Which Tarot card are you?

These kinds of polls are fun. KeyDear sent me this one. She is The Empress, of course. I am The Star.

You Are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

And what are you?

One small nit to pick ... when are people who have websites going to learn that spaces in file names are a NO-NO. See that %7E in the url? That's a space that shouldn't be there. While I'm at it, a few words for those who scored points on the English SAT for getting their name right ... SPELL CHECK and GRAMMAR CHECK. Sheesh people. Even Blogger does it for you.

The Oscars

Some of my picks won, some didn't. My picks as reported to Anhaga were:

Best Picture: Letters From Iwo Jima
Best Director: toss up between Scorsese and Eastwood, Clint gets my vote
Actor: Forest Whitaker (though Peter O'Toole may win)
Actress: Helen Mirren
S.Actor: Mark Wahlberg (though Eddie Murphy will probably win, or perhaps Alan Arkin)
S.Actress: Jennifer Hudson
Documentary Feature: An Inconvenient Truth
Foreign Language Film: Pan's Labyrinth

Mind you, I have seen exactly NONE of these movies.

I'm not sorry about Scorsese winning, but he should have won for Raging Bull years ago, and I suspect Eastwood really deserved it this year. Hollywood goes all sentimental some years.

The goddesses Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep were in good form, though Meryl needs to find someone else to pick her dress. Same with Nicole Kidman, that thing that landed on her shoulder should have been shot. Overall, most everyone looked fine.

Ellen was gay whitebread, which I suspect is exactly what was wanted, but it makes you miss Johnny Carson. She had a couple good moments, but this show needs someone who is just a bit less nice, who can be sarcastic without being mean. I'm rooting for Will Ferrell and Jack Black to host next year's show.

Spank your monkey quietly, m'kay?

Personally, I'd be happy to have a neighbor willing to bolt up the stairs, sword in hand, to rescue a damsel in distress.

Instincts took over, James Van Iveren says, when he rushed out his door to the sound of a woman being raped in an apartment above. "It was a woman screaming," he recalled Tuesday. "She was screaming for help."

Sword in hand, he bounded up the stairs, kicked in the door and confronted a man who turned out to be alone - watching a pornographic movie. "Now I feel stupid," Van Iveren said.

Worse yet, police seized his sword - a family heirloom - carted him to jail and referred the case to a prosecutor who charged Van Iveren with three criminal counts.

Here's my question: why wasn't the video-watching neighbor charged with something, like disturbing the peace? If his television is turned up so loud that his neighbor thinks there is a problem, there *is* a problem. Turn the volumn on the damned thing down, huh? Geez. The prosecutor should drop the charges against Van Iveren, the PD should thank him for doing what they are forever whining that people don't do, and return his sword and call it a day.

Idôl Vodka

Idôl Vodka had some absolutely (no pun intended) gorgeous drink photos on their trade page, and in keeping with our blog name, I thought I'd add one. I hope they don't mind. Whaddya think? It sounds like an interesting vodka, the only vodka made from small, hand-picked lots of noble Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from Burgundy, France. Has anyone tried it?

Geek movie lists

The Houston Chronicle Tech Blog lists "Fifteen geek movies to see before you die." as follows:

Brazil, The Matrix, The Fifth Element, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Serenity, Dark City, 12 Monkeys, Shaun of the Dead, Darkman, Army of Darkness, War Games, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Office Space, Repo Man.

In response, the Trivia Geek at TechRepublic.com came up with his list of The Top 10 Most Quotable Geek Flicks…Ever!:

The Empire Strikes Back, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Princess Bride, Superman II, Office Space, Pulp Fiction, Army of Darkness, Die Hard, Aliens, and Tombstone.

Tombstone?? Between them they have listed some good movies, but both just miss the mark for me. For instance, I think The Andromeda Strain is a great movie, but perhaps not so quotable. We're going for geekiness *and* quotability. So here is MY list of the Ten Most Quotable Geek Flicks To See Before You Die:

The Empire Strikes Back (actually, Episodes IV-VI), Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Princess Bride, The Matrix, Office Space, all from the previous lists. My additions:

• The Terminator: C'mon, if Die Hard is on the list, you can't leave The Godfather off. Arguably the most quotable film since Casablanca. But if we're going for geek cred, it's gotta be Ahnuld.
• 2001: A Space Odyssey: No brainer here.
• Ghostbusters: How in the world did they leave this one off the lists? I'd throw in Groundhog Day, but Ghostbusters is geekier.
• Young Frankenstein: Or Blazing Saddles, if you prefer.
• Apollo 13: Houston, we have a boatload of quotes.

There are others, of course. Raiders of the Lost Ark - who thought of archeology as being cool before this movie? A Shock To The System is the evil twin of Office Space. The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy might make someone's list, along with the Star Trek movies. Sin City is way more quotable than Dark City. How about Blade Runner, Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes, Back to the Future, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Silence of the Lambs, Dr. Strangelove, Animal House, A Fish Called Wanda? Lots to choose from and limiting the list to ten isn't easy.

Which movies have I forgotten?

Happy Valentine's Day

I was never much for fussing about Valentine's Day, but this year it will be quiet and sad.

I hope you all have a happy day, shared with someone you love who also loves you.

Wildman Charlie

The Wild Alaskanman Charlie sent these pictures of a nice catch and seals at play to Mr. Bill in a New Years message. Click on the seals to see a bigger photo.

Super Bowl

It's that time of year again, to have get-togethers and to enjoy half time and commercials. Oh and if your favorite team is playing then it's all the better.
Since the Pats were not in the game we went for the Bears. Rex was a Florida Gator and that was enough for us. It was a fun game and Colts won. So what, no big deal, Adam V. should come back to the Pat's because he doesn't look comfortable in Colts clothing. We watched the game in the VIP lounge of Boondocks with friends. The opening play was the best ever!! We didn't win any pools, but all and all a good time with great people, two of whom are from Westport, MA and neighbors to our Chef-pal Chris S. of book and restaurant fame. They are musicians and play cajun music while here in the Keys at the local venues. The couple in the middle pic hosted our get-together.

Miss P has been up in NJ-NY for almost a week for the funeral of a dear friend. She returns tomorrow night.

May Jazz be at peace now.

24-hour bug

There is a 24-hour stomach bug going around and after having a mild cold all week, I finally went down for the count at about 2am yesterday morning. Let me sum this thing up in one word -- YUUCK. I'm not 100% yet, but once I get re-hydrated I should be fine. I hope none of you catch it, it really sucks, but if you do, I highly recommend some kind of bland cracker and ginger snaps once the vomiting stops.

Be healthy, everyone.