I finally started my Xmas shopping!

The main problem was that I have no money, basically, but also, I don't know, it doesn't feel like the Christmas season has really started, music and decorations and cards aside.

But the part-timer at my job also sells Avon, and had some nice gift baskets on her desk, including one made up of a line that I really like, so I got it for my mom and I can pay after Xmas, thank goodness.

And with just that one purchase, boom, Christmas has started!

I have a birthday party to go to tonight, Anne's, but since I thought that it was yesterday, I went shopping on my lunch hour, going to Colosseum and getting her Carney's House Party and Emily of Deep Valley, two of the three newly re-published Betsy-Tacy books. And getting them for myself as well, because it's not 1 Jan yet and I can still buy things for myself.

I read Carney already and started Emily. They are both terrific. Although now I'm all sad because, except for Winona's Pony Cart, there aren't any other ones to look forward to.

After work, since I didn't have to rush to Anne's party after all, I rushed to see Proof of Life instead. O, like you were surprised.

But since I had several hours to kill before the movie started, I did some more shopping. I don't know whether it's smart or sly to have stores right by movie theatres, but when it's cold out and you can't really spend three hours having dinner, it's handy to have places to go. Even places that sneakily have things that you want to buy in them.

It was The Raccoon's birthday recently, and her radio at work broke a bit ago, so I had decided to get her a new one. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one that wasn't either too expensive or too cheap, and then just yesterday she got a package from a friend and what was in it? A radio! Dammit!

So, when I was shopping before the movie, I found the perfect gift, an Angel calendar, she'll love it. Then I got myself either two or three books, as one I might send to someone if I can't find the thing that I really wanted to send her. The two that I am definitely keeping are The Accidental Bride and The Best American Travel Writing 2000. I just couldn't stop myself.

Then I realized that, in all of the shopping that I did, I bought three birthday presents and four things for myself and only one definite and one possible Christmas present. I'm not doing very well at this shopping thing.

Then I saw my men.

A movie about a woman torn between Russell Crowe and David Morse? This woman is me! Okay, so it's Meg Ryan, but beside the fact that she's about a foot shorter and 300 pounds lighter than me, we are just alike.

Totally besides the fact that my two secret celebrity boyfriends are both in it and I would love it if it were on par, quality-wise, with The Road to Wellville, aka the worst film ever made. In other words, I am not exactly neutral.

However, I think that I can honestly say that this film is terrific! The performances are very very strong, down to the smaller roles (especially Pamela Reed and David Caruso), and the most important part in a film that had two concurrent stories in two different places, each half was anchored by a powerful performance, Morse and Russell, natch.

Now, don't roll your eyes, one of the reasons that I love them both so much is because of their acting ability, not just their pretty faces, and they both are absolutely excellent.

Meg is good too--I have always liked her and felt that she had a bigger range than anyone gave her credit for, but she is a bit twitchy. She should learn the power of stillness, and also maybe not feeling the need to have every emotion play across her face. It's a movie screen, it's big, we can see what's going on in your eyes, you can hide things a bit more.

I was very thrilled, though, for David Caruso, who had the funnest role and absolutely nailed the hell out of it. I loved him so much in NYPD Blue that I refused to watch the show after her left it, as did my parents, by the way (Caruso had the Zuckert voting bloc solid), and I was sorry when he was punished for basically being about three years ahead of his time in terms of TV stars being accepted in movies. And for having red hair.

The Russell/Meg in real life thing coloured the film a bit in a way that it won't in five years when the relationship is long over and everyone has forgotten and he's married me. When they would look longingly at one another, the audience would snicker a bit, and then when Caruso had the line "What, do you think that she is going to leave her husband for you? It doesn't work that way!" they laughed merrily.

Anyway, the film is fun and exciting and Morse looks absolutely beautiful in a tux. Also, both Morse and Russell have shirtless scenes, though they are far too short and Russell's focuses disappointingly on his face. Fortunately, there is a lovely tank top scene later on.

I have my priorities straight.

Today's horoscope:
Foreign food tastes zestier today. Go out to eat or fix the family an ethnic dish. Broaden your culinary horizons.

One year ago today:
(I used to get completely looped on half a screwdriver)

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Last Updated Tues 12 December 10:05:09 2000