Weekend Wrap Up

How is it possible that it's nearly Monday?  Is it just me or does it seem like it's Monday three times a week?  Sigh. 

Besides the normal household chores, which are lacking in both fun and excitement but are necessary, I met a girlfriend for lunch at Outback Steakhouse and then we attended the Pride and Prejudice musical at the La Mirada Playhouse.  This was the first time I've eaten at Outback since I decided to go nearly 100% red meat free.  Interesting eating at a steakhouse when you don't want steak.  Their grilled chicken with veggies is quite tasty.  Beware, though, that "regular iced tea" may translate to super fruity, send-me-into-a-sugar-overload raspberry tea.  Best to give a cautionary sip before a big swig.  Ahem.  And tortilla soup looks nothing like baked potato soup to this writer so I'm still trying to figure out how I got tortilla soup slid in front of me. 

But!  The Pride and Prejudice musical was magical!  Magical, I tell you.  I went in expecting to see the book in musical format but was pleasantly surprised that the play was Jane Austen herself thinking of how to rewrite First Impressions into a more saleable format with the help of Cassandra.  Her characters came to life around her, singing, dancing and exhibiting some very wry humor.  The sarcastic being inside me was in heaven. 

The day was wonderful, leaving me feeling satisfied and brimming with creativity.  Which I immediately destroyed by stopping at Baskin Robbins for a milkshake that was not on my eating plan and made me lethargic. Bygones. 

Not this weekend but on Wednesday night I went on a nice little date with myself.  Yes, with myself.  It was a last minute decision to hit the movie theater and I figured I wouldn't make myself late nor would I have to debate with myself over what I wanted to watch or eat.  There is a marvelous luxury theater close by and I had yet to give it a go and Wednesday was a trying day so a little luxury was in order. 

First impressions?  (Ha, see what I did there?)   Pretty nice to have a bar in your theater lobby, as well as comfy seating areas where people can hang out pre or post movie and converse.  Ticket was costly but hey, that's what I make the big bucks for.  (Insert complete and total sarcasm.)  Seats were roomy, leather and reclined.  Hello!  Tons of space in between rows means that no one can kick the back of my seat during the movie.  Can we please do this on airplanes?

Ordered dinner before the movie started with the handy call button on my armrest so that I would not need to trouble myself with getting up.  Nice.  Hope I don't have to use the restroom.   Skinny fries and ketchup, small caramel popcorn and unsweet tea.  Again, costly but again, . . . well, you know. 

Now THIS is how to watch a movie

Movie (The Age of Adaline) was wonderful and even more so by reclining in comfort.  Didn't care much for Blake Lively beforehand (maybe because she's married to Ryan Reynolds?) but she was perfect here.  Highly recommend seeing it - - at the luxury theater and/or with me.

I found an application on Facebook that will guess your age based on pictures you post.  Thrilled that the first few I tried pegged my age at 40.  Over the moon that the next photo got me at 34.  App clearly brilliant.  Last pic pegged me at 50.  App obviously daft. 

Will be spot cleaning my sofa and reading chair, as well as spots on carpet, where my sleep patrolling dog (he does his best to keep me from slipping up and sleeping in) had a volcanic vomiting situation.  We'll leave it at that.  He's lucky I like him.

Oh yes, and I will be writing today.  Not sure which scene.  Still finding out some wonderful things about my main character - -she's fun. 

Don Draper, you sexy, smoking thing

Mad Men is on tonight.  Who else watches? 

Happy Sunday all!

Welcome Aboard!

Welcome to my blog!  (Anyone over forty recognizes the band above.  Guns 'N Roses, baby!  How could you possibly forget Axl Rose and his combo Jim Morrison-The Snake dance moves?  Classic.)

If you're not my mother and don't owe me a favor, I'm hoping you're here because you too are over forty (looking at the big 5-0 looming in the horizon) and maybe forty isn't quite what you thought.  Maybe you're perfectly happy with forty and think I'm crazy.  Maybe you think I'm funny.  Or maybe you stumbled across the page by accident and will decide to stay.

Why did I decide to do this?  I operate a book review site (Psychotic State Book Reviews) and while my reviews have been spotty as of late, I do enjoy writing them.  However, that's the more serious side of me (as serious as I find I can get) and my true, authentic voice belongs to that special genre of smartassery (yes, I just made up a word.)  As most smartass and sarcastic people, I have an opinion on everything.  Because I love to write and really want to write on a daily (or near daily) basis, I found myself debating over what I could do.  I can't read fast enough to write a review every single day.  I hope to be a published author but sometimes my brain is too taxed after being in the office all day (living the dream, people) to sit down and let loose creatively in the way I would like to.  Sharing my opinions, however . . . now that comes easily and naturally no matter how tired I may be.

Okay, so I guess I can be judgmental and critical.  I'm not a mean person but come on.  We all judge.  So let's judge together.  Not to be cruel, of course.  Unless we are talking about Tom Cruise or a Kardashian.  And rest assured, that will come.

So about me, as briefly as possible.  I have been reading my entire life - - I can't remember a time when I wasn't reading.  I have been writing in some form since I was eight.  I was a teen in the 80s (greatest music ever), completely obsessed with Duran Duran and quite possibly may have set up an Aqua Net executive with retirement based on the mile-high hair I was sporting then.  I dreamt of living in California (check!) and making my living as a writer (ummmmm . . . )  I have been divorced twice (definitely not something I dreamt of) and continue to try and find the humor of marrying two people so ill-suited for me.  I wish my breasts were bigger and my hips were smaller.  I love Jane Austen, hate The Time Traveler's Wife and watch far too much Bravo TV for anyone's good.  My current life's motto is that I'm looking for a dare to be great situation (thank you, Lloyd Dobler - - more on him later.)

If you've read this far and are still interested in what I have to say, I commend you.  I hope you will find this blog funny and, at times, insightful and will enjoy spending time with me.