Overdressed

As per usual, I've seen practically none of the Oscar-nominated films, but I've read A LOT about them so of course I know much more than the average citizen.

The only one I've seen is Hustle & Flow. And "March of the Penguins" - which frankly, didn't excite me much. Oh, and Crash, which I liked a lot. But there are several movies I've been wanting to see, even before the Oscar buzz started:
Walk the Line
You know it was filmed here in Memphis. And my husband is madly in love with Reese Witherspoon. So it's frankly a little surprising that we haven't seen it yet.
Good Night, and Good Luck
I'm a history buff, and then there's that whole media aspect. And, too, the Clooney thing who I earnestly believe is the most eligible bachelor on the face of the planet.
Brokeback Mountain
Believe it or not, this wasn't playing all that widely down here in the Bible Belt prior to last weekend.
Junebug
I have wanted to see this for. ever. I don't think it ever even played here. And now, supposedly, it's out on DVD. Not that my Blockbuster would know it.
Capote
I know the story, but I never read In Cold Blood. Still, fascinating. And Hoffman, he's so cool.

Then there's the list of those films that don't appeal to me in the least:
Syriana
Bo-ring. If I want to hear about the oil business, I'll turn on the news. Plus, the Clooney? Fat.
Pride & Prejudice
The reviews were really mixed on this - some loved it, some trashed it. I just didn't really think it was screaming to be re-made just yet.
North Country
I don't really like movies where the characters have dirty fingernails. And risk rape. Eww.
Munich
My conscience tells me I should care more about this movie than I do. I maybe could have bought into it if it wasn't starring the Incredible Hulk.
The Constant Gardner
First, I don't even know what this movie is about. Big Daddy rented it, and said it was okay, but I didn't watch it.

Who I think will win:
Best Picture - Brokeback Mountain
Best Actor - Phil Seymour Hoffman
Best Actress - Reese Witherspoon
Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti
Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz
Best Director - Ang Lee

Who I think SHOULD win:
Best Picture - Crash
Best Actor - Terrence Howard
Best Actress - Reese Witherspoon
Supporting Actor - Matt Dillon, just because really?! MATT DILLON? AN OSCAR?
Supporting Actress - Amy Adams
Director - George Clooney

Posted by Kalisa at 5:43 PM | Permalink | Comments

It's amazing how easy it is when you're going downstream.

I've been applying for jobs - including some that seem really exiciting! I've already started some freelance work, and I'm drumming up some more of that - I'll keep that up until I find just the job I want. No sense rushing into the first thing I find. I've already decided that I DON'T want to work for an agency or a hospital, so that narrows down a few of the positions being advertised in town. I will however do freelance work for either of them.

I've applied for these jobs:
1. "Social Responsibility" communications position at the largest corporate office in town (good money; great benefits; job security; outstanding future opps) - basically running their United Way campaign, which is a good fit for my non-profit background.
2. MarCom manager for a biotech company - again, corporate is good! And I worked with several biotech clients at the agency.
3. Community relations manager for large book store company - the ad said "Must be passionate about books." I KNOW!!! RIGHT???

Today I have a list of things a mile long to do:
1. Two freelance writing assignments - one's already completed.
2. Clean up, update and decorate my upstairs office - I need my space. I'm going to hang the stuff that used to be in my work office.
3. Pack up My Kid's old clothes and drop them at Goodwill (they are starting to take over my upstairs landing)
4. Wash my dog - OK, that wasn't originally on my list, but then I let him inside and peee-yeww.
5. Laundry - I'm already on the second load.
6. Collect some writing samples for distribution to possible freelance hirers.
7. Create a portfolio - which hello? Yeah, good thing to have. Knucklehead.
8. Check new job listings
9. Meet sponsor at noon meeting
10. Cook dinner - which you'd think a non-working mother could do once in a while.

Now, here's a question for you:
If your company were to feature you on its web site and wanted some kind of quote to put by your name - something that captures your life philosphy...."words to live by" as it were - what would your quote be?

Posted by Kalisa at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments

I still get up at 6:30 to get My Kid off to school - get him in the shower, make his breakfast, make sure he's got all the requisite dress code parts.

Do a little work around the house - clean the kitchen, sweep and vacuum the downstairs. Throw a load of towels in the wash. Watch the Today show, Charmed reruns, Isaac Mizrahi. It's great - I haven't watched tv in the morning in AGES. Read the newspapers online. Check emails. Read blogs. Shower, clean up, go to Starbucks. Actually SIT in starbucks and drink a coffee and read. Do the crossword puzzle. Meet my sponsor at a noon meeting for fellowship and guidance and inspiration. Look for jobs in the afternoon. Network. Make connections. Go to yoga. Cook dinner. Read blogs. Check email. Watch some tv. Fold the laundry. Go to bed early.

Freelancing is looking BETTER AND BETTER ALL THE TIME!

Posted by Kalisa at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments

I spent much of the day with my AA "sponsor" today. She volunteers at a treatment center and she dragged me out there today to work with people who have it waaaaaay worse than I ever dreamed of being.

She's kinda sneaky the way she inserts gratitude into my life like that.

I've got an appointment tomorrow to meet with a friend of mine who has her own agency. She's got some freelance writing for me to do.

I just had lunch with another friend of mine Monday - the day before my life completely fell apart I lost my job. He's leaving our old company to start his own consulting firm. I talked to him today and his first gig he's got lined up is a PR project and he's going to partner up with me on that.

I've got a lead on another woman in town with a recently depleted staff that may throw some freelance work my way.

My colleague Amy said my old boss is already talking about hiring me to do some freelance jobs. Which I think is kinda weird - they cut me lose but then hire me as a freelancer? I'll have to think about that one. I'm not sure if I would do it or not.

I spent all evening working on my resume. Holy shit. I'm beat. I kept it to one page....in 8-POINT ARIAL! Shit, that's a freaking TON of information. If that don't get me a job, nothing will.

I'm all choked up at how everyone has rallied around me through this. I've never even met most of you - hell, some of you aren't even MY readers - but you have totally renewed my faith in humankind. I'm so warmed by your outpouring of well wishes and comforted by your kind words and teary at your gentle encouragement. I am so lucky and so grateful and this is way, way better than winning any damn blog awards. To show my appreciation I'm mailing each and every one of you a new XBox360, so watch for that in the mail, mkay? You can thank me later.

Posted by Kalisa at 8:40 PM | Permalink | Comments

21. I have the kindest, most caring and supportive readers ever.

I had no idea it could be like this. Thanks, ya'll.

Posted by Kalisa at 7:51 AM | Permalink | Comments

1. I'm not the family's sole (or even main) breadwinner.
2. And Big Daddy's got a good job.
3. I qualify for unemployment now.
4. Which I've never gotten before.
5. I can be a statistic that contributes to making the Bush presidency look bad.
6. I have new opportunities!
7. To pursue other endeavors!
8. It was nothing I did.
9. It was business, not personal.
10. It wasn't just me.
11. They let three people go.
12. The other girl is a single mom.
13. And the guy is the head of a department.
14. In his 60s.
15. They cut from the top.
16. I have marketable skills.
17. I feel pretty confident that something better will come along.
18. And Big Daddy says we're going to be OK financially until that happens.
19. I don't feel completely hopeless.
20. I didn't drink.

The main thing I'm worried about now is how to access my iTunes account from a computer other than my work laptop. Anyone?

Posted by Kalisa at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments

I just got laid off.

Posted by Kalisa at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments

Do you have time to meet with B.C. and me this afternoon to touch base on a couple things? Say 3:30?

1. We just lost a big account yesterday....the one paying account I was actually still working on.
   
2. I've been here eight months and have yet to have any type of review or feedback whatsoever on my job performance.
   
3. Which, of course, leads me to believe that I SUCK.
4. And am about to be fired.
5. Because, even though we lost the ad account, too, it is obviously ALL MY FAULT.
6. My boss hates me.
7. She wants to meet with me AND the president of the company.
8. She was purposely vague in the email as to what the meeting is about.
   
9. And I have to wait all. freaking. day. to find out.
   

Posted by Kalisa at 9:31 AM | Permalink | Comments

Seriously.

I went to my doctor on Friday and I told him the bullshit sleep meds he had me on were less effective than Tylenol PM. I've taken it for years, only I'm now taking eight times the amount I started on. Since it didn't seem to be working so well, I started doing some research online and it turns out that a recent study showed that this medication had no better results than a placebo. So I decided when I saw the doctor on Friday I would tell him I want something serious. Ambien or Lunesta. I even practiced saying it so I wouldn't chicken out once I got there.

He had no problem putting me on Ambien CR - control release, which means the first layer dissolves quickly to help you get to sleep, and the rest of it dissolves slowly to help you stay asleep. Or so the ad says. I've taken it for three nights now, and every night I am wide awake at 2 a.m. Listening to Big Daddy snore his head off.

I don't know if it takes a while to kick in or if my chemistry is just off. All I know is, I take a sleeping pill, I expect to sleep, dammit.

Posted by Kalisa at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments

Four Albums you can’t live without:
always tough, as I want to appear "hip" but my choices usually say "burnout from the 80s"
Anna Nalick "Wreck of the Day"
Tom Petty Greatest Hits
Snow Patrol "Final Straw"
Tears for Fears "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending"

Four Magazines you read:
boring, I know....I mostly read mags for work
InStyle
Red Herring
Business 2.0
Business Week

Four Cars you have owned:
my, look how I've come up in the world
Plymouth Horizon
Honda Civic
Toyota Camry
Nissan Maxima SE

Four Jobs you have held:
I never understood why no one will pay me just to be fabulous....
Data entry at a country club
Server at Chili's
PR for nonprofit
PR at ad agency

Four Movies you would watch over and over:
four entire scipts I have completely memorized
The Sound of Music
Hope Floats
Steel Magnolias
The Big Chill

Four Places you have lived:
I'm a bit surprised to realize that there've only been a total of four cities
Arlington, Virgina
Long Beach, Mississippi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Memphis, Tennessee

Four TV Shows you stay home to watch:
I wouldn't say I LOVE the AI, but work with me....I'm trying to come up with four.
Grey's Anatomy
House
The Daily Show
Early season American Idol auditions

Four Places you have vacationed:
Monaco was for work, so that doesn't count
New Orleans
Destin, Florida
Disney World
Big Sky, Montana

Four Websites you visit daily:
I'm not listing any specific bloggers - even though there are many that I need like coffee.
Bloglines (for all my blog feeds)
USA Today
Commercial Appeal (Memphis daily paper)
RoadRunner (personal email)

Four Foods you love:
This one should be easier than it is??
fried egg sandwich
bananas foster
shrimp crepes from Paulette's
Thanksgiving dinner

Four Places you would rather be:
Not to be too obvious, but....
On a beach
In a spa
At a 5-star hotel
On a Red Carpet

Four Bloggers you are tagging:
my deepest apologies if you've already done this
Melati
Carmen
Badger
Shannon

Posted by Kalisa at 5:51 PM | Permalink | Comments

I've never liked UT.

I know it's my state school, but a true-blue Memphis fan has no time or place for orange.

When My Kid played on a community basketball team whose colors were orange and white, I said, "No offense, but I won't be wearing orange to your game. I refuse to buy orange." And he understood.

He hates UT, too.

I think people who say, "I'm a Memphis fan, unless they're playing UT" should be tried for high treason. Public hangings are too good for them. The rot.

And people who drive around with those UT Vols National Championship tags on their cars? Just go ahead and ram into the back of them. You're allowed.

Big Daddy & I were at the football game that one year when we beat them, when Peyton was QB. A night I will never, ever forget. Such euphoria.

The intrastate rivalry gets even more heated when a highly sought-after high school basketball player from Memphis chooses to sign with the Vols.

Like Tony Delk. When we played UT the last time (some five years ago), the entire crowd boo'ed in unison every time he touched the ball.

Ha ha ha! It was great! Trader.

And Dane Bradshaw.

The pointguard led his White Station HS basketball team to a state championship....and then he went orange.

Now a Junior at UT, he took some jeering by the LSU fans recently. Then he said to the media, "I'm not worried about some LSU frat boys. I'm more afraid of gang-bangers in Memphis."

Nice way to speak of your hometown, no?

Needless to say, it fired people up.

One of the signs in the student section said, "Memphis Gangsta Hit List: #1. Dane Bradshaw"

Look, this is a crowd of 18,000 who BOO'ED THEIR MAYOR AT HALFTIME. All he wanted to do was present a key to the city to DeAngelo Williams and the crowd boo'ed him. We are not a lot that's afraid to show our true emotions. Especially when they comprise loathing, resentment and scorn. (DeAngelo, on the other hand, got a standing ovation. Big Daddy suggested that perhaps he should run for mayor.)

And if Bradshaw really said about Memphis,

"The past has shown they might seem to fall apart at times, but this year they've really held it together. They made it through the first semester of school, and everybody's still there."

Posted by Kalisa at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments

I know what you're thinking: "It's about damn time, bizzitch. That is why I come here. For Confessions. Duh." So I have a confession to make to you.

Sort of.

More like news. Juicy, gossipy news. Or, it would be if I were famous. From a regular person like me, it's just a little something I want to tell you about. A confession, as it were.

I have decided to quit drinking. Sober up. On the wagon. Dancing the 12-Step Boogie. Everyone's doing it you know - Kate, Nicole, Whitney. Well, okay....some of them are doing it a little more successfully than others. But I don't want to be like Lindsey Lohan, continually denying the existence of a problem while I go into hospitals for treatment of my "asthma." No, I want to be like Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Not the marrying the construction worker that she met in rehab part, but the facing my problems head-on and dealing with them directly part. And also the big diamonds part. Ah, Liz, did I ever tell you you're my hero?

While I'm at it, I have another confession to make, too. I have been eating healthy for two weeks now (doing the South Beach Phase II) and I have not lost one. single. pound. So I've decided instead to try the Supermodel Coffee and Cigarettes diet. Only for me, it will probably have to be the Coffee and Cigarettes and Pepcid diet since I can only imagine how that coffee is going to tear up my stomach. Oh god! And then I'll probably get hooked on those and have to join yet another recovery group and maybe I'll just hang with the South Beach a bit longer. You know, cause I got a life. I can't be spending ALL my time hanging out in church basements talking about making amends and shit.

Posted by Kalisa at 3:47 PM | Permalink | Comments

Luckily for Memphis, "Musicals" (Walk the Line) are separated from Drama (Brokeback Mountain). Categories with Memphis connections:

Actor - Drama
Russell Crowe - Cinderella Man

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
Terrence Howard - Hustle & Flow
Heath Ledger - Brokeback Mountain
David Strathairn - Good Night, and Good Luck

Reese Witherspoon – Walk The Line

Actor - Musical or Comedy
Pierce Brosnan - The Matador
Jeff Daniels - The Squid and the Whale
Johnny Depp - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Nathan Lane - The Producers
Cillian Murphy - Breakfast on Pluto

Joaquin Phoenix - Walk The Line

Posted by Kalisa at 9:32 PM | Permalink | Comments

In a complete turnaround from the wholesome movie we saw this weekend, I rented Hustle & Flow on Saturday.

I love watching movies that were filmed in Memphis, because I like to locate places that I know. For the record, I did NOT recognize ANY of the places in this film. When Craig Brewer decided to show Memphis from the "lowest of the low," he went all out. Seriously. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've been to some of the more respectable strip clubs in Memphis. But those clubs? They're on Brooks Road. Nuh-uh.

I didn't recognize one single shot from that film, except the quick look at Beale St. in the opening. Still, I can assure you that it gives you a true picture. Everything I saw seemed VERY real to me. Just because I never cruised Millbranch doesn't mean I don't know where it is. And what goes on there.

Best line: "You Mormans is some brave motherfuckers."

BRUSH WITH CELEB: When you rent the movie, please notice the scene where DJay is going off to hustle Skinny Black and his buddies are waiting for him at the curb: the lone white boy in the film (DJ Qualls) is wearing a "Lusero" T-shirt. Yeah, my friend at work dates the bass player in that band.

I love me some Memphis connections. If you rent the DVD, watch all the extras....they are allllll about my town.

Posted by Kalisa at 7:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

Standing with Dr. King in Memphis

I've heard this three times, and it still gives me chills.

Posted by Kalisa at 7:47 AM | Permalink | Comments

We went to go see "Glory Road" tonight. It was as good as I knew it would be. You know me, I don't even like to go to the theater so to get me out - after a long week at work and facing My Kid's 9 a.m. basketball game in the morning - you know it had to be good.

I especially enjoyed the musical score. The soundtrack I'm sure is all Martha Reeves and Stevie Wonder, but the score - that music that played underneath the action - was an amazing gospel track including vocals by Alicia Keys and the greatest gospel singer ever, Mahalia Jackson.

If you go see the movie, make sure you stay for the credits. It'll be worth it.

And I am officially adding Josh Lucas to my list.

Posted by Kalisa at 9:50 PM | Permalink | Comments

So, I watched LOST the other night (no pun intended) even though I gave up on it last season b/c I just think it's gotten a little TOO weird, but I saw an interview with Evangeline Lily where she assured Regis that the weird "monster" was NOT a dinosaur and when he kept insisting that it was, she said she'd bet him and that she'd be proven right on that very night's episode. So I tuned in to see what the "monster" was but really I'm no more informed that I was before b/c all I know now is that it's black smoke??? Wha?

Best Line of the episode: "What're you gonna do - beat me with your Jesus Stick?" That's gonna be my new catch phrase, I just have to figure out how I can work it into everyday conversation. If you have some suggestions for when this might be an appropriate response, please leave them for me in the comments. Thanks.

Posted by Kalisa at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments

Melati posted this hilarious employee Q&A from her company's web site that reminded me of something similar we did here in the office. We're working on a news release about the new PR team at our agency and we put together this profile to go with the release:

Personal:

Kalisah: I’ve been married to Big Daddy for most of my adult life. One son, age 12.

Amy: My husband British Guy and I have no children yet.

Kalisah: Unless you count British Guy.

First Job:

Kalisah: I used to babysit and teach piano to young children. I was quite the entrepreneur.

Amy: I worked at Dinstuhl’s during chocolate-covered strawberry season.

Kalisah: Mmmm…chocolate.

Amy: Oh, you’d be surprised how quickly chocolate can lose its appeal.

Kalisah: Less appealing than babysitting?

Career Highlights:

Kalisah: Launching the inaugural St. Jude Thanks & Giving campaign was rather memorable.

Amy: For me it was convincing a London PR agency to hire a Southern girl just out of college.

Most Satisfying Career Moment:

Amy: Growing my former agency from one employee (me) and one small technology client to 18 employees and a wealth of brand name accounts five years later. It’s testament that it isn’t the size or heritage of an agency that wins business but hard work, great ideas and bags of energy!

Kalisah: We were doing a video shoot with Marlo Thomas and she needed someone to purchase wardrobe items for her and she said, “Where is that Kalisah girl? She always looks nice.” Swish!

Career Advice:

Amy: Find a job that allows you to make money doing what you love.

Kalisah: And wear expensive shoes. They’re much more comfortable than the cheap ones.

Person Most Admire:

Amy: My husband moved all the way from London to Memphis and hasn’t complained once!

Kalisah: My friend Boris who escaped communist Romania and now owns the most charming little European bistro here in town.

Last Book Read:

Amy: Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. A beautifully written book about books.

Kalisah: Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs. Not as good as Running with Scissors but I love how he makes the most disturbing of life events humorous and real.

Favorite Film:

Amy: Lost in Translation

Kalisah: Hope Floats. Harry Connick Jr. is my pretend boyfriend.

Favorite Vacation Spot:

Kalisah: The French Riviera. Or, it would be, if I were rich and famous and could afford to vacation there.

Amy: Go to Prague at Christmastime. It’s freezing but the experience is not to be missed!

Change I Would Like to See:

Amy: I would love to see more Americans traveling or living abroad. It allows you to question your preconceptions about people and places – and propels you to share what you’ve learned with others.

Posted by Kalisa at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments

GAWD....what a day.

First, let me say how EXITED!!!! I was to find that I had lurkers!!! Rock on! People like me! Which I really need today.

It's been such a shitty day, I don't even know where to start. I guess I actually have to start with yesterday.

BACKGROUND (1/10/2006):
At 2:30 in the afternoon we got an email from the company that manages our office park. They were offering tickets to the NBA Grizzles/Spurs game next week. Tickets for office park employees were free. Friends and family, $50. Lower bowl FedExForum. What a bargain. Reservations had to be made IN PERSON (no fax or phone) at the management office. $$ for additional tickets had to be paid at time of reservation. Deadline was to be Thursday 1/12/06.

In an attempt to get to the management office first thing this morning, I skipped my regular Bistro stop for latte and figured I'd run out (after securing my Grizzlies tickets) to grab a coffee at the new Starbucks by my office.

So here's what's been shitty about today (1/11/2006):

(I'll number them....there's a lot.)

1. I drove directly to the management office first thing this morning with my form and a $100 check (tickets for Big Daddy & My Kid). The woman behind the desk looked at me and said, "Those tickets are gone." WHAT? It hasn't even been one day!! She looked at me with a face completely devoid of any emotion, and said, "We sold out yesterday at 4:30." Great. I looked at her in complete distress and said, "My Kid will be soooo disappointed." Nothing.
   
2. Dismayed, and knowing it wouldn't be good to address the office in this way without caffeine, I drove to the new Starbucks by my office. Naturally, IT WASN'T OPEN YET. So I drove back up to my Bistro to get a coffee.
   
3. On the way, I adjusted my left earring and the back fell off and bounced off my lap and landed between my car seat and the console. I stuck my diamond earring into the passenger seat so as not to lose it.
   
4. I arrived at the office, and one of the partners had sent out a company-wide email about coverage in the city's daily of the news release I'd sent out prematurely. Luckily, none of my boss's concerns were realized. Still, the tragedy of my mistake was re-lived.
   
5. My PR partner in crime (Amy) followed up to the partner's email with a link to the story, so everyone in the office could appreciate it. All these people in the office responded to her email with "Great coverage!" etc. emails. She respectfully emailed back that it was my story (& cc'ed me) but, curiously, none of them emailed ME with "Great story!" emails.
6. Around lunchtime, our agriculture client called me. The #1 TV news station in the market wanted to come out at 1:15 to do a story on the new wildlife viewing stand. Great! Only it's RAINING outside. And the viewing stand is....guess what? Yeah, outside. I called the reporter, "You know it's pouring down rain out here, right?" Oh yeah. He didn't care. So I drove out to the interview and stood in the wind and rain while the client did a great job of hitting all our talking points. By the time it was over, I was soaked from the hips down (I had worn my leather jacket and not a rain coat today). Luckily, I live nearby b/c it seems that everytime I go out to this client for news stories I somehow end up needing a change of clothes.
   
7. I was so busy trying to borrow a rain coat and find an umbrella that I left my cell phone sitting on my desk. Now, some of you younger readers may not remember this, but there was a time that we all drove around without telephone connectivity. Course, we also used the heels of our feet to brake our cars back then, too.
   
8. PLUS....I'd already pulled all my hair back in a twist b/c, in this weather, it seems a bit "fluffy" (just below "frizzy" on the hair scale), but my bangs? Which, when I'd left the office were laying down flat on my forehead, casually brushed to the side? Were now, after the wind and the wet, sticking out the side of my forehead in a pretty good Farrah Fawcett imitation. So a quick appointment with the flat iron was totally required.

Posted by Kalisa at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

Which means, if you're secretly reading my blog and not TELLING ME....this is your coming out party. Personally, I don't really think I have any readers that I don't know about, but I'm just self-assured that way. BUT....if this is in fact your blogging debutante ball, then I invite you to put on your fluffy white dress and get you a handsome escort named Biff and have your day. Because I did not make this up .... this is a regular national blogholiday and what do you mean you didn't get the day off from work? Man, you must work for a real scrooge.

Posted by Kalisa at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments

I spent all day Saturday in bed. I wasn't sick or hungover, I was just TIRED. So I laid in bed and watched movies on cable and even napped a bit. It was GREAT. Big Daddy came in around 7 p.m. and said, "Are you getting out of bed today at all?" Nope. I watched several movies I hadn't seen before, including:

Unfaithful with Diane Lane and Richard Gere
Ordinarily I don't watch movies about cheating. They're always so disturbing. And this one definitely was. She was obviously very much in love with her husband and happy with her life, but she got caught up in the passion and romance of a younger, sexy man. They made it look like it could happen to anyone who runs into the French Brad Pitt on a windy day.

Paper Moon with Ryan & Tatum O'Neal
Believe it or not, I'd never seen this movie. I knew what it was about but I wasn't expecting quite what I got. Everyone knows that Tatum O'Neal is the youngest person ever to win an Oscar. Now I know why. She was great in this film.

Save the Last Dance with Julia Stiles
Because you can't really lay in bed all day watching movies and not catch at least one cheesy dance flick. If you were Julia Stiles, though, wouldn't you be slightly concerned that you might be typecast as that girl who does interracial relationships?

Posted by Kalisa at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments

• It is totally SNOWING outside!!

• Seriously, I believe Pat Robertson has completely lost his mind.

• Memphis moved down from the 4th- to the 6th-fattest city in the country this year. Yay us!

• I am so psyched that my pretend boyfriend is going to host the Oscars this year! I think I may have to have an Oscar party!

• TGIF. For real, ya'll.

Posted by Kalisa at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments

What a way to start my morning. I got a little overly ambitious yesterday and sent out a news release that my bosses weren't ready to distribute yet. Fucking great. Luckily it was just to local media.

Anyhoo...

While I was sitting in the Germantown Middle School gym waiting last night for My Kid's basketball practice to end, I entertained myself by cleaning out all the old photos from my camera phone. They went all the way back to October. Sheesh.

Last night, laying in bed, trying to go to sleep, I was having muscle spasms in that little fleshy spot between my thumb and forefinger of my right hand. I was like Jane Jetson who worked sooooo hard all day that her button-pushing finger was distorted and throbbing.

I saved a few end-of-2005 photos for you.

Amy & me after the office Christmas party (& lots of margaritas). I'm showing off the necklace I gave her for Christmas. I'm also looking like I'm posing for a porn mag but really I was just showing my drunken love for my friend.


Lynn in my office also has drunken love for Amy. She also has new teeth. Look how great they look.


My new Latvian friend in a really nice Italian suit. Those Europeans really know how to dress.


Here he is at our office party with the book's author. Please note how diplomats must always pose in this distinguished manner for photography.


This looks like a bit of trick photography taken at My Kid's basketball practice, but really, he's just the only player not hustling back on defense. Take a lap, kid. (He has chosen a trademark - tall socks.)


Pre-teen ignores his grandmother by playing games on his cell phone. Or perhaps text messaging his friends with a dire SOS message.


Martini candles at Jill's Christmas shopping party. They smelled really good too.


This may not look like much to you, but this is D'Angelo Williams making a touchdown. I'm sorry....Reggie WHO?


I saved this photo that I took in St. Louis just because I like it. Not bad for a crappy little camera phone image.


In the school's "I Love America" parade, each classroom was assigned a state to represent. Four or five students were then selected and some theme was decided upon. Like, the class that got Kansas dressed as all the characters from the Wizard of Oz. My Kid's class got Missouri, and he was wearing a Rams jersey that day, so he got voted in. Here he is on the end, wearing his STL Rams jersey & hat and carrying the "Missouri" placard.


Look what a shitty job I did hanging my PR awards in my office. Yeah, yeah - before you say it - I DID use a level. Now you see why I never have any "projects" that I'm working on around the house.


My Kid on halloween. He's giving the USC salute. "Rah! Rah! Rah! We're #2!!" Please note behind him the retina-burning wallpaper that used to hang in my downstairs bathroom. Not really sure why I took his photo while he stood in the bathroom but lucky me! You now have a "before" reference to this year's bathroom project.


The end.

Posted by Kalisa at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments

January 2, 2006. From here on out to be known as THE YEAR I TURN 40.

67 degrees F. In January. Go figure. But very windy. In fact, I probably shouldn't be wearing this short, pleated skirt (with cowboy boots and a jean jacket) as the wind is going to send it flying straight up to my ears at a most inopportune moment.

Not that there's really an opportune moment to have your skirt around your ears. In public.

We drove downtown and ate lunch at Blues City Cafe on Beale Street. Which has some mighty fine Memphis bar-b-que ribs which I highly recommend if you ever find yourself on World Famous Beale Street.

And I might add, Beale Street was pretty spanking clean given that 75,000 people had rung in the new year there just 36 hours earlier.

After lunch, we walked across the street and did a little shopping at A. Schwab. In the family since 1876, Schwab's is the only remaining original business on Beale Street.


It's a general store. Or a merchantile, if you will. It fills three floors with voodoo powders, clerical collars, saucepans and the largest collection of hats in town.


Also, you can buy a book of protection spells and charms...


Right next to the Holy Bible. (I swear I did not move either one of these to pose the photo.)

Then we walked over to the FedEx Forum to watch the #4 Tigers take on #15 Texas.

The scalpers were selling club level seats for $150 a pop.

And lo and behold, the hometeam did get stomped on by the beef cattle. Boo. Sad day in Tigerland.

Perhaps next year, if they're to be expected to play basketball on national television on January 2, Coach Cal should have the whole team over to his house on new year's eve to prevent the overconsumption of alcoholic beverages by student athletes, thus averting complete team implosion in front of a national audience and 18,000 home fans.

Boo.

Posted by Kalisa at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments