guess what day it is!

Alex Friday!!! I don't think I'll ever really tire of this...

i've had a long week, so...

Double Alex Friday!

(I feel better now, don't you??)

let the season 5 countdown begin!

Waiting really does suck, and now we fans of True Blood have a very, very long time to wait until we find out what happens to our favorite residents of Bon Temps, LA. But I was wondering about next season and what book elements, if any might appear next season.

I started re-reading the series. There's a lot that can't happen in the show because they've gone in a different direction (killed off characters, brought in other ones, etc). So. There's no more Sophie-Anne and so probably (most likely) no Andre, Siegebert, or Wybert. We've met Hadley and she's not a vampire (at least, she wasn't the last time we saw her. Who knows what might have happened in the interim?). Sookie won't have a reason (at least, she won't have the same reason) to go to New Orleans to clean out Hadley's apartment and probably won't meet Amelia.

A lot of the next book has to do with Jason shifting and becoming settled in the werepanther community. The nice guy Calvin in the books turned into dead uncle-daddy meth dealer, so his side plots are done. However, despite the fact that we haven't seen Crystal and the rest of the panthers on the show for a while, I think it might be optimistic of us to think we're done with them. It seemed to be too quickly and easily resolved. Although Jason does seem to have enough to keep him busy what with Hoyt hating his guts, his new friends with benefits thing with Jessica, and Steve Newlin on his doorstep (possibly a vampire now, and most definitely hating Jason's guts also).

Other things that show up in the next book - the packmaster contest, the supernatural sniper, and the pirate vampire. The packmaster contest on paper was between Alcide's father, and Patrick Furnan. It could be shifted to be between Alcide and whoever. Although there wouldn't be much point of a contest now, since he took Marcus down by force, somebody would have to challenge him. Besides, and more to the point, do we really want to see a packmaster contest?? Was that a chorus of "Hell no's!" that I just heard? Yeah, me too. The only thing we could get out of it, as far as I can see, is the introduction of Quinn. He can be a little bit of eye candy (like we need anymore) --- uh, I mean, another love interest for Sookie, now that she's ditched the vamps (let's see how long that lasts, shall we?). Besides, I like tigers.

As for the sniper - they could introduce a sniper, I guess, one who is picking off shifters and weres, but that seems a little tame for the Bon Temps of the True Blood universe.

The pirate vampire - again, they could introduce Charles Twining (but, as I said about Terry's war buddy - does this show really need some more random characters?). He would be fun character to have around. But his purpose in coming to town - exacting further payment for the death of Long Shadow) doesn't apply here. Bill already did that, in creating Jessica, unless Long Shadow's sire is really holding a grudge.

I wonder too about the Authority - something's gotta happen there, right? Like we actually find out who they are? Since Russell's coming back, I think that will bring more vampire politics back to the fore. Did he actually marry Sophie-Anne in the series? Will he make some claim on Bill's kingdom (how much longer will he actually have a kingdom, anyway?)?

I also just read that Tara may or may not really be dead. Will she come back as a ghost that possesses Lafayette? Will Sookie's shrieks for help summon a vampire who saves Tara by turning her?

Who knows? But the countdown to season 5?

Begins now.

post mortem: "And When I Die"

True Blood Season Finale!!!!

(note - includes spoilers from both the series and the books. Can't say I didn't warn you.)

Was it me, or did this one seem to drag a bit in the beginning? I feel like Jesus was a little slow in discovering Lafayette's altered state - he didn't even seem to have thought about the possibility of Marnie the crazy witch seeking out Lafayette, the powerful medium. Really, senor brujo? He should have figured it out WAY before he got stabbed in the hand with a fork (as we'll see later, Tara, who's about as magical as a corn fritter, figures it out just from seeing Jesus's body). I feel like the moment that he agreed to give Marnie his brujo juju should have been BIGGER. Instead, it was like, slurp, slurp, done and done, ding dong the brujo's dead, Marnie's got the head of a cage fighter and the body of a fry cook. Awesome. It felt a bit like the part when Bill and Eric blithely agreed to kill themselves in exchange for Sookie's freedom. It was too easy, and it should have been a big moment, but it just felt lifeless. And then Jesus was lifeless, and it was like, oh, okay. Is it because there's so much going on that we don't have enough time to get really invested in these characters?

And, oh, it's Halloween, and Merlotte's is fully staffed (!) and decorated for the holiday. The employees, too, are all decked out in costume (although zombies wearing thumb necklaces? Not what I want my server to look like!). Sookie got unfired, once Sam figured out what the heck had happened. It's weird though that Sam didn't try to figure out why Sookie was missing so many shifts in the first place. If she hadn't come in, he'd still be hanging around wondering where the heck she was (although she's rarely at work, so maybe he hadn't noticed? He's been kind of busy lately, after all). Some other stuff happens - one of Terry's war buddies comes into the bar - because what this show needs is more characters who are all mysterious and kind of shifty. Holly comes to work dressed as a fairy (and she looks truly terrifying) and smoking a joint. Tara shows up and tells them both that Marnie's back. And that she's taken over Lafayette. See? She's really firing on all cylinders tonight!!

Sookie can't get Bill or Eric by phone - so the three of them go running off. They find the two vampires, divested of their shirts (thanks, Marnie!) and chained together, on top of a pyre. Someone's planning a vampire bonfire. (Are you ready for this witch crap to be over yet? Because I totally was, by this point in the episode.) Holly, Tara and Sookie start chanting. It's Halloween, and, as Holly told us, the barrier between our world and the spirit world is especially thin. Hmmm, huhhh, wonder what's going to happen now? Gran and Antonia emerge from beyond the veil, spouting fortune style platitudes like "change is hard" "follow your heart" and so on. They leave again and take Marnie with them (after Lafayette puked a bitch out). Again, this should have been a Big Moment, right? But it was kind of anti-climactic.

After that, Sookie's helping to heal the rather crispy vampires (clad in matching robes) with her magical fairy blood. Choosing between Bill and Eric is, like, super hard for poor lil' ol' Sookie, and so she decides to choose.... herself. I don't understand her sudden wishy-washiness. Why on earth did she go and forgive Bill? He didn't deserve it!!! He had his chance and he blew it. Arrghhh, whatever. She cries for a while and then goes home. Can I pause for a moment here and say a big Brava to Pam for saying what all of us are thinking? How can somebody named "Sookie" come between her and her maker? It is a totally ridiculous name. Is it a Southern thing or something? Are there tons of "Sookies" running around Louisiana? Is it short for something? A nickname? It's never been explained how her brother is "Jason" while she got saddled with "Sookie".

Speaking of Jason, he got the tar beaten out of him by an enraged Hoyt (cuz well, duh. But he really was trying to do the right thing. And telling him would have been better than sneaking around, right?) and he was comforted in a very special way, by Jessica, wearing an awesome cape. But she doesn't want to be his girlfriend. So they're basically the vampire version of the movie Friends With Benefits (and maybe sometimes a little blood too?). Anyway, Jess left, and Jason was visited by Steve Newlin, flashing a pair of fangs (did he die in the earlier season? Or were the fangs a Halloween gag?)

Bill & Eric get a visit from Nan, who has left the Authority, blah blah blah. The two of them save us from having to listen to her anymore by killing her and her guards. Thanks, guys!

Alcide is visiting a parking garage (I don't remember what he has to do with this), which has a big old hole in it, like someone was buried in there and has just busted out. Oh, wait, that's exactly what happened. Looks like we're going to see Mr. Edgington again real soon.

Finally - Sookie returns home, alone (instead of bringing along a big burly Viking Vampire. Stupid, stupid Sookie.). It's dark and quiet. She calls for Tara, but... it's Debbie who steps out of the shadows. With a gun. They fight. Tara appears, trying to help, but gets shot when the gun goes off during a struggle. Sookie then shoots Debbie.

Well. That part was expected, since it does happen in the book (not as if that matters, but they were using the source material for some of this season). I had expected other deaths, and was especially worried about Lafayette. Cuz, if we're going by the book(s), he would have been the body in Andy's car in season 2. I don't want him to die, since he's a great character. He's always the one keeping it real, you know? But still, in terms of usefulness, he could have gone with Jesus. Anyway, I was real.surprised. when Tara was shot and (presumably) killed. In the books. she owns a clothing store. She's had some brushes with vamps, and she stays away, but generally, despite her childhood, she's happy and successful. She marries JB du Rone and has twins. Why can't we have introduced JB into the series and given Tara a little bit of happiness?Can't anybody in this dang town be happy? Clearly, Tara had jinxed herself by daydreaming with Sookie about their (vampire free) twilight years (har har) on the porch, watching the sunset with their grandbabies. So, goodbye, Tara. Oooh, I just had a thought - maybe Tara's angry spirit will take over Lafayette next? Ick, ick, ick, no, no, no.

I wonder who will come to Sookie's rescue (or who she thinks is going to come to her rescue - her house is out in the middle of nowhere. Who's gonna hear you, Sook?) My first thought was Eric, since he's the one who helps her with Debbie in Dead to the World. But that's unlikely, since she just broke up with both him and Bill. My other thought was a fairy - they could introduce us to Niall, her fairy prince great grandfather. Or maybe Sookie has another fairy godmother kind of creature lurking around?

we remember...

"In those days, we finally chose to walk like giants and hold the world in arms grown strong with love
And there may be many things we forget in the days to come,

But this will not be one of them."
— Brian Andreas (Traveling Light: Stories & Drawings for a Quiet Mind)

It's one of those things, you know, when people remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001. I was at home, getting ready for work. I worked at a consulting firm in Skokie, my first job out of college - I had graduated in May, 2001 - ready to go out into the world, right?

But then the world changed. So I was getting ready for work. The tv was off - my dad, who worked nights at the time, was still asleep, and we didn't want the noise to wake him. We were waiting for the plumber. He's the one who told us to turn on the tv - a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.

We thought it was an accident, something that had gone horribly wrong. No one could even believe that it might have been done on purpose. Who could even conceive of such a thing? I had to get to work, so I got in the car and drove maybe 10 minutes. My office was right behind my high school, so this route was familiar to me. I couldn't help but think, though, that while everything looked the same, it somehow all felt completely different. Something had changed. Something was very wrong.

I remember I listened to Renee Fleming sing the Song to the Moon in the car on the way to work. It was soothing, and even though I didn't have all the details yet, I felt that soothing sounds were needed. I did not sit at my desk that day - someone was out and I was covering her phone - to add to the overall feeling of strangeness and confusion. I don't think any work got done by anyone that day - we were all online, or listening to the radio, trying to find out more news - what was happening out there. At the time we just didn't know, we didn't know if there were more planes, heading for Chicago, for the west coast, for the capitol. We had offices in Seattle and in Washington DC. Some of our consultants were traveling, so we worried.

I don't know why we all just didn't go home, but maybe there was a comfort in all being together. We had a staff meeting planned for that day, we ordered from a place called Pockets. we didn't have the meeting, but we still had the food. I remember eating it at my actual desk, scrolling through the news, emailing my mom (working at school) and my friends, trying to get more news, any news, about what was going on. I remember hearing stories of courageous rescuers and of incredible sadness and loss.

I remember the eerie silence of not hearing planes overhead, in the days that followed.

alex friday

So there is apparently a contest going on, and the prize is lunch with Alex and Kristin Bauer (who plays Pam on True Blood) which is probably the best contest I've ever heard of, but I'm so shy, I probably wouldn't be able to say anything to either of them if I won, I just get so nervous. Or, I'd probably ask Alex silly things about mayo or something. What am I saying? I never even get to babbling or asking silly questions, I would just turn red and go mute.

It would be an awesome lunch though.

ding dong, the witch is???

True Blood - episode 11 "Soul of Fire"

Oh, True Blood.... here we are, at the end of the season, and all I can think is basically "WTF is going on in Bon Temps?" Here are some thoughts about the last episode, just randomly and in no particular order.

The vampires arrived at Moon Goddess, badass soundtrack and flamethrowers poised and ready until Jason tells them to hold the phone - Sookie's in there, and they can't just level the place to the ground. The vampires grumble about it - hello Bill? Sookie has saved your ass many, many, times (from those drainers, like the first time you met her, remember? And from Lorena/Russell or whatever the hell was going on in Mississippi, and from the hotel when Eric was wandering around in a trance mumbling about killing the king.) And hello Eric? Sookie also saved you, from - uh - running down the street without a shirt on - and she took you in and sheltered you, and she almost certainly influenced Bill's decision on giving you the true death. So all I'm saying is that maybe you should think about that before getting all trigger happy with the torches. And also Jason is really firing on all his cylinders this season. He has been a multi-winner in the box of rocks (dumb as a) competition for many seasons, but this time, he's passed his crown on to other, worthier (dumber) characters.

Oh, and then Marnie shows up and says she's ready to negotiate - and her price for freeing Sookie is the lives of both Bill and Eric, and they agree. I know what I said up there just now, but it seems to me like they gave in to that a little too quickly. From calling her "f****ing Sookie" to being all like "yes, that's a great idea, kill me now!" Evidently, Pam felt the same way, because rather than shooting Bill or whatever she was supposed to do, she let loose a big old fireball that (duh) bounced off the protective wall thing outside the shop, frying poor Jason in the process. Jessica saves him and now there's a blood bond between the two of them, which seems to be spelling showdown between Jason and the increasingly unstable Hoyt.

Inside the witchy workshop, Jesus has finally figured out that the good witch in this scenario is definitely NOT Marnie and that she's crazy with power. The first indication of that was when she "puked a bitch up" in Lafayette's words and then bound Antonia to her. The second indication of that was when one of the witch-wannabes tried to escape and Marnie killed her. Kind of hard to believe that you're the good one when you kill people in cold blood there, Glinda. Jesus then convinces Marnie he feels a pulse in the girl and takes her away to do some brujo shit that ultimately unbonds Marnie and Antonia and sends Antonia off into the beyond of beyond. Finally. Sookie's fairy fingers also play a part in breaking some spells and the vampires come running back in. Bill shoots Marnie and just like that, she's gone. OR IS SHE??? Right at the end, she comes zooming in and gets swallowed by Lafayette. Oh. great.

What else? Andy is walking home from fort bellefleur, trying not to get "lost in the woods retarded" when he comes upon a fairy woman in the woods. She's gorgeous, he thinks he's hallucinating, one thing leads to another, yada yada yada, he promises to protect her. That does not seem like such a great idea.

Sam fights Marcus but, in a move that surprised NO ONE, it's Alcide who deals the final blow. (and that's when we fell for, the leader of the pack - vrrooom! vrooom!) Alcide was also none too thrilled to come back to his own house to find Marcus with Debbie in her underwear. Even though she swore nothing happened, he abjured her, which is a big hairy shifter deal.

I guess we'll have to see what happens on Sunday, although I think that Alcide will become packmaster or get set up for the packmaster contest that appears in the next book. Someone - either Jesus or some other witches, somewhere, will get rid of Marnie once and for all (at least, I hope they do, I'm ready for her to be gone). This will not be a bloodless coup, and I'm worried about Lafayette, and Jesus.

Sookie will choose neither Eric nor Bill, conflicted by her feelings for both of them and repelled by their vampire nature. I think she'll end the season alone (again), setting her up for the possible introduction of Quinn next season.

in our perfect park....

I only saw three concerts at Ravinia this summer, and they all happened to be in August. It’s such a summer tradition for me and I was kind of bummed that I didn’t have a chance to go up there earlier in the season. It’s so nice to wander around the park before show time – you can marvel at the new pedestrian underpass (seriously, it’s pretty rockin’), stock up on glow rings at the gift shop, buy some overpriced food (although the giant carrot cake cupcakes and the garlic parmesan fries are totally worth it) and people watch. My mind is always blown by the amount of stuff people bring to the park. I’m all about minimizing the stuff I have to schlep around. I usually sit in the pavilion anyway, but on the rare occasions when I’ve brought food, it’s been a pretty modest spread. Sandwiches, bottles of water, fruit, a little dessert. Chips, maybe. Cole slaw and/or potato salad if I’m feeling ambitious. No chairs, no table, no candelabra, no keg, no coolers, no wine. No flowers. No knitting. No board games. Nothing crazy. But people go all out, and more power to them, I say, because it’s fun for me to look at.

Anyway. Wednesday night was our final visit to the park this season. We saw Mandy Patinkin** and Nathan Gunn. Together. At the same time. An exciting yet rather perplexing combination of performers. Mandy clarified for us how the evening came to be – they had apparently shared a dressing room (which they both referred to as “a closet”) for one of the Sondheim birthday concerts. They got to talking, like you can’t help doing when confined with someone in a really small space, and a bromance was born, brought to vibrant life for us in Highland Park.

The stage was mostly empty except for two pianos (grands? Baby grands? I really have no idea. They were quite large and black and shiny), two chairs (one on each side of the stage) and two small table to hold glasses of water etc) and two festive floral arrangements on either side of the stage. The crowd was mainly an older, north shore kind of bunch (not as extravagantly decked out as the group we saw who had come to see “Chicago” over the weekend. No glowy rings or light up sequined fedoras, more’s the pity). Our seats were decent (center section, row CC).

On with the show. The two gentlemen were both in great voice and horribly overdressed for the warm evening. Nathan had a suit on, for god’s sake, with a jacket and everything. Mandy was in his concert blacks (pants and long-sleeved v-neck shirt, possibly sweater), and was obviously hot and uncomfortable. He rolled up a bandana at one point and wrapped it around his head (possibly to keep the sweat out of his eyes) which, with his beard, made him look sort of pirate like.***

Although on paper it seems like a strange combo, in action, the two of them were really quite lovely. They were joined by Mandy’s son, Gideon, on a few songs (also wearing a long-sleeved shirt, although at least he could hang out in the air-conditioned back stage area when he was not on stage). They sang for almost two hours, without a break. They kicked off with a mash up that included a memorable rendition of Figaro’s song from the Barber of Seville – sung by both of them. There was some pop, some broadway (including Assassins and The Music Man, Camelot, no Evita, in case you wondered), some standards, some Yiddish renditions of broadway songs, including “White Christmas” (but why? It’s AUGUST!) and also “Maria” from West Side Story. When Nathan went up on some lyrics from Over The Rainbow, Mandy chimed in helpfully, “Do you want me to do it in Yiddish?” which he did – and it was back on track. They closed with "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George. Big sigh of contentment here.

They balanced each other out nicely – comedy and charm and great singing. I enjoyed it very much, and am even more of a Nathan Gunn fan than I was before. I will definitely see more of them in the future. And I am hoping that Mandy brings his little Sicilian friend back to Ravinia with him after their Broadway run in the fall (I heard they’re supposed to tour some more after that. So next summer? You bring the sass and I’ll bring the sequined fedoras?)



** Incidentally, my spell-check doesn’t know “Patinkin” and suggested instead: Potemkin, Patenting, Pataki and Paining.
***I have noticed this lately, at a few of the shows I have been to – and I’m here to let you know, performers of the world, that you can wear cooler clothes and we will understand. I know the leather jacket is part of your look, Bono, but you don’t need to wear it when it’s 90 degrees and humid. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt at that show and I was just sitting around watching you. You can take off the knit cap, Edge, really, we’ll understand. Although then it might be all like, “Where’s the Edge? Didn’t he come?” so we’d be confused, but you’d be so much cooler. In the same vein, Nathan, just take off the jacket already. For real. They were both making me hot just looking at them and I was, as I say, just sitting in the audience, not running around under hot stage lights. I know you want to look nice and professional and all that, but honestly. A t-shirt would be fine. I’m there to see you, not your spiffy suit/leather jacket/knit cap/leather pants (also Bono)/sweaty bandana.

alex friday

Happy Long Weekend, everyone!

Laura Benanti at Ravinia

How awesomely fantastic is Laura Benanti?? I was so excited when I got my Ravinia advance ticket order form and saw her name on the list - and for $10?? An absolute steal. (Plus we got free parking!)

Her concert was last weekend, in the Gordon Bennett Hall at Ravinia (the mainstage was occupied by the band "Chicago" and while I had a vague Peter Cetera-style idea of their songs in my head, at the time I couldn't think of a single one. And since I can never ever suffer in silence, I mentioned it to my friends, and we went trawling on itunes for Chicago songs. Now, we've been wandering around with songs like "What kind of man would I be" and "Glory of Love" in my head. Awesome. So maybe next year, I'll actually BE at the Chicago concert, but this year I was geeking out in the Gordon Bennett Hall.)

I knew Laura could sing, from seeing her in Gypsy (City Center and Broadway) and Women on the Verge. But I didn't know she was so hilarious. First off, she said "Nerd alert!" since we were all in there seeing her instead of being with the hip-er (or hip replacement-ier, judging by the hoardes of aging rock fans on the lawn) Chicago fans. She was surprised by how savvy we were as an audience, since we knew theater related stuff and could follow her anecdotes without lots of explanation. She, too, had been a theater geek since birth, practically, having a big time obsession with Stephen Sondheim (she even dressed up as Fosca for Halloween when she was a kid, eschewing the slutty nurse/slutty princess/slutty whatever costumes that would have gotten her more candy). Since all of us were also clearly geekishly inclined, we all ate it up with a spoon.

Anyway, she sang her face off - and it was a little bit of everything - broadway, rock, and an awesome medley that was started off, in all seriousness with "Single Ladies". Loved it. I kind of want to be her when I grow up. I hope Ravinia has her back soon, on a bigger stage and for more than $10 for tickets. It was a beautiful evening.

(Sidebar - being a total geek, I had bought a bottle of bright blue nail polish called "Model Behavior" and it tickled me, since it was the name of Laura's killer song in Women on the Verge AND it sort of went with one of her costumes from the show. So I had big plans to give it to her, but did not get the chance, alas, alas. So now I have a bottle of bright blue nail polish...)