*grin* Thanks Skycatcher. Believe me, I am a good girl and always read the entire thread for everything but the 'Meet' threads!

I admit I did not watch the award shows last night, (I was in Atlantic City) but I went to the site posted above and checked out the fashions.

Jude Law looked yummy. Nicole looked ridiculous. As did SJP and I am with Skycatcher - just don't get what anyone sees in her. Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci looked great. And so did Reiko Aylesworth (sp?) though I admit I have no clue who she is.

Yogi I would add just one thing to Hotel Heaven with lots of pink roses and waiters etc - Peachy! Wouldn't be heaven without him!

Re our Nicole - I didn't watch the Globes, but am surprised to hear she got it so wrong with the dress - usually she has good style, and if Tom was there, I am even more surprised that she made a boo-boo. I would think she would go all out to look stunning and show short stuff what he's missing out on now. I am one of the few people here who can't see what all the fuss is about re Nic's acting. I think it is quite average, and I've yet to see a movie of hers where she is exceptional or deserving of an Oscar. Another thing - when she accepted her Oscar last year, I was almost embarrassed at the spectacle she made - it's like these people are actors, you'd think they'd be able to do an acceptance speech with some style. I didn't like the dress she wore that night either, but usually she gets it right re the fashion and style.

Yogi, re Love Actually, which scene was it that you got emotional about? Curious to know, I get like that too sometimes, and realise that I am getting on in years (I'm 43) and don't accept things like I used to.

Hi Pistachio *waves all the way from down under*.

Sorry to hear you are all so cold over there, I do feel for you, I hate the cold and in our winters here (where it only gets down to about 3 Celsius - about 36 F) I shiver and shake and jump into bed with my electric blanket turned up high! I'd be hopeless living through a whole winter there. As it was, I just caught the tail end of winters in Chicago and Montana and that was enough for me.

I also thought that Ellen Burstyn looked stunning, as did damn, must go back and find her, and Jaime Lee looked good as well.
I saw far too many boobs--Nicole, Jennifer Aniston, JLo, just to name a few.
Ricci, that dress is lovely, and you're right, that's a bargain and a half! I also got married in my mid-thirties, and we had such fun with the wedding b/c I knew just what I wanted and didn't have to worry about all the Shoulds and Supposed tos. Now I'm nearer AussieGirl in years, and loving the 40s so far. Wouldn't trade them for my 20s for the world.
And I don't know how the Survivor forum works, but I know in The West Wing thread, Deborah specifically says that you do not have to read the entire Meet Market to jump in--just the most recent 3 or 4 pages. This makes sense to me, since we tend to Flit.

Your dress is elegant and beautiful, Ricci! Absolutely perfect for the wedding you described. Now we need to hear about the flowers. Will you be having any pink roses perchance?



Nicole definitely showed Tom what he is missing out on now, AussieGirl but she also showed all of us. Her dress was not.... intact, shall we say. She admitted on the red carpet that she doesn't know how to tape, so she her dress was unanchored. While giving out the reward, she suddenly exclaimed "Yikes" and adjusted herself. She seemed very embarassed and uncomfortable. Not surprising for a woman who is always so perfectly dressed. But Australia was well represented by the beautiful Cate Blanchett in red satin.

Greetings and Welcome Pistachio, you fabulous nut!

The part of Love Actually that was so distressing was the scene in the institution with Laura Linney and her brother. Just so much pain - why was that film marketed as a comedy? Every story line except the Hugh Grant one ended so sadly, and the one with Laura Linney was just heartbreaking. I think I'm going to try Big Fish next weekend. It looks safe.

Remember to moisturise!

Yes, Cate always looks beautiful.

I thought there were other story lines that ended well in Love Actually. The one with the gorgeous Colin Firth (where are you, M.Darcy?) for instance. The story line in the institution was sad though.

Speaking of the wonderful Mr Firth, I read an interview with him and he was incredibly complimentary about his wife. In a perfect world, all men would speak and think like that about women.

Yes, I am moisturising, lots, it's so sticky here. Even your clothes stick to you. This afternoon I had a nap with my son, and the doona (in case you don't have that word over there, translation - quilt) was too hot to lie on. I think I am going to try Raen's trick of wetting a sarong and lying on top of that.

It's so strange to think that while we are sweltering over here in the heat, you all have ice and snow. I saw a news report this morning that showed the icy conditions in the US and that 25 people have died as a result of it.

Today was the first day back at school for my son after the summer holidays. Our school year runs from late January to early December. Quite different to yours. Everything is reversed, it seems. While we have summer, you have snow. When it's the middle of the day here, you're all sleeping over there. We're almost a whole day in time ahead of you (how does it feel to be living in the past?) Hee!

The rocker's story ended pretty well - except possibly for the audience (nudity from the wrong guy!) And the man who went to Wisconsin made out like a bandit (heh) - although it was terribly cartoony. I do agree with you about the Laura Linney storyline, though. I thought it was so unfair - plenty of women who are caretakers find love and affection from understanding partners. Why couldn't she? That was such a 1940s storyline, and apart from making me sniffle, it also pissed me off.

Hildy, I would agree with you except my sore knees, slowing metabolism and diminished alcohol capacity all pine for the "good old days". Also, if you need to get a picture of J Lo in all her, er, glory, E! Online always has a ton of pics after the big award shows. Their "Fashion Police" feature is a hoot.

ricci, that dress is gorgeous!

I loved the rockers story line. I thought Bill Nighy was brilliant! He made me laugh for weeks. I sang the Christmas is All Around Us all through the holidays to Mr. Yogi with Bill Nighy's funny hand gestures. (remember, during the recording session?) Hilarious. I still smile when I think of it. I put the original song by The Troggs onto my Ipod - it's a great song and I enjoy it even more after the film.

It is viscious cold. Yesterday I had to walk 15 blocks to pick up Little Yogi. I thought about leaving him, but I decided against it in the end. Oh my heck, I wish I had a taxi to follow me around on days like these. It's just too dog gone cold to walk around. No doubt Hildy is out skating or something. That crazy, cold loving girl...

I liked being in my 20s, and I like being in my 40s. It was nice to be pretty back then, but I look back on all the time I wasted in my 20s when I looked OK thinking about how fat or bad I looked. Lord, the ridiculous things I used to agonize over - what an energy drain. I suggest you all go out to see Calendar Girls which is a really good story about real woman in their most glorious stage of life. Yesterday, a male friend was talking about how much he enjoyed the story. Helen Mirren and Julie Waters were great. Do you remember Waters in Educating Rita? I must rent that again. It was a nice film.

Jump! Jump! For my love!

I liked Lust Actually, or whatever it was. The guy who went to Wisconsin ended up alright also.

AussieGirl I agree about Nicole Kidman's acting being nothing special. The other night I saw an older movie called Flirting. She had a smaller role and I thought she did nicely.

It's too cold today. I bought cold-weather running clothes but there ain't no way in hell I'm running in this sort of weather. Besides, I'd probably slip on an ice patch, crack my head, and miss All-stars.

Hey all! thanks for the compliments on the dress they really mean a lot! Believe it or not, friends and co-workers have been quite lukewarm about it. Even though they know me and should know that's my style. My fiance/family of course love the whole concept and that's all that matter. It is just so TIRING hearing busy-bodies with their two sense every day hear. And, btw, this is following 2yrs of "when are you getting married??"

ok enough of that. I can't tell you how jealous i am of Aussie Girl I hate cold weather SO much. I have the kind of job though, that has a lot of weather cancellations (hint hint) so I shouldn't be complaining.

Did anyone see or hear anything about that Reality magazine that came out? Just wondering.

I really love this meeting market!

See, this just makes me love him more. He is the reason I have to watch Pride and Prejudice about every 4 months.



Aussie Girl I used to spend summers working on Long Beach Island when I was in HS and college. Half of our lifeguards there were Australian. They would work in Australia during your summer, then come here for our summer. Rough life. :)

yogi bear The L. Linney scene was very painful for me too. It seemed she could have had both, and I was upset at her apparent willingness to try.

Thanks for all the welcomes! :)

Ricci - don't let those busy-bodies spoil it for you. They'll do their own style when it's their turn. That dress is gorgeous, and fun too! It's elegant, and sassy at the same time, and it's rare to find that wonderful blend.

What is it with folks wanting to rain on the wedding parade? My MIL made me crazy - I changed my dress style and color for her, I changed my wedding from small to large for her, and then a year later I changed my son's first name for her, ... Ugh! And forget about my Mom. It's enough to make a girl elope, I tell ya. Stick to your guns, Ricci. It's a lesson I learned only the hard way after too many years. The dress if fabulous, and your day should be your day. When is the day anyway? We'll all be toasting you.

I wonder if the gnomes carried raen away. I've been having gnome amusement ever since her remark about getting back to the gnome factory. I want a garden gnome!!!

Ricci don't be too jealous. It's so hot here that I feel sick and lifeless. It's hot and sticky here even at 7am.

I heard something about the Reality mag in one of these threads, maybe the Peachy one. Of course, we don't get it here, so if anyone can post a link, I'd be grateful.

Pistachio I think I may just have to get myself up to the video shop to see Pride and Prejudice. I must be about the only woman in the world who hasn't seen it, though I know all about Mr Firth's lovely looks, mainly from my (then) 10 year old niece who was drooling about how gorgeous he is.

Hoola don't take a chance. ASS is only days away now, for you guys at least. We still haven't got a start date. They usually start it here a couple of weeks later, and show a double episode or two halfway through to catch up. I am so hanging out for this show to start.

Ricci the magazine is called Reality Check, and reference is made to it in the TWoP thread "All Stars in the Media", page 5.

Thanks for the support all!
Thanks Aussie Girl, I had the wonderful fiancé look for it (Reality Check Mag) at Barnes on his icey day off, but he couldn't find it. The date is set for Nov th, but everything needs to be booked Right. Now. Here in suburban wanna-be-urban Central Jersey the prices are high and its pretty packed (IMO). I work at a school, and possibly because of the high female ratio, or the fact that teachers have little to say on things not directly related to themselves and school, I have a LOT of people bugging me. I'm not going to back down or anything, but it is SO draining. Mr. Ricci's parents and my parents are 100% supporting our plans so it will be fine.

So let me know people about great vacations in Mexico and the Caribbean! (Sorry Aussie Girl I only have one week off for the honeymoon or I'd pick Australia.

What every happen to Skagirl and her ankle? I have nothing to add about movies right now - I love them, but haven't seen too many lately.

Alright, I am now certifiably insane. Today it was so hot that I filled the bathtub with cold water and put ice cubes in, and got in. It was the only way I could cool myself off. Trouble is, by the time I got dressed again, I was wet from sweating so much. No sign yet of the thunderstorms predicted....hoping.

Ricci, the Caribbean sounds great. It's one place I have always wanted to go to. That would get my vote, if you're taking a poll. And you're right, you would need more than 1 week for Australia, it takes a whole day to fly here and then another to fly back (we're a loooong way away). The days between you would probably be jet lagged. Maybe for your next hols you could make it down here.

Well, I was totally jealous of your warm weather, Aussie Girl, but now? Not so much. That is some oppressive heat and humidity you are grappling with, Aussie Girl. What part of Australia do you live in? Australia has such an enormously diverse climate.

Here in NYC, I am digging out after many inches of snow. Little Yogi has a snow day. He is thrilled beyond measure. It looks pretty, but I am so over this winter thang I can't even tell you. Snow, Ice, Frigid Temperatures, Ugh. My major concern? Will my skin ever recover?

So Cold Mountain did not get many nominations, but Renee Z. and BKB's Jude Law were both nominated. I think Renee will win again. She really carried the film. As a southerner, I did not think the other actors did a very good job in these particular roles. But for that matter, I didn't think Renee Z. was well cast as Bridget Jones. I thought that role was ideal for Kate Winslet.

I hope LOTR wins. I think the film trilogy is the great epic of our lifetimes. Like the Wizard of Oz and Laurence of Arabia, people will be watching LOTR for many, many generations. Peter Jackson deserves it for bringing such a incredibly complex story to life in such a vibrant way. What an amazing vision. I would have been pleased to see Sean Astin or, even more, Bernard Hill get a nomination. I thought King Thoden was more important in the film than in the book to a large part because of his great acting, but no acting nods from LOTR.

Who are you all rooting for in this here contest?

I am on my third snow day in row (I am a high school guidance counselor) in north central Maryland. We had been away for the weekend, so I treated Monday like Saturday and did laundry and vacuumed. Yesterday I finished knitting a sweater that was my christmas present to my husband in 2002, and called an old friend, and baked cookies. Today I thought I might exercise for hours, but after an hour of yoga, my stomach feels a little off, so maybe I will go back to that plan this afternoon. There are so many projects to do, but none of them are any fun. Organize, clean, straighten, blah blah blah. Maybe I will go shopping instead, but I am not sure how the roads are. My Tivo has been taping anything with Probst/Survivor stuff on it, but there isn't any today.

I haven't seen the nominations yet, and did not go to the movies much this year, so I don't have anything to add to that discussion.

I agree yogi bear that The Lord of the Rings should take Best Picture. It is definitely the front runner (11 noms I think?) and think (hope) that the only reason the other two didn't win was they were waiting for the conclusion. This to me would seem like awarding the whole trilogy. Peter Jackson deserves both Best Picture and Best Director.

I need to desparately catch up on some of my Oscar movies. I cannot see a situation where LOTR does not win, even if I haven't seen it (or the 2nd one). Mystic River could surprise, and I thought it was amazingly well acted, but that does not a Best Picture Oscar make.

BTW, my ankle was fine as I figured. A night of dancing on bar stools kept it in tact.

Yogi weren't you talking about labyrinth a while back? I finally saw a picture of one in New York (not New Yorker). I had imagined it as a puzzle or something like scary with Halloween corn maze or Minotaur monster chasing you, but now I understand how it could be relaxing.

JDB I'm with you! I have a snow day as well. The roads seem fine though. I haven't seen any movie to comment on either.

Yes, I was talking about the labyrinth, Ricci. It is a tool for walking meditation. The labyrinths that are used for this purpose are created with a spiral single path to the center. One follows the same path in as out of the labyrinth, so can't get lost, unless one steps off the path for some reason. I find the labyrinth to be a very powerful container for energy. And of course, it's such a feminine form, that it's very supportive. There are many types of labyrinths, but my favorite is the twelve circuit labyrinth, and my favorite place to walk it is on the beach at dawn just before the tide comes in. I like to sit in the center until the waves come and take the labyrinth away into the ocean.

I want three snow days! How fabulous. JDG did you ever go on that mystery weekend? I would love to do one of those.

I just downloaded Into the West from LOTR. I'm so glad it won the golden globe. I hope that the academy sees it the way you do, Pistachio.

skagirl, nothin' can keep you down!

Three snow days may sound good, but it does get a tad dull. It would be different if they were planned off in advance, then I could have gone somewhere.

Yogi, we didn't go the the mystery weekend, as it cost twice as much as we thought. Instead, last weekend we drove to Annapolis, stayed at a nice B&B, walked around town, went skating at the Naval Academy, saw an exhibit of Rembrant etchings, had a couple of nice dinners, and came home to 5 inches of snow. It was nice to get away, as we have a new old house, that we are either working on, or feeling like we should working on the many projects. Mr. JDG and I traveled often at the start of our relationship, and we got used to it. Oh, how things have changed.

Yogi I live in Brisbane, on the East Coast of Australia. If you look on a map, you'll see Brisbane about half way up the coastline. We did get some more violent thunderstorms yesterday, for the third day in a row, and I just went out and stood in it. Lovely way to cool off. There was a rainbow after that too, so it was nice.

I heard on the radio this morning that NY just had its most snow in a single day since the early 70's. They were talking about Central Park being very pretty etc. It sounds very beautiful. They mentioned the "snow days' you all have been talking about here. My son now wants to know why if the kids there get a day off when it snows a lot, why don't they get one here when the temperatures are in the high 30's C. I tend to agree, no air conditioning in those classrooms makes for a very uncomfortable day.

JDG what's a Tivo? I'm assuming something to do with recording TV shows? As we're not getting any info on Probst/Survivor here, if you find anything good please let us know. BTW I spent a week in Annapolis, I absolutely loved it. It is a beautiful place. I had the best potato skins there. They got to know me well, I went there so often. Potatos skins are not a common thing to find on a menu here. That's one thing I absolutely love about the US, you guys have the best food of any country I have been to.

AusssieGirl, Tivo is a digital video recorder, so it is like a VCR, but so much smarter. It downloads all the upcoming shows and details about them. I can then tell it to do a search on "Probst" and it comes back with a list of shows that he will be on. Then it keeps a list of everything you have recorded, and you just select and play, fast forwarding through commercials. No searching fast forwarding tapes that you forgot to label, or any of that. I love my Tivo.

Our school system does have a policy that school will shut down if the heat and humidity are too high, but I have never seen it happen. Today I have a two hour delay, because the roads are still messy.

AussieGirl, this made me laugh out loud, considering how many non-Americans regard American food as being the root of all the world's evils. To be fair, I think they're talking about McDonald's and Coke, and many Americans would agree with that.

I think my fellow Minnesotans on this board would agree that's it's a bit nippy outside. One might even say "brisk." Our high temperature will be sub-zero today. I bless the person who invented CuddleSilks long underwear - they keep my legs warm at the bus stop, but don't overheat me in the office. And Uggs are the warmest boots I ever owned (don't look at me like that - I bought them before they were trendy, and they're supremely practical in this climate).

Traceybee, I swear by Sorels myself--Uggs are even warmer than those?

We only got about three inches of the white stuff up in the Boston area, but it's enough for me to break out my Nordic skis for a quick trip around the lake at lunch today. Well, that's the theory, anyways. It's cold here, but nowhere near as bad as Minnesota. I remember going there once in the winter and being so impressed by the heated bus and taxi stands at the airport. Now I know why. So do you Minnesotans? have to plug your cars in? When I lived in Wyoming we had to do that.
My sister lives in Maryland, right near Middletown, and she got more snow than we did! Something is mighty wrong with that picture. (She used to live in Annapolis, and I agree: a lovely town. Very New England-esque, which might be why I liked it.) Parochiality, thy name is Hildy.
Oh, and I was very happy to see the Cap'n Jack Sparrow Oscar Nomination. He won't win, but it still cracked me up. I wonder if he'll thank Keith Richards in his speech if he does win.

Awe, Tracey Bee, how can you disparage the food of a nation that will happily provide you with fried sugar at any and all county fairs?

I have to think that NYC is even beginning to rival Minn. for frigid weather this month. I actually have procurred a pair of silk underwear (they were in a box for years in the back of a drawer.) What an ingenious invention. Sadly, I have no snow boots, and am stuck wearing my Prada little black booties. How do hiking boots fair in the snow? I have an excellent pair, but I don't want to ruin them. Also, what am I supposed to do, tramp around the office in hiking boots? These are the issues that try my mind.

Yes, New York looks lovely in the snow, as long as you have nowhere to go. I can see the Hudson River from my office window, and it appears to be frozen solid. It is an awesome and unsettling sight for such a wide and fast river to be frozen. I may be able to walk across it to New Jersey, but I won't be trying that today.

And the subways are super crowded because the streets are unwalkable due to all the snow that they have nowhere to put. I tried to get off at my stop, and no one moved. I said "excuse me" nice as pie about six times, then the doors started to close. So I turned into a small blonde middle aged female line backer and knocked them all out of the way. They were quite indignant to be sure, but I was not going to the next stop. I realize that I lost serious Karma points for that, but my serenity is being adversely affected by both the weather and my dry skin. Plus, the superbowl is Sunday, and I'm just trying to get into the mood.

For that matter, Survivor is Sunday!!! Whooo Hoooo!

Yogi, put those hiking boots on! They're made to go tromping around in rough conditions. Your Pradas will thank you, and so will your feet. If you're worried about ruining the leather on the boots you can always coat them with mink oil, or some such substance. It'll darken the leather, and if there's a nap on your boots the nap will disappear (for example, if they're nubuck), but the boots will be far more impervious to moisture that way. (Sorry for the rant--I used to work parttime at an outdoor equipment store and have sold a fair amount of hiking boots.) Then you just bring your office shoes with you and change once you get to work.
Wow--the Hudson is frozen? That's pretty amazing. We're actually having to have an ice cutter clear a path for the Nantucket/Martha's Vineyard ferry b/c the SOund is frozen over as well.
As for the Super Bowl, I have to confess: I'm a Patriots fan, but I'll probably watch the Queer Eye marathon instead, simply b/c my husband can't abide football. (WHich, in general is delightful. No football widowdom!) Don't throw snowballs at me!
I'm also a little worried abouty what time Suvivor will eventually come on. I can't stay up too late, it's a school night after all...

OK, I'm all over the hiking boots thing. Now if only I knew where to buy mink oil. I doubt they sell it at Prada. Maybe timberland carries it? I want Uggs.

I don't like football. I didn't even know who was playing until this morning when I asked Mr. Yogi. But we are off, en famille, to a superbowl game hosted by a blonde Sicilian who cooks up a feast. You really can't imagine, unless of course you happen have a friend like him who likes to see everyone eat until their tummies hurt. His sausage and peppers are worth a sonnet, I tell you!

Whatcha'll eating on Superbowl/Suvivor Sunday? I bet Aussie Girl wishes she had some potato skins.

Mmmmm Johnny Depp. Wouldn't it be a hoot if he won? I'm pulling for that sexy little devil. He's the dark horse, but what a cute one.

Oh, heavens, yogi, I'm a big fan of the American cuisine! Especially the parts of it found at state fairs. (Alton Brown made corn dogs on his show last night. Gave me cravings for state fair food-on-a-stick. Not to mention fried dill pickles.)

ANYway. Hildy, I'm not familiar with Sorels. I bought Uggs when I moved here because I'd heard great things about them from my sister, who used to live in northern Vermont. But, yes, the Uggs are great. My feet never get cold and the heavy-treaded soles are good for gripping the snow and ice. I can't get over that Aussies and people in California wear these things, because I don't bring them out unless we're getting more than a few inches of snow or the temperature is going to be below zero. But then, I never claimed to be a fashionista. I wonder if the Uggs they wear are lighter-weight? I know you can get them without the heavy sole. Also, I was informed last winter that "Ugg" in Australia isn't a brand name, it's a style.

I'm making (well, heating up) some egg rolls on Sunday - they've been in the freezer forever and I need to get them out of there - and MrBee will make some shrimp scampi and shrimp cocktail (there was a special on shrimp recently at the supermarket). Other than that, it'll depend on what we feel like cooking and eating.

From waaaaaaaaaaay back, I'm rooting for Lord of the Rings and the foreign movie from the Netherlands. Gotta root for the mother country. Hope everyone isn't freezing.

Hey guys, there is a real heavy "debate" going on here re the UGG boots. We've been making them and calling them UGG boots for many, many years here, and I saw on TV the other night, that an American company has registered the name UGG and subsequently sent an Aussie company a legal letter "ordering" them to stop using the name "UGG boots". And this is the company who has been making them since 1918!!!! The whole country is up in arms about this! It's like, someone registering the name Vegemite and telling us to stop using it when referring to what we eat for brekkie (breakfast). Ridiculous. Big mistake. I think the company over there has underestimated the old Aussie "fair go" and will have quite a battle on their hands. It's funny about Aussies, they're really easy going, laid back people, but do something like this and watch out!

As to why we even need UGG boots, well in winter here it does get cold for about 2 weeks or so. Ha! No, in the south of the country they even get snow, they need them then.

Tracey Bee re the food in the US, no I don't mean McDonalds etc, but just the little family restaurants you have - Country Kitchen, Perkins, Applebees and the like - I just loved those places. So much on the menu! And just good, delicious food. We don't really have anywhere like that here, and I really miss my potato skins piled high with cheese, bacon, guacomole and sour cream, followed by a hot fudge sundae! Yum! I love the food there, you lucky people. We do have plenty of Maccas, Burger King (we call it Hungry Jacks), Pizza Hut etc, but I really miss the little family restaurants.

Yogi what will I be eating on Sunday? Nothing special. Now if we were going to be seeing Survivor that night, I would have done something special to celebrate, but seeing as we don't even have a bloody start date yet, I'll have to wait till then. It really gets my goat that they will probably start it two weeks after the US and catch it up with some double episodes half way through.

JDG I want a Tivo! They sound great. But how does it know when Probst will be on? LOL.

(tuning up the old pitch pipe....)
Hmmmmmmmm, ahem, hmmmmmmmm
Happy Birthday to Meeeeeee,
Happy Birthday to Meeeeeee,
LalaLAlalalalaaaaaaa,
Happy Birthday to Meeeeeeee.

Me and Oprah! In fact, since I'm alone today, I watched her 50th Birthday Party show and pretended it was all for me. Sweeet!

About fast foods - we've got the greatest thing (to me - yeah, it's all about moi!).
Now they're making "protein" burgers where they'll make a regular hamburger and wrap it in lettuce instead of a bun. It's for the "Atkins" set, but being allergic to wheat (so buns are bun-ona non grata), I'm lovin' it! I adore cheeseburgers, and was having serious problems with wolfing down the allergy pills with a cheeseburger chaser. Works in theory, but not so good in practice.

So, while I had to pass up a piece of our (Oprah's and my) 400 pound birthday cake, I did have a birthday cheeseburger.

Hippo Birdie Two Ewes
Hippo Birdie Two EWES
Hippp-o Birdie Deer Skycatcher
Hipoo Birdie Two Ewes

(Picture Hippopatumus, Birds, 2 Sheep and a Deer singing in tune)

That' s about as witty as I get, hope your day was wonderful!

Since I believe birthdays last for weeks, I am so pleased to wish you a
VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SKYCATCHER!
I can't think of a better way to celebrate it than a burger. Cheeseburgers are a good thing!

Yesterday was my favorite sister's 40th birthday. Her gift is late - arriving today. Bad me. But it's a great gift - the most luxurious moisturiser I could find. I think it's made with caviar or something. Right now, moisturiser is foremost on my mind as I begin to shed my skin like a snake --- Ewwwwwe!

I'm glad to hear we are both behind a LOTR win, draadje. I would love to support the Netherlandish film in your honor, but do we even know the name of it? BTW, Babette's Feast is probably one of most absolute favorite films of all time. I don't think it's from the Netherlands, but near there, so Hurray for Babette's Feast in honor of you!

I expected some tasty baked treat from you, Tracey Bee, though a shrimp-themed Superbowl would be yummy too. Can't you fry up some oreos or something? Yummy. BTW, I make your chocolate and butterscotch peanuts all the time. Very tasty.

I want Uggs and TiVO too Aussie Girl and JDG!

Did you hear that Pamela Anderson is coming out with sheepless Uggs? Well, everything about her is fake, why stop at the Uggs...

Funny you should mention baked goodies, yogi, I'm considering making some apple crisp. I have a nifty new pie plate (a Longaberger one, sister's gift for my birthday last month), and I'm working on developing the Perfect Apple Crisp. Warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream might be just be the thing for watching Survivor.

ETA: I'm glad you like the peanut clusters! They're one of my favorite things. MrBee doesn't eat sweets much, though, so if I make them, I eat them all, and that's not the best thing.

I don't do deep-fat-frying at home. MrBee and I have discussed getting a deep fryer, but have decided that it's probably not a good idea to enable ourselves to eat French fries without even having to put on shoes. (Not to mention fried Oreos.) We go to a wonderful, wonderful burger place down the street; been there since the 1930s, and I'm sure they use pure beef tallow for the fries. They're wonderful. AussieGirl, if you ever come to Minneapolis, I'm make sure you get some great American family-style food!

skycatcher happy day-after bday! My mom's Bday was yesterday. She insisted on no gifts (she felt I was extravagent taking her to Hairdresser in NYC for Xmas & her getting a GREAT AMAZING haircut). So, she got a sweet bouquet (but I realized it was "spring" bouquet & they had these gay birds in it & I asked them to take them out but she found them amusing), lots of cards (we do one sappy, one funny which was about letting a monkey hug you!) and calls galore.

Yogi, is there anything that loses it's skin more than a snake? ME! Like, I'm drowning in moisturize & replenish stuff & guzzling H2O - no caffeine - and look like a monkey butt. Eww. I'm actually using an eczema cream just to keep me in one piece because it's so crackly & peely. It seals it in & then I apply moisturizer after.

Aussiegirl, Tivo is very smart. It has a hard drive like your computer, and keeps track of two weeks of the TV schedule. Everynight it uses the phone to call the mothership, which updates the info on the hard drive. So it contains the dates, time, title and description of all the shows. I then have it search the information and it returns listings such as The Wayne Brady Show, [date] [time] guests include Jeff Probst from Survivor, and blah blah blah other people we don't care about. And then I tell it tape it for me. All with a remote control.

The skin is tragic, but I was warm today even though the temperatures were grotesque, because I wore my boots - thanks Hildy! What a difference it made to have tread whilst trying to navigate the ridiculous snow drifts that block every intersection. Now I'm going to have to buy exema creme as well, skagirl. This is getting ridiculous. Thankfully, I have you all here to advise. My advice? Eat lots of pasta. Seriously. It makes you feel better. They say this weather is going to last two or three more weeks. Ugg.

You make TiVO sound so desirable, JDG. I would buy one tomorrow but I spent all my money on Christmas. I am not allowed to buy anything until April. Nothing. It's going to be tough. Next year, no one gets gifts from me!

Apple crisp in a Longaberger pie plate - that sounds about as inviting as could be. I think it's the perfect accompaniment to Super Bowl/Survivor Sunday. You might have to buy a little vanilla ice cream to go with that... mmm. Plus, I love Longaberger! Their baskets are to die for!

Hey guys-
There is a thread in TV Potluck called "We are TiVo'--I bumped it up so you could see it. Sometimes you can find some good hints there.
Yogi-If you use DirecTV you can often get a 30 hr TiVo for 99.00! That's a great price. I actually had two TiVos for a while--one for my DirecTV and one for the local channels--just so I could record Survivor! But recently DirecTV started giving us the local channels so I only need one now (I'm embarrassed to admit I put the other one in our RV...) Now I want to save my pennies to get one of the TiVos that you can use the Internet to program when you are away from home.

Yogi, the Dutch film is called Twin Sisters, and it's about German twin sisters (duh!) who were seperated at the start of World War II. One lived in Holland, the other one remained in Germany. They don't see each other until they are fairly old, and tell each other their life stories. It deals heavily with WWII and its aftermath, from a German point of view and a Dutch point of view. I believe that it is based on a true story. The author of the book on which the film is based on once gave a lecture on the book, and I believe that she said that she met one of the twins on a train.

Hi everyone. I'm back after the fifth dreadful, violent storm in 5 days. Friday's storm was incredible, and described as a mini tornado. It brought power lines down, roofs taken off, trees crashing down everywhere, the roads were a huge mess and 150,000 homes were left without power. We lost power and telephone for about 16 hours. Tonight we are getting a respite, though more storms are forecast for tomorrow afternoon. I have the candles and food at the ready.

Happy Belated Birthday Skycatcher, hope you had a wonderful day!

JDG I really want a Tivo - they sound great! I don't think they have them here.

Survivor will not start here till the 9th Feb, I am so disappointed to have to wait even longer. Am so looking forward to it.

Aussiegirl-
That's awful that you have to wait so long for Survivor there. Do you come here and get spoiled, or do you wait until after it has aired to visit here? I don't think I'd have the self-discipline to wait!

Thanks for bumping up the thread JRT Mom. Unfortunately, I didn't understand a word of it. I thought TiVO was a machine, like a DVD player, but it appears to be something like a cable hook up. I need to do more research, maybe go back to school for a few years as well. Were you the woman who had a computer with the insides showing, or was that someone else? If it was you, you are substancially more technically adept than I am. That's not saying much. I'm only one or two steps beyond the tin cans with string stage of communciations.

I think the Twins film sounds marvelous, Draadje. In fact, not only will I root for it, but I will also try to rent it. What a fascinating story. I have a friend who is of Dutch origin and grew up in Holland during the war. Because she was Jewish, she was taken from her family and raised by Catholic relatives. After the war, she moved to the US. Hers is also an amazing story.

Speaking of religion, I taught Sunday school this morning, and the subject was love. I got to talk about all sorts of people that express unconditional love through their work and lives. We looked at their work and the Beatitudes. Plus, then it was the whole subject of mass today with the Corinthians Love is always... reading. Next week, I'm tying it in with Valentine's Day, except instead of the regular Valentines stuff, were going to find a practical way to express love generously in their lives. Doesn't that sound like fun? Maybe I'll have them all "Jump, Jump for your Love" to start the class.

Almost as much fun as folks lying, cheating, and stealing their way to the top in Survivor!!! I can't wait. Poor Aussie Girl, the waiting, Ugh! It's going to be a great night. Fantastic Italian food at the Super Bowl party and Survivor. What more could a girl want? Oh, I know! An apple crisp in a Longabeger pie plate ;D

It is confusing, because TiVo is both. You must buy the machine, but you must also have the subscription, which enables you to get the data about what shows are on. It works with Broadcast, Cable or Satellite, but does not replace Cable or Satellite.

Think of TiVo as a "smart" two-way VCR -- it records shows digitally, just like a VCR, but also, before it records the show, is able to go talk to its mother computer about when the shows are on, what shows are on featuring X person, etc., and then just record the show for you without you having to do all the research first. Think of it as a VCR with research and self-programming capabilities. That's what you subscribe to, its two-way conversation with the mother computer so that it can stay up-to-date on its programming.

All that being said, I don't have TiVo; nearly got it for Papa Tiger for Christmas, but there's a chance we may move overseas and, as may be obvious, it would be a waste of money if that happened. So we're still on the "archaic" videotape system. But oh, as soon as we can......

TiVo does seem to be very complicated, and yet? It sounds wonderful. I understand that for a period of time TiVo actually replaced sex for Miranda, which says something about this smart machine. So this is the question: it you have TiVo, do you still need both your VCR and DVD players, or do some TiVo machines have those? Just because I have spacial/storage issues in addition to aforementioned issues programing various communication devices.

And, Mama Tiger, if you end up overseas, you could always donate said TiVo to me! No? It was worth a shot! I hate it that electronics seem to have so much difficulty traveling to different countries - not to mention the blow dryer drama that always seems to follow traveling overseas. Now I just own a British, European and of course American blow dryer. I've given up on those little pluggy things. They never seem to work.

Yeeeeaaa, Survivor ahead!

yogi bear, TiVo doesn't come with a VCR or DVD (at least not that I've heard of). But there are some new TiVo's out now that come with the ability to record on to DVD's, but they are outrageously priced right now. So you would still need a DVD player to watch movies and I have my VCR hooked to my TiVo so I can transfer anything I TiVo (that I want to keep) to VHS. I hope that isn't too confusing. I've had my TiVo for a little over 2 years and I can't imagine my life without it.

Well, I may as well introduce myself while I'm here! I'm cal and I'm a huge Survivor fan. I've been hanging around TWoP for a couple of years now. You can usually find me in the Degrassi thread, Arrested Development thread and a few others. I float (we all float down here). I'm 33 and happily married to a wonderful man. We live a few minutes south of Boston.

Looking forward tonight! Whee!!

(singing)
Toniiiiiight, toniiiiiight, won't be just any niiiiiiiight,
Tonight there'll be ou-wer All Staaaaarrrrssss.

WooHOO!