Happy Memorial Day!

(video h/t to HillBuzz.org)

I just want to take a moment to say "Thank You" to all the men and women throughout history who have sacrificed their time, talents and lives to keep America free!!!

This weekend, I have worked on my book, I have read some things I've been wanting to read, I watched "Star Wars," I went to church, I came home and helped my folks with some yard work (and got to play pyro int he burning barrel ^_^), I got to spend time with my cousins (including one cousin who's out that I don't get to see very much) - all these things, I think, I can do because I live in a country that is free. I know that phrase gets used a lot and it starts to sound kinda trite, but I also think that cliches become cliche because they are true. America's freedom comes because of the soldiers who have fought and died to keep it that way.

So no matter your political opinions or persuasion, as you're on your way to picnics and BBQs today (or whatever plans for frivolity and frippery you may have - and there's nothing wrong with that), take a moment to remember those who made these things possible for you. And if you get the chance, thank them.

Happy Memorial Day!!

Action Explosions, Russian Bad Guys and Scantily Clad Dancing Girls - It Must Be Summer

I saw "Iron Man 2" last night. Trailer is included here because it's relevant to a point I attempt to make.



Knew-jerk reaction - it was an awesome movie. Fangirl in me loves when the obvious love interests figure it out (since all the fans have it figured out in the trailer - of the first movie! By the way - I HATE it when footage that is included in the trailer does not make it into the movie. FYI). Adrenaline junkie in me loves explosions and fight scenes. Black Widow is amazing - Scarlett Johanssen should play more superheroine characters. What exactly is Nick Fury's power? (never mind, I've got Wikipedia)

Maybe it helped that I knew this movie was setting up for "Avengers," but I thought that everything fit in pretty good. It's the sequel after the origin movie, you have to have new characters and expand the universe.

Bill O'Reilly doing Talking Points on Stark Industries and calling Pepper a pinhead - Ha-larious!

Stark Industries really needs to keep a better lock on their property - in the first movie terrorists were buying their weapons and now a disaffected son-of-a-former-Soviet-spy has the blueprints for the arc reactor. Yeah, I don't care if Daddy Vanko was working for Daddy Stark - you hand that crap in with your key card.

During the Expo-hologram scene, I could help but think that Tony just rediscovered the solution to his problems in Epcot.

Justin Hammer - what the heck?? He's such a pansy! I mean, in the Marvel universe, if you have a last name like "Hammer," it means something! But this guy - I ju - hummanna - what the - meh - *exasperated sigh* I throw my hands in the air and give a disaffected snort of derision in your general direction.

After sitting in the theater and having to listen to that terrible, awful, no-good song from the Stark Expo (circa 1960s - no way that tripe would be let anywhere near a modern expo), there certainly have better been an extra scene after the credits. To my joy, there was.

I just love Tony Stark. He's awesome. The end.

PS - After perusing some of the Wikipedia entries about the comic book version of Iron Man and other Marvel characters... Iiiiii'm gonna stick to the movies. No offense to comic book fans, but there are waaaay too many stories and spin-offs and arcs for me to keep up with (kudos to you who do keep up with it all). Shoot, I just found out today that there are going to be more Artemis Fowl books. I thought we were done!

PPS - Oh yeah, reaction to trailers -

"Eclipse" - Why-oh-why did they replace the actress for Victoria? And... why in heaven's name do the vampires look like they have chunky Play-doh for makeup? And... is Edward's only calling in life to knock down trees in the forest? (at least - I think that's Edward). And, Jacob, honey - emo doesn't suit you. You need to grow your bangs out and walk around barefoot. And be a little more pasty. I think the Cullens have some Play-doh they can lend you.

"Super 8" - All that buildup of Area 51 and a train wreck... and the movie is titled after a hotel chain????

"The Last Airbender" (or "We had 'Avatar' first before Dances with Smurf-Gully pigged it") - I'm looking forward to this movie. No, seriously, I am. I've enjoyed what I've been able to catch of the TV show and I hope this movie does well (wish I could see it from beginning to end, but that's what TiVo is for).

It's Over Tonight

It was once purported that Jem was a huge "24" fan and released this song because of that. So, what better send-off than to play the song on my LiveJournal (and of all the video makers on YouTube, no one has made a fan video using footage from "24" to this song. Maybe when I get a new computer - and a DVD ripper - and an ice cream-crapping unicorn - I'll try my hand at the art). If you have any amount of bass in your car, I recommend cranking it up with this song.

Series finale tonight! I'm a little melancholy about it all, but before I get to that - SPOILER WARNING!

***SPOILER WARNING***DAMMIT CHLOE!***SPOILER WARNING!***

I CRIED! That's right - I actually cried at an episode of "24." It's all Chloe's fault. And Jack for bringing up the whole "When you first came to CTU" deal. Well, I'm a bit of a crybaby. And a little clumsy, but I try my best and everything will work out (cookies if you know that reference!)

Okay, the actual rehash - but I find it fitting that "24" ended on May 24. Just sayin'

Remind me, but did they always insert the "Events Occur in Real Time" bit at the beginning of the season finales? Here, it was not just once, but twice!

When Logan first called President Taylor, I half expected him to say "Hello, Satan calling." And with half the crap Taylor had to fake her way through, I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a wood chipper shredding through her stomach. That is, until she channels Logan's complete power-trip asshattery and becomes "Wilderness Youth Counselor - The Sequel"

Calling Taylor's conscience! Where are you, girl? (on vacation in Malibu, apparently)

Even as Jack did so, I knew that him not killing Pillar was going to come back to haunt him (but Jack is one of those badass guys that still has a soul. Remember, this season opened with him telling little Teri to call him Grandpa Jack.)

Dalia (finally figured out how to spell her name) and Chloe should be friends. Though, I had a thought - only in TV shows does the UN have any real authority. I almost thought that Dalia had done Chloe and Cole's work for them. Then I remembered - duh, it's the UN. I'm surprised anyone thought this peace treaty would hold any water.

Winner Line of the Week: Jack to Logan - "Try the truth for a change."

Other things I half-expected to happen:
Suvarov to put his pinky to his mouth.
Dalia to give Taylor the finger - multiple times.
Jack to pull the damn trigger already!
Tony being under one of those masks that ambushed Jack's ambulance (fangirl hopes spring eternal!)
Jack to get hauled off to China - AGAIN!

Things I never expected to happen:
Chloe to have to shoot Jack (and I have NOTHING snarky to say about that at all!)
Jack to bite Pillar's ear (though it makes sense - something similar opened season 6)
Pillar to figure out Chloe had the chip (c'mon! The girl's a computer tech! You can tell she doesn't have any real skill with a gun. How would she know how to hit vital organs?)
Me to yell "SHIT!" when Birke (the not-nearly-as-cool-as-Owen CTU Boy Scout) yanked the memory chip from Chloe's laptop.
Tim Woods to join the "Agent Aaron Pierce Club of White House Coolness, Ma'am" (It's freaking TIM WOODS!!)

Logan did what we all wish he would have done midway through season 5. Good riddance. Bugger.

By the way, CTU Mobile Command's uploader is about as good as Facebook's photo uploader.

Who else cheered when Pillar's-Pole-Dancing-CTU-hack Eden was hauled off on Chloe's orders? MEEEE!!

And Jack's face goes all pixely into the sunset - or running off to join the French Foreign Legion.

Next Week's Promo - Um... there is no next week, folks. We've closed up shop forever. CTU's done. Everyone's dead or on the run.

And I give a fond salute to Joel Surnow, Robert Cochrane, Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carlos Bernard, Reiko Aylesworth and all the great, great people that brought this roller coaster ride to life. And I must mention my cousin and my roommate for introducing me to this show. It's not as sad as I thought it would be (there is still a movie to come, after all), but life will never be the same.

And I just found out that "Heroes" is being cancelled as well. What the crap am I going to do on Monday nights? (oh wait, there's still "The Big Bang Theory." And Monday Night Football... on ESPN... ...sigh... ...)

"I need your blessing and your promise to live free. Please do it for me." - Jem

00:00:00

It's either high humidity in that area or Logan just wet himself

I really should have been doing videos with these posts the whole time. But this week's was just too easy. Well, I tried first to find the Back to the Future "My Name is Darth Vader from the Planet Vulcan," but everyone on YouTube had to edit it themselves and inserted every bad song from Lady Gaga to Rick Astley into the scene. Honestly, why mess with the original Van Halen version?

Even though it is my birthday (and thanks to everyone who extended well-wishes and a BIG THANK YOU to Cecily for her "Birthday Emergency" post. And a big thanks to Jack for the birthday flowers ^_^), the "24" Rehash is here at it's usual time.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***IF YOU HAVE BLADDER CONTROL PROBLEMS - YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE OF IT***SPOILER ALERT***

Darth Vader Halloween mask - $10

Beretta Handgun pilfered from CTU's weapon's stash - $500 in taxpayer money
Stolen Ford Explorer with a banana delivery - Free (to you)
Teargas - How the heck should I know how?
Seeing the stunned look on Charles Logan's face when he realizes all his security and blackmail hasn't done a thing for him - Priceless
There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's BauerCard. Accepted everywhere there's a presidential conspiracy cover-up.

Now, I've never been to New York, but I don't think banana delivery people are stupid enough to leave the car running AND the back cargo hatch open. Then again, this is Jack Bauer's luck we're talking about.

I would feel sorry for President Taylor with her headache - except I know how she got it and I really don't feel any pity for her right now. The "24" writers have simply taken Grandma's warning that you have cover up one small lie with an even bigger lie and pretty soon your lies are out of control and made it one of the best endings to a series ever concocted.

I wish I had PhotoShop/artistical skills because I want to see Logan as the devil and Ethan as an angel sitting on President Taylor's shoulders. Or maybe even Logan as the serpent in the Garden of Eden because he certainly acts the part.

Speaking of Eden, she was getting a little pissy after they found Jack's latest Thanksgiving turkey practice victim. And a BIG HAND to Chloe for finally proving that Logan's lackeys in CTU have zero actual power and aren't going to be getting any anytime soon. HELL YES you're still provisional director, honey bunch!

I know I've been critical of this season to this point - but all that idiocy was well worth it to see the Wilderness Youth Counselor pee himself when he saw Darth-Vader!Jack coming after him and his Secret Service detail couldn't do a damn thing about it.

And after all his poker-chess-Monopoly-Candy-Land games, he still gives everything up to the first guy with a pair that comes after him with a handgun and teargas. Though, Logan deserves a Grammy for those singing-like-a-canary-bird stylings. Maybe Justin Bieber can get him a record deal.

Although, that Russian driver-guy that Jack assaulted in the parking garage sang pretty sweet too. Maybe he and Logan can team up for Best Stool Pigeon of the Year (and the Russian can knife the judges from behind).

As an aside, when Jack realized that he'd been stabbed, his "blood looked suspiciously like red paint. I'm just sayin'...

As an another aside - JACK TOOK OUT A SLEW OF BAD GUYS AND I MISSED IT???? (there's something up with that - you do NOT cut to political gamesmanship and moral dilemmas when Jack is shooting (and, it turns out, stabbing) crap. You just don't!!!)

Next week's preview - The Final Hours!! (Dun, dun DUNNNN!!) Number one - where is Tony? (sorry , the fangirl in me must ask these questions). Number two - There was one shot that looked like President Taylor, but it was really Chloe (HUH??) Number three - What is with Jack's creepy little smirk when he's about to pull the trigger? I didn't think Renee's death would have hit him this bad. Oy... (bear in mind, there will be a movie. They cannot kill Jack, no matter how mortally wounded he is).

And I know everyone's wondering, but I'm just going to go ahead and say it - Did Meredith ever pay for her coffee?

Guess what? This post marks 100 posts on this blog! An amazing feat, considering I don't use it that often except to converse with my Facebook peeps. And to link to other Blogspot blogs.

(Apologies to Ron White and Blue Collar Comedy for the bladder-control jokes)

Summer Reading List Courtesy of LiveJournal

A few days ago, I asked my LiveJournal friends to recommend some good books to me since I've been at a loss for something new (and good) to read. You know, that kind of good that keeps you up reading into the night. And, boy oh boy, did they oblige. So, I compiled the list and this is what they all came up with. Hopefully my library has these. If not, I might just splurge and check out Amazon.com. One of the coolest thing is that I have not heard of most of these books and authors, so this has me excited to read some good stuff!

The List -

Author – Lisa See
Author – Alison Weir (historical fiction)
“War of the Flowers” by Tad Williams
“Not Without My Daughter” by Betty Mahmoody
“Escape” by Carolyn Jessop
“Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follet
“The Secret Journal of Brett Colton” by Kay Lynn Magnum
“The Pact” by Jodi Picoult
“Dear John” by Nicholas Sparks
“The Westing Game” by Ellen Raskin
Author - Sarah Dessen
“Enchantment” by Orson Scott Card
“The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss
“Warbreaker” by Brandon Sanderson
“Inda” by Sherwood Smith
“Mistborn: The Final Empire” by Brandon Sanderson
“The Curse of the Chalion” by Lois McMaster Bujold
“The Farseer Trilogy” by Robin Hobb (9 books)
“The Vorkosian Saga” by Lois McMaster Bujold (starts with “Cordelia’s Honor”)
“Sunshine” by Robin McKinley
“The Hero and the Crown” by Robin McKinley
“The Blue Sword” by Robin McKinley
“Ella Enchanted”
Author – Terry Pratchett (esp. Discworld)
Author – Robin McKinley (esp. earlier works)
- “The Outlaws of Sherwood”
- “The Door in the Hedge”
- “Beauty”
- “Deerskin”

If anyone else here has something good they'd like to recommend, I'm all ears! Most of what I like is sci-fi/fantasy, but I do enjoy a good historical fiction. If there's a sweet little love story, then I consider it a bonus. But I'm not into graphic sex scenes at all, so keep that in mind too.

(Just as an aside -I have intentions to begin "Fablehaven" and the Percy Jackson series, but I recently started Shannon Hale's "The Books of Bayern" series. And I just finished Brandon Sanderson's "Elantris," which I enjoyed quite a bit.)

Consumer Alert (and not one of those fake pop-up ad deals, either)

If you live around the Tooele County area and are thinking of building a house, DO NOT under any circumstances hire Charlee McNeill to do it. And I'll tell you why - five years ago, my parents contracted Charlee's Construction Company to add on and remodel our house and ever since then, we've had nothing but problems (in all honesty, the house isn't even fully finished).

My parents have told me about the problems that arose while the house was being built. Like they'd get the whole building crew out here to do something like put up sheetrock or tile, but once they got out here, realize that some doof forgot the sheetrock or the tile and they'd have to go allll the way back to town to get it, putting the building schedule even farther behind. I kid you not. I guess that should have been the sign that this was a bad deal to begin with and my parents should have raised a fuss back then (well, in my "so-much-cooler-online" little way, I'm doing it for them now). The following problems are the ones that I know about. I haven't lived in this house that much, but I think my limited experience will even be enough to persuade you.

The main problem has been plumbing and flooding, mainly in the basement. The basement flooded a measly three weeks after my folks moved in (I would have pitched a fit then). We have three bedrooms and one bathroom downstairs. The utility room was never finished and we only found this out when my brother-in-law (who used to work for a plumber) came to take a look at it and noticed that the plumber Charlee hired forgot to put in a key part that kept water from shooting out of the pipes. I have actually stood in the utility room door and watched bath water cascade out of the main drainage pipes (like those guys in the cargo hold of the Titanic when the iceberg hit). The utility room will be covered in water and seeping out onto the carpet in the hall outside. This has happened more than once. Dad has written this off by saying "Just don't use that bathroom as much." Are you kidding me?

Problem is that the upstairs bathroom shower drains into pipes that leak into my sister's bedroom. We've had to tear open the ceiling and work on those pipes, but they still don't work. So, we only have one working shower and even that's debatable because we recently found out that it doesn't drain very well. And the bathtub in the upstairs bathroom ALSO drains into the pipes that flood my sister's room. Our options are 1) don't shower/bathe or 2) flood the basement. Yes, what wonderful choices those are.

Oh - and that brings me to my bedroom. The rain gutters never got put in, so when it rains like it did the past two days, the water seeps down through the soil and into a crack or something in the foundation and the south half of my room floods. That's the only explanation I have because the window sill is dry and there are no cracks in the walls - just a soaking wet carpet. Today, my carpet is soaked and I am not pleased by any stretch of the imagination. I have to remove my bed, my desk, my bookcase and my computer (thank heaven the power cords were up off the floor) and get the Rug Doctor and suck up all the water. Never mind the water damage to the furniture and books and papers that were on the floor and the inconvenience of having to take care of all this nonsense.

Did I mention that our dishwasher and our microwave both blew up last month? Did I mention the hole between my bedroom door and the stairs that should have been covered with sheetrock, but lets in mice and other rodents into the house? Did I mention the uncovered vent that goes outside that lets the cats into our house so they can have kittens in our utility room AND between the walls? Good grief - this house is not fit to be living in!

It looks pretty, but that's all it's good for. If you actually want to, you know, use the water and the electricity and live in this house, I wouldn't do it. And nobody else will make a stink about it, but I have had it with this house. Since I don't own the place and I really can't take any sort of legal action, I can get the word out of what a sorry builder Charlee was and hopefully dissuade anyone else from using him as a builder. Don't waste your money.

I'm Too Sexy for this Tie

"24" tonight and the rehash. Obligatory spoil alert and we're off like a dirty shirt!

***SPOILER ALERT***YOU KEEP SAYING THAT WORD***SPOILER ALERT***

The Wilderness Youth Counselor's little tie-modeling exploits inspired the subject line. Who cares if Jack Bauer's about to ruin your political career (ahem, again)? Wear the Armani, Chuckie. Go out with style. (like Johnny Bravo)

It's official - Arlo smells a rat. And while it's nice of him and Chloe to try to help Jack, of course Jack has everything under control. I wondered why Jack wanted to meet Hassan's mistress at the mall of all places.

Jason and Eden have zero actual power at CTU. I can't figure out why Chloe and company don't connect the dots and tell them to shove it (well, I take that back, they're starting to see what's going on). I liken it to arguing with a liberal - they just throw out a few impressive lines (like "You're just a RAAAAAACIST" or "I'm here because the White House sent me") that look indisputable on the surface, but when you dig into those nasty little things we call details, reasonable people start asking reasonable questions and the race-baiters start to look pretty pathetic. It's only a matter of time before Jason and Eden will be thrown out on their ears (and probably still screaming "I'm here at the behest of the President!!" Which president was that again?

All you really need to know is that Jason's assistant is named Eden. People that work for the White House are not named Eden. Nobody in politics wants to be associated with someone named Eden. It's a porn star/soap opera name. White trash bimbos that work for shady corporate thugs could be named Eden, but respectable upstanding contributors to society do not name their child Eden. Take your clue from there.

Speaking of bimbos, Meredith just needs to sit down, watch her video evidence and let Jack work. There will be even more story to break before the day is out and she'll have herself a nice Pulitzer. Not bad for the former mistress of a head of state.

Once he got the Russian cut open, Jack found that sim card pretty quick. And how would it have been if Chuck answered the phone when Jack called it? Just speculating, mind you.

Next Week's Promo - The Wilderness Youth Counselor is dog meat. Cole needs to work on his faith in Bauer. Jack takes a cue from the Power Rangers. We have three hours left. Enjoy.

Have a Nice (Power) Trip!

"24" tonight - and the countdown begins! Sorry I don't have a snarky video to go along with this.

Before I proceed, I have to say something - I know all my rehashes sound like I'm too critical of the show, but you have understand something. If I like something well enough to dedicate full posts to it in my LJ, you know I like it (unless I come out and say that something is really, really, REALLY stupid - and you can typically tell when that happens). This is all just fun and games and to show my love and adoration of "24." What can I say? I don't have a boyfriend (oh wait, yes I do - his name's Tony Almeida ^_^)

***SPOILERS ARE LIKE CHARLES LOGAN TRYING TO BE THE PRESIDENT***THEY SUCK AT LIFE***

President Taylor was in a press conference all episode, which I guess gave the Wilderness Youth Counselor license to play Executive Order the entire hour. And it seems he hires just-as-inept people to mole into CTU for him (dumb woman can't even figure out what a login is... feh... well, I suppose that means she fits in). And he wonders why he lost the White House.

Question - If Chloe is over "the rest of CTU's operations" and Chuck is taking over the manhunt for Jack, what does that leave for Chloe to do? Pass out peanut butter sandwiches at the UN? Please...

Dana is a sneaky twisted little twat. Again, trying to revisit all of Nina's shenanigans into one season is a daunting task (and I'm glad it didn't take three seasons for Jack to shoot her. Live and learn).

I wonder if Arlo is the next to go rogue. He looks like he's starting to smell a rat.

Question (part 2) - What if Dana just came to get the safety deposit box on her own and got the little knock-out-bomb herself? File it under "Dumb Villains," I guess. Again, not the brightest crayon in the box.

Here's something for the "I Can't Believe They Missed That" file - When Dana's getting all her personal effects out of the bank box, she stuffed a wad of cash in the waistband of her pants right above her behind. But when she was getting chased by Jack through the warehouse, she bents over so you could see her back and the cash wasn't there. It might have slipped down her buttcrack, but I doubt it. Another case for longer shirts, I guess.

Though, I find it funny that she ran down the street and then took her high heels off. In real life, it'd be the other way around. How the crap did she run in those? I've tried - it can't be done. This isn't anime, after all.

Does Cole live or die? Depends on what kind of bomb that was - seemed like a cheap way to knock the guy out (or am I missing something here?)

Next Week's Promo: Not much to really squee about except - OMG WAS THAT DALIA HASSAN WITH A GUN IN THE MALL??? 'kay, I'll wait ^_^

So, I know this is kinda spoilery and lame, but they aren't going to kill Jack. Not when they have a "24" movie in the works. Yes, there is going to be a movie - and the script has been completed. Honestly, would they make a "24" movie without Jack Bauer? Now, they might kill him off in the movie, but that's the movie. At the end of the season, Jack will live. I would (almost) bet the farm on that (though, I seem to remember saying I knew nothing about gambling, so that's purely metaphorical). Sorry if I ruined your day.