Pfunksfoolosophy

Yep, I did some ‘work’ as an extra on Law and Order SVU a couple of weeks ago. What the heck, right? It’s acutally fun being an extra if you don’t take life too seriously and expect to be an instant star, which unfortunately most of the newbies expect…poor saps. What is very cool is that you get to watch the process. I enjoy watching the set ups and I dig watching the actors interact with one another. Some of them–Mariska Hargitay in particular, seem to be down to earth folks with a good work ethic. Some of them–Robin Williams to be specific as he was the special guest star, seem to need someone to open their bottled water for them–that’s just plain loco. NEVER have anyone open a drink for you. She coulda slipped him a roofie.

No es bueno. He also was trying waaay too hard to crack everyone up. I felt sorry for him. It was just a couple of days after the divorce announcement, so I know he must have felt additional pressure to appear to be chipper. Instead, he was annoying.
I really don’t  dig that ‘ghetto Black woman’ voice he does. It really makes me want to pimp slap him. G-d bless him, though. He’s kinda cute. Like a furbee. He’s also got pretty good skin.

Here’s the thing: Chris Meloni is quite handsome. I mean, HANDSOME. He’s not nearly as hair impaired as I thought he would be (although that could be a piece, I dunno) and he’s in excellent shape. I couldn’t stop looking at his bum. And I’m not a bum watcher.

Weird. Some guys have that presence about them. He’s one of them.
Richard Belzer somehow has my heart, though. He’s got the best, most genuine smile I’ve ever seen on a man who otherwise seems to be the boy who never had a date. Ever. There is a very sweet gentle vibe that makes him attractive–sorta. Anyway, it was fun to be on the set.

We were participating in a ‘pillow fight for peace’. I have no idea what that even means, since if you use the words ‘fight for peace’, you’re sorta bein’ moronic…but that’s just me.

I am all for cheesecake eating for peace or manwatching for peace. This requires very little effort on my part. But I digress.

There were  pillows everywhere…feathers flying…laughter…and me…sneezing like a bastard. I had taken some Benadryl prior to the shoot, but I didn’t  take enough. I’m also asthmatic. Not a good look. I’m sure that Meloni was NOT charmed. I’m also sure that  he was paying me no mind at all. No matter. He’s married.

I offered Robin Williams a lozenge. He declined. I offered my giant Lifesavers. Nothin’. I offered some kugel. He gave me the cutest look. “KUGEL? You don’t  hear that very often”
Har har…please riff on that one, Robin you comedic genius.

I shrugged and made some kinda  funny mouth noises and he and I shared a moment.

I love it when celebrities act like they are the only ones to have facile minds. Makes ya wanna slap them. Or help them open up their water bottles.

Jeepers creepers. I’m praying  he makes it home okay, though. This is his second divorce. I am praying  he doesn’t start up the drinking and drugging again. He’s  an okay guy. He’s insecure. It’s not cool to be sad deep down where it counts.

In other news, you can watch that very special SVU on the 29th of this month. I think.

If you see a tall Black woman wearing bohemian clothing, chances are it’s me. Hope you tune in. The show rocks hard, man. Even if I’m on the cutting room floor, the show is groovy and you should watch.

Take ‘er easy and to all of my Jewish friends out there–Happy Passover…it’s a- comin’.

Folks who want to make a dollar have got to be on their toes these days if they want to do it online. You want cheap business web hosting because you’ve got to keep your costs down. It’s only logical to do some research. Personally, I want one stop shopping so to speak. I’m not that savvy when it comes to design, so I’d like to have someone design, set up and host my ecommerce site…when I have one.
Eventually, I would need to be able to accept credit cards so I don’t want to monkey around with a couple different places. I want online support 24/7.

Where can ya go for inexpensive ecommerce hosting? I’d say that it’s a good idea to check out AQHost.  If you’re looking for ease in setting up your site, they’ve got a lot to offer.

If you want business hosting for your online store it can’t get any easier than with these folks. And if you’ve got questions or concerns, they get back to you lickety split.

What more could you ask? One stop shopping and you’re up and running, making cash in no time.
For those of you needing small business hosting, it’s wise to get the information and make an informed decision. Check them out and get your business going great guns, folks!

How do you folks shop? Do you just spend, spend, spend without considering costs or do you clip coupons, search for sales and pinch every penny? I am not a spendthrift, let me tell ya. 

You all know how hard it is to make ends meet and lately I’ve been feeling the bite even more severely. What with the holidays approaching, I’ve been checking out some sites online that offer savings and Online Coupon Codes ’cause I am one broke woman with a lot of loved ones.

You can get some great savings at places using  Zappos coupon codes, Amazon and even Dell coupon codes. Dude, I’ve GOT a Dell. (heh, that were funny) The site is updated daily, which is a blast…very often you keep going back to sites offering coupons and they’re just the same ones from last month for cryin’ out loud. If you’ve got some literature lovers I would recommend going over to Amazon after retreiving some coupon codes…ahem. I’m not hinting just because The Great Big Butter Cookbook is out…no, no I’m not…BUT, it has recipes from  you -know-who…that’s all I’m sayin’.
There’s something for everyone and you really DO save money. It’s not a come-on to get you to buy something, it’s just a great way to spend your hard earned cash wisely.
We all know how hard it is to make purchases that we feel good about. Who needs buyer’s remorse? If ya gotta shop online, you might as well be an informed consumer,right? Sho’ ya right.

It’s finally cooling off here in NYC. How great is that? I love wearing sweaters and tights and getting cozy in a nice warm apartment…with a nice cozy man…ha ha h…okay. So what did I do today? I took a nice long walk in the park by my place, spoke with some of my neighbors. It was so pleasant. It was sunny and cool, so I didn’t even need to wear a jacket, I just put on a nice thick turtleneck sweater and strolled uptown with the wind in my hair and a couple of bucks in my pocket for the nuts that they sell when it gets cool. A nice bag of honey roasted cashews or my personal favorite–coconut warms your hands as you’re walking around. They’re only a buck fifty. Not so shabby. I should write a book: How to live in New York on nothing a day. Well, not nothing, but pretty darned close to it, man.

I can’t wait for real jacket weather. I have a ton of scarves. And I knit.

Spiffy stuff.

: )

I wrote about my bro being fifty next year and with that age comes the dreaded exam. A friend of mine was diagnosed with prostate cancer about 10 years ago and he went through a lot of grief and strife, but he’s doing well now. He had radiation and finally surgery to remove the cancerous cells. It wasn’t a trip to Hawaii and he was weak for a good little while, but he’s a strong man with a will of iron. If he had caught it sooner by having the dreaded exam earlier, his process may have been easier.

Imagine if they’d had the technology then that they’ve got today! Right now there is some debate over treatments, but as far as I can tell, they’re getting good results using something called HIFU.
HIFU is High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

Check it out, it’s sound waves that blast the cancerous cells using high heat. That is plenty cool.

Sonablast is a device that provides a good deal of resolution so they’re able to get in and out without much fuss. Nothing is perfect, to be sure and everyone isn’t a candidate for this, but it’s worth investigating. The surgeon is able to focus that beam on several sites and blast that cancer right out. Very neat, I think.
The coolest aspect for me is that it’s sound waves, man. It’s high tech without ionizing so the tissue surrounding the target isn’t damaged. It’s something to investigate; something to think about. Take a look around…it could save a loved one’s life.

This week, I’ve been fortunate enough to go to screenings of films that will be released this week and I’m pleased to tell you that they are both worth watching. Funny, ain’t it?
The first is called “Martian Child” starring the lovely and talented John Cusack. It’s the story of a science fiction author, a widower–an admitted oddball, in that he doesn’t conform, but I couldn’t really see anything odd about him…other than his fashion choices, but that’s just me…after a good deal of emotional push me pull you, he takes on a troubled child with the hope that he will eventually adopt him. The young boy believes that he is a Martian. He spends his time outdoors inside a cardboard box. He believes that he has a sensitivity to the sun’s rays. Okay, that’s quirky, but it’s all right. The story is well paced and it’s got some very cute moments–many of them provided by the even more lovely and talented Joan Cusack (a woman deserving of her own lead in a film, thank you very much) and the interplay between John’s character and the youngster playing the Martian Child. It will tug at your heartstrings without making you feel like you’ve been completely manipulated. It was directed by the same guy who wrote the screenplay for “The Color Purple” so he’s got a strong understanding of emotional balance. Mama like.

The second offering is “Dan in Real Life” starring the inexplicably attractive Steve Carell. I don’t get it. The guy is sorta hot. Can’t explain it. Maybe it’s the unabashed vulnerability, maybe it’s the green eyes, I don’t know. This story has the widower angle, but this time he’s got three daughters. He’s a columnist and he’s a little over his head. Two of his daughters are teenagers. ‘Nuff said. The stereotypical, ‘Dad who doesn’t get it-love crazed teen-fighting for independence etc.’ isn’t as hard to swallow thanks to the efforts of all of the actors and much of the dialogue.  The youngest kid is a complete delight without being too ‘cute’. I can’t stand that ‘cutesey’ thing…at all.

Anyway, the cast includes Dianne Wiest. You cannot go wrong with this lady. She always hits a homer, even if she’s in just one scene, you are happy to see her. She’s great in this movie.  The story heats up after ‘Dan’ takes his kids to his parents’ place in coastal RI. The whole family has gathered and while the unfortunately annoying Dane Cook is featured, he’s not so hard to take.  Dan goes out to the local bookstore and ends up spending a couple of hours with the beguiling Juliette Binoche. They part company, Dan is clearly smitten, but will he see her again?
Oh, yes he will because his brother (the aforementioned Dane Cook) is dating her.

Heartwarming hilarity ensues. The soundtrack is a bit on the earnestly indie side, but the performances are worth plunking down your money. It’s sweet and quiet and I found myself tearing up a little bit.
SO, go see these movies…I think you’ll be glad that you did.

There have been some trying days for me recently, but I’ve gotta tell ya I am one thankful heifer. I’ve got groceries, people who love me and I had a great walk today.

Additionally, I’ve got a surprise for you, dear readers. I had the great good fortune of being able to interview Michael Musto, my favorite columnist for the Village Voice, a local independent/underground newspaper. I’ll post that later. I’ll give you time to look him up and read some of his work. He’s groovy. It was a joy to speak with him. I want to be friends with him and drink martinis. Seriously, he’s a peach. And very smart. Hmmm…I’ll have to fix him up with a pal.

But, on to why life is good for yours truly, despite the semi filled with crap that seems to be zooming at me at about 120 mph: I’m not dead yet, people seem to like me and I’ve got more love in my life than a body’s got a right to have, really. My cupboards are full, I have plenty of time to make money…lord knows I need it…and I have good friends. What more do I need? (don’t answer that.) PLUS, guys…I’ve got YOU. Awww, that’s sweet.

Oh, another thing: I am NOT Criss Angel. That guy really bothers me.

Couldn’t leave it alone, could I? Nope.
Keep on rockin’! Keep bein’ positive…if life is givin’ you lemons right now…find some Everclear and make yourself a lemondrop. Screw the lemonade!

I’ve got to tell ya…I am not above playing make believe with a bunch of pals. Most of my pals are adults, but that doesn’t  matter. My friends Jimbo, Heckler and Simon really dig the paintball equipment and I’m kinda worried.

See, they are like Navy Seals these guys…and girls. They train for ‘missions’. I played along with them once and  nearly got myself slaughtered because my team had the strategy of running around willy nilly. In truth, we actually did pretty well. It got me to thinking: I need to check out some equipment if I’m going to play with these folks again.
I went over to a paintball site and found that they had everything you could think of and more. They’ve got names I recognize like Spyder and Tippmann and Smart Partsand they offer free shipping. Maybe this last time I went the paintball route had me unprepared and running for my life, but the NEXT  time I hook up with that band of wild eyed nuts, I’m going to be prepared.

I’m not going to be the prey…I shall be the HUNTER! (no, no I won’t…)

John Mellencamp–the man I used to lovingly refer to as ‘John Cougat Melonchop’ for no earthly reason, recorded a song called ‘Take down your nooses’ in response to racism in America and of course, the story of the Jena Six.

Now, there are many views to take on the situation–my view is that I don’t condone violence but I can’t see how the punishment is fitting the crime. If a sneaker can be construed as a possible weapon, and I suppose it could if you were on bizarro planet, they’ve got something on the kid with the offensive sneaker…BUT, here’s the thing: it’s been said that the black jurors called never appeared in court. That may be true. Do we know WHY they didn’t appear? Not as far as I know. I’ve been around long enough to know that there are means used in the South especially, to dissuade folks from doing what they know is right. I can’t paint the entire town with one great big paintbrush. They are individuals. I can give most of ‘em the benefit of the doubt. My main problem here is in understanding how the students who hung the nooses in the first place weren’t treated the same way. It was a hate crime. Nooses do not conjure up warm and fuzzy memories of puppy dogs, ice cream sodas and rainbows. Come on. I was born at night, but not last night.

Even if those kids (the perps, as they shall be called in this column) had engaged in criminal activity prior to the ‘beating’ (okay, so the kid who was beaten attended a social gathering after the ‘attack’. what was this kid, Wolverine?) what justifies the sentencing?
I don’t get it.

I DO know that I’ve been black all of my life and I grew up in privilege and comfort. My Dad grew up in Mississippi. I know what a small southern town is like, believe me. There are towns in the south that still have an unspoken rule that the Sun should not set on anyone with African ancestry. Take my word for it, I am not naive.
So, go on over to youtube and check out Melonchop’s song.

I’m not sure if I can put it up here since it’s going to be on his new album. I don’t want the brotha on my arse about it.

It’s called ‘Take down your nooses’–I think.

Hey, you can also check it out on his website.

I dig the ole fella.

This doesn’t mean it’s all over, but it’s a start.

One of the Jena Six is out on bail.  Keep watching.

Keep praying. Keep fighting for justice.