Daily Diary

Today I'm going to share with my blog readers a blog that I read. It's called Dorothys' Daily Diary & I love it! The site is a teenagers' diary from the forties with all her thoughts on life, friends & dating, lovingly transcribed by her son. It has information added by Dorothys' sister on the people & places mentioned & also includes headlines from the day. The diary is updated daily with Dorothys' entry from the same date in 1945. It's such a personal site and really offers a fascinating glimpse at a different time.

http://www.dhdd.net/dorothy/1945/today.html

Useless Information?

A longtime friend of my husbands' (I won't give his name because he works in finance & this is kind of a silly post) has taught me an easier way to open a banana. I must preface this post by saying, I never really thought that opening a banana was difficult to begin with. It seems that while observing monkeys for an extended period of time, our friend realized that they don't peel their bananas the way we do. Instead of peeling the banana from the stem (which I believe is the "traditional" human way), a monkey will use the stem as a handle & lightly pinch the bottom of the banana & peel from there. It really is easier. I told you this was a silly post!

Chocolate Altoids!

I think no matter how good something is, there's always room for improvement. I love cinnamon Altoids. The entire "curiously strong" part of them totally appeals to me. So how in the world could they make them better? They've dipped them in chocolate!! The folks at Altoids have been giving them out at various awards shows & events to get the buzz out there. They're hard to find right now, but soon they'll be everywhere. Really good!
I've been hoarding these new delicious treats (much like Elaine on that episode of Seinfeld, when she has to decide if her dates are "sponge worthy"). However, I've just learned from Mindy Ephron (who costars on the great show The Office) that the chocolate Altoids are available online: Order them at www.candywarehouse.com.

American Idol

We're two episodes into season 6 of American Idol & I think I'm the only person in America who prefers watching the really talented people audition. There's something a little sad about knowing that the really bad /odd singers had to audition before several panels of producers before they're finally able to perform for Randy, Simon & Paula. Each step along the way, as they see their numbers whittled down from the 10,000 people who show up, to the 100 that get before the judges, they probably get a little boost in confidence & think "Hey, I AM a good singer". Then at the end of a very long day, they find out that they've really only been strung along for comic relief. Don't get me wrong, I really like American Idol & America still LOVES American Idol. The 2-hour season premiere had 37.3 million viewers & 36.9 million people watched the Wednesday night episode. These were the two biggest nights of prime-time entertainment on Fox since it came onto the air nearly two decades ago. To put the numbers into perspective, the most popular show on TV so far this season, ABC's "Desperate Housewives," averages 20.7 million viewers a week - or a little more than half of what "Idol" delivered upon its return. My favorite Simon comment so far was directed at the girl who blamed her dry throat on her bad performance: "You could lie in a bath with your mouth open and you still couldn't sing."

Best Dressed

The Best Dressed lists for the Golden Globes are coming out & I'd like to add Rebecca Gayheart. I loved her ice blue gown & she had the perfect accessory...handsome hubby Eric Dane!

Lilo and Her Stitches

I have a confession to make (please don't throw anything): I like Lindsay Lohan. I'm not the type of person to base my opinion of someone on what's written about them in the press. Besides, there are always so many conflicting stories that I wouldn't even know what to believe. I like her as an actress (What's not to like?). Freaky Friday: Her remake was better than the Jodie Foster original. Parent Trap: Even folks who aren't LiLo fans, begrudgingly agree that she was great in this. Mean Girls...I liked it enough that some of my middle aged friends & I greeted eachother with "Hey Mean Girl" for a couple weeks. I prefer her as a redhead (as opposed to Prairie Home Companion blonde or Bobby brown). I don't know why anyone with real red hair would ever consider coloring it. Another plus is that Lindsay truly loves fashion & usually (not always) makes pretty good (or at least interesting) style choices. One more confession: I didn't even recognize her in her new Miu Miu campaign!

25 to 24!

When I met my husband, he had a teeny tiny television and didn't have cable. Needless to say after marrying me, he now has an enormous television & likes to DVR. But, there are still only two television programs that my darling hubby has to watch live: one is USC football & the other is 24. I have to agree with him on both counts! 24 is one of the best shows on the air. The acting and plot lines are amazing. You really don't want each episode to end. Kiefer Sutherland was always on my list of great underrated actors who deserved to be more famous than they were (James Spader was on that list too, before he landed Boston Legal). If you haven't succumbed to the lure of 24, tomorrow is your chance. Each season of 24 is "self contained" and the new season starts Sunday night at 8:00 on Fox. Trust me, after watching the 2 hour premiere episode on Sunday & another 2 hour episode on Monday, you'll be hooked too.

Flushed Away?

I know most of you are going to think this is another crazy invention, but I think it's kind of cool. Someone has invented a toilet /aquarium! As a mom to boys, I am convinced they would love this. It can also be adapted to house lizards & other reptiles. I'm sure many of you have had bad luck with gold fish (Who hasn't?). I've had over 100 goldfish in my life (usually won at one of those carnival ping pong ball toss booths) & they almost always die within a week. Let me recommend a fresh water fish that lives for years & thrives on neglect: Japanese Fighting Fish (or Bettas). If you feed them once a week, and change their water every few months they'll live for years!

Room For Improvement?

I'm all for any product that will make your life easier, more organized or more attractive. I was looking online for closet organization supplies to help me contain my massive shoe & handbag collection, when I stumbled across the contraption pictured at left. My first thought was "Now THAT'S something new!". Designers take inspiration from any number of sources. Obviously this designer was inspired by...the hamster wheel. I don't know if it really "revolutionizes the fine art of shoe storage", but it is unique. It doesn't appear to take up less space & would benefit from little plastic doors to keep the shoes from getting dusty. I don't think I'd use it for my designer pumps, but it might work for sandals & sneakers. The kids would probably like it, but most likely use it for action figures & their pet tortoise. Oh well, I admire anyone who tries to create something new. According to their site, the item is sold out until the end of February.

Flight Styles of The Semi-Famous

I've mentioned before about bumping into celebrities on flights & it's happened again! This week I had to travel for work, so I was sitting in first class (hooray!). I'm a big people watcher & I love airports. I like to pass time by trying to figure out everyones' "back story" as they get on the plane (businessman flying to a convention, former athlete flying to a speaking engagement, young author flying to meet her publisher, etc.). A man with black tinted glasses entered the plane & I thought: former actor...Mickey Rourke? It took just a second for me to realize it was Anson Williams! If you don't know who Anson Williams is, shame on you. He was Potsie on Happy Days for 10 years. Amazingly, I was the only person on the plane who seemed to recognize him. I was chatting with the flight attendants & they (what a coincidence) brought up flying with famous people. They had just flown with Nick Lachey (in their words "so polite & totally hot"). I asked if they recognized the guy in 3 C. Hey, Potsie was the "hot guy" on Happy Days (remember the episode where Joanie calls him "Dren" because it's the opposite of nerd?) & these flight attendants were my age. Neither one recognized him, even after looking at his name on the passenger list. After we landed, our eyes met & we both smiled. I don't know how others react when faced with the famous. Do you say you're a fan? Do you acknowledge their fame? I asked him to retrieve my bag from the overhead compartment.
I IMDBd him on my laptop in the hotel (looked him up on the Internet Movie Database, which isn't really very accurate). I learned that his real name is Anson William Heimlich & his uncle, Dr. Henry Heimlich, created the "Heimlich maneuver". I also found out that he now has a great career as a director. I'm glad.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! It's time to reflect on 2006, figure out what worked for you & what you could maybe do a little better this year. If you need ideas for your New Years' Resolutions here are some of my favorites:
1. Drink more water (you'll look better & feel better).
2. Learn how to do something new or make time for an activity you love (horseback riding, sailing, dancing, cooking, etc.).
3. Cultivate your friendships (be a good friend).
4. Give the gift of time (volunteer somewhere, play with your kids, talk to your partner).
5. Choose to be happy (You can't always change how others act, but you have total control over how you react).
I hope this year brings you all health, happiness & success. Have a positive attitude & 2007 will be the best year ever!