::I'd rather not thank the Academy

I saw Slumdog Millionaire last month.

It does possess some admirable qualities.
Danny Boyle is its director, for instance.
He is irrefutably gifted.

But the story?
Ehh.
Its execution was not powerful enough to motivate me to care about its characters.
I felt no great joy at its climactic music-swell moments, received no grand inspiration from its contrived rags-to-riches clichés.

I simply do not understand what all the fuss is about.

Best Picture of the Year?
Please.

I would've voted for The Reader.
And I haven't even seen it yet.

::Oakwood Cemetery

Everything is equal in the snow: all trees, all lawns, all streets, all rooftops, all cars. Everything is white, white, white, as far as you can see...
Snow, like the silent death it counterfeits, is a great leveler.

~ Adrienne Ivey

::Cute

My niece Emma was six months old on Wednesday, February 4.

Here she is, with a special cameo appearance by a shameless admirer:

::stupiddd

You know what I hate?

That nonsensical trendddddd of repeatingggg the lasttttt letterrrrr of everyyyyy worddddd one wantsssss to emphasizeeeeee.

Unspeakably annoying.

::In the bleak midwinter

I miss the bittersweet drizzly afternoons of autumn.

::Everybody's doin' it, part deux

I keep getting tagged, and I actually like doing these things, so...here are 25 more:


1 -- I hate raw onions, but I love onion rings and french onion soup.

2 -- I love great fiction, but I'm terrible at writing it.

3 -- Unlike most people I know, I have never been to Florida.

4 -- I've struggled with clinical depression since I was 19. I sometimes still feel ashamed of it, although I know that I shouldn't. I'm finally on a medication that is both affordable ($4 a month at Wal*mart!) and effective.

5 -- The week before Easter, I'm going to Myrtle Beach with my family. It will be the first time I've ever been to the ocean.

6 -- I have a terrible time motivating myself to go to church.

7 -- I love painting my nails silver.

8 -- I like watching reruns of Roseanne, especially the early episodes.

9 -- Stand By Me was my first favorite movie, and I watched it so much that I had it memorized.

10 -- I used to think Dane Cook was hilarious, but now I can just barely tolerate him.

11 -- I'm very close to my parents and I spend a lot of time with them.

12 -- I drink sometimes, but I don't like bars because of the smoke and the noise.

13 -- I'm intimidated easily, especially by people who have strong personalities or some sort of prestige attached to them.

14 -- I sometimes don't know how I'm feeling until I write it down or say it out loud.

15 -- I'm not competitive. Not even close. I feel bad when I give someone the "Draw two" card in UNO.

16 -- I am most definitely a "night person," and I hate getting up in the morning.

17 -- I sometimes get emotional when I see older people eating alone in restaurants.

18 -- In general, I would much rather text than call. It's quicker and avoids gratuitous chit-chat.

19 -- When I was a teenager, I wanted a lava lamp really badly for some reason. I borrowed one from a friend and was mesmerized by it. (I wasn't high though, I swear ;] )

20 -- I miss having a job, feeling productive and useful. I really hope I can find one soon.

21 -- My favorite love songs are The Beatles' "In My Life" and Over the Rhine's "Bothered."

22 -- This year I decided I want to send more mail. I used to love having pen pals; I miss sending and receiving letters and cards.

23 -- I'd like to go to grad school, but I'm torn about what to study.

24 -- I love Sid Dickens memory blocks

25 -- I wish I had the patience to straighten my hair more often.