Rest in Peace

We lost two icons today. One, who's poster I'm pretty sure graced the walls of many men that I know. The other, who's poster hung above my bed.

Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, rest in peace.

Michael. Talented. Brilliant. Tortured. Hunted. Weird. Extreme. Sad. Lonely. Controversial. Fragile. May you now know the rest that you truly deserve. Your life was not your own. Your life an example of how not to raise a child. What beautiful music you left behind. What a tragic life. I hope there was more happiness for you than it appeared.

Young One just loves Thriller. In fact, I think it was the first CD he downloaded onto his iPod touch.

This feels like one of those moments that people will talk about for a long time. Where were you when Michael died?

How sad that Farah will not get the same attention.

I'll Sing Along and You'll Like It

In search of inexpensive entertainment, I've been checking out my local paper's calendar section. It's surprising how many things I've missed, just because I've been too busy, or I just haven't taken the time.

Times are tough out there, I feel like I've had the "bad economy" shoved down my throat. Every errand that I ran yesterday, I heard from the clerks that times are rough, business is slow. They're scared and I'm scared for them. Time for everyone to start living within their means, something that I was raised to do. But, for now, rather than comment on all that, I wanted to escape. And escape for me means a good musical.

I'm the eternal cheapskate, though. I like to save, so that I can have other things. Lately, I've been watching the Broadway musicals march through town. I just haven't had it in me to spend on them as I have in the past. Little known fact, many famous musicals are tested here in Minneapolis before they hit Broadway in New York. Lion King? It was a hit here long before it every opened in Manhattan. They don't call us the Minnieapple for nothing!

I love a good musical. I was raised on West Side Story, A Chorus Line. Imagine several giggling teenage girls watching Dance: 10 Looks 3 aka Tits and Ass being performed at a musical theater. If you haven't seen a A Chorus Line, get your kids out of earshot and watch this. (Sorry, I think it cuts off at the end, but you get the idea) Cats, Phantom of the Opera, got me started, I then moved on to Aida and one of my favorites, Rent. The Sound of Music and Spamalot were recent dates with D. I've got tickets to The Color Purple in March and I've practically worn out the soundtrack to Wicked.

I can't get enough of them, but the price for those tickets takes a lot of scrimping and saving. I want Young One to have my love of musicals too. He's a great cello player, doesn't like the spotlight, so I doubt he'll ever be stage center, but he just might be in an orchestra pit one day.

Bethel University, about 5 miles from my house, has a wonderful music department. When I saw that they were going to do Brigadoon and that tickets were only $14 for adults, $7 for kids, I was sold. My mom purchased the tickets, so she could get hers for a senior discount (see, I told you cheapskate is genetic) and we put it on the calendar. I don't know why we haven't done this before.

It was wonderful. Every bit as delightful as the troops that travel the country. The set design was amazing and I wondered at how I've missed seeing this one. For a third of what we paid for one ticket to a traveling performance of Rent, we all got to go. Two of the actors had amazing voices and I wouldn't be surprised if they were Broadway bound soon.

The only thing I didn't like about it is that the college kids all looked about a smidgen older than Young One and I feel like it was just yesterday that I was there. Have I gotten that old? (Don't answer.)

Community Calendars are great resources for inexpensive entertainment. If you really want to cut that expense down to nothing, just check out a copy of the movie Brigadoon (or any other musical that you think they're old enough to appreciate) from your library. Set your kids down, make lots of popcorn, and enjoy it with them. If your kids are like Young One, they'll start out hesitant, but by the end of the story, he was sitting on the edge of his seat.

(If they really balk at it, start out with all the kids getting a turn to pick a movie for movie night, then when it's your turn, whammo! This works with husbands too, although you may have to sit through Alien vs. Predator to be fair.)

Popcorn Heaven

Popcorn is a Weight Watchers friendly food, but the oil you pop it in or the toppings you put on it may not be. Treat your family to old fashioned popcorn for movie night. NOT microwave popcorn. Heat up a pan, add a little oil, salt, and popcorn, cover and shake until it's done. Your family will LOVE this and will think you really did something special. A big bag of old fashioned popcorn is extremely inexpensive and will last a lot longer than a box of microwave popcorn. Microwave poppers are very inexpensive and well worth the investment for Weight Watchers. You can add your oil allowance for the day, plus the popcorn, or use no oil at all, and enjoy a great treat!

12 cups of popped popcorn (1/3 cup unpopped popcorn, either air-popped or popped in 1/4 cup corn or vegetable oil)

1/3 cup melted butter--leave out or use Butter Buds or Molly McButter as a substitute if you're on Weight Watchers

Salt

Add one of the following seasoning combos to the butter and warm thoroughly so the flavors meld. Drizzle the butter/seasonings over the popcorn, salt to taste, and toss.

Herbed Popcorn: 1 teaspoon each dried sage, fennel, marjoram, thyme, basil, summer savory, and rosemary, and 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Lemon-Dill Popcorn: 2 tablespoons lemon zest and 1 teaspoon dill weed
Tex-Mex Popcorn: 1 tablespoon each cumin and chili powder. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Pizza Popcorn: 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Here are a couple of hot and spicy popcorn seasoning recipes:

Pepper Popcorn: 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika
Hot Mustard Popcorn: 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme

Like a little sweet, a little salt?
Kettle corn: This is a huge favorite at our house.
Simply add sugar (about 1/4 cup white or brown, white tastes like popcorn balls, brown more like caramel corn), 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn to a pan, cover and shaking continuously until popcorn is popped. YUM!

Mix Ins

• Peanut M&Ms (wait until the popcorn is cool
• Raisins and peanuts
• Mixed nuts
• dried cherries and chocolate chips

The Litter of Babies that Everyone Keeps Talking About

I've about had it with the discussion of the Octuplets. I guess what I'm trying to say is they're here, let's deal with them. Each one a perfect miracle, we can't continue to discuss how they got here, the motives of the people that brought them to be. It's not for us to debate this, the decision was already made nine months ago.

To each his own, I'm often heard saying. And I really believe that in all things. Gay, straight, work outside the home, stay at home, Muslim, Mormon, or Catholic, I really don't care as long as you're not hurting anyone else. It's being talked about how embryonic implantation should be legislated. Just another case of trying to legislate common sense and we all know how that doesn't work.

We don't know the whole story of this woman and her very large family. I'm assuming that she'll do Oprah or Barbara Walters will have her crying on some couch very soon. Perhaps there will be book deals or a reality show.

There have been entire panels debating the ethics of a doctor willing to implant so many embryos. There have been call in radio shows, the last one I flicked off when a caller implied that she heard from a very good source that the woman had conceived these children in order to sell them.

Could I have left my frozen embryos in storage indefinitely? I'm not sure. Do I think it was irresponsible of a physician to implant that many embryos? Yes. Do I think this happens more times than we'd like to believe? Yes. Could I selectively reduce the number of fetuses, trying to figure out which heart to snuff out? No.

Let's wait and see if we hear the entire story. And if we don't, then let's just let it go away so that this woman can start building her life around all these new bundles of joy. Yes, the medical expenses are staggering, but I also know that the hospital could write it all off in the name of good PR. They've gotten more than their fair share of that in the past few days. I also know that health care costs are absolutely staggering and unfair and that so much of that "expense" could be eliminated.

What do you think?

Peanut Butter Energy Bars
I was going to call this recipe Mother of Octuplets Survival Bars. She's going to need a lot of energy, that's for sure! I make these, individually wrap them, and stash in the freezer. Great grab and go snack. 4 WW Points per bar.

1/2 cup(s) chunky peanut butter
2/3 cup(s) corn flakes, crushed
3 tbsp honey
1/3 cup(s) nonfat dry milk

Knead ingredients together. Form into 6 sticks and wrap individually in wax paper. Store in an airtight container.

Day Glo Teeth

I watched Working Girl the other day. Seems it's on all the time. The 1988 hair, makeup, and clothes are sometimes laughable, but the story is great. Remember it? Melanie Griffith is a secretary, attending night school, and trying to work her way up. Sigourney Weaver plays her conniving boss. Harrison Ford is the love interest, who coincidentally looks a lot like my dad, which is why I could never have a thing for him. It's a Cinderella story, set in the corporate world. I love it. Carly Simon won an Oscar for Let the River Run, as she so very well deserved.

As I was watching, I couldn't put my finger on what was so different about how the actors looked. Was it just the hair, makeup, and clothes? No, it was something else. And then it hit me. It was their teeth. Their un-whitened, perfectly natural teeth. And they were beautiful.

Have you noticed that super bright white teeth have become commonplace? I look at Regis Philbin and I want to put sunglasses on. Sorry, Reg, no one your age has teeth that bright. And it looks wrong. I actually think it makes you look like you're trying much too hard, like you're older than you are.

We've become a society of perfection seekers and we can be brutal to those who aren't perfect. Jessica Simpson was recently crucified for gaining a little weight. There are television shows, websites, and radio programs that are dedicated to ripping apart actors and entertainers. Every little wrinkle, bulge, or age spot is critically examined. Pictures are drawn on, cruel comments are made, and God forbid someone in the entertainment industry runs an errand without makeup on or in clothing that wasn't put together by a stylist.

I hate every bit of what this does to those people and what it's doing to us and to our children. No one ever reaches perfection, it just isn't possible. White teeth, faces frozen from Botox, body weights that aren't possible to achieve without starvation, and sizes of zero just aren't real.

Maybe it's better to say that we are perfect in our imperfection. I love every quirk, every difference, big, little, tall, thin, freckles, you name it.

It worries me that one day, we'll all look the same. Bleached teeth and all. Just like our commercial areas--all the same restaurants, all the same chains, no individuality in sight. What a boring world that would be.



And in honor of all those WHITE teeth, a White Bean Dip. I know, the relationship is a stretch, but it's late and I'm tired! I could have said, this goes out to all the Dips of the world.

Weight Watchers White Bean and Garlic Spread
Great served on pita chips or use it on a wrap as a sandwich spread.

2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped (1 teaspoon)
1 lemon, juice and zest of
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup toasted nuts (optional)
1/8-1/4 cup olives, sliced (optional)
2-3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (optional)
rosemary sprigs (to garnish)
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients (except the rosemary sprigs and optional ingredients) in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds (until smooth). If desired, add the optional ingredients (tomatoes, olives or toasted nuts) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or overnight). When ready to serve, place the bean spread in a bowl and garnish with rosemary sprigs.
WW POINTS per serving: 2
Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories, 4.8g fat, 3.8g fiber

Prutut? Splindo? Farnbut? Plicto?

No, I'm not calling anyone names. I've just been keeping track of the security words that I have to type in to post comments or order things online.

Am I the only one that finds this funny? It reminds me of a 1950s SciFi movie that my brothers made me sit through on a childhood Saturday afternoon. Some badly made robot alien guy repeated these funny words over and over again until we were all marching stiff armed through the house repeating them. Well, we did until my mom shook a wooden spoon at us, gritted her teeth, and spoke the one word that all mothers can use so effectively, "ENOUGH."

I actually just searched to find the movie. It was The Day the Earth Stood Still. The phrase was, "Klaatu barada nikto" If you ever get that as your security code, I'll send you a prize. (Let's see, I have dryer lint, the helmet to a Luke Skywalker Lego, and a calculator that doesn't work--let me know what you want.)

Spurn fatgo? Flize spongi? Walpit? Fondue? Yep, I actually got that one the other day! So, here you go:

Fantastic Fondue

I occasionally make fondue for dinner. Either cheese to dunk veggies, bread, and meat in or broth based to simmer raw meat and veggies. It's a great meal because, not only is it delicious, but it takes a long time to eat. Great conversations almost always form around a fondue pot. Serve with a big tossed salad.

Serves 12 at 2 Points per serving NOT including the things you dip into it!

1 can(s) or bottle(s) light beer, 12 fl oz each
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 pound(s) low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded
3 tbsp all-purpose flour

In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm beer until it boils; stir in mustard and pepper.
In a bowl, toss cheese with flour. Slowly add cheese to beer mixture, stirring. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth and thick, about 6 minutes total. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving. (Tip: Serve this dip with cubes or rolled slices of lean ham and smoked turkey as well as carrots, celery sticks, baked tortilla chips or cubes of crusty bread.)

I haven't tried this one, but I'm thinking it would be really fun for our next brunch or post-sleep over breakfast. Kids would have to love this! The flavor combination is a no brainer, so I think I'll get the ingredients on the grocery list.

Breakfast Fondue

Imagine a big cup of coffee and the Sunday paper while dunking and nibbling on this! Makes four, 1/2 cup servings, coming in at 1 WW Point per serving, not including the things you dunk into it.

1 15 oz. can sliced peaches in juice (not syrup), undrained
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. whipped light cream cheese
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon

Combine the undrained peaches, maple syrup, whipped cream cheese, vanilla and cinnamon in a blender or food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Puree on high until smooth. It's okay if there are a few lumps of cream cheese still showing. They will disappear when you cook the peach mixture in the next step.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Warm it over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the cream cheese fully melts, and the sauce starts to bubble around the edges.

Serve the fondue in a big bowl surrounded by whole grain mini pancakes or waffles, French toast fingers or fresh fruit for dipping.

Per serving (one-half cup of fondue): 77 calories, 1.25 g fat (0.75 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 27 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1.25 g protein, 142 IU vitamin A, 3 mg vitamin C, 5 mcg folate, 20 mg calcium, .25 mg iron, 157 mg potassium

My Favorite Day--Yes Man

We went to see Jim Carrey in Yes Man last weekend. In the past, I never was a big fan of Mr. Carrey. There was something about him that gave me the willies. In fact, just thinking about him in that movie, The Mask, makes me slightly ill at ease.

My whole opinion of him changed, though, when I watched him with Jenny McCarthy and her autistic son Evan. He has parented that child, advocated for him. That and his comments about how he and Jenny are already married in their hearts won me over. “We love each other and we are married whether somebody said it or not. Whether we had some kind of ceremony or not, we believe that nothing outside of yourself can make your union sacred except you," Jim told Hollyscoop.com at the 'Yes Man' Los Angeles movie premiere. He added, "So that’s where we are, we love it and everybody keeps saying 'why not put the finishing touches on it' and my attitude is why ever put the finishing touches on it? Just keep it open, keep it going, court forever, that’s what were into.”

I'm still somewhat disturbed by the way this man moves his mouth at times. It does freak me out, still, just a little. But, that's neither here nor there.

The movie? Yes Man was just a fun story. Predictable, yes, but funny. Our family enjoyed it immensely. There's a little romance, quite a few belly laughs, and a butt scene that's worth the price of the ticket just to see your kid collapse in giggles.

Basically, the premise is that Jim's character, Carl is a no man. He says no to everything and is a pretty sad guy. He's lost his wife, works a boring job, and basically has no life. He runs into a friend he hasn't seen in a while who's in a frenzy of happiness. The secret to this friend's happiness? A self-help guru with the motto, "Yes is the new no." So, Carl goes to a seminar and he starts saying yes to everything. And, of course, his life changes for the better. There are some bump along the way, but all in all, it's a new, happy life for Carl.

We had a great time at this movie. No, it's not an Oscar contender. It won't be critically acclaimed, in fact, I think it's getting bad reviews. Which makes me want to bonk the critics on their foreheads and say, "lighten up!" It's a fun, family movie, that's lighthearted. Something that I think we need a lot more of in this day and age. I would say it's good for kids over 10. This film sparked a lot of conversations for us. Young One can tend to be a No Man, so this was a perfect movie to teach a bit.

Dancing with the...Yawns

I'm sorry, I know I'm possibly offending many readers and that the following declaration could quite possibly mark me as un-American, but I've just got to get it out.

I HATE DANCING WITH THE STARS.

I've tried, really I have. I've watched it. I've learned new words like Paso Doble. I've watched football heroes twinkle their toes. I've listened to recaps on every ABC talk show, news show, and commercial break until I'm ready to throw my thirty year old tap shoes at the screen.

I just don't get it.

It's not that I'm opposed to dancing. It's not that I don't like watching B-list celebrities do the Jive.

I think it's, perhaps, the nature of the this genre of reality tv. I mean, come on, do we really need buffoons like David Hasselhoff to judge whether people have talent? Have you seen the Hoff act, or worse yet, sing? And yet, he's the standard that all victims, I mean contestants, of America's Got Talent have got to weigh themselves against. How many shows do we need depicting amateurs getting their hearts wrenched out on national TV? How many times do we need to see a sports star awkwardly maneuver their athletic frame hoping not to crush their partner while appearing sadly graceful? How many aging actors do we need to see dressed in sequined outfits that Sigfried and Roy wouldn't have touched? Just how did a Kardashian become a celebrity? Do we really need to see tabloid type criticism of these people? Do we really need another reality show anyway?

Lately all I see when I turn on the TV is negative campaign ads, graphics depicting our nation's economy spiraling down to oblivion, and Dancing with the Stars reviews. I've had it up to here with reality.

What I want is less reality and more fantasy. Our country is just crying out for a really good comedy. You know, someone in the realm of Lucy or Roseanne. Maybe a Seinfeld or a Tim Taylor. We need to laugh.

Argue with me if you will, but don't make me watch that show, don't make me listen to recaps, and please spare me the commercials for it. I just can't take it anymore.