Hey Paula!!!

Many, many, many years ago, I entered a new phase of my life when I walked down a hallway and came upon a door that said A1-209. Upon opening the door, I was met with the most angelic smile....one I'll never forget. It was the face of Sr. Joan Margaret who would be my homeroom teacher for my freshman year at Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School. I'm posting this picture of Sr. Joan because Paula and I just loved her so very much. In looking for my seat (alphabetically arranged, of course), I came upon another face which was definitely not as angelic as the first one I had seen. It was the face of someone who would become one of my best high school friends. I dedicate this blog entry to my dear friend Paula or, as we sometimes called her, Polly. Paula is the last of the BFON8 that I have written about during this past year. By the way, if you're new to my blog, BFON8 stands for "Best Friends of Nancy" and there are 8 of them!!!!

Paula was everything I wanted to be. She was cool, she was tough and she was popular. But as tough as she was, she had such a sweetness about her which only her real friends got to see. You had to crack down that outer exterior to get to the real Paula. I was one of those people who was fortunate enough to break through her wall and become her friend and I truly considered it a privilege. She lived in Ozone Park, Queens while I lived in Brooklyn. Of course, we weren't permitted to call it Ozone Park as it was better known as OZ (and it's not pronounced like the place where the wizard lived)....the letters are pronounced as "O" as in Ozone and "Z" as in the second letter of Ozone.

Paula was also Italian and, as my mother once said, I was always attracted to Italians. I loved everything about her then and I do now. Over the years, we lost track of each other but reconnected thanks to the Internet and classmates.com. We've emailed each other numerous times during those years and were fortunate enough to see each other again at our high school reunion a few months ago. I can't even tell you how great it was to see her and to be in her presence. I have always been in awe of her. We took pictures that day and I purposely put them aside so I could use them in my blog. Today I practically ripped my entire house apart trying to find them....but to no avail.

Yet Paula's life has had some extreme sadness in it having lost a son who was a civil servant and worked very closely with helping those involved in the 9/11 tragedy and working at the site day after day in its aftermath. I can't definitely say that's what caused his death but I think Paula is quite sure of this. It just makes me so sad to know that she has to live with missing him every single day.

But, there's always a silver lining and there is something in her life that brings her so much happiness and that's her daughter and granddaughter. I'm just so happy that Paula has this in her life. I don't think I've gotten one email from her where she hasn't mentioned this precious little thing.

We also have something else in common as Paula's husband loves to play poker and Paula is great at following Michael's progress in the poker world. I'm so happy to share him with Paula and love it that she gets as excited as I do when he's in a tournament.

I would love to relate some of the things Paula has said to me over the years but I can't as most of them have been "x" rated (like the E.T.B. on her graduation photo above). I go back and read through my high school yearbook and relive those four years with her and I just want to cry. I loved every single minute we spent at that school. Most of these memories, however, happened at a pizza place called Steve's where we would go most days after school to get together but we were primarily there to smoke cigarettes before heading home. This picture was taken outside of Steve's with the whole gang. Can you imagine pizza being 20 cents a slice? Unfortunately, Paula was the one taking the picture so she's not in it. I'm in the middle with the blonde hair and no uniform on. I asked her why I didn't have on my uniform and she told me I was probably getting some stupid award that day. While it really wasn't that cool to be smart, we always tried to downplay it.

The song Hey Paula came out the year before we started high school. When it came out, I had never met anyone with that name. Once we met and became friends, I could never hear that song without thinking about her and without a smile coming across my face. The flip side of that 45 was a song called Bobby Is The One and Bobby was the name of my boyfriend when I was a freshman so that record had a double meaning for me.

I think if I had a wish it would be to see Jersey Boys once again and this time to see it with high school friends......the girls I lived through all of those songs with. I can just see me sitting there with Paula on one side and Ellen on the other. That would be heaven to me.

So today's Paula's birthday. I want her to be happy today. I want everything to be good for her. I want to be there with her and give her a hug and tell her how much she's loved. I'm just so happy she's back in my life and I hope to be able to add some happy days to her life. Together we were a great team. My whole life, I'll never forget a minute I spent with Paula which is truly the sign of a true best friend.

This is the card I would pick out for Paula today. The front says it all.

Happy Birthday my dear friend......Enjoy!!!!

And yet another book review!!!

FROM GUERNSEY WITH LOVE,

Don't get me wrong....this is a nice, little book to curl up with and read on a cold winter's day. Enough reviewers have already given synopses of the story of the German occupation of this picturesque island during WWII, so I'll skip that part. Suffice it to say, it's an enjoyable, quick read with real life characters that are very endearing. So why not five stars from me?

I think I started and put this book down at least five times. Each time I got bored with it. At this point, I had only gotten to about page 50. When I finally decided to push ahead and finish it some weeks later, I had to reread those fifty pages all over again just to get the characters sorted out. At the beginning of the book, it's hard to remember the relationship between the letter writers -- Sidney (publisher) and Juliet (author) and Susan (publicist) and Sophie (Sidney's sister and Juliet's best friend). I kept forgetting who was who. Then when Juliet started corresponding with the residents of Guernsey, I knew I would be totally lost if I did not go back and get all of these characters straight in my head. Once I did this, it was smooth sailing until the end.

I admit to enjoying epistolary novels because I like the way the story flows. What I couldn't understand about this one was how a letter written on the 23rd of a given month could be received in time for the recipient to respond by the 24th of that same month given the fact that the recipient was in another town or country. Even our postal service now cannot perform that miracle so I found it hard to believe this possible in post WWII. Guernsey reminded me of locales in England written about by authors like Rosamunde Pilcher. As I read more and more about the descriptions of the island, I actually felt I was reading either a book by Pilcher or one by Maeve Binchy.

I certainly don't want to turn anyone away from reading this novel. I just think with all the hoopla surrounding it, my expectations were set at a much higher level than could have possibly been achieved by this author. If you, like myself, are a lover of epistolary novels, some of my favorites are 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff and These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner. There's nothing like reading someone's back and forth correspondence or writings in one's diary to really get to know them . In this regard, the author was quite successful as I really got a good sense of what the main character, Juliet, was all about. And all in all, it did make me want to visit this tiny little place in history.

As with many books set in a time or place I'm unfamiliar with, I found myself doing so much research about Guernsey and it's inhabitants during the war. On this subject, the book did do justice to this place in time and did open my eyes to a world I'd known little about. One interesting tidbit I did find out was that in 1855, Victor Hugo found sanctuary on the Isle of Guernsey while fleeing political persecution. I've also recently added the DVD of Island At War to my Netflix queue. This is a BBC series of a fictional Channel Island during this time period.

So I'd say lower your expectations a bit and you'll probably enjoy it more than I did.

4 out of 5 stars

The Oscars

So tonight's the presentation of the 81st Annual Academy Awards better known to most as The Oscars. Usually I try to see most of the nominated films prior to the telecast but this year I was only able to see one and that was Slumdog Millionaire.

For some reasons, The Oscars came upon me much too quickly this year. All of the plans we had to go to the movies either got foiled by bad weather or laziness. So I can't even make my usual predictions like I did this year. What I'll do instead is say who I'd like to win which doesn't necessarily mean they deserve to win.

Regardless of who wins and loses, however, the show is well worth watching if for no other reason than to watch Hugh Jackman, People Magazine's Sexiest Man of the Year. He's so talented having appeared both in movies and on Broadway and I don't think it will be too much of a stretch to see him singing and dancing on the stage this evening.

The Oscars are usually so boring and I'm hoping that Jackman will infuse some life into the show. And if it starts in any way to get political, this viewer will be changing the channel. This is one thing I can't stand about these award shows....having to listen to all of these actors and actresses spouting their political views. Who cares who you voted for and how you sway? I clearly don't. I'm watching to be entertained not to be preached to.

So with that said, here are my predictions:

Best Actor -- Mickey Rourke (who doesn't like a comeback story)(I was wrong on this one)

Best Actress -- Kate Winslet (it's about time)

Best Actor Supporting Role -- Heath Ledger (what a shame he's not here)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Marisa Tomei (wrong again)

Best Director -- Danny Boyle

Best Picture -- Slumdog Millionaire

And in order to get to the above awards, we'll have to sit through all of these....

Animated Feature Film

Art Direction

Cinematography

Costume Design

Documentary Feature

Documentary Short

Film Editing

Foreign Language Film

Makeup

Musical Score

Musical Song

Short Film (Animated)

Short Film (Live Action)

Sound Editing

Sound Mixing

Visual Effects

Screenplay (Adaptation)

Screenplay (Original)

But as boring as these awards will probably be, these are the people who really make it work....the unsung heroes who are behind the scenes. So I try to make sure not to leave the TV when their moment of fame is announced. It's only fair that all should witness their achievements as well as those who were paid millions and millions and millions of dollars to be in these films.

The real highlight for me, however, is the red carpet show. This is where you can see who's wearing what and who's with whom. I used to enjoy watching the Barbara Walters' special right before The Oscars but lately she's just so full of herself that I can hardly bear to watch her. So I think I'll stick to the "E" Network's show the entire time until the actual award show begins. Here's hoping all of your predictions come true.

So here's the update:

I thought it was one of the best Oscar's I've seen in years. Hugh Jackman was amazing and so comfortable in his role as host. He also did a song and dance number in the middle of the show with Beyonce that was off the charts.

One of my favorite changes was having past winners say a little something about the nominees. I actually had tears in my eyes during some of these. It was better than just seeing a film clip showing their performances.

I don't think there were any real "standouts" as far as clothing goes. They all looked good but nothing really stood out to me as amazing.

I felt sorry for Mickey Rourke that he didn't win but many people felt Sean Penn was going to win anyway.

I think they should probably sign Hugh Jackman up as a lifetime host....he was that good!!!

Another Book Review

Finder is a "Power Player"

I'll start off by saying, "Yes, I'm a Finder fan and have been since I read High Crimes." I honestly think he's one of the best thriller authors out there and the reason is simply this....Finder never disappoints his readers. In the world of mystery/thriller authors, they can all take lessons from this master of the ultimate roller coaster ride.

With that said, I'm so glad he switched his emphasis from spy novels to corporate espionage. Set amid the steel and glass towers of corporate America, Power Play introduces us to some of the workings that go on inside these buildings, where the wheelers and dealers are nothing more than pawns in a game that some might call "Risk" while others might call "Jeopardy". Finder has his cast of characters leave the comforts of their magnificent offices and travel to the exact opposite end of the spectrum as they embark on a retreat to an isolated and remote lodge. This is a world where cell phones and the Internet are taboo....but where "Deliverance" will be found at the hands of some random hunters.

But the question is....how random are they? This is the one and only mistake in this book. Right on the jacket cover it tells what happens once these executives make themselves comfortable in this lodge. I would have much preferred to have been surprised at the outcome or should I say "shocked" by the outcome because that's what I would have been had it not told me what was going to happen after they arrived. I realize that jacket covers sell books but I feel the publisher does the reader an injustice by laying it out there before one word is even read.

One thing Finder is great at is delivering an unforgettable character to his readers. They always have great names and they're always tough guys down to the core. In this offering, our hero is Jake Landry, who almost reluctantly understands the inner workings of the company almost as much as he does the engineering of the airplanes they build. At Hammond Aerospace, other employees might consider him an underling yet CEO Cheryl Tobin invites him to participate in this corporate weekend raising the eyebrows of the other executives at the top of the ladder. It's here where the men will be separated from the boys. Little do they know how happy they'll be that Landry is with them when the hunters arrive and the mayhem ensues.

One thing is for sure -- I'll never tire of anything Joe Finder puts his pen to. He's in a class all his own and it's so well deserved. Like his main characters, he's surely one of the good guys in this world of "authordom".....a definite "Power Player."

Book Reviews

Lately, I've been reading so many blogs that would be considered "book blogs". These bloggers post book reviews based on many different challenges. Some of them read a book a week and post the review. Some of them decide, at the beginning of the year, to read books by authors from other countries. Some of them read books by authors whose names end in the letter "A". There's so many different challenges that these bloggers undertake.

While I'm not participating in any specific "book" challenges, I do read books and I do review the books I read. I thought it might be a good idea to post my reviews right here on my own blog for my readers' enjoyment. Everyone is always asking me for some great book recommendations and this way you'll be able to read the review as soon as I finish the book. For those of you who would like to look at all of my past reviews, simply click on the link in the right hand column of my blog and it will take you to Amazon where you can view them.

Here is the review of the book I dubbed "My Top Pick of 2008." The book's title is The Art of Racing in the Rain and the author is Garth Stein. To set this up, it's a book that's narrated by a dog who is living with a man who very much enjoys car racing. It's not quite in my usual book review format but it's a review I enjoyed writing because it became so funny.

The Art of Reading A Book You'll Love

This is one of the first times I can remember writing a book review within minutes of finishing the book. I feel the need to do this because I fear if I wait until tomorrow, I won't be able to express to you just how wonderful this book truly is. With tears streaming down my face, I'm urging you to read it.....something I've never done before.

You don't have to be a dog lover.....you don't have to be a race car lover. All you have to be is a reader looking for something worthwhile to read; something you'll never forget; something you will be missing out on if you don't take the opportunity to do something for yourself and begin a journey with a dog and a man.....a journey you won't soon forget. One warning though....do not read the end right before you're ready to go to sleep because sleep will not come. You will be too full of your thoughts and your feelings and a sadness overshadowed by happiness.

As soon as I finished the book, I instant messaged a reading friend of mine to encourage her to read the book right away. This discourse was so funny that I feel the need to post it right here, within my review, since perhaps some of you might feel the same way she did.

Myself: OMG..I just this minute finished The Art of Racing In the Rain and I can't stop crying
Friend: oh no
Myself: I was going to beg you to read it but I feel now I must order you to do so
Friend: it's a dog book, right?
Myself: It is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read
Myself: Yes, it's narrated by a dog but it's so much more
Friend: hmmm
Myself: I just wrote the first two paragraphs of my review if that will get you to read it
Friend: okay okay
Myself: Promise me you'll read it and get Laura to do so as well
Friend: I hate car racing...despise it!
Myself: That is so insignificant
Friend: that turned me off more than the dog narrator
Myself: It's not the racing because there's hardly any of that in it
Myself: It's what makes someone a winner and not a loser
Myself: And they use the car racing as the backdrop for that
Friend: are there more than two paragraphs about car racing?
Myself: I swear to God.....do not ask me one more question about car racing.....Get the darn book because I'm asking you to. lol
Myself: You want great reading experiences.....this is one of them
Friend: the only thing worse would be if it was about car racing in INDIA!
Myself: lol
Friend: ok. so I just read the first 5 pages at Amazon and it has some promise
Myself: thank you
Myself: okay enough already......just read the book and let me know the minute you finish it when you're crying your eyes out and writing about it for that stupid Sunday Salon of yours lol

I posted this chat within my review so you can see just what I have to go through simply to get a friend to read a book I like. Obviously I get no respect in this regard.

Well the bottom line is that she read it and now I see her recommending it to everyone she knows. Needless to say, I'm not going to tell you anything else about the premise or about a dog named Enzo and a man named Denny who has a wife named Eve and a little girl named Zoe. That's all you need to know.

You will laugh and you will cry but, in the end, you will feel fulfilled with a promise of hope....a promise as seen through the eyes of a dog. It doesn't get much better than that.

Super Bowl XLIII 2009

Last year, my team, the NY Giants, was in the Super Bowl so it made it much more exciting for me as I had a vested interest in the game. This year, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals take the field and it really doesn't matter to me which team wins. But, I'm going to root for Arizona because I'd like to see the underdog win. This is the first year in awhile that Michael will actually be home with us to watch the game. I remember last year he was in Brazil at the time and was text messaging us throughout the entire game for updates.

To make the game a little bit more exciting, I entered a pool that's run by one of my brother's friends so I'll let you know how I doing throughout this blog entry. This is how it works. If the score at any point has these numbers in it at the same time, I win some money.

Pittsburgh 0 Arizona 9 Pittsburgh 8 Arizona 9

So, for instance, if the score at any point is Pittsburgh 20, Arizona 19, I win. If it is Pittsburgh 38, Arizona, 29, I win. Or any combination of those numbers.

The game is now over and I didn't win anything!!!

I will be updating this throughout the entire game and, like I did last year, will be giving you my thoughts on the game BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER.....including my picks for favorite commercials. So get your snacks ready and let the game begin.

As I'm sitting here waiting for the game to begin, I found some interesting trivia that I thought you might find interesting. Here's what voters think the Top 10 Football Movies are:

1. Remember The Titans
2. Rudy (clearly should have been #1)
3. Brian's Song (who doesn't remember those words...I Love You Brian Piccolo)
4. The Longest Yard
5. We Are Marshall
6. Invincible
7. Friday Night Lights (a personal favorite and now my favorite TV show)
8. Any Given Sunday
9. North Dallas Forty
10. Jerry Maguire (You had me at "hello")

BEFORE:

The pre-game show has begun with Faith Hill singing God Bless America.....what a voice!! This is followed by the entire crew, from US Air Flight #1549, who helped save all of the passengers on the plane when it crash landed into the Hudson River. That was pretty special. Then Jennifer Hudson sings the National Anthem. This is her first appearance since her mother, brother and nephew were murdered last October. I think it was better than Whitney's performance although Michael and Bob disagreed with me.

DURING:

End of 1st Quarter -- Pittsburgh 10 Arizona 0

End of 2nd Quarter -- Pittsburgh 17 Arizona 7

HALFTIME SHOW:

I think it's about time that there's been a good halftime show. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band put on a great show. He's definitely beginning to show his age as evidenced by his voice. When he kept pointing the microphone at the audience so that they could sing the chorus, I was thinking he was doing that because he couldn't keep up. My only disappointment was that they didn't sing Born In the USA.

End of 3rd Quarter -- Pittsburgh 20 Arizona 7

Final Score -- Pittsburgh 27 Arizona 23

At the beginning of the game, I thought Pittsburgh was going to trounce Arizona but, in the end, Arizona held their own and almost won.

So here's what you've really been waiting for.....the commercial winners.

Doritos -- This was so funny when they throw a water globe into a vending machine.

Budweiser -- Conan O'Brien thinking he's filming a commercial that will only be shown in Sweden.

Budweiser -- The dalmation fetches a bone and the Clydesdale outdoes him by fetching a huge tree branch....this was my favorite!!

Budweiser -- Two horses in love....one in the circus and one a Clydesdale.

Once again, Budweiser is the clear winner commercial-wise. There was one commercial that was so irritating and that was career builder.com. It gets your attention but is so annoying that you vow never to use the site.

So that's the end of another Super Bowl. No Giants but still a great game. There's always next year. Until then.....