Laboring on Labor Day.

This was the day to do a few tasks around my home.  Inside of course.  Last I checked it was 89 degrees outside.  And very humid.

When it comes to the traditional Labor Day, I am no longer a member of the paid work force in America.  I've been retired now for almost seven years.  I have never once thought I should have stayed in the work force.  I've mentioned that when offered a job in the near past, I turned it down.  No regrets about that at all.

Not that I do not have something or someone to keep me busy every day during the normal work week.  I still have my grandson five days a week and taking care of him is no idle task.  He is already heading into the 'terrible twos'.   He thinks my saying 'no' is a game.  Boy, does he have a lot to learn.  Being the 'day-care Granny' is not like being the 'once a week visiting Granny', so discipline is definitely on the menu.

This past week was too hot to do more than cut the lawn and move one of my garden plants. Hopefully, with a cool down predicted, I can finish the yard work before the fall clean-up starts.

So, back to the inside where I put down new wood thresholds in the family room, utility room, and kitchen.  This required two trips to buy the unstained wood (cause stores never have the inventory that is indicated online), staining, sanding, staining again, cutting and fitting into place.  While I may have saved some money on labor, I wonder if it was worth the time I spent other than to say it is done and is off the list of what I need my handyman to do this month.

With that done I decided to spot clean the carpets.  That job is a royal pain but I must admit that the areas I cleaned look as good as new.  There was no need to clean all the carpeting, besides with this heat and high humidity it is something I prefer to have done in the winter.

I also washed a few windows which is the most thankless and least rewarding task in the home universe.  It is going to rain and they will look awful again but I got tired of seeing the dirt when the sun shone in.  And didn't I wash all of them just a couple of months ago?  Yes, I do windows.

I did take a break in the afternoon to watch 'The Theory of Everything'.  While I enjoyed the movie, I found it heart-wrenching and difficult to watch.  Eddie Redmayne did a marvelous job in the role of Stephen Hawking.

I have also discovered a TV series that I had never heard of called Midsomer Murders.  The show has been on since 1997.  I never heard of it and have never heard anyone mention it.  I've only seen two episodes, but I intend to watch all of them.  (I think I will need to get snowed in this winter.)

So, I hoped you enjoyed your long holiday weekend.  I'll be back next Tuesday with the changing seasons in the garden.

Anything to avoid doing my taxes

Yeah, I know.  I've said it before.  I hate doing my taxes.  I look for anything else to do to put it off. 

I was going to go out and shovel the snow, but the wind chill is 12 degrees.  And the sun is shining very brightly off of it and I don't want a migraine.

So, I am surfing through the BBC website.  I discovered that there is a Doctor Who special on Saturday night.  The new series returns on March 30.  I can't wait.  Finally something good to watch on Saturday.

My old favorite Top Gear has returned for another season on Monday nights.  Last week they were in the USA.  I visited their web page and found a new quiz that allows me to determine which of the three stars I am more like.  Since I already have done the Downton quiz and discovered that I am most like the Dowager Countess, I thought what the heck.

You may recall that I was wrong about who I would be at Downton and it turns out that I am wrong about who I would be on Top Gear.  My guess would have been James May, a serious person interested in the science of cars.  Instead, I am most like Jeremy Clarkson.  A 'wild cannon'. Here is the description:

Your result: Congratulations! You are Jeremy Clarkson.
You know what you like and you like what you know and that is that. Everyone else is wrong.
You rely on your ingenuity at all times and will always seek a short-cut if you can find one, then whizz off down it at high speed.

I cannot argue with the description.  If you would like to see who you are, here is the link.

My Job at Downton Abbey

If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, you may already receive news updates either from British TV or American PBS stations.  I received an email today with a quiz to find out what job I would have at Downton Abbey if I was a character there. 

I guessed that I would be the person running the estate behind the scenes, like Mr. Carson.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that I would be my favorite Downton character, the Dowager Duchess Violet, as portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith. 

Now that I am retired, I can often use her great one-liner, "What is a weekend?"  All the days run together now.

Here is the quiz link.  Answer the questions and see who you would be.



The Dowager Duchess

Downton vs Super Bowl

Just received this in an email from Detroit Public Television:

The Super Bowl won the night, with Nielsen reporting nearly three-fourths of the TVs that were turned on in the greater Detroit market were tuned in to the game. But what TV station in Detroit had the second highest ratings from 9-10 p.m. Sunday? Detroit Public Television, with “Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey,” and nearly 60,000 people watching.

So I guess I wasn't the only person not enjoying the Super Bowl.

Top Maggie Smith Moments

I mentioned watching 'Downton Abbey' and absolutely loving Dame Maggie Smith.  I found a video online with her top ten greatest moments in the series.  Believe me, there are more than ten, but here is the video:

And for those Super Bowl lovers, here is another:

The End of Days?

The History Channel is running a series of 'Armageddon' programs.  I am currently watching one about Histories Mysteries and the unexplainable structures we see on our planet, such as the great pyramids in Egypt and their perfect alignment.  And did aliens have something to do with this?

While we were sipping our wine yesterday, we discussed the Mayan Calendar and the interpretations that have been made regarding it.  There are tons of online sites that discuss this so you are on your own here to find one.

But back to watching TV today.  During a commercial, there is an ad for tonight's Armageddon programs.  Immediately following this one is an ad for a limited edition gold coin.  It is on a first come-first sold basis and you can only buy five coins. 

If you are watching these shows and believing that the 'end is near' (and yes, those folks exist), why in the world would you be buying gold coins?   Guess you want to cover all your bases.

The narrator of the program I am watching talks about looking for intelligent life in our universe.  Heck.  Often when I am reading the news or watching TV, I am looking for signs of intelligent life on this planet.

One of the speakers on the program says that we as humans are willing to believe just about anything without any real evidence.  I don't think that just applies to stories of aliens.

If There's No Dead Body, I'm not Watching - or Reading

I hate to think that I have a morbid fascination with life and death, but when it comes to entertainment, whether it's books, TV, or movies, I tend to prefer those which have a dead body in them.

For example, my favorite movies include 'Body Heat' and 'Chinatown'.  I have read all of the books of David Baldacci and Nelson deMille and other mystery writers.  My favorite TV shows include the three CSIs, both NCIS dramas, and Hawaii Five-O.  Dead bodies abound and killers are hunted down.

I thought about my choices this morning when I read Nolan Finley's column in the Detroit News.  He was talking about the liberal influence on TV programs by Hollywood writers. Specifically, he was referencing the HBO series 'Hung'.  I have never noticed a liberal bias on any of the shows I watch.

(As an aside, 'Hung' is partially filmed here in West Bloomfield.  I was on the Township Board when permission to film was requested.  One of my fellow trustees asked if this would be a 'family show'?  I turned to her and asked what part of HBO TV did she not get?)

I have only seen one episode of the show and that was to see if I could recognize the area they film in.  A lakefront home.  Ho-hum.  I did not find it particularly entertaining. 

When it comes to influencing public opinion on TV, I prefer the subtle sarcasm that was used on the Seinfeld shows.  They constantly pointed out the silliness of what we read about in everyday life.  I would love to see how they would treat the latest news about the 'gay' penguins.

I prefer that we make every attempt to 'get the bad guys'.  And make no apologies for doing so.  Violate their 'civil rights'?  Those rights evaporate when they break the law, IMHO. 

Maybe my choices and attitudes were formed by what I saw on TV when I was young.  Westerns.  My dad controlled the TV at night.  I think I have seen every western show that was on TV in the 50's.  I can still see the young Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates (how dreamy) on 'Rawhide'.  If I had a VCR hooked up, I would throw in my tape of the movie 'Silverado'.

I asked my sons on Sunday if a new TV comedy, 'Two Broke Girls', was as stupid as the commercials seem to indicate.  The youngest assured me that it was.  I think I'll stick to the guns and leave the roses for the rest of the universe.

They Don't Write Like Andy Rooney

I've just read that Andy Rooney has died at the age of 92.  According to reports, he always wanted to work until he died. 

I've always enjoyed Andy's commentaries.  I just did not want to have to sit through the '60 Minutes' broadcast in order to listen.  I admire people who have the ability to say what they think and suffer the consequences if need be for doing so.

Andy was a writer long before he became a media star on '60 Minutes'.  He wrote for the shows I grew up watching on TV, like Arthur Godfrey and Garry Moore.

Today, everyone can be a writer.  Just look at me sitting here at my computer expounding on whatever.  And people read this stuff.  Go figure.

Anyway, I often comment about other peoples' opinions when I blog.  Just the other day I cited the moron who thought roundabouts were perfectly OK, it's that drivers are bad.  Guess we really need those 'self-driving' cars of the future.

I always question the thought process of these people.  And I wonder how they are actually able to write a letter to the editor.  Just this week someone wrote to a paper saying that there was nothing wrong with Mullin receiving a severance package for quitting her job at Wayne County because it happens all the time.

Really?  Will someone please tell me where I can get a job for a couple of years and then get a multiple of my salary for quitting?  As someone said to me the other day, 'Who would ever stay at a job if you could make more money by quitting?'

These people write letters and express their opinions, but the bases in fact for what they say seems to be missing.  Just what are we teaching in school nowadays?

For "I Love Lucy" Fans

If you are a fan of the classic TV show "I Love Lucy", you will want to make plans to visit Washington, DC and see the exhibit opening August 4 at the Library of Congress.  You can find out information on their website, "I Love Lucy: An American Legend".

I previously blogged about this building and about Lucy.  Sounds like a great way to enjoy the fall season.

Lucy Who?

Last week when I was doing my volunteer work, a group of culinary students from Dorsey were taking a tour of the kitchen at HFH.  The Chef who was leading them around told them that our kitchen was not a production line like on 'I Love' Lucy'.   My co-worker Diane looked at the students and laughed, saying, 'Maybe he should tell them who Lucy is'.

Not know Lucy?  I grew up with her.  My parents bought their first TV in 1950 and the show premiered in 1951.  I've seen every episode.  Many times.  And I still laugh.  If you think that three of the food groups are bread, wine and chocolate, you can probably close your eyes and see Lucy stuffing her face with chocolates, stomping grapes and baking bread with too much yeast.  If you've never seen an episode (really?), you can see clips online.

There is only one other TV show that I can think of where I can still watch all the episodes and laugh at all the funny lines I've already heard.  Over and over again.  That show is 'Jerry Seinfeld.' 

I was such a big fan when it was on TV, that I had a party the night the last episode aired.  My oldest son was home from college and invited his friends to join us 'oldsters'.  We had Seinfeld snacks - Pez candy, soup, Jujubes, Junior mints, etc. - and played trivia games about the show.  The young men did not answer the question about being 'sponge worthy', though, pleading embarrassment.

I still watch reruns.  And like the Lucy show, I still laugh like I am seeing it for the first time, even when I can recite the lines along with the actors.  And if the show is not on and I have the urge to watch, I have DVDs.

Is there anyone who does not think these two shows are classic American TV comedy?  If so, how un-American, IMO.

Why the Fuss?

I have finished watching the mini-series titled 'The Kennedys'.  The eight-hour series was made by the History channel, but was broadcast on the REELZ channel. 

Supposedly, the reason for the move was due to protests from Caroline Kennedy and Marie Shriver.  If true, and after watching the series, I am dumbfounded as to what, specifically, they objected.  Other reports say that the History Channel did not think it was up to their 'standards'.  Yes, it is tough to compete with the quality of 'Swamp People'.

For me, it was a rehash of everything we already knew. Joe Sr. was not Mr. Nice Guy. Jack was a philandering husband, much like his father. There was a Marilyn Monroe segment and the mystery surrounding what was really going on. The mob ties. Bobby hated J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon hated Bobby. So, tell us something we did not know.

The only thing I learned during the broadcast that I had never heard before was that the term used to address the Attorney General of the United Sates is 'General'.  Or at least that is what Robert Kennedy insisted he be called.

We know a lot about public figures.  I am guessing the producers and writers just wanted to make another movie about the family, or at least part of it.  They seem to have lost a few children along the way.  We only saw Joe Jr. Jack, Bobby, Rosemary, and a brief appearance by Patricia.  No mention of anyone else. 

Was it great TV?  Well, no.  Was it at least entertaining?  I thought so.  And the acting?  When a performer so embodies a nasty character that you want to spit in their eye, I give them a thumbs up.  That award should go to Tom Wilkinson as Joe, Sr.  Nice job. 

If you get a chance to watch it, you can make your own determination on its quality.  I don't feel I wasted my time.

TMI

I logged on to the internet his morning to get my email and before I got to my account I saw a headline about Katie Couric's colonoscopy.  No, that is not a misprint. 

I know from watching the Today show many years ago that Ms. Couric's husband died from colon cancer.  He was young and with a family and that is very sad.  I also remember Katie promoting early detection and if memory serves me correctly there was on on-air colonoscopy event.

For me, personally, this is 'too much information'.  TMI.  I'll settle for discussion of procedures and why it is important, but do I really need to know what they found in her colon?  This is the headline:

What We Found in Katie Couric.  The results of her colonoscopy were ...wild. 

It is accompanied by a picture of her in a hospital bed.  I did not click on the video, so you are on your own if you are interested.

So much for 'tell-ALL' books about actors and their families that used to mean the juicy scandals.  Now it includes the real 'inside' story.

If memory serves me correctly, I am due for a colonoscopy this year.  I promise to spare you any and all details.  It's just TMI.

A Conspiracy Theory

Last fall I found a TV show that I really enjoyed watching.  It got my brain going with all of its intrigues.  It was smart, innovative, and original.  Alas, it is no more.

The show was RUBICON on AMC.  It was praised by many critics.  It was an intelligent drama.  Oops.  There are two words to kill a program: 'intelligent drama'.  Heaven forbid we cause anyone to have to think too hard.

Sometimes I  think I must be the last person left on earth who can say she has never seen, 'Dancing with the Stars', 'American Idol', 'The Great Race', or 'Two and a Half Men'.  This is what appeals to the average viewer.  Mindless drivel, IMHO. 

So, with the demise of RUBICON I have come up with my own conspiracy theory.  My thinking is that there are forces in this country that did not like how intelligence gathering and its agency employees were portrayed.   There were some not so nice folks in the series who would go to any lengths to protect their own interests.   I'm probably wrong and it was just poor ratings that cancelled the show.  But I like my theory better.  I'd rather not think that Americans prefer drivel.

The Day After - Super Sunday

I did not watch the Super Bowl yesterday.  I have not watched it in many years.  Boys gone, no more sports on TV.

I mean, why waste time watching on Sunday, when you can watch all the commercials, football-free, on Monday.  As a matter of fact, this year I actually saw some before the game was even on.

So, while I have not seen all of them yet, I must give a nod to a few.  First, the football fans.  The NFL did a nice job with this one, although I am sure some young people will not know all the characters. 

Then there is Eminem and Chrysler.  Whoever came up with that ad deserves a bonus.  Update:  2/8/11  I am told the ad cost $9 million, so forget the bonus.  I'll just clap.  And despite all the controversy it caused, I think it beats the talking babies and animal tricks.  But then, I am not your average Joe watching TV. 

And for those of us who are die-hard 'Star Wars' fans, a little chuckle with the VW ad.

Most times I tune out the ads on TV.  Some are downright irritating, especially the insurance commercials of late (with the exception of that Australian lizard).  Super Bowl ads are in a separate category.  Nice job.

Not all Publicity Makes You Look Good

I am not a big fan of talk shows, whether they are on the radio or TV.  I also am not a big fan of news shows.  I only need to hear something once, not repeated all day long.

When my kids were home, they often watched Bill Maher or Jon Stewart on Comedy Central.  If not for my sons, I would never have known who these performers were.  I would hear them on TV and became familiar with their brand of humor.

So, when I came home from work in 2001 and saw a New York City phone number on my caller ID and then discovered it was from 'The Daily Show', I was prepared for anything.

For background:  During Christmas week in 2000 I went into my office at work to find that the temperature was 56 degrees.  Because I routinely heated my office with a space heater, I turned it on and also left my coat on to keep warm.  (There were many space heaters used in the building, four in our offices alone.)  After about 30 minutes I noticed a strange smell in the room.  I looked down and saw that the fur on my coat had started smoking.  The pants on my pant-suit were scorched.  I ripped off the coat and doused the pants with water.  Needless to say, I was furious!!!

I had long complained about the lack of heat in the building, but had been told to wait and eventually I would complain that it was too hot.  (I am still waiting as I have NEVER had a hot flash.)  Not a good solution as far as I was concerned.

After the coat was repaired, I submitted my $1500 bill to the township.  The Supervisor told the papers I had no business wearing a fur coat to work.  If that was in the dress code, I missed it.  The bill was not paid on a 3-3 split vote.

The story was carried all across the country.  I heard from people I knew in other states.  So, it should have been no surprise that someone from The Daily Show would see it.

When I returned their phone call, the representative indicated that Jon Stewart wanted me to come on the show and discuss the incident.  Having seen the show, I could just imagine that I would be made to look like a fool.  I politely declined.

Now comes the Mayor of Warren and the 'Polka Piracy' incident on the Colbert Report.  He is made to look like a complete doofus and the City fares no better.  Did he expect anything different?  I know that there are politicians who think getting their name out there can't hurt, but this episode sure can't help.  Click on the link and go to the second section of show to see the report.

The Day After - Still LOST

I admit it.  I spent four and one-half hours in front of the TV set watching LOST.  You would think in that amount of time they could have answered ALL the questions.  They did not.  Ergo, I am still Lost.

Some of what was explained was expected.  We had pretty much figured out they these people were dead.  But at what point?  And did that plane crash in the end?  Must have.

But what about the island moving, the polar bear, the Farraday cage phenomenon, etc.?  No mention of it.

Having spent all this time watching it, I now invision myself going back and watching all six seasons over again.  Maybe it will become clearer the second time around.

Several years ago when the movie 'Usual Suspects' came out, one of my sons saw it first.  Then the next might, he and I saw it.  The following night we were back again with another friend, all trying to find the clues that disclosed the ending.  Seemed there were none.  Granted, six hours of my life watching the same movie (which I have probably watched six more times including the Director's Cut) is not quite like six years. 

I already own seasons one and two of LOST.  Guess I'll pony up the money for the other seasons so that when I get snowed in over the winter I can watch LOST.  Snowed in or stuck on an uncharted island.  Take your pick.

LOST

I admit it.  It is absolutely true.  I AM A LOSTIE (or is it LOSTY?).

I wasn't always one.  I saw the first two years on DVD.  Even seeing all the episodes back-to-back, I was still 'lost' when the third season started.  And I remain so.

I have all sorts of theories about what is going on, including my favorite:  The island is a Faraday cage, which is why one of the scientists on the show (who last night turned out to be a musician in a flash sideways) is named Daniel Faraday.   As you may have guessed, I have spent a lot of time on the internet researching character names and linking them to real folks in history.

Anywho.  One of my sons sent me a link to a blog by someone who never saw the first five seasons of "LOST".  It is an absolute riot.  Funny thing is, he knows about as much of what is going on as I do.

He has the right idea though.  He takes notes during the program.  Now, if I had started this way back when, I could just go back and read what was said or done to jog my brain.  Instead, I find myself calling other 'lostys' and asking if they remember something.  Memory alert:  No one remembers anything. 

We are in fact, all lost.  Maybe that will be what is revealed at the end of the series five weeks from now.   I can hardly wait.  If you are a 'losty', let me know and maybe we can get together with some Dharma leftovers and watch the end.  It is near.

Tuesday Night and CBS

I never watched television during the years I was working, with the exception of Seinfeld.  Three years ago I had an accident and spent several months at home in front of the TV while I recuperated.  My son got me a Netflix subscription and I discovered that I had missed some interesting made for TV movies and programs.

After viewing these and rating them on Netflix, I got suggestions for more programs I might enjoy.  And my list of movies kept growing.  I got hooked.  And after I caught up on old seasons of programs, I got hooked on watching the current season.

Thus, on Tuesday night I sit down with NCIS, NCIS LA, and the Good Wife.  CBS also airs CSI, CSI: Miami, and Numbers.  Next month LOST will return and I will find myself glued to the TV and trying to put all the pieces together.

Of course, watching them on DVD, On Demand, or on the net, eliminates all those irritating commercials, which is what I hated about TV before and still do.