More on The House of Eliott

My friend Jan sent me an email about the show after reading my earlier post:

My parents and I were HOOKED on this when it was first aired on PBS. It was on Sunday Nights and I would drive over to their house so we could always watch it together and Dad would make popcorn and we would drink Mother’s Tea Punch. It was a family ritual. WE LOVED THIS SHOW

So we’re not the only ones! It’s funny, Jan, because when we were watching it, I thought it was definitely something you would enjoy. And I was right!

while I’m at it

Another guilty admission: I have a slight celeb-crush on Mo Rocca. Is it the glasses? The goofy bow-tie? His work on CBS Sunday Morning? I can’t explain it.

Guilty admission

This morning after seeing the news on CNN, I reported to Leah, “Cheney wasn’t killed today.” I even pondered what would happen in the administration if Cheney was killed. Does this make me a horrible person?

[Eat the Press]

Somewhat related: have you read Three Cups of Tea yet? It took me a while to get through it; I can skim through fiction, but I couldn’t miss anything in this work of nonfiction. It is such an inspiring book about one man’s determination to provide schools for children (boys and girls) in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan. I’m recommending it to everyone.

Thanks to my aunt

On Saturday Leah and I went shopping at the Round Rock outlet mall with our aunt. It was fun, but tiring in the end. At my aunt’s house afterwards, she fixed me tea for my headache and told us about this BBC series that she saw 15 years ago, called The House of Eliott. She called it a mix of Upstairs, Downstairs and Project Runway, and let us borrow the series one DVDs she had.

We ended up watching 9 hours of the show this weekend, and we still haven’t finished it. I expected to enjoy a show about two sisters in 1920’s era England making their way on their own in the fashion world, but Mom, Leah and I are addicted. Leah’s already added series 2 of the show to her Netflix queue.

So I’d recommend this show, but be forewarned; you will become immersed in the world of these strong women and all the troubles they go though. It’s funny, and incredibly touching at times.

And before you judge me spending all my weekend watching the show, I also: went to church, helped at church afterwards, started and finished a book, walked all over the Round Rock outlet mall, and, um, watched the Oscars.

update: I just found out that the actress who plays Evie on the series is now on “CSI”; in fact, her character on “CSI” is one of the reasons I stopped watching the show. I think she’s pretty awful (and wooden) on the procedural detective show, but in “House of Eliott”, she’s pretty darn good. I wonder what happened?

Jandek will be at my church

I’m sure that’s a big deal for some people. I don’t know much about him, except that he’s very obscure and has a cult following (WikiPedia).

Here’s the list of everyone performing at Central this year (our second year as a SxSW venue). I’m looking into volunteering, and it seems that the wee morning/late night hours might be when I’ll be doing it. As long as I can see Duncan Sheik; I bought his first album as a freshman in college, and I still may have it somewhere. I doubt he’ll be singing “Barely Breathing”, but maybe “She Runs Away”? Or maybe not.

And have y’all seen Austinist’s interactive guide to SxSW? It’s wicked cool; my only contribution to it was to suggest linking to our food recommendations from last year (see the “interviews and more” section).

Dusk, 2/20

dusk
Originally uploaded by evso.

I took this photo while Leah and I walked in our neighborhood the other evening (mainly to try to take photos of buses from “Friday Night Lights”, because we are dorks).

Writing in my journal

Last night I couldn’t get to sleep. One of the themes from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg got stuck in my head (I watched it for the first time last night) and wouldn’t get out. I hadn’t brought my current book back to the room to read and was too tired to venture to the living room to get it. I didn’t want to blog when I was half-asleep, so I grabbed my journal (which I hadn’t written in in over a year). I just started writing a stream-of-consciousness/semi-fictional piece and ended with some questions I have no answers for. It was so cleansing, and as I had written down all the thoughts that were keeping me up, I went to sleep as soon as I turned the light off.

It’s Mardi Gras, after all

It took me until this afternoon to realize that’s why I can’t get a hold of anyone in a federal office in New Orleans.

music and lyrics

I have today off. I saw this film twice over the weekend. And it still wasn’t the number one movie for the weekend, despite my efforts.

Today FX is celebrating the tenth anniversary of “King of the Hill” by showing episodes all day. Whoopee!

Panda and Bethany

IMG_0086
Originally uploaded by evso.

Alice and Bethany were able to stop for a short while on Saturday night. I hadn’t seen Alice in a few years, and hadn’t seen Bethany ever. So it was short, but sweet.

Panda liked Bethany’s attentions at first, but then he got tired of it. He’s so fickle that way.