him to brush, floss, and use Listerine that night).

I am now going to turn off the TV for a half hour so I can work on my book. Can I do it???

Traveling Blues

I miss Toronto. I think I just miss the freedom of the road. That sounds so cheesy, doesn't it? I look at cars with out of state license plates, and I feel jealous. I do have to admit though that I am getting excited about going back to work. I have some redesigning of the library to do. And I can't wait to see my kids again. Woo woo!

So I've been looking up plane fares. First: Toronto. Cheap! About $200. Perhaps a long weekend in October? Second: Greenville, SC where Matt and I go to visit his family every year. Over $350!!! Whatever! How can that be? And if we want to go from O'Hare to G-ville to my parents' house in Florida, then home again- over $700 a ticket!!! I could go to Europe for that. What is going on? Is it the gas? Supply and demand? Oy.

Today was a mega eating day. I had a taffy apple, which was OK. I couldn't concentrate on it since I was watching TV. I should have savored it. Speaking of TV- how amazing is Roseanne? Definitely my favorite sitcom of all time. I will miss the morning double feature when I have to go back to work.

Degrassi Dreams

I seriously cannot stop thinking about moving to Degrassi Street. Am I psycho? Is it because I am in the weird window between the end of summer and school starting and I need something to fixate on? But I'm already fixated on revising my novel and redecorating the library and... Wait. Maybe I'm not at all fixated on those things, or at least I'm trying hard not to fixate on them, and so I'm fixating on a wonderful fantasy, a la Degrassi Street?

Toronto was so wonderful. Matt and I are already talking about going back. Every restaurant is vegetarian friendly, the transportation is so easy (albeit not cheap), and the cable TV is funny. What more could one ask for in a city?

So who has seen Snakes on a Plane? I would like to see it in the theaters, as I think it will be a nice item to talk about with my students. We'll see if I can convince Matt.

There's No Oprah on Degrassi Street

I’m watching Oprah (which has to do more damage than good), and there are these kids on who hate themselves and the way they look. Some of them are three years old! The whole theory that Oprah’s therapy lady believes is that you automatically pass all of your bullshit through the womb as you have a baby, so the only way not to pass stuff on (like self-hatred, weight issues, etc.) is to get rid of it before you have a baby. Whatever! Who the hell can do that?

In more realistic news, I plan to someday move to Degrassi Street in Toronto. It was so perfect and beautiful and magical. Matt and I already looked up house prices, and we feel that someday we may be able to afford it. Canada, here we come! Maybe.

I have a lot to say about my recent road trip to Toronto, but I have to work on the revisions of my novel before I go back to work (next week!!!). More later!

Oh- and if you’re posting comments (thank you!!!) will you please either sign in with a funny code name so I know who’s posting or just put your name? I feel weird with the “anonymous” thing.

Thanks!

Vase photos!

Here are some pics of the Roadshow (see below story) vase. They are pretty bad pics, as the light was behind the vase. But I don't want to unwrap it again, so this is it.

Fashion Face-Off LOSER

I have been watching Project Runway sine its first season (aren't I so cutting edge?), although I only got into the Bravo website about half way through last season. They have a very fun little game called "Fashion Face-Off" where you get to drag the outline of one of the designers onto a "winner" and "loser" stand, to guess who is going to win and who will be "out" next week. I have not gotten a single guess correct! Why am I so bad at this? It's like instant lottery tickets-- I always buy them, and I (almost) always lose. Why? I should totally win sometimes. It would be fun to win. Ah well. Burn to the Runway bastard Keith, ay? He was so greasy and cocky. I loved that he was kicked off. I don't like when they have evil on the show. I don't have a favorite yet, but I like the Barbie guy, Robert Best, and Kayne (I was so proud to see his dress at the Miss Universe Pageant). Michael Knight seems very cool, and I'm glad they finally showed him talking this week. He has barely said a word in previous episodes.

Something just clanked in one of my kitchen cabinets while I was nowhere near. Why does that happen? Scary. I am now going to go outside and tan for an hour. I will do it, of course, wearing 30 spf sunblock, but I feel like I have to have a small tan at least when I go back to work. Cheesy, I know.

Roadshow Rules!

Today Matt and I went to a taping of Antiques Roadshow in Milwaukee. I have been a huge fan of the show for years and when I found out it was coming somewhere close, I had to get tickets. The ticket-getting process was not easy, as it was only on entry per household and tickets were given by lottery. I entered my sister, my mom and myself. Only my sister actually got tickets, and thankfully she gave them to me.

Strangely, I didn't actually have anything I wanted to bring to Roadshow. I was really more interested in seeing all of my favorite appraisers (none of whom I know the names of, but all of whom I have nicknames for, such as "Provenance Lady," and "Gun Guy," and "Sparky"). My Aunt Gloria helped me out by giving me a vase that once belonged to my late Uncle Norm. It is tall and green and swirly and has three strange gem-like protrusions on the top. We knew nothing about it except that my uncle bought it in the sixties at an estate sale.

Roadshow was so fun! We arrived at our ticketed time of 9:30 am, and got into a long, snaky line. The line took an hour an a half to get through, but it went quickly as everyone talked about their items in line. People were very friendly. The next step was to show our items in order to get tickets for the appropriate lines, i.e. glassware, toys, etc. Next, we went into the appraisal area. It was strangely small and crowded compared to how it looks on TV. Perhaps it is because of the lighting issues; I don't know why they would use such a small space. The appraisers were at tables around the perimeter, and the filming set-ups were in the middle. Matt and I brought some of my grandpa's cufflinks, and first went to the jewelry area. They weren't worth anything. Next we waited for a while in the glass line for the vase. It was fun to watch other people's appraisals; we saw some interesting instrument appraisals as we waited in line. When we got to one of the glass guys and took out the vase, he looked at it and asked where I got it. The three glass people got into a huddle. They said they needed to talk to a producer, and would we mind going out to a waiting table. Out at the table, I got really nervous. I was happy enough being at the Roadshow, but I didn't want to go on air and look stupid. I don't know why I was so afraid of that. There were a father and son at the table with us, and they had a set of Tiffany desk items. They said they had been waiting for two hours (!!!) for a producer to say if they would be on the show or not. Soon, a producer apologized for their wait and said that they would not be featured on the show. Then an appraiser came out and appraised their items. We learned that if an item is to go on air, it will not be appraised until the cameras roll. For the natural surprise of it all, I suppose. We waited. A young couple joined us at our table with a piece of glassware. They were nice, but a tad cocky about their item. I still had my doubts that the producer would put us on TV. The producer came to our table (under a half hour later, thank you), and looked at out vase and the couple’s glass thingy. He asked us about the items, and then walked away. I was freaking out with nervousness. He soon came back and said that he could only put one of the items on the air, and he chose mine!!! Matt and I were sent to wait (and wait and wait) in the "green room." There I would have make-up applied (Matt was not going on camera), and I would wait until the appraiser and cameras were ready. During the wait, we met some nice people, got some free food (which I didn't eat because I was so nervous), and watched live feed of what went on on the Roadshow floor. It was all fascinating. THREE HOURS LATER... I went on air! People were so nice as I sat and waited for the appraiser. "That is beautiful!" "Is it Polish?" "What did they tell you about it?" My appraiser finally came over, a woman who I had seen on TV usually appraising Tiffany glass. They had to stick a wire mic up my shirt, and I had to take off my cute necklace. I hope I looked OK. I couldn't really hear her appraisal, and I was so scared and in awe that I hope I didn't look like one of those duds on the show when she told me the vase was worth quite a bit of money! In truth, I didn’t really care too much what the vase was worth. I was just happy to be on the show and amazed at my luck to go on tape. I don't know if the segment will air because it's not guaranteed, although they filmed only one day and it will air for three shows. Plus, I don't feel right keeping the vase now that we know what it's worth. Where would I even put it? Amongst our King of the Hill collectibles?

The show won’t air until at least January 2007 (how will I wait???), so stay tuned for a reminder. What a crazy, PBS kind of day! Mega thanks to Uncle Norm and Aunt Gloria and to Uncle Al for his enthusiasm when I called :)