Otter Sweetness

Serena Wins!

Serena Williams just won the Sony Ericsson Open against Justine Henin. She lost the first set and Justine was serving for the Championship in the 2nd... Serena broke her serve and went on to win the 2nd and 3rd sets. A great comeback. Way to Play!!! I simply love tennis!

Here's a photo I took of my kitties this morning. Wonder what they were looking at.


I'm going to watch "The Departed" right now, which I got from the Library. Hope it as good as "they" say.

I got my car inspected yesterday after work along with an oil change. Finally it's done!

After the movie, I plan to clean out my car; maybe even wash it. Maybe!


Ciao for Now.
Maria


P.S. "The Departed"


I thought the movie was really, really good. Spoiler...













When Leo's character gets shot, I was so stunned. I didn't see that coming at all. I even got a bit teary; the good guy dies, you know.

Life Is Good

I think I found the bag. It's a Life Is Good Messenger Bag. It was $25 at Marshall's. The color is called Chocolate. It appears to be a discontinued style.


Check out the Life Is Good website. Nice stuff.


Tennis news ---> Serena Williams won against Lucy Safarova today and will play Maria tomorrow. I hope it's a better match than their last meeting which was the Australian Open Final; Serena won. Vamos Maria!

Bag Search Continues

I went to Dick's Sporting Goods. No bag; No jacket.

I drove to Eastern Mountain Sports about 20 minutes away. No bag; No jacket.

There was a TJ Max next to EMS. I bought this Columbia Day Trip Jacket for $25. I want to check the store near me to see if they have one size bigger. It fits fine but I wouldn't mind a tiny more room.


I also bought a black Diaper Bag for $10. For the money, it's not bad. I checked out Babies R Us online when I got back home. I found a couple bags that could be good; they're $30. I'll check them out since Babies R Us is next to Sports Authority, where I have to go to return the Nike bag.

Tennis ---> OMG... I am so happy right now! Maria won her 3rd round match against Venus. 2-6 /6-2/7-5. Tomorrow she'll play the winner of the Lucie Safarova/Serena Williams match, which is to be played tonight. Oh boy, another Williams sister. Hey I like them as well, I just hope that Maria goes far this tournament.

I followed the match on the Live scoreboard from the end of 2nd set on. Here's a screenshot.


Maria reacting to Game, Set, Match.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

In The Bag

Yesterday I went shopping for a bag for my trip to Newport. I'm looking for a medium sling; not as big as a backpack sling though.

I have this Victorinox small sling that I've had for about 3 years which I love except for the color. It's now discontinued.
I had been looking for another small one for a while with no luck. I found a small black sling at Target for $14.99. It's there own brand, an Embark Mono Bag. This will be for everyday use and not for the trip. It's not on their website but it looks a bit like this one.


Later, I went the Sports Authority and found this small messenger bag that I just loved; it was only $20. It's a North Face Calyx. It's still not big enough, but I just had to get it.
I also bought this bag, a Nike Essential Mono. It's a bit too big for my taste. I could only find one bad photo of it online. It's grey with a bit of a pale periwinkle tinge. It was $33.


As I'm not completely satisfied with this bag, I'll be going to Dick's Sporting Goods and Eastern Mountain Sports today. I'll also be looking for a lightweight waterproof jacket for the trip as well as an everyday jacket for Spring.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

P.S. - Maria won her 2nd round match yesterday 6-3/6-2. She's playing Venus William this afternoon. Yikes! Heck of a 3rd round match! Good luck Maria! She's definitely going to need it.

P.P.S. - Here's a link to last night's TV Funhouse on SNL. It's a parody of Dora the Explorer. It was too funny.

Hanging With the Sloth

Catching Up

I watched my first "reality show" since "The Real World: New Orleans" on Monday night... "Dancing With The Stars". I had wanted to watch since the first season but never did. I liked it and look forward to seeing them getting better. I have always loved watching ballroom dance competitions.

I didn't really have a "Movie Wednesday" this week but did watch the movie "Nobody's Life". It was from Spain and I loved it.


The lead actor was Jose Coronado. Guapisimo! This is an older photo as he's 50 now.


I got another movie from Spain from the Library today; "La Vida Que Te Espera" as well as "Infamous" about Truman Capote during the writing of "In Cold Blood", which I read last month. I have seen "Capote" which was also concerning the time Truman was writing the book. I thought Phillip Seymour Hoffman did an excellent job.

I watched "Hollywoodland" last night. I thought it was quite good. Triple love Adrian Brody.


Ugly Betty was hilarious last night. I laughed out loud a bunch of times. Truly a great show! Another great show I've recently been watching is "Extras" on HBO with Ricky Gervais. Love it! I believe they're showing the first season currently.

The Sony Ericsson Open in Miami began on Wednesday. Maria plays her 2nd Round match tomorrow; she had a BYE in the 1st. Fingers crossed she gets further than she did at the Pacific Life. Vamos Maria! Here's a photo I posted on a Tennis Forum. It's from something called an "All Access Hour". The print-out cracked me up.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Galapagos Premieres

On the National Geographic Channel Tonight. I can't wait!

As my Mom is from Ecuador, I find a pride about the magnificence of the Galapagos.

I'll be DVR'ing and then DVD'ing.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

P.S. Rafael Nadal won the Pacific Life Open today in straight sets. Go Rafa!


Gotta love those arms!

Open Your Eyes

Lyrics to "Open Your Eyes" by The Lords of the New Church
- a song I heard yesterday that I loved back in the 80's -

It seems quite appropriate as a battle-cry against the intolerable Bush Administration.


"OPEN YOUR EYES"

Video games train the kids for war.
Army chic in high-fashion stores.
Law and order's done their job.
Prisons filled while the rich still rob.
Assassination politics.
Violence rules within' our nation's midst.
Well ignorance is their power tool.
You'll only know what they want you to know.
The television cannot lie.
Controlling media with smokescreen eyes.
Nuclear politicians picture show.
The acting's lousy but the blind don't know.

Open Your Eyes, See The Lies Right In Front Of Ya.
Open Your Eyes, See The Lies Right In Front Of Ya.
Open Your Eyes, See The Lies Right In Front Of Ya.
Open Your Eyes

They scare us all with threats of war.
So we forget just how bad things are.
You taste the fear when you're all alone.
They gonna git'cha when you're on your own.
The silence of conspiracy.
Slaughtered on the altar of apathy.
You gotta wake up from your sleep.
'Cause meek inherits earth, six feet deep.

Open Your Eyes, See The Lies Right In Front Of Ya.
Open Your Eyes, See The Lies Right In Front Of Ya.
Open Your Eyes, See The Lies Right In Front Of Ya.
Open Your Eyes

We Have a Winner

Daniela Hantuchova won the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, CA today. This is her 2nd title. Her 1st was 5 years ago... also at Indian Wells. Sweet! Keep it up! She beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets.

Tomorrow is the Men's Final - [12]Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [2]Rafael Nadal (ESP). I'll be rooting for Nadal.

Sony Ericsson Open Seeds

Deer Rescue

Cape Cod As Well

Providence Too

Newport, Rhode Island... Here I Come

I just booked a hotel and I can't wait to go!

A Historic Perspective of Newport

I'll be going to:

AFI's 100 Greatest American Movies of All-Time

I believe a new list is coming out in June. This one is from 1998.

I've seen those in blue:


1. CITIZEN KANE (1941)
2. CASABLANCA (1942)
3. THE GODFATHER (1972)
4. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
5. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
6. THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
7. THE GRADUATE (1967)
8. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)
9. SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)
10. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)
11. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
12. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)
13. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957)
14. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)
15. STAR WARS (1977)
16. ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)
17. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951)
18. PSYCHO (1960)
19. CHINATOWN (1974)
20. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)
21. THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)
22. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
23. THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
24. RAGING BULL (1980)
25. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
26. DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)
27. BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
28. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
29. MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)
30. THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948)
31. ANNIE HALL (1977)
32. THE GODFATHER PART II (1974)
33. HIGH NOON (1952)
34. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)
35. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)
36. MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)
37. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)
38. DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)
39. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)
40. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
41. WEST SIDE STORY (1961)
42. REAR WINDOW (1954)
43. KING KONG (1933)
44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)
45. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951)
46. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
47. TAXI DRIVER (1976)
48. JAWS (1975)
49. SNOW WHITE & THE 7 DWARFS (1937)
50. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
51. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940)
52. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)
53. AMADEUS (1984)
54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)
55. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)
56. M*A*S*H (1970)
57. THE THIRD MAN (1949)
58. FANTASIA (1940)
59. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)
60. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
61. VERTIGO (1958)
62. TOOTSIE (1982)
63. STAGECOACH (1939)
64. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
65. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
66. NETWORK (1976)
67. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
68. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951)
69. SHANE (1953)
70. THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
71. FORREST GUMP (1994)
72. BEN-HUR (1959)
73. WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)
74. THE GOLD RUSH (1925)
75. DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)
76. CITY LIGHTS (1931)
77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)
78. ROCKY (1976)
79. THE DEER HUNTER (1978)
80. THE WILD BUNCH (1969)
81. MODERN TIMES (1936)
82. GIANT (1956)
83. PLATOON (1986)
84. FARGO (1996)
85. DUCK SOUP (1933)
86. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)
87. FRANKENSTEIN (1931)
88. EASY RIDER (1969)
89. PATTON (1970)
90. THE JAZZ SINGER (1927)
91. MY FAIR LADY (1964)
92. A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951)
93. THE APARTMENT (1960)
94. GOODFELLAS (1990)
95. PULP FICTION (1994)
96. THE SEARCHERS (1956)
97. BRINGING UP BABY (1938)
98. UNFORGIVEN (1992)
99. GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967)
100. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

Movie Wednesday

I watched "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (1994) that I DVR'd last week. I've seen it many times before. I really like this movie and love Hugh Grant. I started saying bugger from this movie, usually comes out bugga. I will eventually put this on a DVD.

Next I watched "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967), which I also DVR'd that week. I think I've seen it twice before. This is truly a magnificent movie. A quote from someone on IMDB... "I can't help but think that the more things change in thirty years, sometimes they remain the same. Certainly there's more examples of interracial couples today than thirty years ago, and therefore a greater degree of tolerance, but for a lot of narrow-minded individuals, it's still as controversial or "appalling" as it was thirty years ago." (Actually, it's now been 40 years since this movie came out.) These are my thoughts exactly. There are still too many people who would still have a problem with interracial relationships. It's a shame. Here's a trailer for the movie. I will also burn this onto a DVD.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

P.S. I worked on GreenlawnOnline.com today.

Can't Complain

“If you don't like something change it.

If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Don't complain."
-Maya Angelou

On this morning's Today Show, there was a story about a Church that started a "campaign" called A Complaint Free World. I loved the idea and requested a free bracelet. I will not wait to receive it to start trying to be complaint-free, as well as no criticizing, no gossiping, no sarcasm, for 21 days. (the time it is believed it takes to establish a new habit)

My biggest source of complaints is when I drive. The way some people drive just makes me mad. Don't signal, don't stop fully at a stop sign, drive over the yellow and white lines, don't stop fully at a red light before turning right, etc. What good does it do for me to get pissed about it? They can't hear me. I can only control my driving. It just brings on negative feelings and I guess a sense of superiority. Both are not good.

The idea is to wear the bracelet and when you complain, criticize, gossip, or use sarcasm, you switch wrists. I love it!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

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