annzeepark914

I've been having great memories of watching NBCSN every morning for live broadcasting of '14 Olympic figure skating. Tara & Johnny irritated me enormously but I decided to work at ignoring them & concentrating instead on the skating. Football and basketball fans (college & pro) take this all for granted, getting to watch so much of their favorite sport. We figure skating fans consider the O's a real treat (it's worse for the fans of tons of other sports that hardly ever get coverage). Hurry up Olympics!

@Mondrianyone: I hope they find your place and you can help them as they perform their magic on your place (like they had their whole family working with them on the "Bullpen"). That would be fun!

I refuse to see this stupid movie, "I, a Victim...waaaaaa". Tonya should've gone to prison IMO. This could've been a helluva lot more serious since Shane (or whatever his name is) asked Tonya if she wanted NK to be taken out. I've never forgotten that. And yet, Tonya got to go to the Olympics a month later. Disgusting. Whenever I see Zhang, I remember that awful skate in Torino. How long were they off the ice yet allowed to return to finish their program? His partner had to be in a lot of pain because she really slammed into the wall. I think if the music stops and you're off the ice, that means you're out of the competition.

I was just looking at Madison & Keifer Hubbell's list of programs during their competitive years as I remember them always using interesting music (e.g., Art of Noise's Moments in Love, Josh Groban's Canto alla vita, Santana's Espinada). There's good music out there but I guess it's just a matter of having a creative choreographer who also provides suggestions of different but skate-able music. Michelle Kwan, early on, used really good music but then I loved her programs too back in those days (thanks to her choregrapher...Lori Nichols?)

I'm with your nieces wanting to watch something else when the screechy violin music starts. There is (& always has been) way too much awful music selections in figure skating competitions. I have to hit the mute button whenever that whiny accordion music starts (usually in ice dancing for the tango). And the vocal selections used today? Not much of an improvement when someone's wailing away. I didn't realize skaters had to pay to use certain musical selections. That can get pricey on top of rink time, coaching fees, travel, skates and costumes, etc.

I didn't love this movie but was impressed with the actors. And I too felt so bad for the dad trying to get a job and probably being discriminated against due to his age. Loved the football coach revving up the young actors. What did the mom do? Was she a clinical social worker or a psychologist? I must've missed where it was explained what she did for a living.

I've always loved Ross's skating. IMO, he's the real deal of what figure skating is all about--athleticism and artistry perfectly blended. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be able to handle the quads. I don't blame him for withdrawing from 4CC. So now I wonder if he'll retire. If so, I'm going to miss seeing his snazzy skating. OK - just saw Jeddah's post. So he is retiring. And Josh probably isn't returning (another one of those stylish skaters--sorta like Paul Wylie). This is why I'm really only excited about ice dance nowadays. To me, that's the only discipline that is doing increasingly difficult moves but still managing to skate with the music.

Wow...and, yeah! However did ya get such a deal?!?

I loved that episode. When Jerry tells George that Kramer's at a baseball fantasy camp, George responds, "His whole life is a fantasy". I always love that line.

Since it's "summer" here (right now it's drizzling off and on and the temp is 53 degrees!!) I'm making potato salad and we're grilling burgers and brats. Things will change overnight so now's the time to grill.

I'd say the majority of Ina's recipes I've made have been winners but there have been a few disappointments here and there. Her Eggplant Gratin is very popular in our home, along with her Fattoush, Shrimp Salad, and Chicken Salad. And...Bangers & Mash (the best mashed potatoes IMO!)

I probably mentioned TJ's Spicy Chai Tea mix before but what the heck. I'm sitting here sipping a mug of chai tea that I squirted Reddiwhip onto & the whipped cream has melted into the chai tea and it's sooooo very good on a chilly day. It's almost as good as Starbucks chai tea latte (and a heckuva lot cheaper!!)

Heh heh...The Annointed Pair. Thanks for the chuckle! Wish we could exchange those two charmers for Ben & Tanith, & even Ryan (I really like him but he needs a bit of coaching on his verbal presentation skills!!) I can't believe Winter Olympics are back (almost). It seems like not too long ago I was watching Olympic figure skating on NBCSN every morning. Let's hope that Johnny has been told to tone it down with his outfits this time around.

I made Ina's Shrimp & Swordfish Curry for dinner tonight. Blech. Has anyone else made it? I had to keep adding seasonings to get it to taste just decent enough to eat. Now, the one thing I did not do is add a tablespoon of salt (but I added celery salt, Seasonal and some other seasonings but was tasting it all along).

Ginger ale & saltines? Uh-oh. Hope you feel better. Tonight's supper was homemade chicken soup (to use up old celery and carrots, rotisserie chicken, etc) and Razzleberry Pie for dessert (w/ no sugar added vanilla ice cream...can't get too carried away, right?)

Yup. Too much talking by commentators these days. It is a sporting event, after all, so we need to have some comments made re: mistakes made during each skater's programs. But anything else needs to be relegated to the warm ups, skater's taking the ice, leaving the ice, waiting for scores, etc. I think the world of Terry Gannon (what other NCAA top athlete made an effort to learn about figure skating & highly respects skaters?) but he too needs to refrain from too much yakking. Big article in today's Washington Post re: a documentary, "Icarus", about the Russian doping scandal, & the production crew's protection of the whistle blower (two other Russians were killed). When I read/hear this stuff, I always wonder why it's so important for the Russians to win.

Whoa, Nellie! I just had a vision of two furious faces if that decision is made and H/D are left out of the team event.

I need this stove (but first I'd have to take a class in how to use it!)

Thanks, Mondrianyone. That's a good point. I think they sort of regretted taking on the job as it wasn't a huge challenge (compared with the previous week's dark green, shaky, scary hovel!!)

Still love this show (and continue to watch the re-runs) but last night, while watching another new Season 2 episode, I thought there was a bit of goofing around (OTT for these Mainers, IMO). I hope the producers of this show aren't trying to turn Chase et al into a bunch of Chip Gaines. These are such high quality people, so professional, nice and naturally funny, that it would be terrible if they were told to act up for the cameras.

Tonight will be grilled portobello mushrooms with sauted onions & peppers, and aioli on rolls + a tossed salad (with a new ginger soy dressing I made today). It's too cold to grill outside so I'll slice the mushrooms and cook on a grill pan on the stove. I love winter but geez...it's a tad bit too nippy for me this year.

I suspect Peggy Noonan just wanted to kick butt (the Post's, of course).

Doubt it. Gee--I had to stop and think, "If not Tara, then who (was the last US ladies OG medalist")? Sarah was not a memorable skater. In 2002, the door opened, she took advantage of it, and won.

Awww...this morning I just happened to turn on the TV and there was Ina, mixing up a watermelon inspired cocktail while Jeffrey was using the grill chimney to get the fire going (instead of setting fire to the charcoal bag). I love these two. They had a steak-grilling throwdown and Ina cheated (she put a pat of butter on her version which made her steak very moist & tender). Wish they were my neighbors...no wait! I wish I lived next door to them in the Hamptons!

Well yeah I was being sarcastic. We'd just been subjected, last weekend during Nationals, to a couple of pre-taped interviews w/ Tara (by Johnny) where she talked about her 1998 experience + Terry, over the years, seems to always remind Tara about her glory days prompting her to talk about them. For some of us, it is always just a dangerous bit too much ;>)