Random thoughts on a Friday

-- This morning on the treadmill, I read that Vincent Schiavelli died, and I felt really sad, mostly because I had it in my head that he was the Hello guy in Crazy People. It turns out, though, that Hello guy is actually named David Paymer, and he's very much alive, and duh, also the guy in In Good Company and about a thousand other things, and I don't know why I had him confused with Vincent Schiavelli, who of course was also in Fast Times and Better Off Dead and Death to Smoochy. So I'm sad about him, too, and feel bad that I simply can't differentiate among actors sometimes (which is a somewhat common problem, although I bet most people don't get these two mixed up).

-- Speaking of Death to Smoochy, I found it so funny yesterday when a radio show was talking about Jon Stewart being picked to host the Oscars, and how it's sort of a weird choice because he's not so much a movie actor, and then one of the other DJs burst out with, "But he was in Death to Smoochy!!" No one else seems to be amused by this, but there you go.

-- I wish that professional people in the work place would all wash their hands after using the restroom, particularly when there are other people in there who see them not washing their hands. But you know what? At this point, I'd settle for people heeding the axiom about "If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat." Because, seriously, gross. This isn't Madison Square Garden or a Port-a-Potty, for pete's sake.

-- The Smelmooo was quoted in a front-page article in the paper yesterday, and I felt really proud of him, and my first peer-reviewed journal article is coming out on Tuesday, so I feel proud of me, even though it's kind of a piddly little article.

-- We leave next week for Puerto Rico, and I can't freakin' wait. I have had a hard time settling back into work post-holidays, and I'm looking forward to taking a break, reading tons of books and catching up on an obscene pile of New Yorker back-issues, and spending time with my hubby in the warm weather. Possibly not sunny weather, but warm at least.

-- I'm taking my nieces to see Disney Princesses on Ice in a few weeks. They are over the moon about it, and have already picked out their outfits for the occasion, which is making me feel a tremendous amount of pressure. I was only able to get nosebleed section seats, and Julia's going to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway the day before, so I feel like she, at least, is going to feel disappointed. But it'll be quality time with the girls, whom I love desperately, and they have fun together no matter what they're doing, so I think it'll end up being okay. I can't believe I'm so anxious about showing a 6-year-old and a 7-year old a good time.

-- I got sucked into Dancing With the Stars last night, against my better judgment. But I found it totally compelling, and I'm figuring that one of the average couples will be sent home tonight because the viewers at home will take pity on Master P and think "Awww! At least he tried! Give him credit for that! And his partner is just so adorable! They can't be eliminated." Not that I called and tried to save Kenny Mayne. Nope. Not me.

-- Last week, I watched St. Elmo's Fire for the first time since, probably, my first year of college. It's amazing how well it's held up, and I get so much more out of it now than I did in high school or early in college. And I wish that I'd watched it right after college, when it would have resonated even more. The whole scene toward the end with Rob Lowe and Demi and the billowing curtains is still just annoying, and the subplot with Andie MacDowell is weird, but on the whole it's just such a good movie, with so many great lines:
"It's not the fat chick."

"It's your scuba suit."

"I'm giving Howie back, too."

"I always knew he was a Republican!"

"Prison."

In addition to my list of movies I've never seen -- which is growing ever-shorter -- I think I need to start re-watching the ones I've loved, like Stealing Home (which I just got on DVD, yay!), Say Anything, Shag, Heathers and probably a million others. This may be a slumber party in the making.

-- The Smelmooo visited me for lunch today, and it made me enormously happy. Hooray! A lovely start to the weekend.