Bastet

I don't know; I got sick of Ken about halfway through his original run. Even Alex took longer than that to drive me batty. Fundamentally, host and player involve two different skill sets, so Ken would be far from my first pick to take over hosting one of television's most venerable game shows.

I created a Syndication Edits thread here.

This topic was raised in another thread, and since the show has been syndicated for so long and by so many networks, there is much grousing to be done about what has been left on the cutting room floor over the years to make way for more commercials. Jokes cut off before the punch line, bits deleted while later dialogue referring back to them was retained, content-based censoring by the puritans at Hallmark Channel ... complain about the syndicators' tinkering with perfection here.

I, too, have been sans dishwasher for the almost nine years I have lived in this house (vintage 1938). The dishwasher I had at my previous place, where I lived for eight years, was a piece of crap, but I now take back every profanity I hurled at it. Because my lower cabinets and counters are not deep enough to accomodate a dishwasher, I can't put one in until I redo such things (I looked into smaller, portable options, but they seemed more trouble than they're worth). At first it wasn't a big deal, but since I am someone who can't go to bed if there are dishes in the sink, it quickly became a chronic cause of grumbling. The first night I can just load up the dishwasher and head to bed, I may actually weep with relief. I do love my 1950s GE oven/range, however; the burners heat up really quickly (and one is a "sensi-temp") and there are two side-by-side ovens, one full-sized and one about 1/3 that size -- so easy to cook multiple things at once, and nice to be able to only heat up a small oven when that's all that is needed. I refuse to consign that thing to the scrap metal heap when renovation time comes (and if it was possible to design a new layout around it, I would, but I just can't achieve what I want by keeping it); things were made to last back then, so I will search high and low to find someone who wants to give it a second life.

Sounds like it's time to go on strike, orchidgal.

I have very little counter space next to the stove thanks to the microwave, so if I go too big with the cutting board I'm in trouble once I get over there. The size of the kitchen is great, and it looks like it has a bunch of open space in the center that ought to have a nice island in the middle of it. But with where the cabinets are placed, the available floor space is actually just a bit too small to accommodate a proper-sized one with adequate room to walk around (I hate kitchens where walking between the island and cabinets feels like passing through a cattle chute). So figuring out how to revise things in order to clear up space without sacrificing storage was what took some time, but I finally hit on it. Mine also has three doors (it connects to the service porch, the dining room and the study), but with mine that's actually one of the things that works best about it and gives it a great eating nook.

I recently introduced my friend's daughter to my great obsession, the Thin Man film franchise, and she is now completely under the spell of Nick and Nora (my work here is done). That reminded me of Charles Tranberg's book, The Thin Man: Murder Over Cocktails and I dug that out for her to read, but first re-read it myself. Tranberg gives passable profiles of not just Myrna Loy and Bill Powell, but all the wonderful character actors who populated the films and the creative teams behind the frachise. There is more space than I would like taken up with recaps of the films, but it probably wouldn't seem as redundant to those who don't know all six films frame by frame. Plus, he misquotes the dialogue a fair bit. The editing is a bit sloppy - interestingly, Tranberg's web postings on the film read better than the book - but there are behind-the-scenes tidbits scattered throughout and some cute photos, so it's a fast, enjoyable read for casual fans who'd like some background on how the various films came together.

Ooh, new kitchens. I recently did a lot of renovations to my house - new wiring, plumbing, roof, windows and stone walkways/porch front and back - but renovating the kitchen and baths will have to wait a few more years. However, I couldn't do the rewiring without determining my future needs, so I wound up plotting out the new kitchen layout. It took some doing, but I finally hit on the perfect way to add an island with a cooktop AND a good amount of counter space for prep work. I like to be able to prep ingredients next to the stove, but right now I've got to slice and dice next to the sink, then turn around and transport things to the stove six feet across the room. I spend a lot of time cleaning my floor. My dad helps me with all major projects - and, bless him, in adding new overhead wiring, he's the one who got up into the tiny and sweltering attic space while I worked from the inside - so I've got to get this done before he's too old to build my cabinets and help me install them. (My woodworking skills are good, but his are excellent, so he has been elected.)

CoderLady, if your cat is getting the full dose via his food (try putting the medicine into a smaller portion to ensure he eats it all, then give him the rest of his food sans medicine) that is the best way to give it as it is less stressful - for both cat and owner - and you don't have to worry at all about aspiration (while aspirate pneumonia is rare, those unlucky enough to be on the wrong side of the statistics don't have an easy time of it, so it's a good thing to avoid). The repetition is getting quite hard for me to take, too, which is a shame because at the same time they have introduced a couple new topics with these last few episodes. But when the tips on medicating a reluctant cat are buried amidst the usual faux drama and repetitive dynamics, it's hard to hang in for them.

The line would be funny on its own, but it's the milkshake-induced delivery that puts it over the top. "You? You'll be out before we get the check." To do an entire episode about masturbation, never use the word (which necessitated coming up with some mighty funny euphemisms I use to this day) and keep the humor adult but not crass ... that's some good comedy right there.

RIP, Awful. I've done subQ fluids, too, and that really intimidates a lot of people (especially once they get a look at the needle). Maybe that will make an appearance on a future episode; given the number of cats suffering from kidney disease, he's bound to run into one, and subQ fluid therapy can provide immense help in the later stages of that disease. I didn't see the oral meds segment; did he caution against tilting the cat's head up when giving the meds, rather than holding it level? Because that's a common mistake that makes it harder for the cat to swallow. Also, if liquid meds were discussed, did he talk about how to reduce the risk of causing the cat to aspirate it into their lungs (which can result in pneumonia)? I cringe when I see people squirt a large dose of liquid right into the back of the throat, so that would have been a good tip to include. Did he touch on the dangers of dry pilling? There's really a lot involved in medicating a cat that you don't think about once you have it down to a science.

The one with the lesbian lovers of Miami is one of my favorite later-season episodes; I don't care much for the A-plot, but Rose's screw-up is comedy gold. My favorite part is when audience member Sophia asks Dorothy, "What kind of pain and embarassment has this caused your mother?" and Dorothy replies, "I really don't know, but I'll ask her tomorrow when I visit her ... at the home."

I'm the opposite. Well, not that I can't stand tomato-based sauces, but I definitely don't get excited about them. Fresh tomatoes, however ... every summer when the first tomato appears on the vine it's time for the dance of joy. Like someone above, I love to mix pasta with a colorful variety of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and basil. I just planted the summer garden this weekend, so let the countdown begin. On that note, this tomato and avocado salad with lime-herb dressing is a nice way to showcase the flavors of all those wonderful varieties of tomato: To make the dressing, combine: 1 T chopped mint 1 T chopped marjoram 1/2 C chopped cilantro 4-5 T olive oil 1 jalapeño, finely diced 2-3 T fresh lime juice 1/4 tsp sea salt (Go with the lesser measure of olive oil and lime juice to begin with, then taste for acidity and add more of one or the other as needed; I generally like 4 T oil and 3 T lime juice.) In a salad bowl, combine: 1-1/2 pounds of your desired mix of tomatoes (go for a nice variety of color), cut into bite-sized pieces 1 large avocado, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 cucumbers (I use persian; if you're using a big English hothouse cuc, just one will do), cut into bite-sized pieces 1 sweet pepper (bell, cubanelle, etc.), cut into bite-sized pieces 3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced 2 cups chopped romaine hearts 8 large pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled Toss with dressing, salt lightly, and toss again with the olives and feta cheese.

On one of the DVD features, Bruce Willis said he'd put the first two seasons up against anything ever aired on television, and I quite agree. I love season three as well, although I have to be in the right mood to watch the Sam and David arc. The rest is pretty much an abomination for which I am still bitter towards Glenn Gordon Caron, and the fallacy of the "Moonlighting curse" (how the simplistic notion that "getting them together ruined the show" ever picked up speed when it was well-known even at the time the ways backstage nonsense was affecting what made air is a puzzle to me) has cast a pall over many a subsequent TV show, but in the beginning this show was just brilliant. I loved the two-hour pilot when it aired, and still like it, but it's funny to go back and watch it after becoming familiar with the series, since the pacing is SO different than what would come; the pilot moves at a typical speed, but once used to the rapid-fire dialogue of the series, it feels slow.

This show is highly quotable, but I had to go with the above for the thread title as it's my favorite from the entire series. So much so that, to this day, any time someone says, "You could have fooled me," I have to quickly analyze whether it would be appropriate to offer up Maddie's rejoinder, because it's an automatic response.

I watched the newest taste testing of chicken broth; even though I pretty much always have some of have my homemade stock in the freezer (I freeze it in ice cube trays so I can defrost only a little bit at a time if needed), it's good to know what commercial variety isn't completely awful should the need ever arise. I like that they taste-tested chicken broth again, given all the additional options since the last time they crowned a winner. And I cracked up at the analysis of the protein content of even the winning varieties -- that basically a chicken had passed through the factory at some point, and that's about it. It was also news to me - and to them, prior to this experiment - that nearly all of the broth on supermarket shelves started out as concentrate from the same company, prepared to each brand's specifications and then reconstituted at the brand's production site.

This is, indeed, how my mom and I spent Mother's Day. The anniversary special was rather short and uninspiring, but it was nice to see everyone. Almost all the episodes the cast chose were among my favorites, so it was an enjoyable line-up (that I stupidly failed to record, since - unlike my parents - I don't get Encore). From the two-part episode in which Frank and Murphy are on the seemingly doomed plane and attend their own funeral, I always think of the "And now here I am, dead! In a dickey!" scene and Frank's ashes being swept under the rug, but I had forgotten just how side-splittingly funny Frank's attempts to record his last words were. Jim Dial buying pot in the park will never not be funny, and a friend and I do the "cigar, cigarette, joint" routine to this day.

Heh. I usually try out a new-to-her restaurant for our breakfast and get more creative with the dinner, but this year I've just been so tired and stressed that I waited until mid-week to call and ask, "Where do you want to go for breakfast? What do you want for dinner?" And, probably in deference to my energy level, she picked old standbys for both. It's just usually much more about me putting some effort into putting together a low-key but thoughtful day for her, and this year felt more perfunctory; quite honestly, my hungover self's first thought upon the alarm blaring was, "Oh god, I hate Mother's Day." (I'm not a morning person under the best of circumstances, so getting up early on a Sunday for anyone feels like hell.) And then I forgot to tell my dad (who handles the grilling) what we were having, so got a rather blank look when I asked, "Have you lit the charcoal yet?" But everything was still done on time, so it worked out. Incidentally, cooking is not among my dad's many areas of expertise (if it can't be tossed on the grill or zapped in the microwave, he's clueless as to how to prepare it - you should see what he eats when my mom is gone) and their neighborhood doesn't have much to offer in the way of good restaurants that deliver, so I'll be a busy bee during my mom's recuperation making up dishes my dad can just portion and reheat. It's good I live less than ten miles away. They adopted a cat from the shelter last June who needs twice-daily medication, and while Chester is incredibly attached to my mom and reasonably happy with me when I kitty-sit during their vacations, he is just now really bonding with my dad. We'll see if my dad having to be the one to medicate him for awhile sets them back or strengthens it. (Their other cat follows my dad around like a shadow, so he'll be fine with my mom being less involved for a bit.)

Moonlighting. As Bruce Willis has said, I'll stack the first two seasons up against anything on television to this day. Innovative, sharp, witty, beautifully shot. The third season is almost as brilliant. And then ... wow. Seasons four and five feel as if they belong to a completely different show, a show that never would have been picked up. It's not healthy to still be so disgruntled by it, but I'd like to punch Glenn Gordon Caron in the face.

I have quite the backlog of Frontline episodes to view, and I suspect this is one I will have to be in just the right mood - AKA slightly drunk - to watch, lest my blood pressure shoot off the charts.

I've dealt with insulin-dependent diabetic kitties, and currently give Maddie Adequan injections for her bum knee, and think nothing of it. But so many people are intimidated by it, which can lead to not treating something that could easily be managed. So I agree it's a great thing to include on the show.

I love that episode too, and particularly like the touch that Amanda can't quite pull off her reaction to Lee's "death." Kate could do it better, but Amanda isn't an actor, so her performance shouldn't be perfect, thus I love that it isn't.

I love almost all the squash family, but this gave me a chuckle because the main reason I could never be a vegetarian even if I wanted to be is my intense dislike of every type of bean there is. Averse to beans, soy, quinoa, and green peas, I'd die of protein deficiency (or explode from trying to eat enough dark, leafy greens and nuts to make up the difference).

I don't know how I neglected to include that on my list, because my Jeff Goldblum crush and my "Hey, it's Margo! [from a soap I used to watch]" reaction to Margaret Colin are not enough to explain why I watch that movie every.damn.time it's on television. I hate alien invasion stories, I find Bill Pullman one of the most boring actors on film, I hate cute little kids (well, all little kids, really) ... why do I watch this movie? I can't explain it, but watch it I do. And, yes, I am one of those people who in the midst of watching humans get wiped out right and left declared, "If Boomer (the dog) dies, I'm out of here."

I don't think it's necessary, precisely for that reason, and "Don't Tell Jeffrey" gives me a chuckle each time I see it. That we have Small Talk (aka "Meet Market") threads for every forum here is one of my favorite things about this site, btw. Any Mother's Day adventures? I had a wee bit too much fun Saturday night - movie night at a friend's house, which always involves a lot of laughs and a lot of liquor - so picking my mom up at 9:00 for breakfast was quite painful, but a little hair of the dog and a nice egg-white omelette and I was good to go. My mom's knees prevent her from walking very far (she's having the first of two knee replacements at the end of the month), so instead of then taking in a museum or such as per normal, we just went back to my parents' house and watched the Murphy Brown marathon on Encore. I didn't include any Ina recipes with dinner this year, and in fact cooked perhaps the world's easiest meal (per Mom's request) -- filet mignon simply seasoned (garlic salt and Montreal steak seasoning) and tossed on the grill, kale sauteed with garlic, and baked potatoes (which I don't eat, so I had some leftover mac & cheese).