Random TV Love

There are many things I love about Turner Classic Movies, but this year I've come to appreciate their "TCM Remembers" in memoriam montage for 2011. The run up to the Oscars has begun in earnest, and I suspect that none of the comparable segments I will see in any of the myriad awards ceremonies of the coming months will approach the project with as much class or consideration for granting equitable representation to as many members of their community as possible. (I also liked this Atlanta Magazine online piece about the montage.)

Hmmm...

I suspect that the person who designed this shirt doesn't actually know where this quote comes from. Like, what does this even mean outside of context?

Trailer Thoughts

You know how sometimes you watch a trailer, and your primary reaction is something like, "Oh, dear."?

Oh, dear.


Some other thoughts, in no particular order:


- That reaction is not to say that I'm assuming that this is bad, necessarily. Adam Shankman is a good choreographer and a solid director, and Hairspray ended up being a lot more charming than I thought it would be. 


- There's an interesting task at hand here, and part of me is sort of curious to see how it plays out: unlike, say, Mamma Mia, this is a jukebox musical pulling its songs predominantly (if not exclusively) from the music video's heyday. How do you stage numbers that already have established visuals attached to them? I can't say I'm not intrigued.


- That being said, I'm skeptical about the use of "Sister Christian," if only because the song's already attached to an amazing film scene. 


- I'm not sure the filmgoing world can handle the excess of terrible wigs entailed in both this movie and the second part of Breaking Dawn coming out in the same year.

A Bit of (Out of Context) Levity

Insane Dialogue + Hilarious Line Reading SMACKDOWN! (Fall 2011 New TV Edition)

Baking: Celebration/Consolation Cake

On Friday, the combination of the end of classes for this semester and watching Bridesmaids lead me to want to bake a cake for myself. (That whole "baking a single cupcake for myself as a perfect representation of my deep loneliness and mixed feelings about my baking career" deal from the movie just seems a little too savant-esque for me. How on earth do you figure out the proportions of ingredients for one cupcake?) I've spent the semester baking treats for my students - now I wanted to make something just for me.

Devil's Food Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting from Martha Stewart (a recipe that's becoming one of my favorites, though I also chose it because I have sour cream on hand, but no whole milk). I halved the recipe because there's only so much personal gluttony I'm willing to rationalize.

I'm dually naming the cake for my mixed feelings about the conclusion of my first teaching experience. I'm happy to not have to get up for class three days a week, because I'm still not a morning person in any way, shape or form. But I'm also bummed that I won't see my students every week. Sixteen kids with a decent percentage of thoughtful contributors to discussions and no jerks? I'm just hoping I wasn't spoiled for future classes.

Mood Music LXV

Apparently I'm feeling totally cheesy about the onset of the holiday season.