"This life has been a test..."

"If it had been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do..." Man, I loved this show in 1994. I watched every episode from the beginning and couldn't believe that no one else I knew was watching it. I was heartbroken when it was canceled. When MTV re-aired it, I taped most of the episodes. It's likely I still have that VHS tape kicking around in the basement. But I haven't really thought about the show in 10+ years. Luckily Santa remembered how much I loved the series way back when and brought me the new DVD set for Christmas. And I still love it. It's amazing to me how relevant it still is. All the teen angsty stuff I love really is timeless. I thought I would still love that part. What surprised me was how much I love the adult dynamic now - the husband/wife/parent stuff. Now all stuff I can relate to. (Like hilarious grocery shopping/housework/GS Cookie stuff I'm sure I didn't laugh at/get 14 years ago) Shocking how young Patty and Graham (the parents) look to me now. (Of course they seemed ancient when I was 20) Not to mention baby Claire Danes. It's such a beautifully shot show too - more like a movie. And the music and the clothes from the early 90s - just brings me right back. But like I said, the show really doesn't seem dated, like watching an episode of 90210 or even Friends. Anyway, probably my favorite Christmas present. Good job Santa...

Little Buffy!

Sarah Michelle Gellar - pre Buffy. I vaguely remember this Little Debbie commercial. Boy, she is not even remotely blond.

American Girl Christmas

Caitlin, Erin and Emma with Julie, Kit and Sarah

Merry Christmas!!!

One Christmas down, one to go. We spent the afternoon/evening at Nana and Poppy's. It was nice and low-key. The food was awesome. Kids got a stash, but it was scaled back some, which was a good thing. Both got the top things on their lists, and Santa hasn't even come yet. Unfortunately Jack ended the night headachey and feverish. Not sure what will happen tomorrow. He went to bed early and was asleep in minutes. Hoping that he wakes up well. Otherwise we may split up for tomorrow's evening festivities. (I would not be devastated if Jack and I were to stay home. ) But still hoping he's feeling better. Okay, off to bed. Merry Christmas!!!

"I'm not even cold!"

accidentally matchy-matchy sweaters - mine is new, his is from last year

Christmas jammies (Deb picked the red and the green - I guess it works)

a new post for robin

don't show paul - no caps :) isn't our tree pretty? tried to take some of the outside lights but they didn't come out great and it's way too cold to fool around out there tonight. i'll have to take some of the kids this week. i have been slacking off taking pics of them. maybe because i know their dhd spring shoot is coming up in just a few short months! hurray for dhd!

(i shouldn't post this late at night - everything is funny to me this time of night)

writers strike

This was post on whedonesque.com. It's by Joss Whedon (my Buffy, Angel, Firefly creator boyfriend.) So pretty sure it's still on and will be for awhile. (Deb and I were just discussing...) Stupid freakin studio bigwigs... I want my shows back!

We're a week away from Mutant Enemy Picket day! Since the AMPTP have generously offered us a thimble of sputum in exchange for everything written ever, I think it's fair to say it won't be a picnic.

And in two weeks, I'll be in Boston, speechifying (look for some long, fancy words, yo) and rallying shoulder to shoulder with, among other people, my dad, who somehow lived through both the '88 strike and my adolescence. Word. (Long fancy.)

And after that? Well, we might take this to the streets of some other cities. Get the word out, remind everyone that corporate greed (it's nothing but) is hurting everyone in this country. Not just because they're robbing people of entertainment (and, on occasion, art) and strangling an entire (non-writing) community, but because they're sending a message to every union in the country: you're next. The actors know that in their case, it's literally true, but it's also true for the concept of a unionized workforce. We get a lot of flack for being well-fed, glamorous, rich and powerful. We've worked hard to dispel that stereotype but in fact, a select few of us are wealthy and influential. And we have the support of some of the most famous and beloved (and wealthy and influential) people in the country: TV and movie stars! So the fact that the studios feel perfectly comfortable SPITTING IN OUR FACES in front of the whole world cannot bode well for any other union that works under them -- or under anyone who sees how easy it is to deny the basic rights of workers even so public as we. This is bad for writers, bad for actors, teamsters, teachers, nurses, dockworkers... the shape of this country is changing. The middle class is being squeezed out. We're trundling back to the middle ages, people, and all we can do is lie there and take it.

But of course, that's not what's going to happen. The studios mean to starve us out. They can't. We know what's at stake. We take care of our own, and those around us who aren't our own. We dig in. And eventually, if after months of deadlock we still can't make an equitable deal, you will start to see real change. Change in the way we entertain you, change in the essential structure of America's most popular export. (Unless it's corn. Is it corn?) The fact is, the studios have been robbing us for twenty years. (Actually, it's been much longer, but the statute of limitations says I should let 'em off easy.) This grotesque insult of a negotiation is the end of an era. It will be remembered as the stupidest move the conglomotainment empires ever made. WE ASKED FOR PRACTICALLY NOTHING. And they...

Something snaps. Something changes. Chaos, meet opportunity. Let them try to starve us out. We won't just survive. We will THRIVE. We're known as a creative community, and those numb f#$%ing frost-giants are about to find out we're a lot more of both than they knew.

If they come back to the table this very Tuesday next with the deal we need (and they won't), the change will still have come. The snap. The thing that broke, that can't be fixed. The eye, still wincing from the light, but finally wide open.

Good going, guys! Way to think it through.

A long while ago, I remember logging on with the intention of making jokes and spreading joy. Apparently, the thing that's broken is me. Apologies. I even forgot to complain about my cold.

Thanks for being here. See you soon.

lost tooth!

Jack lost his first tooth yesterday at school. As you can maybe see in the pic, the adult tooth is almost completely up behind where the baby one was. My kids hold onto their baby teeth forever. At least it came out on its own - no dental assistance required. But I do miss the cute gappy smile that most kids get. Oh well, Jack was thrilled. It was fun for him to lose it at school too. He got to bring it home in a little, tooth shaped, plastic box. And he was very happy with his dollar from the tooth fairy this morning. Luckily he is not aware that other people get DVDs from the tooth fairy. :)

Elf Yourself

Thanks Robin! That was pretty fun. The kids think it's hysterical!!
Click to see the Odell family elves.

Vespers

Vespers went great. Emma was so calm about it. The college kids who read seemed more nervous than she did. She wore her JC Penney bargain dress that I bought after Christmas last year. $3.99 baby! Jack was not overly impressed with Vespers. But he was mostly still and quiet through all 90 minutes of it. He whispered in my ear a few times, "I hate this Vespers. Is it almost over?" I think Matt may have been thinking the same thing. But he knows better than to say it...

Emma's reading on YouTube - I just recorded it on my still camera so the volume is a little low.

Mom/daughter day

Emma had Vespers practice this afternoon. (She is a reader tomorrow at the Amherst College Holiday Vespers.) She did great. Lots of hard words too like lineage and Judea and Nazareth. Afterwards we went to Target so she could pick out a Christmas gift for Jack. She picked the Bumblebee Transformer - don't tell Jack. Then we saw Enchanted. We both loved it. I think it was pretty much the perfect mommy/daughter movie. Normally I can't stand kid movies, other than a select few. And I despise paying to see them in the theater. This one was worth it though. Oh and Idina Menzel (sp?) from Rent and Wicked had a small (sadly non-singing) role.