Tuesday Tidbits

• I went 4-1 in the football pool this week! I'm officially tied for 6th. I'm also slightly obsessed.

• I'm disappointed in the Ray Donovan season finale. I like a badass Ray Donovan and this episode gave me a resigned and weak Ray Donovan. I guess I understand the reason why they chose to end the season the way they did-it's about absolution and redemption, OK, I get it. But in my opinion they over played their hand a bit here. They put too much focus on Ray's two weaknesses-the Catholic church and his family and I don't feel like it resolved anything for me. I'm thinking that's exactly what it was meant to do. I'll be waiting till next season Ray, don't you worry. 

• Scientists have discovered evidence of flowing water on Mars! Exciting news that some say could lead to the discovery of some form of life on the planet. I wonder-is this a ploy by Hollywood to promote the opening of Matt Damon's new movie "The Martian"? Just a thought.

• The Pope is the cutest man in the world. I love him. 

• Today I consider myself fortunate for all that I do have in my life and fortunate that I will not focus what I don't have....and I'm fortunate that I feel that way. 

• I'm going to see Frack this weekend in North Carolina. It's Parent Weekend at HPU and I can't wait! I miss my boy so much!! He is pledging a frat Pi Kappa Phi and he's rally excited about it. I'm loving the fact that this frat boasts the best GPA on campus and they take academics VERY seriously. So much so, that Frack has to log in 12 hours of monitored study time during the week as part of his pledge duties. Is this great or what?

• Babies are everywhere in my family. Lately there have been most joyous visits from 2 great nieces and a great nephew. I'm not going to even think about the fact that this means I am old..no, I am going to rejoice in the fact that my beautiful nieces and nephews whom I have enjoyed watching growing up are now becoming parents themselves. The love I feel for their children is so overwhelmingly satisfying. It's a beautiful lesson in the circle of life.

Fade To Black

• He will always be remembered as Tony Soprano. With yesterday's news of the passing of actor James Gandolfini in Rome, Italy (how fitting) at the young age of 51, it's as if Tony Soprano got whacked. And now we will never know what really happened after that "fade to black" moment at the end of the series finale of "The Sopranos". It seems so tragic that the actor's life was cut so short. Somehow, Tony Soprano had more to do. In a way, he was every man's Tony Soprano. 

• Strange goings on here involving New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. Police found the body of a 27 year old Dorchester man who was shot in a car less than a mile from Aaron Hernandez's North Attleboro home. The car the man was found in was rented to the Patriot's tight end Hernandez. Police later spent hours searching the Hernandez home. He has not been named a suspect in the ongoing investigation...yet. Discuss...

• I'm exhausted from staying up watching all the Bruin's overtime games! We lost a tough one last night, but the B's comeback to put the game into overtime showed heart and courage and skill!! I'm enjoying every minute of it and I predict a cup VICTORY!!

• "Kimye" baby, spawn of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian still has no name! Or no name that we know of yet. Which is HA-LARIOUS! This whole "we need privacy please" thing is just not working for them. The Kardashian's would have an enema on TV if it meant lots of dollar$$$ and now Kimmy has decided that she and Kanye's baby are going into hiding? I can't say I blame her. This is the way it should be. All I'm saying is the machine that is Kardashian will put pressure on Kimmy to have baby in the spotlight more often, causing Kanye to back away from Kimmy even more than he already has, leaving Kimmy alone as a single mom.  AND I also predict that "Donda" will appear somewhere in baby Kimye's name. (Donda was Kanye's mom's name. She passed during a routine cosmetic procedure in 2007)

Please, discuss amongst yourselves..

Well, It's About Fricken Time

She finally had the baby.

Well it's about time. I feel like this poor chick has been pregnant forever!!! What's hilarious is that even the celebrities have been worrying about poor Jessica and her baby. Two notables took to Twitter to voice their concerns this week.

1. Chelsea Handler tweeted: “How has Jessica Simpson still not given birth to this baby? I'm getting frightened.” ...
2. Has Jessica Simpson had that baby yet?! I'm getting anxious," ..Katy Perry.

Rest assured Hollywood, she has given birth to a baby girl weighing in at 9 lbs 13 ounces. Which means?
Jessica Simpson just lost 10 pounds!

I predict the race will be on now, for the weight loss companies to $nag Jessica as their spokesperson, if she hasn't already signed with one. She may be more famous for her weight loss than anything else, which is sad, really, because I'm not quite sure why she's famous to begin with.

Wasn't she a singer?
Now she's a fashion brand mogul?
Who had a TV show and at one time wore Daisy Duke's on the big screen?
Then she was famous for bad mom jeans?
Then she was famous for being famously pregnant.

I don't envy this recent uphill battle she faces, you know, the one about losing the weight.

But I'm sure she'll do it in record time. 

Celebrities, these days, seem to do things a lot quicker than us Average Joes.

Wordless Wednesday

Well, sort of....

Advertising Is Childs Play

Cute, funny and precocious, kids are advertising gold for businesses. Let's take the latest media blitz of kiddie commercials. Fast food giant Subway sandwich shops leads the pack with this hilarious look at young love.






And this which illustrates that rite of passage at the elementary school cafeteria; the trade.




The E Trade baby continues to give us laughs and brand recognition whenever we see the baby spokesman appear ready to do his shtick. The E Trade baby has major water cooler mojo in business circles.



Kids are advertising pay dirt plain and simple. We, the consumers, love it because it makes a funny reality out of the absurd. And much like the old advertising catchphrase from Merrill Lynch, "When the E Trade baby talks, people listen."

Scenes From A Bonfire

Today's post is a re-post from Oct 31, 2008. The scene that plays out here really happened in my backyard. Guest 2 is a good friend and Guest 1 was her, at the time, new boyfriend. I post this in honor of the couple, now married, who will welcome their new born daughter at some time today. Congrats to Mr and Mrs Fabulous! Looks like your fire for each other has never gone out.

EXT. BACKYARD BONFIRE-10pm

Male HOST sits at a backyard bonfire on a crisp autum night with his two guests.

GUEST 1 and GUEST 2 are young people in a committed relationship.

GUEST 1 is a male and GUEST 2 is a female. GUEST 2 is making smores over the CRACKLING fire, the marshmallow still melting amongst the flames.

HOST: Tonight marks the first time I have allowed my 12 year old son to go trick-or-treating with a group of his friends without parental supervision.

GUEST 1: (Leaning into GUEST 2) Man, when I was 12 on Halloween, I remember getting my first kiss with Debbie Simpson in the back of my best friends garage. Yeah, that's what I was doing at 12 without my parent's supervision.

GUEST 2: (Looking straight into GUEST 1's eyes) Debbie Simpson? That's the name of the first girl I ever kissed too!

Momentary SILENCE as GUEST 1 and GUEST 2, intensley hold each other's stares.

Robust LAUGHTER ensues.