I laugh about everything for fear of crying.

Without further ado, I present my new blog.  Please update your bookmarks and links, and enjoy!

http://phaino.blogspot.com

Love, Jamie.

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted… It has been seriously busy here in the District of Columbia, and by the way, ridiculously cold.  I just wanted to announce, that very soon, I will be unveiling my new blog over at blogspot!!  I’ve grown weary of Friendster blogs and the limited control I have over the html here.  Is everyone atingle with anticipation?  I hope so.

Also, 2 weeks until I’m back in Texas!  Squeee!

Sooo, I went to the symphony tonight.  All dressed up and everything.  The theater is super-fancy and really ornate and beautiful, with lots of guild and red velvet.  And of course a chandelier.  My step-dad and I started our usual Stadler and Waldorf routine before the show, which nearly caused my mom to separate us, but we behaved (mostly) once the lights went down.  I did manage to get in a completely inappropriate "oh, look, Fum, Fum, Fum ’til your daddy takes the t-bird away!" during the show. 

In all seriousness, I adore the symphony, especially the Christmas music.  I may have missed my calling as a concert violinist.  Except the part where I’m only mediocrely talented in the musical arena.  We always sit up top, ’cause we’re poor, yo, but I actually like it better, because you can watch the dozens of strings’ bows all move in unison, and see the feet tapping and the page turning.  I love watching musicians because of all the performance arts, you can really see that a musician would rather be playing his instrument than just about anything else in the world.  Oh, to be paid for something you love to do!  I hear some people actually live this way.  I should look into that.

The show was really good- we heard some classics, including Hallelujah Amen which is basically the Judaic equivalent of The Messiah’s Hallelujah Chorus, Carol of the Bells by the Central Ohio Children’s Chorus (what is more beautiful than children singing?), and John Rutter’s arrangement of O Here We Come A-Wassailing, and then some new things like a gorgeous ballet set to Greensleeves, a crazy rendition of Rudolf that I actually enjoyed- it was arranged to classic composers "with apologies to Beethoven and Handel", and a new Latin piece about starlight sung acapella- man, it took me back to my choir days and how much I LOVE to sing in Latin.  WOW.

They also do a fun thing where all the kids in the audience put their names in a hat and one is drawn to conduct the orchestra in Sleigh Ride.  It was really cute.  A third-grader won and she got the percussion whips and everything.  Unfortunately, Santa had to come out and ruin the ambience with his dumb jokes about Mrs. Claus driving the sleigh (seriously, that women-can’t-drive joke really never gets not-funny).  I’m not anti-Santa by any means; indeed, I can barely read Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus without welling up a little, but he didn’t really belong in the program, as Santa is known the world over for his jolliness and generosity, not his soaring and melodious orchestral arrangements.  I’m just saying.

Tomorrow I fly, weather permitting, to our nation’s capitol, where I will somehow, however small my part, aid in a conference about the Education of Young Children.  I also hope to go sight-seeing; I love D.C. at Christmas.

I’m working alone for the next two weeks, so expect many updates and IM sessions.  My Christmas goal this year is to buy every single present online.  I’m not stepping FOOT in a store if I can help it.  Think I can do it?  I’ll keep receipts and give you guys a percentage at the end of the year.  Feel free to log your bets.

OH!  PS> I booked my Christmas/New Year’s airplane ticket.  Into Houston 12/22, out of Dallas 01/04.  You guys keep me posted on happenings (*cough*Scottie’s birthday*cough*) and shindigs.  Can’t wait to see you all, and for longer this time.

Love, J.

What I did on my Thanksgiving Vacation, by Jamie Hawkins.

Good Night, and Good Luck: This is a really interesting movie directed by George Clooney about the Edward Murrow and CBS uncover of Senator McCarthy’s Communist conspiracy.  I’m never been a huge fan of Clooney, but I adored his directorial debut Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and his sophomore project is just as thrilling.  I think he’s a really fine director.  The film is in black and white (although it was shot on color film and retouched, so it’s not as dark or shadowy as old black and white movies) and stars David Stathairn (of L.A. Confidential, coincidentally, my favorite movie of all time), Robert Downey, Jr., George Clooney, Patricia Clarkson, and many other familiar faces.  It’s smoky and jazzy (sensational soundtrack by Diana Reeves) and recalls a time when the fact that television was "being used to detract, delude, amuse, and insulate us" was a shock.  Whatever you believe about George Clooney’s politics (and this movie will clue you in if you’re unaware), there is no denying that he is a man of uncomparable STYLE.  All in all, a very interesting and enjoyable movie.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The fourth installment, and as one reviewer put it, the Empire Strikes Back of the Harry Potter Series.  It’s the first PG-13 chapter, and at least two characters forbode that "everything is going to change."  In my personal opinion, it’s not as good as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabahn (I watched 2, 3, and 4 this week), but the cinematography is amazing and it really sets up the next events in the mythology, I think.  I know a lot of people are disappointed in how much was cut, and indeed, they cut a LOT of material, but it’s like an 800-pg novel, people!  I think they did a good job of keeping the tone and the themes of the story.

Rent: I freaking loved this movie.  You must adopt a certain level of suspension of disbelief- not only because the character randomly burst into song and dance, but more because these damn-the-man Gen-X starving artists are now pushing 40.  However, I think it was a good choice to use the original cast because of the fan base of the play is so rabid.  Rosario Dawson and Traci Thoms are both newcomers, and I thought they were both fantastic.  I didn’t at all like Mimi’s character in the stage production I saw, but Rosario Dawson played her with a delicacy that was really touching, and as one reviewer said, is the first actress to "render Mimi screechless."  Hee.  Jesse Martin, be still my heart.  That eulogy scene rocked my world.  I especially loved "La Vie Boheme."  It kind of bothered me that they ADDED so much dialogue to the movie,
it’s supposed to be an opera, ie: exact lines that were sang or at
least spoken in rhythm to music in the play were just said as natural
speech in the movie- and I was like "did that just rhyme?" but I saw it
with my cousin who had never seen it or heard the soundtrack, and she said it
wasn’t noticeable to her, so maybe that’s a by-product of being TOO familiar
with the work.  Although I’ll be the first to say that it’s not a movie for everyone… I think the soul of Rent shone through and I can’t wait to see it again.

Walk the Line: WOW.  The performances in this movie were outstanding.  Joaquin is SMOKIN’ hot, and even though the time-worn story of how all the best cowboys have daddy issues was wonderfully told, I really thought this film was about June Carter.  I don’t LOVE Reese Witherspoon, but I think she’s a very talented girl and she played June with a sincerity and depth that not many actresses could’ve pulled off.  The scene where the drug store attendant admonishes her that "divorce is an abomination," she so honestly and gently says "I’m really sorry I disappointed you, ma’am" that it literally brought a tears to my eyes.  Johnny Cash and June Carter had a truly great love and it was portrayed beautifully.

LOST last night was freaking AWESOME.  I’m flying to Columbus today, where it is snowy and cold.  Boo hoo.  Tonight will be spent catching up on the last 2 weeks of House, M.D. and Desperate Housewives.  I’ll see you kids on the flip side.  XOXOX

OK, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.  The temperature here in Houston, Texas has dropped about 20 degrees since yesterday.  Brrrr!  Oh, I saw a t-shirt in Foley’s yesterday that said "Everything I need to know I learned in Texas"- will I ever have enough sassy-phrased t-shirts?  I think not.  (Shelly, I don’t know you, at all, but don’t you need this shirt?)

We watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabahn last night, in order to get J.T. all ready to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire… and dude, I forgot how much that movie ROCKS.  Sandy, I think I told you I might like #4 the best?  WRONG.  The third one is by far the most superior installment to date, and in fact, I couldn’t even let J.T. watch #4 last night because I knew he would be disappointed after #3.  The characters are great, the story is funny and serious in all the right places, the filming is just AWESOME, those Dementors are exceedingly creepy, and the fact that the story includes time travel just kicks it all up a few notches.

Soooo, I bought some books yesterday.  TEN BOOKS, to be exact.  I was asked "they’re mostly Christmas gifts?" and I had to say… no.  Not a one.  They’re all for me.  The SHAME!  I’m Jamie and I’m a bookaholic.

In no particular order:

1. The Stand, by Stephen King- can you believe I’ve never read it?
2. The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell- one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read; I checked it out of the li-berry but I want my own copy
3. Blink, also by Malcolm Gladwell- his new book; I hope it’s as good as The Tipping Point
4. Beach Music, by Pat Conroy- my friend Keri told me this is her #1 favorite book of all time, and anytime someone tells me that, I feel compelled to read it
5. Searching for God Knows What, by Donald Miller- I’m about halfway into it but I left it on Continental 604 from Las Vegas to Houston, so, hopefully someone else is getting something out of it
6. The Planets, by Dava Sobel- a non-fiction book about the science and mythology of our lil’ solar system (fun and random fact from the book I’m currently reading [link to the left]- do you know how off-scale every solar system map you’ve ever looked is?  If you were to draw a true to-scale map of our solar system, and the earth was the size of a pea, Jupiter would be over a thousand feet distant and Pluto would be a good mile and a half away.  Kinda gives new meaning to the term SPACE, eh?  Yeah, I’m a nerd.  Shut up.)
7. On Writing, by Stephen King- I love his articles and essays
8. Bohemian Manifesto: A Field Guide to Living on the Edge, by Lauren Stover- a self-proclaimed "playful anthropology of Bohemian culture" which I saw in a store and looked witty and fun.  Great art, so it’ll probably end up on my coffee table.  When I get a coffee table. 
9. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders, by Vincent Bugliosi- Bugliosi was the prosecutor on the Manson case… and with Polanski’s new Oliver Twist coming out, I wanted to know more about the story.  Sharon Tate (she of Valley of the Dolls fame) was pregnant with Polanski’s child when she and the rest of a Hollywood dinner party were brutally murdered by Manson followers  (it’s believed that this event kicked off his insanity that led to the events that got him deported).  Widely touted as the best true crime novel of our time.
10. Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons from Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women, by Simon Doonan- because I aspire to be a fearlessy inappropriate and fabulously eccentric woman.  Also because I liked Doonan’s book about Andy Warhol that I read in the MoMa bookstore.

Sooo, I’ll keep y’all posted on the reading.  First I have some more movies to watch.  I just realized that on Sunday I have to go back to work and now I am suitably depressed.  However, it’s only Tuesday, so for now I am going to maintain my woman of leisure status, and roll out of bed and toward the shower, so I can be ready for my ladies-who-lunch date at 1pm.  I kinda like this life.  Anyone want to be my sugar-daddy?  (Is it totally disturbing that when I went to look for a link to the yummy caramel goodness I got some dating websites where the "classy, attractive, and affluent can meet"?  There was also one whose tagline is "Married men will spoil you discreetly."  I’m not kidding.  The answer is YES; it IS disturbing.  Not that I didn’t totally fill out the questionnaire. *wink*)

I LOVE Christmas music. 

Christmas music makes me happy.   Think if I listened to it year-round I’d be happy all the time?  It’s worth a shot.  Today I told J.T. that I was going to blog about Christmas music and he said I always stole all his good posts, which is a lie; I’ve only done it once.  BUT, I’m doing it now before he does.  So HA!

My favorite religious Christmas songs are "O, Holy Night," "O, Little Town of Bethlehem," "We Three Kings," and "The First Noel."  My favorite secular Christmas song is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," no matter who sings it.  I also love Vince Vance and the Valiants’ "All I Want for Christmas Is You," The Eagles’ "Please Come Home for Christmas," The Carpenters’ "Merry Christmas Darling," John Lennon’s "Happy Christmas (War is Over)," Etta James’ "Merry Christmas Baby," Joni Mitchell’s "River," U2’s "Baby Please Come Home," Nat King Cole’s "I Saw Three Ships," The Vienna Boys’ Choir’s "Still, Still, Still," Rosemary Clooney’s "Let it Snow," Frank Sinatra’s "Jingle Bells," Dr. Demento’s "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," Harry Connick, Jr.’s "Ave Maria," Nat King Cole/Dean Martin’s "Buon Natale," Diana Krall’s "The Man with the Bag," The Vince Guaraldi Trio’s "Christmastime is Here," Brian Wilson’s "Christmasey," Johnny Mathis’ "We Need a Little Christmas," and The Beach Boys’ "Little Saint Nick."  [whisper]I also like Mariah Carey’s "All I Want for Christmas is You."  Yeah, I said it.  Shut up.  [/whisper]  I love those Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails jazz cds.  I hate Rudolf and Frosty and that pesky Little Drummer Boy.

That’s all.  I don’t have anything else to say except that Christmas music makes me all warm and fuzzy and I’m soooo happy that I can listen to it now.  What?  I don’t care.  My name is Jamie Hawkins and I am a Christmas music ADDICT.

I can’t describe how much I love this house, this family, this home.  For one thing, no one ever wakes me up.  For another, there is always fresh coffee.  We go see a movie every single day.  At any given hour, as few as one of us and as many as four of us are on our laptops in the den because the house is wireless.  I can spend a couple of hours a day reading if I want, uninterrupted, and we eat out every night, and then come home and have a round of cocktails while we watch another movie or something that we TiVoed, like LOST or I Love 1976.   There’s been talk of playing a board game, but we’re really too lazy to pick one.  I mean, seriously.  This place is my Utopia!  It also helps that I am extremely fond of my family.

So yesterday, Julia and I went to see Rent (which I LOVED) and the bookstore.  Borders, I believe.  We were killing some time before the movie (I also love that everyone in this family is a Nazi about getting to the movie early, sits exactly where I like to sit, and doesn’t believe in going to the theater and not buying snacks), and picking out things we are going to buy at Half-Price Books later today.  I didn’t pay attention when the first male bookstore employee offered to help me find something.  It is, after all, the day before Thanksgiving; there are lots of shoppers.  I didn’t really notice when the 2nd one stopped me with a big smile.  On the 3rd, I fleetingly thought that my new haircut must really suit me, but on the 4th, I realized that I was wearing my "Reading is Sexy" shirt, which is just about as embarrassing as going shopping at the Gap in head-to-toe Gap clothing.  I grabbed Julia and ushered her out of the bookstore immediately.

OK, *yawn*, so we’re going out to get a hamburger (my favorite food) and then I’m going to spend the afternoon stealing, er, borrowing music from my family (they also have good taste in music), and watching JAWS.  Rock!  And then buying books and watching "Walk the Line."  And then going to see Roz’s band play.  Today RULES.

Love, Jamie.

From Kiddo, Gen, et al… Go to the 20 Most Listened Songs on your iPod… type in the first lyric, cross out as readers guess correctly.

1.  I can’t believe you; you bend your words like Uri Gellar’s spoons….

2.  Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King….

3.  She ain’t got no money, clothes are kinda funny, hair is kinda wild and free….

4.  Celia, you’re breakin’ my heart; you’re shakin’ my confidence daily….

5.  La la la la la la, la la la la la la… my cherie amour, lovely as a summer’s day….

6.  We come on the sloop John B, My grandfather and me…. (apparently a lot of mine have the song title in the first lyric, you may eat your candy NOW *wink*)

7.  If I could make a wish, I think I’d pass, Can’t think of anything I need….

8.  Was it you that spoke the words that things would happen but not to me?  Oh things are gonna happen naturally….

9.  The sun has left and forgotten me; it’s dark, I cannot see….

10.  The evening fell just like a star, left a trail behind….

11.  When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars….

12.  You ask me if there’ll come I time when I grow tired of you….

13.  Standing in the dock at Southampton, trying to get to Holland or France….

14.  We know of an ancient radiation that haunts dismembered constellations….

15.  Mrs. Brown, you’ve got a lovely daughter…. (seriously!)

16.  How many roads must a man walk down, before he is called a man….?

17.  She knows your mind alright, your Auntie Grizelda…

18.  So I’m walkin’ down the street somewhere outside of San Francisco….

19.  I look at you all see the love there that’s sleeping….

20.  Well, I’m finding the green cleared from my eyes, I am young and I am deep within the woods.

From J.T…. Make your own Where I’ve Been map!

Looks like I need to get up to the Northwest… although I’m not sure what to do up there.  Click image to enlarge. 

I’ve been here since 7am.  I’ll probably be here until 10pm.  I’ve been in Vegas, baby, Vegas for 13 days, so long there is actually food in my refrigerator that is no longer edible and that, my friends, is a good barometer of how long is too long to stay in a hotel.  I’ve been on the road for all but 4 days in the last 9 weeks.  It’s an understatement to say I am DONE.

Tomorrow I fly to Dallas, see the peeps, look for an apartment, get my haircut, then I go to Houston, see the fam, see Rozino’s band play, and watch movies, read books, and lie around like I have never watched, read, and layed before.  I need this break so BAD it’s not even funny, and I play to take full advantage of the pajama pants/no makeup/bedhead regime.  Come December 1, back to work!

I rode the roller coaster at the New York, New York a couple of nights ago.  It was freaking AWESOME.  So, I admit, Vegas is kinda growing on me.  I found this awesome, cheesey old Vegas place called The Peppermill (as seen in Casino), and it’s so corny and neon and kitschy and local; I adored it.  The Red Square has awesome Romanovesque decor and blue cheese stuffed olives in their martins, and I’ve been to Paymon’s three times.  Lemonade, baby.

I have to go to D.C. in December, and then BACK to Vegas, but the one perk is that I get to stay at The Paris, so I’m pretty pumped about that, even though I’m working by myself and have no one to share it with.  Isn’t 76% enjoyment of something sharing it with someone else?  Naaah, 88% of statistics are made up anyway.  *wink*

Speaking of, someone this week told me that every American-born billionaire in this country except Oprah Winfrey is left-handed. Could that be true?  I can’t find any data to support that theory in a half-hearted single Google swipe, so I’m going to call bull.

Anyone see Grey’s Anatomy this week?  "Here’s to bull, and here’s to crap!"  Tha’s sooo my new toast.  Hee!