Happy New Year!

May you achieve personal greatness, and walk on clouds.

2008 is going to be a fascinating year!

Alone Time

I love this time of night. It's past eleven, and the family is bedded down for the night. This is my opportunity to do whatever comes into my head.

Tonight I fancied having a drink. Doesn't sound like much, but I'm really not much of a drinker, and I thought, "why not?". A Kir Royale. That's what I fancied. That, and a fine bit of chocolate.

It just so happens my sister gave us a lovely box of Leonidas chocolates for Christmas. It also just so happens that I've eaten almost half the damned box already myself! Oh well, it's just once a year, right?

The champagne also came from Christmas lunch. Since I always get stuck am happy to make Christmas lunch for my family, I also get to decide what the menu will be. I made all the usual items, and served them up with Mimosas - thus the extra champagne.

Lucky me.

So, here I am sitting here sipping Kir and nibbling chocolates. The only things missing are a glowing fire and Pachelbel's Canon.

Next time, I'll plan for those, too.

In the meantime, I think I'll troll the Internet. You never know. There might be someone out there listening to Pachelbel.

Landmark Theaters vs. Pacific Theaters

So, my husband and I finally went to see a film at the Landmark theater over in West L.A. to see if all the hype about this cinema paradise is true. Here's my comparision between the Landmark, and our regular theater chain, the Pacific:

The Landmark has free parking; ditto the Pacific.

You can purchase tickets for the Landmark online (with a $1 fee); same goes for the Pacific.

The regular rate at the Landmark is $11.00/seniors are $9.00; the Pacific's rate is $10.50/seniors are $7.00.

[Tip: if you go to the theater with someone who has gray hair, let them buy all the tickets for the senior rate. Most staff are too young to know how old you rally are, plus they never ask for I.D.]

The Landmark theater has "assigned" seating; the pacific? First come, first served.

You'll find foreign and designer candy at the Landmark; it's plain ol' M & M's and Junior Mints at the Pacific.

The seats are plush at the Landmark, but the armrests don't go up (in case you want to snuggle); the Pacific's seats are comfy enough & the arms can be raised and lowered.

The staff at the Landmark have snappy uniforms, there's hordes of 'em, and they're happy (read paid) to actually show you to your seat; the Pacific's staff uniform is bland, and they'd rather be talking to each other than to you.

The Landmark theater is spotless; the Pacific is... well, it won't kill you. Just remember the "5-second rule".

The Landmark seemed to attract a more "senior" crowd. The explanation could be that we went to see "Atonement"; The Pacific seems to attract a more family-aged crowd.

So after all is said, and all things compared, which theater do I prefer?

The Pacific. And why?

Simple. At the Pacific we go to, we have become such regular attendees that management considers us "VIPs". This honorary title has allowed us to see quite a few films for free.

And free is good.

Durm und Strang

I am not a member of the WGA. At least not yet. So, why is this fracus important to someone like me?

Because I write. I am a WRITER, damn it!

Whew! That felt good.

Okay, so as I said, I am not a member of the WGA. But, mark my words, I will be one day, and that's why the Writers' strike is important -- not just to me, but to every future member of the WGA. If we don't fight for the future (our future), then there won't be one, get it?

So, please join me -- and other non-WGA members -- on the picket line, or Writing Letters to your local congress person(s) and/or networks to show your support of the current WGA members.

It's all about Karma. Dig?