Quality time

I spent some quality time with Sydney last night while her parents took her brother to see his new school. She asked me to bring Rusty along and the three of us played chase until we were all pretty worn out.

What a smile!

Music for Fences Benefit Concert

Join us this Saturday for good music and food in support of The Coalition to Unchain Dogs in Durham.

Something I can't wait to see

I think I've watched both of the trailers for Like Crazy at least a dozen times each, if not more. I'd heard about the film before reading about it in my latest Entertainment Weekly, and all the buzz is just working me up into a frenzy.

Here's the plot in a nutshell, compliments of IMDB, "A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa."


I love what I've seen and read about so far. Like Crazy is a tiny budget film starring actors whose performances are so organic - so real - that one wonders how they haven't been starring on screens world-wide for months or years.

Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin improvised much of the script - they were given an outline to go on. She wore her own clothes and did her own make-up. Yes, she is a very beautiful girl, even more so because of how naturally she appears on the screen.

I found the way that they incorporated both Jacob's LA life with Anna's London life artistically dead-on, by depicting subtle backdrops of each in the poster of them on the beach. The United Kingdom meets Los Angeles - or not.

The story is so simple and so heartbreaking at the same time. First Love. It is so exciting, mind-blowing and life-changing. Sometimes those changes don't prove to be positive right away, but I think everyone deserves to fall in love at least once. And when it happens for the first time it is truly astounding - weak in the knees, tummy butterflies fluttering, AMAZING.

Quote of the day

"I am never getting married...or having children..."

-Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon - Rizzoli & Isles)

That Jane/Angie is a woman after my own heart. Doggies will do as children for this woman.

Dead Reckoning

I was disappointed after reading Harris' last Sookie book, "Dead in the Family," but I was pleasantly surprised by "Dead Reckoning."

The previous book was so far removed from the core story that I grew tired of the "new" plot that I didn't give a crap about. "Reckoning" returned to the Sookie tales I love and felt far truer to the story at hand.

Readers will learn more about Sookie's Fae legacy, as well as her family history and also get some insight into Sookie's future - the not boring one - that may or may not include both Eric and Bill.

"Reckoning" is Harris' 11th Sookie book. If HBO's True Blood really follows the book trail then Anna Paquin has a SUPER long future playing a blonde back-country girl. I'll keep watching for as long as Alan Ball creates. After all, he is the mastermind behind my most favorite show of all time! (Six Feet Under).

And it goes without saying that after following for this long, I couldn't really abandon Harris either. I'm sure I'll read about Sookie until her story ends.

Back Into the Wild

I just got around to reading my July issue of Outside magazine tonight, and I was elated to see that it contained a follow-up to Christopher McCandless's epic story first published in 1996.

"Back to the Wild" was recently released via Amazon, and features the photographs and writings of Christopher McCandless during his last years (as Alexander Supertramp).


Outside reports that in March, those closest to McCandless visited the last place he lived - a derelict Fairbanks City Transit system bus - to pay their respects before releasing the last pieces of his life he left behind.

I read the original story and I saw the movie. I both identify with and disagree with McCandless's choices. I've never been able to come completely to terms with what he did - I can't argue against or in support of it. What I can admire is the courage of a boy who set himself on a course with more drive than most could imagine to summon in a lifetime.

I think Chris was on the brink of living an extraordinary life, but his ambition and narrow focus prevented him from surviving.

Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch told his story beautifully in Into the Wild - a movie I think everyone should see!

Vacation Foolery

The Glazener beach week 2011 just wasn't up to par. Todd's illness wasn't the only wrench in the plans. There were way too many deviations from the regular schedule. I'm sad to say that I feel robbed of a vacation. Boo.

I didn't take very many photos either - really - there were very few snapped. Hence this post - I think these of Abby and I are the only ones I took the entire week. Good shots though, as we were surely having a great time!

Beach puzzle

The Glazeners finished this one in a few days on Holden Beach. Dogs galore!

House addict

I've been aware of House, MD since it premiered in late 2004, but I think the show's timeslot always conflicted with other shows on my watch list. After all, I only subscribed to dvr service in 2009, so I seriously used to be a slave to scheduling.

I don't recall for certain what recently turned me on to setting my dvr to record reruns of House on USA and Sleuth, but I am now a full-fledged addict. I love every show. It's so much less "soapy" than shows like Grey's Anatomy or ER. One can easily view episodes of House completely out of sequence, and remain intrigued by the case at hand. There are ongoing relationships that minimally drive the plot from episode to episode, and are therefore subtle enough that I haven't been lost after viewing episodes from season one followed by episodes from season five with almost no backstory provided.

Honestly I don't think all series should strive to attain the same seamless storyline, but for House it is the perfect formula. Even more individuated than episodes from the X-files, House has the ability to draw in viewers at any stage of any season.

Of course others may completely disagree with my "diagnosis" of this show, but the reruns I've been recording are in no particular order, yet I've lost nothing from the stories of the regulars (doctors) or the patients. In my opinion it is a great show - one that has proven to be compelling for more than 7 seasons now.

Renewed for an 8th season, I can only hope that House will live on!

Puppies!

The local rescue group that I am affiliated with (BFPA.org) has some of the cutest puppies and dogs I've ever seen. I know I'm biased towards marketing Rusty, but if you want a puppy, check out the bios of these 100% sweethearts:
I've met all of these cuties and they are to die for. All legs, sweetness and puppy breath. You can view Jackson's profile here, and find the others on the BFPA page.

Jordan - Jackson's brother - is pictured below.

I love Tommy Gavin

Ever since I started watching "Rescue Me" on FX I've been drawn to Denis Leary. As far as my "type" goes, he only has height on his side. Nevertheless, I just love Tommy Gavin. Maybe it is his youthful appearance. I mean really - how many 54 year olds truly have a full head of blonde hair?

I'm pretty sure I've never met an adult who truly has "blonde" hair that doesn't need an extra dose of blonde dye to keep it on the lighter side. (There's clearly a significant amount of denial floating around the heads of "blondes" these days).

When I brought up my attraction to Leary to a co-worker, her response was, "yes, he is disgusting." That was not my offered attitude or opinion and still isn't no matter what anyone else thinks. There's just something about his personality that makes me love him - or at least want to befriend him.

I'm sure I'll never meet Leary, so I'll remain an admirer and I'll still think he's hot in a very whacked out way.

Reading that the series finale of "Rescue Me" is scheduled to air the week of September 11th is a bit disappointing, because even those of us who STINK at math can figure that the time table adds up to less than 10 episodes for the final season. Hello? Angel season 5 cut-off anyone? Let's hope that's not what is in the works.

The unchained dog

I can't explain how much happiness I glean from participating in Sunday morning fence builds for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs. I think it's likely something that has to be personally experienced, or should I say "evidenced" for those who really don't put much thought into the happiness of our 4-legged companions of the canine persuasion.

There are all kinds of situations that can lead to an unfortunately chained life for a dog: random houdini acts; uncooperative landlords; financial restraints (inability to build appropriate containment areas for dogs), etc. Many chained dogs are very much loved, but the owners just don't have the wherewithall to unchain their dog(s) on their own.

As a volunteer and active foster home for a local rescue group, I am very aware of the limited resources available for the ever-growing overpopulation of dogs and puppies. Therefore I can attest to the fact that working to keep these dogs with their owners who love them is without a doubt making a difference.

Working with the Coalition is by far the most fulfilling activity to which I have dedicated my time in a very, very long time.

Below: Coogi and Tora, taking a cool drink from a bucket inside their new fence on Sunday, July 17th.

Blue Mystique

I picked up one of these orchids last night as a thank you gift for my brother's family for agreeing to keep Zoe in the fall. It's a "Blue Mystique" orchid from Silver Vase (sold by Kroger).

Being a Tar Heel fan, I had to get one for myself, too!

Magic bubbles

Dinner with sweet kids and their fab mommy last night. Daddy was out of town so when mommy got a call from daddy I took the kiddies out in the front yard where they kept me RAPT with more information than I ever wanted. Trust me, you'd rather not know, so I'll just point attention to the most adorable kiddies ever.



I brought them each a bottle of "magic bubbles" with which the three of us managed to blow a gazillion bubbles before bed time. See Sydney here with her "magic" wand.

Go Green

I just picked up these adorable stamps at the post office. You might have to click on the 2nd image to be able to read the information from the back of the sheet. I am a huge recycler, but I had no idea that recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a computer for three hours!