Rockford Register-Star coverage here.



If anyone knows any info that can help please email tbona@rrstar.com

My husband, Thomas, did an awesome job on this story about the "boy businessman." Rockford represent! http://tinyurl.com/cx6qao

I think Slumdog was my favorite of last year's films. But the Academy really screwed up IMHO. Films that should have been nominated for Best Picture that weren't: Dark Knight, Wall-E, In Bruges.

And this video should convince you that Benjamin Button isn't that great of a film. Just a film with some good performances. Not anything worth 13 nominations.

And if Tomei wins tonight and Winslet doesn't = Tomei - 2 Oscars, Winslet - 0 Oscars.

But I'll still watch tonight, if only for the dresses and to see how Jackman does as host.

I'm starting to get chills.

Good wisdom from the Church of the Saviour blog, Inward/Outward:

"I want to believe in the possibilities of joy. I want to believe, even in the dark and dread of this particular winter, that joy is abundantly accessible, and not only if I find the right places to dig for it (drill, baby, drill!), but that we are actually created to BE it. That joy is our primary identity.

Well, anyone with half an eye open can see that the stuff we call “reality” is a bit darker, a bit gloomier than what we usually think of as joy. That we are made to bask in God’s joy—to BE God’s joy—can be difficult to believe. But let’s say we did begin to believe it, even in spurts, and then maybe for a couple of minutes on several mornings in a row for starters, what would happen then? What would it require of us? What would it give to us? Would anxious striving cease? Would we see/act/listen differently? Would our inner fists begin to unfold like the petals of a long-dreamed-of flower into something of rare beauty? Would we be so intrigued by one another’s quirks and oddities that we’d yearn to know, really know, each other and the very things that used to set our teeth on edge?"

I think I might go outside and watch the sunrise on this unseasonably warm morning.

Canned cranberry sauce is a travesty. If I make can the recipe on the back, so can you.

I also don't understand putting marshmallows on sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are just fine with some butter and brown sugar.

I also could live without the green bean casserole. Overcooked green beans with deep fried onions. Pass.

Nearly every day I hear of someone close to us who has been effected by this economy. Today I heard that someone who has been very helpful to me lost her job on Friday.

I'm not sure what the right response is in these times. I *think* it might be a call to not whine as much and to help take care of those who are hurting. And to listen to music that keeps my head straight.

Bruce Cockburn's "Fascist Architecture" is a song I thought of today:

Bloody nose and burning eyes
Raised in laughter to the skies
I've been in trouble but I'm ok
Been through the wringer but I'm ok
Walls are falling and I'm ok
Under the mercy and I'm ok


Let's be merciful to each other.

From Mary Rose O'Reilly's "The Love of Impermanent Things: A Threshold Ecology"

"I wish that in times of crisis the president would institute a national day of silence and discernment, a news fast, a darkening of the nation's TVs. What might come of that? What new voices might be heard?" (p. 176)

Newsworthy things of recent note

I've inherited Thomas' old laptop so now I have my own computer again. Can't wait until he transfers files so I can delete the Mastodon from ITunes.

We're going to Tucson Halloween weekend for a friend's ordination. Suggestions for interesting stuff to do in Tucson would be welcomed and appreciated.

I'm contemplating starting a second book group (maybe focusing on Classic mysteries) at work so I'm trying to work my way into the mystery genre. I've started listening to Tana French's Into the Woods which is quite good so far.

For non-book group related reading/listening...I finished The Lace Reader which I enjoyed thoroughly with the caveat that I found the ending a tad confusing. I'm slowly plodding through Kathleen Norris' Acedia and Me which is as well-written as Norris' other books but I think is trying to do too much in one volume.

I'm a jumble of emotions right now. But mostly angry.

I seriously think the Cubs just gave up after the Loney grand slam. The dugout was dead for all 3 games, someone should have showed some leadership and tried to rally the team.

I've been a Cubs fan since 1984 and this is the one that hurts the most probably because it was the first Cubs postseason since 1989 where I was able to see every pitch. 1984 was a heartbreaker too but my mom and I were fortunate enough to go see Game 1 where the Cubs whooped on the Padres.

Here are a couple of things that could ease the heartbreak over the long winter:

I want Soriano gone NOW. I'm tired of the hop, I'm tired of the long stints on the DL and I'm tired of paying him $14 million a year to suck in the postseason. (I also wouldn't be sad to see Aramis ubsgo...he's a talented player but I don't think he cares half the time)

Mark Cuban needs to be allowed to buy the team. I don't even care right now if he wants to tear down Wrigley Field and move the team to Schaumburg. After 100 years of suckitude something drastic needs to be done.

Feel free to post your thoughts here.

Thomas is off to Indiana for the weekend, I got an eggplant roasting in the oven for eggplant dip and Bruce Cockborn playing. What's up with you all?

link.

My mother's favorite actor now gone.

For the heck of it, I clicked on the link for tickets to tonight's Cubs-Astros game in Milwaukee. There were two AWESOME seats....for $140 a ticket.

I love my Cubbies but I'll think I'll pass.

Besides we're going to see them on Friday vs. St. Louis. :)

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1) bona

2) Cathleen Falsani's new book Sin Boldly: A Field Guide to Grace

3) String cheese

4) Jhumpa Lahiri's writing

5) Having a clean desk at work

6) Quiet early mornings

7) Fall clothes

8) Baseball pennant races

9) Knowing I am LOVED.

10) Being barefoot.

The Sleeping World....the best band you've haven't heard of yet...except if you regularly listen to WXPN where they've been the "Local Band of the Day".

If you're within a few hundred miles of Lancaster, PA...they're having their CD release party TONIGHT at the Lizard Lounge.

Details and the MUSIC! can be found here

bona and I had the privilege of spending a good part of the weekend with costello1177 who is leaving Chicago in search of adventures in Madrid.

I just wanted to say I will miss her muchly.

I've finally gone and started a library-related weblog Old Library Books, a tribute to some of the many books I'm weeding from the collection.

In other news, we've been back a couple weeks from a ballpark vacation which bona  describes in some detail here. We saw 6 ballgames in five parks (Comerica in Detroit, PNC in Pittsburgh, Camden in Baltimore, Great American in Cincinnati and Nationals Park in DC.

We had a great time on our trip, despite getting rained in during 5 of the 6 games. I think my favorite park we saw was PNC (and that was the game that was completely rained out!), too bad the Pirates play there :) We had pretty good seats for all the games. If you're looking for a pretty good but not horribly expensive seats, I'd recommend the upper deck behind home plate, you get a nice view of the park at a good discount.

We had only planned on seeing 5 games but decided to add a second game in Baltimore as it wasn't supposed to rain and there were lots of good seats available. (Orioles vs. Royals what do you expect) We treated ourselves to 7th row behind the visitors dugout seats, not cheap but available at the box office 7 hours before gametime. All in all, a good trip.

AKA deb live blogs Wimbledon:

Naomi Cavaday (currently ranked 197) is in a 1st set tiebreak with Venus Williams.

Upset anyone?

edit: venus wins the first set.