Category Archives: Wrist to Forehead Sunday

Bring on Boris Karloff!

Oh, I had not meant to make a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I meant to have Sunday Running Commentary and even ran with that very purpose in mind (as well as health, weight-loss and 5K preparation purposes).  But then I had to go grocery shopping, then I started doing laundry, then I had a headache so lay down, then I fell asleep till Steven came home, then I was cooking…

It’s starting to look like a Scattered Sunday.  In fact, I don’t feel particularly wrist-to-forehead right now.  Only, I want to make a quick post, so Steven and I can get on to the movie watching portion of the evening.  He brought some of our Christmas movies down from the attic.  I particularly want to see How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the real one, meaning the cartoon narrated by the inimitable Boris Karloff.  For one reason, I can pretend we’re watching a horror movie.  I adore Boris Karloff.

I am in the midst of cooking a couple of things that might make good cooking posts.  Additionally, I have extended posts to write about some of the Mohawk Valley businesses I patronized on Shop Small Saturday.  All kinds of blog topics, yet here I am hurriedly typing in nonsense (full disclosure:  I paused in my typing to go stir some stuff out in the kitchen).

Then again, this is what I do.  I publish nonsense on many occasions.  But I hope sometimes at least I amuse and entertain.  Or do I flatter myself?  That thought will give me a wrist to forehead moment.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

Looking for a Little Cheer

When in doubt, take a couple of pictures and wing it.  That is my new blog motto.  I think it’ll work for Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

Actually, I feel it is not a true Wrist to Forehead Sunday, because that is a day I kind of make fun of myself for my angst.  I don’t feel like making fun of myself tonight.  Then again, perhaps that is the best time to do so.  I’m sure I don’t know these things.

At any rate, I am sitting in my living room watching Lethal Weapon, which I have never seen before.  Oh, I’ve seen the scene with Mel Gibson’s butt, but I guess that’s neither here nor there.  It is, of course, a Christmas movie.  We like Christmas movies. This one, however, is kind of a depressing movie.  So I’m kind of watching and typing, trying to get this blog post done, and I don’t really know what I feel like typing about (as Truman Capote once said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing”).

As I am feeling kind of down, but not that my angst is of the usual amusing Wrist to Forehead Sunday variety, I thought I would take a couple of pictures of cheerful things in my life.  I started with my dog, Spunky.

 

20161120_160810

I confess to feeling a little envy that he is so comfy, all curled up and sleeping.  I tried to take a nap earlier, because I had a headache.  I had the damnedest time falling asleep and it didn’t even help the headache.  I suppose you’ll have that sometimes.  Most headaches go away eventually and in the meantime they must be endured (I say philosophically now; at the time I felt quite grumpy about it).

 

20161120_161008

 

 

These are some lovely flowers that friends sent me, because of my recent medical thing.  It was quite unexpected and very much appreciated.

So there are two thing to be cheerful about:  a nice doggy and nice friends who send me pretty flowers.  What reason to I have to have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday?

 

Remind Me to Get a Chaise Lounge

Oh, why do I wait till so late in the day to make my blog post?  I say it in the usual dramatic pose, one wrist to my forehead, before I swoon on the chaise lounge which I have cleverly made sure I was standing near.  Just kidding.  I don’t have a chaise lounge.

I was actually thinking about this earlier.  Ladies swooning, I mean.  I was watching Phantom of the Opera, the original silent film.  I have been watching it for two days now, about a half hour each time, while I ran in place on the mini-tramp.  Yes!  I have started running again!  Just thought I’d slip that little fact in.

But getting back to swooning, we had reached the point where the Phantom has abducted Christine.  A bunch of stuff happens, then the woman ups and faints.  Let me tell you, I was jealous.  When a girl just couldn’t handle it any more, all she had to do was swoon. What a great way to get out of thinking of a snappy comeback!  Ah, not that I am usually at a loss for a snappy comeback.  I mean I can’t ALWAYS think of one, but often.  Still, that fainting had to come in handy sometimes.

For example right now.  Here I am, Sunday evening and no blog post in sight.  If only I could faint dead away and not have to worry about it!   Or I could just do what I usually do and type in a bunch of nonsense and hit Publish. And, of course, try again tomorrow.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

Good-bye, Halloween, and I Miss You, Brain!

I guess iced coffee is my current beverage of choice, especially when sipping and typing.  I must say, not as much fun as wine, but not at all bad.  And when I say iced coffee, I don’t mean that bottled stuff you buy or the various concoctions they make at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks kinds of places.  I mean I filled a large glass with ice and poured over it the coffee in our pot that was left over from this morning.  We have a goodly amount left over today, because I did not drink any this morning, hot or iced (I’m not allowed hot yet, dammit!).

Incidentally, the glass I used is Ballast Point Sculpin India Pale Ale, which I acquired at a Steal the Glass promotion at Copper Moose Ale House in Little Falls last summer (did I write a blog post about that?).  Just to sneak in a local connection.

I am typing off the cuff as my husband packs away our Halloween decorations (those we do not keep out all year).  I am a little dopey (yes, more than usual, you wise ass) from pain medicine and probably from lack of food.  I ate some yogurt earlier so a not to take the medicine on an empty stomach, but I have certainly not been eating my usual amounts.  On the brighter side, I’ve lost four pounds.

So it is definitely Wrist to Forehead Sunday as I feel too brain dead to write a decent post, too body dead to do any more useful chores, and not a little sad to see Halloween go away when I feel I have not sufficiently appreciated the season.  We’ll blame my health woes for that.  But I will not go on about my health woes, because, you know, HIPPA rules and all that.

My ambition now is to NOT take the pain medication again but to rely on ice and stillness to keep my pain in check.  And I hope to salvage some Halloween enjoyment by watching a few more Halloween movies, possibly of the cheesy variety.  And as soon as I get my brain back, I hope to write a better blog post.

 

Wrist to Seeds to Shout-outs

Well, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday, we all knew it would be.  I’m still trying to get over my cold.  Yesterday’s chicken soup helped, especially when I heated up two more bowls of it this afternoon.  Extra sleep has helped too.  I may stop complaining about my ills any day now, but let’s not expect miracles, shall we?  At least I can stop whining long enough to give a shout-out to a local business that helped us out today.

In the best of circumstances I don’t often cook something good two days in a row.  Additionally, the oven was already occupied by roasting pumpkin seeds. Yes, we waited till the day before Halloween to carve our pumpkin.  What can I say, it’s been a rough month.  But today Steven carved a delightful face in the pumpkin we got from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit (ooh, that will make two shout-outs today).  I gathered the seeds and put them in the oven to roast, after tossing them in olive oil with salt and spices.  Just to give another shout-out, I used the Salt Free Essential Spice Blend I got from So Sweet Candy Cafe  (it was at their booth at the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls, so it actually may have been So Sweet Candy Confections, but what’s in a name) (and I just gave a shout-out to the Garlic Festival, didn’t I?).

That was kind of a convoluted paragraph, wasn’t it?  You’ll have that when a blogger is not feeling 100% for some days in a row.  No matter, my original purpose here was to give a shout-out to Carney’s Corners.  Steven called in an order for pick-up, an Italian sub and pasta salad.  I had not had an Italian sub in a while.  I’ve been trying to get away from processed, aged meats, since I heard they may be migraine triggers.  Never mind that they are some of my favorite things.  Salami and pepperoni, YUM!  I thoroughly enjoyed my half of that sub.

OK, I’ve carefully put in links to Pumpkin Junction, So Sweet Candy Cafe and Mohawk valley Garlic and Herb Festival.  I couldn’t find a site for Carney’s Corners, but they are located at 232 N. Washington St., Herkimer, phone number 315-866-7191.  And if you don’t feel like clicking, Pumpkin Junction is at 2188 Graffenburg Rd., Sauquoit, 315-794-4604 (although their last day of business for the year may be Oct. 31, so hurry); So Sweet Candy Cafe is 531 Varick St., Utica, 315-765-6463.

 

Wrist to Review

I must begin to get ready soon for the closing performance of Splitting Issues, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre.  I think it would be a good idea to publish my blog post before I leave.  For one reason, after the show we have to strike the set, then we have the cast party.  Who knows when I’ll be home?  And then Steven will want to get on the computer, because he is at work right now while I am sitting here on my fat butt, on the computer.  Only I am not feeling well, and there are a few other useful things it would be really nice to get done, and my brain can’t seem to settle on a blog topic.

Sounds like Wrist to Forehead Sunday to me.

I know, first world problems.  Don’t you hate that expression?  It’s a snarkier way of saying quitcherbitchin’ (that’s all one word, isn’t it?), and I feel it is snarky enough to discount somebody else’s complaints.  Then again, I do complain too much and should, in fact, quit my bitching (I think it’s funnier when I put the g back in).  So let’s get back to the blog post and stop talking about me (oh wait, it’s  personal blog; it is supposed to be about me).

Splitting Issues has gone splendidly, by the way.  We sold out Friday night and had an almost full house Saturday.  Both audiences were very appreciative.  There is just nothing like hearing that laughter when you are on stage trying to be funny.  I LOVE live theatre!  Paul Boehlert reviewed Friday night’s peformance in Sunday’s Utica OD.  The review was published online Saturday.  A cast member found it on her phone and read it to us.  It was a great review. And it mentioned me and Steve!

Here is the link, in case you’d like to read the review for yourself:

http://www.uticaod.com/news/20161022/review-splitting-issues-splits-sides-at-ilion-little-theatre.

In the meantime, I’m over 300 words.  I call that respectable.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

Witch to Forehead Sunday

Nobody should be surprised that this is Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  We are back home from our Vermont adventures, and I am tired.  Could I be getting old?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!  Well, of course it is so.  You get old or you die young.  Those are the choices.  Anyways, I got tired when I was younger, too.  The best thing to do is to relax myself today and have some more adventures tomorrow.

I find that some excellent things to do on a gloomy, tired Wrist to Forehead Sunday are read cheap fiction, watch true crime shows and watch movies.  I am indulging in all three. I purchased several Agatha Christie novels at a used book sale in Arlington, VT on Friday.  I read one on Saturday.  I am reading another one today.  While I read and Steven Facebooked (one of my favorite verbs), we looked at a few episodes of Snapped.  Now while I blog (another silly verb), we are watching The Curse of the Blair Witch, the cable documentary that was made to promote The Blair Witch Project, which movie we shall probably watch next.

I particularly wanted to watch these features this weekend, because it is Columbus Day weekend, which I believe is when the movie takes place.  It is definitely October, because there are Halloween decorations up in some of the places they film.  It must be a long weekend, because of the number of nights they camp before they get lost and are staying extra, unintended nights.  Perhaps the dates are actually stated in the movie, and I am quite foolish for feelings so pleased with myself for my deductions (I read a lot of Agatha Christie, but I’m no Miss Marple) (if you do not get that reference, I am sorry for your lack of reading some very enjoyable books) (then again, to each his own, as the old lady aid when she kissed the cow).

Where was I?  Ah yes, that movie about the movie about the Blair Witch.  I know it is not respected by some, but it is one of my favorite Halloween movies.  I enjoy the alternate narrative technique, although it has since been copycatted quite a bit (I’ll be damned, my computer thinks “copycatted” is a word; I thought I just now verbed the noun) (but apparently “verbed” is not a word).  It suits my mood today to watch a foolish movie I have seen many times before.  Maybe tomorrow I can watch something really cheesy to write about.

In the meantime, Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

A Pause for the Post

I pause in the midst of my Wrist to Forehead Sunday activities to make a blog post.  Not a good blog post, but, well, make your own snide comments here.

I slept in till after six this morning.  I felt rather pleased about that, although since I had gone to bed after 11:30 — unprecedented debauchery for me (although I did not actually debauch; I just got to bed late) — I can’t say I felt as rested as I would like to feel.  Then again, as the great philosopher Mick Jagger once pointed out, you can’t always get what you want.

After a cup and a half of coffee, I went running. Yay me. It wasn’t a great run, but I did increase my run time by the recommended 10 percent from my most recent longest time.  I went to church with my sister, Cheryl,  and some of her family (including my wonderful great nephew).  Cheryl and her friend Penny were going to a Psychic Fair in Frankfort, but I declined to join them because I had to do laundry, among other things.

Full disclosure:  I only did one load of laundry and now a whole hell of a lot else.  Steven and I (once he got home from work) were watching Halloween movies, but we paused one to take our poocher, Spunky, for a walk.  When we returned, Steven became fired with ambition to put the Halloween lights up on the front porch.  So I’m sitting here looking at the blue screen which results when you pause a movie too long, feeling guilty that I am sitting here pecking away at the laptop keyboard while Steven does something useful.  What’s that all about?

So its another damn dumb post, but what do you want from me on a Sunday?  I’ll see what I can come up with for Monday.  In the meantime, I leave you with a philosophical question:  Should I have gone to the Psychic Fair?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

Halloween Bonafides on Wrist to Forehead Sunday

I let another movie run while I make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  We usually watch True Crime television on Sunday, notably episode after episode of Snapped, but it is autumn, and that means it is time for Halloween movies!  Of course, I like horror movies all year long, particularly the cheesy variety, but there is an especial feeling of comfort in watching them as the weather begins to turn cool, as it did today.

We began our movie watching with Return of the Body Snatchers, which is not cheesy but something of a classic.  Mostly I like the classic cars.  It is a selling point to me in an old movie when the characters do a lot of driving.  I like to have a connection between the movies I watch, so we are now looking at House of Wax.  The connection is that both movies feature Carolyn Jones, most famous for portraying Morticia Adams.

Our other potential choice was The Birds, because of bit parts in both movies played by that guy that was on The Dick Van Dyke Show.  Steven had to look up his name for this blog post:  Richard Deacon.  I never would have remembered that, if I ever knew it to begin with (I am not at all sure I did).  I felt Wax was a better movie to go with, because an actor famous for Morticia clearly has better Halloween bonafides than one who played some random guy opposite Dick Van Dyke (YES, I love Dick Van Dyke, no he is not a Halloween guy, shut up).

I would really like to write some more posts about cheesy horror movies.  We have watched a couple, but I just can’t seem to put pen to paper about them.  I’ll have to work on that.  In the meantime, I sit here, poised with one wrist to my forehead, watching what we’re watching and lamenting my lack of a better blog post. You would think I would be used to it by now.  Never mind.  The largest room in the world is the room for improvement.  That gives me plenty of space to maneuver.

 

Wrist to Virginia Woolf

I knew it would be Wrist to Forehead Sunday; I just didn’t know how long I would put off making the post.  This weekend was going to be SO productive, writing-wise!  I guess next weekend I will plan on getting nothing done and see if the opposite thing happens with that.

I couldn’t even have one of my favorite Severed Head Sundays, because Steven wanted to watch Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in respect for recently deceased playwright Edward Albee.  I could have no possible objection.  I love Edward Albee.  I had a great directing experience once directing The American Dream, which of course he wrote.  My greatest dream role has always been Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  I still think I could play the hell out of that part.  Perhaps I flatter myself, but who would disillusion me?  At least, I suppose somebody might try, but I will not believe them.

It is really a very good movie.  Some people have problems with places where it departs from the play script, but you’ll have that with a screen adaptation.  I have never seen the play on stage, although I have read it numerous times.  I think it is time for me to read it again.  It would be a good idea for me to read more plays, since I am currently working on writing a couple. If I keep reading plays, I can internalize the form, as they say.

In the meantime, I need to publish at least 200 words to feel I am still writing a blog.  When I realized I had not done so yet, I said, “Crap!  I haven’t make my blog post!”  Steven said, “Don’t make one today.  Everyone will be saying, ‘Where’s Cindy?’ ”  But I could not let today be the day I did such a thing.  So I pulled out the laptop and started typing.  And look, I am over 300 words.  I call that respectable.  Happy Sunday, everyone.