Category Archives: Relationships

Prince charming

Colin Firth has been called a prince on several occasions.

Last night, he got a chance to showcase his skills.

As last year’s BAFTRA Best Actor Award winner for The King’s Speech, he was called upon to present the 2012 Best Actress BAFTRA Award at last night’s ceremony.  (I watched the festivities on DVR this morning during breakfast.)

Meryl Streep won for The Iron Lady, but the events that followed prove that winning ain’t always easy.

As Streep started walking toward the stage, she realized she had brought her purse, so she quickly shoved it into the hands of a woman on the aisle.  Then — in a Cinderella moment that couldn’t have been scripted — Streep left a shoe on the stage steps.

Thinking on his feet, Firth rescued her pump, knelt before the newly crowned Best Actress, and put it back on.

He was rewarded with a kiss.

Streep was thoughtful and gracious in her remarks, but I wasn’t really paying attention. We had just witnessed this spontaneous, movie-like moment.

Her speech was simply the credits.

Popping the question

My nephew got engaged last week.

He proposed to his girlfriend while they were making dinner at his apartment.  They texted me the news, including photos of the ring.  A few days later they made the announcement on Facebook.

A modern love story.

I couldn’t help but compare that to Mr. Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice.  (I watched it again last night when my cable box was on the fritz.)

He proposed the first time in the rain.  They argued, and she rejected him.

The second time (pictured here) they met in the middle of a field — in the middle of the night — in their night clothes. 

Then Mr. Darcy asked Elizabeth’s father for her hand in marriage before the family had even eaten breakfast.

For such a proper time in history, that whole thing seems a bit scandalous in comparison….don’t you think?   Imagine your own son or daughter wandering into your front lawn at dawn in their PJs talking weddings.  You’d think they were drunk.

Of course, it would make a good story.

Open arms

What can help you both build up your immune system and decrease your risk of heart disease and stress?

Hint: it’s not a pill, an exercise routine or the now ubiquitous green smoothie.

It’s the hug — that simple (and simply wonderful) one-on-one human contact between friends and loved ones.

Fantastic, huh?

Lucky for all of us, today is National Hug Day!  The holiday was established in 1986 to encourage PDA-phobic Americans to ‘reach out, reach out and touch someone.’ So now’s your chance to get out there and improve your health, your happiness and your overall state of being.

You’ll probably freak out a few people along the way, but hey — that’s just a bonus for feeling so gosh darn happy!

(See you out there.)

A masterpiece

Last night was a very special occasion at my house.

I wore the burgundy silk for dinner.  Anna did my hair.  And Mrs. Patmore made a sinful raspberry meringue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the long-awaited season premiere of Downton Abbey.

Over the holidays, I had taken the quiz “Which Downtown Abbey Character Are You?” and was shocked (not really) to discover I was like Lady Mary. The near-miss heiress of Downtown Abbey?

I so get that.

But last night, seeing all the changes that have taken place at the big house since the first season, I felt a bit more like Mr. Carson.

Why can’t things go back to the way they were?

I don’t like Matthew’s new fiancee, and I especially don’t like Mr. Bates exit at the top of this episode. And poor Lord Grantham is so unhappy. His gentle humor and good spirits were the foundation of season one.

I want him happy. I want Matthew and Mary and Bates and Anna together. I want everyone home and safe, sipping tea and making dinner.

Good thing I’m not writing the show. It would never have lasted.

After six

The tuxedo was invented by a tailor in Tuxedo Park, New York, some 125 years ago at the request of tobacco magnate Pierre Lorillard IV.

It wasn’t named after the tailor.  Not Pierre, either.  Nope, Tuxedo Park got that honor.

‘Cause where you’re from matters.

I learned this slice of history today in a one-page SKY magazine article on my Delta flight.  My holiday has begun, and I’m flying to Kansas City to visit my sister, brother-in-law and countless friends there.

You see, I used to be from Kansas City…for a little while.

Oh, I was born and raised in Kentucky, and only lived in Kansas City for seven years.  But during that time, I made a now infamous trip to New York City – the current place I’m ‘from’ – and ended up talking to Al Roker outside the Today Show windowAnd when Al asked me where I was from, I said, “Kansas City.”

My Kentucky kin have never let me forget.

‘Cause where you’re from matters.

Monkey business

I missed Monkey Day.

I’m as shocked as you are.

Yesterday was International Monkey Day, the one day each year that we celebrate all things simian.

But I got distracted by work and travel and missed all the monkey business.

No monkey t-shirts.  No monkey jokes.  No monkey e-cards (always funny, always appropriate).

Funny thing — people always accuse Hallmark Cards of ‘creating’ holidays.  Although there’s no proof of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are behind Monkey Day.  Goodness knows the monkey has been good to them.  Put a monkey on a humor card, and it always sells.

‘Cause monkeys are funny.  I mean, just look at that face.  Dude deserves his own day.

(Hope it was happy.)

Mixed messages

I’m feeling very two-dimensional today.

Or that’s what the Huffington Post would have me believe.

I like Huff Post.  I find myself reading it most days…either by going there directly or via a link from another source.

But today I noticed — for the first time — that Huff Post defines issues of interest to women in a pretty narrow way.  Just check out their navigation.

Business, politics and tech are all broken up into six sub-categories apiece.  Entertainment has eight, culture 10, lifestyle 12.

But women?

Complicated creatures that we are, Huff Post sums us up in two — healthy living and parents.  That’s all they got.  Sure hope you fall into one of those buckets.

Of course, it could be worse.

Men didn’t even rate the header.

Dawned on me

Of course I saw Twilight Breaking Dawn: Part 1 at the first available showing.

And it was really good.  It was romantic and sweet and surprising funny.  And then freaky and bloody and gory.

What’s not to love?

I didn’t reread the fourth book before seeing the film, so I can’t obsess over any  details that director Bill Condon might have changed.  Instead I will share with you what I learned during my initial viewing (because you know I will see it again)

  1. Audience matters.  I have seen two of the four Twilight films at midnight.  Midnight audiences rock, and make your viewing experience that much better.  Last night I saw the movie at 8:00pm during a special screening for AMC Stubs members.  There were people there talking, texting, even making fun of the movie.  Why go if you’re not into it?
  2. Talent rises to the top.  In the first Twilight movie, the actors were pretty much on par in the acting department.  Even Kristen Stewart, the star, was ticky as all get out.  In this latest installment, Kristen and Robert stand out from the rest of the cast.  They are the emotional center.  Taylor Lautner, on the other hand, may be getting worse.  Perhaps he should spend less time in the gym and more time in acting class.
  3. Big weddings are the way to go. Bella’s character is a tomboy.  She doesn’t like dressing up or being the center of attention.  But her wedding is a showstopper.  Even if you think you don’t want a big affair, learn from the Cullens.  Pull out all the stops.

If any other deep thoughts hit me at later viewings, you’ll know where to find them!

Cheap trick

Yesterday I mentioned I don’t dress up my dog for Halloween.  Some might find that a bit fuddy duddy.

Well, I’ve found something that beats it.

A dentist in Mansfield, Ohio is offering to buy back Halloween candy from children.  And he’s not the only one.

Dentists across the country are participating in the ‘Halloween Candy Buy Back’ program.

At Dr. Callen’s office in Mansfield, trick-or-treaters will receive $1 per pound of candy turned in (5-pound limit per child) and free toothbrushes.  They will also be entered in a drawing for one of two children’s bicycles.

Now, I know the dentists’ intentions are good.  Halloween candy is all about sugar, and sugar consumption promotes tooth decay.

But geez oh Pete.

Halloween only happens once a year! Shouldn’t every kid experience the rush — and resulting sweet belly — from overeating candy after a night of trick-or-treating?  Believe me, it’s the best way to convince them to never do it again.

Plus, do we really want to turn Halloween into a money-making venture for kids?  Cause this sure feels like it.

Five bucks is five bucks, after all.

Dough boy

Today we ponder the cupcake.

Take a close look.  What do you see?

A child’s party favorite, certainly.  A dessert small enough to eat without much guilt.  A treat that’s often pretty enough to do double-duty as decor.

But a weapon — a legitimate ‘book ‘em Dano’ weapon?

Police in Chicago fell for it.

They charged a local woman with misdemeanor domestic battery Sunday after she allegedly threw cupcakes at her husband during an argument.  When officers arrived on the scene, his head and shirt were smeared with icing.

Excuse me, but — so what?

According to the Chicago Tribune, the ‘cupcake war’ victim had been arrested three times in the last eight years on domestic battery or battery charges himself.  Wonder if his weapon of choice was something as soft and cushy as a cupcake?

I’m guessing no.

Note — his charges were all dropped.  Wonder if they will be as lenient with our cupcake criminal?