Metal Meredith

Hallelujah!

My family as Southpark characters:

I just realized that it has been almost one month since I updated. I am feeling bad about that for no other reason than I do read other’s blogs daily and realize that they all have been so good about posting on a frequent basis. In my absence, I have missed Halloween, a trip to DC, lots of Birthdays and now Thanksgiving. So maybe this will be a quick update on how all those things played out.

First: Halloween

Ms Vivienne was a sad sight on Halloween. The weekend before she had a fever and a bad cold. I had kept her home from school the Friday before only to need to keep her Monday just in case. She ended up missing her Halloween party at school. We didn’t carve pumpkins or make it to a real pumpkin patch (although she went to pick out some with her dad at a local church and thinks she went to a patch...so shhhhh). On Halloween afternoon, she came down with a 101.5 fever as I watched her lay on the sofa all pitiful-like and whine for her Dad. He came home and we went around in circles on whether or not to take her out. Her begging broke both of our hearts in about 12 pieces and finally, we took her to about a dozen houses. Phil took her to the door, she smiled while she waited for her treats, then tore down the walk or driveway to show me that “someone put candy in my bucket!!!”. Amazing how that works. By the time we were done, she was hopped up on sugar and forgot she was sick altogether.

Second: Barenaked Ladies

I am still not sure why I thought it a good idea to drive to DC and see a concert at 7 months pregnant, but it turned out ok. We got there a bit late and missed a few songs, but our Outback dinner was so good that we were having problems tearing ourselves away. The show was good, they are always amusing and make us laugh. A few short videos can be seen here. Kym and I had a nice visit, which was more important than the concert in the grand scheme. We were lucky enough (again) to get to say hello and catch up with the members of the band. After the initial pleasantries, we talked about family and kids and how time flies. When you have known people for 13 years but only see them every 2 or so, it is amazing how time just blows by. Kids seem to age five times faster than in real life and you age 3 years for every one that seems to pass. It was a nice treat and a welcome distraction from the pregnancy.

Third: Birthdays

November is always a tough time for me to budget money and time for everyone’s birthdays. I have to not only remember to acknowledge the day, but to get cards, gifts and have everything shipped by a certain date. In a one week span, I have 2 close friends, Phil and my mother to celebrate. In that week lies Thanksgiving as well. The one bright spot was my mother’s 60th birthday. She might be upset with me for sharing that number, but I am as proud as I can be that she has reached that milestone (relatively sane). My sister and I came up with the idea to get a portrait done of us and Vivienne, as well as making the hour and a half trek out to her house to surprise her. It was a raving success complete with tears and squeals and a super lunch of seafood kabobs (BONUS!). For the curious and the bored, videos can be seen here.

Phil shared his birthday with Thanksgiving, so after 3 days of ‘Is it Daddy’s Birthday yet?’, finally we could wake him up with a card and a big kiss, followed by a honey bun breakfast cake (complete with candles and singing), a few measly gifts and some hugs. While shopping for a gift, Vivienne wanted to buy him a hairdryer. I am sure anyone who knows Phil, sees the complete irony there (see photo at top of entry.) He is now a grown up 31 year old. Too bad the same can’t be said for Vivienne and I…

Fourth and Final: Thanksgiving

We spent our Thanksgiving in Williamsburg with Phil’s family. I was so looking forward to eating all that food that I don’t really remember much more. I know I did a lot of sitting on my butt and nothing else. Vivienne had a great time playing with the cousins and the tiny kitten, keeping busy with crafts and grandparents. I also caught more than one trip to the dessert table to steal some marshmallows before dinner. The worst part of the whole day was that this tiny human inside me was keeping me from really eating my fill in one sitting and I found myself heading back a few times for tiny refills on things I like rather than the traditional “pile of food on a plate”.

All in all November has been a busy month that just flew by. That is ok with me, because I only have about a month to go (a month and a half if I am being punished by the ‘this pregnancy isn’t that bad’ gods.) My next ultrasound is scheduled for December 22nd, which seems so far away. With Christmas shopping, decorating and keeping myself sane, I am sure the time will pass quickly and I will wish I had a few more quiet moments before a newborn crashes this party.

All Dressed Up with Tivo at the Ready

I am not a fan of the Oscars or any awards show for that matter. I am always uncomfortable with the forced banter. Anxiety grips me while I worry that the producer will cue the music in an attempt to cut an acceptance speech short like they did with Frank Sinatra. When an actor gets up and uses his time to go off script and campaign for goats for Malaysia, I cringe. I do, however, like to look at the outfits, see who looked good or bad.

I used to watch the red carpet interviews until the decided to get the most ignorant non-stars to do the honors. After the required “Who are you wearing”, they inevitably toss in some “So, do you have any words for Andy Griffith after losing his good friend Don Knotts?” The actors and actresses, not wanting to look heartless, smile and bend their eyes sympathetically as they deliver a heartfelt message to the ET cameras. If it were anyone of us ‘normal people’, we would have rolled our eyes into next week.

My guess is that it became not fun anymore after 9/11, when everyone was forced to look somber and wear simple pant suits because pomp wasn’t so hip when so many people lost their lives. And I understand. But now, we are back to the sass and anti-reality that is Hollywood. It is what gets us through the sad reality of our own lives. Instead of asking people what they think of the war in Iraq or the latest 3rd world country weather related tragedy, let us ask the celebrities to commit to be either on the side of Jen or Angelina. If you pick one, you cannot be friends with the other.

Think Jen got shafted? I am sorry, no more jaunts to the Italian Villa of George Clooney. Think Brad was jusitifed? Again sorry, any possible cameos on future projects of previous “Friends” cast members is strictly forbidden. After, let’s make everyone wear an armband or ribbon with designated colors of what sex Angie and Brad’s baby will be.

THAT would be a much more interesting Red Carpet scenerio.

All this hate really leaves me with one choice to get my entire Oscar dish, the internet. Since I have written this far on this unbelievably uninteresting topic, I will continue with a confession that you may have already guessed:

I. Love. Celebrity. Gossip.

In fact, I subscribe to many online sites that update on a daily basis, if not several times a day with new photos and dish. Just in case ou are closeted as I once was, I am listing a group of my favorite sites for you to enjoy while you TIVO the Oscars like me and fast forward through everyone but John Stewart.

Be warned that these are not PG sites, there might be some naughty words and pictures. It is the paparazzi afterall.

Pink is the New Blog
Defamer
Smart
Perez Hilton
The Superficial
Popsugar

If you have a little softspot like me for pop culture, you will get your fill by clicking on the links above, promise.