Hi there ya'll! To avoid having the paps track me down, and avoid any nonsensical rumors, I thought I'd post a little bloggy to let ya'll know where I've disappeared off to.

With the introduction of more and more ads, pop-ups and other annoyances here at Yuwie I find my mellow getting quite harshed on. My intention for this site was to provide a little entertainment and info for the peeps, and hopefully generate a little fundage for a much deserving charity. Since I'm not willing to spend every waking hour begging for page views...the fundage is kinda slow. No biggie. If that comes to fruition it does...if it doesn't I can support the charity in other ways. And I do want to thank everyone who has cheered and encouraged me...and enjoyed my bloggies. I love doing them! I'm thrilled that I've been entertaining in my own slightly twisted and babbly way. 

But...here's the thing...lately, I see more and more people posting and blogging about the hours and hours they spend on returning messages and comments and ratings and such. I see people apologizing, feeling guilty, worrying and stressing. Over what? Something that is supposed to be...ummm...fun? Ignoring family, hobbies, responsibilities and...well...LIFE...to be online? Doesn't that seem a bit...ummm...unhealthy to anyone?

I've never subscribed to the whole "devote your life to Yuwie so I can get rich, rich, rich" frame of mind, but the time I have spent on here could be put toward something more enriching.

Know what I'm sayin'?

Outside of the time I spend on work...I have a book to edit and solicit to publishers. I have two other books I need to finish drafting. I have redecorating projects that I could finish. I have books to read, an office badly in need of reorganization and friends moving back to town who I've missed dearly.

And you know what ya'll?

It's summertime, and I live in a tropical paradise that is right outside my front door! But if I use my limited spare time to hang out here I'll miss out on all of that stuff.

So...

...I've decided to take the rest of the summer off.

Have no fear. My two other bloggies here....and here will remain active. If you would like to stay in touch you can always track me down at either of those two places...and I'd love to have you all as friends there as well. I will check back in here from time to time, as my schedule allows, and may drop in a quick "howdy" if something super newsworthy happens (Britney getting a Nobel Peace Prize, Liloh developing actual talent, etc...)... but I do not intend to be active here again until Fall rolls around. Perhaps by then all the kinks will be worked out here, making it a more enjoyale and less gimme-gimme oriented environment.

Life is short. Don't spend all of it gazing at a computer monitor. 

Love & Linguini To All!

I'll catch ya' in the Fall!

Let me preface this somewhat endless stream of revised, reworked and expanded brilliance with the fact that I have met some of the coolest, most supportive, creative and inspiring people right here on Yuwie. I am so very grateful for those new friends in my online life.

But, sadly...there are some who barge across my path who just seem to have never progressed past adolescence...if they even made it that far. So...here goes nothing. I'm brutally honest and as straight-up a person as you'll ever come across...so, hold onto your hats kids:

Having bloggied about a number of issues and/or practices here on and about the land of Yuwie, I felt the need to combine a number of the more prominent and entertaining entries into one big, flashing, neon volume that I could point to should someone lacking the clue-phone stumble across my threshold. I have named this body of babble...

(insert drumroll and Eddie Van Halen guitar intro here)

THE GOSSIPOPOLIS MANIFESTO

(otherwise known as "The Whole Shebang")

NOTE: If you are new to Gossipopolis and The Tower of Babble...and are unaware of the ways and wonders that comprise Evilkim (that would be me)...then you might want to eyeball this wordy but still somewhat entertaining diatribe. It IS long...but a can assure you that you will come out on the other end with some sort of opinion...and maybe you'll dare to change your mind about some things along the way. Stranger things HAVE happened! So...a one and a two...

And it goes like this...

Ye Olde Table of Contents

PART 1: How I'm using Yuwie to make my world a better place.

PART 2: How Evilkim Yuwies

PART 3: How I use my "Top Friends" section.

PART 4: How I think YOU can make Yuwie better.

PART 1: How I'm using Yuwie to make my world a better place (or...karma is the key kiddies!).

So here's the thing, I have a life...and I can't devote my every waking thought and moment to this place. But I do have a purpose for the time I can spend here. This site totally has the potential to rock...but even moreso, it has the potential to effect change... if people use it well.

I am not here for the money. I am here for the creative release. But...if my random nonsense generates some sort of income...I owe it to the world to use it to give back. If you will note on my main page...when I do get around to making a substantial amount...like our dearly departed MOUSE (rest in peace my good man)... I will be donating it to charity. The Hope & Help Center of Central Florida is the charity I have chosen to receive any funds I manage to generate. 

Am I rich?

Hardly.

Am I crazy?

Not any more than anyone else who has lived the fabulous life I've lived. 

Honestly, money is totally NOT the center of my universe. I've had oodles of it (HAD being the operative word)...and honey it doesn't buy happiness...or really anything that matters in the end. You have to be happy to start with, ya' know? That's just how I roll.

Karma rocks ya'll. It took me close to 30 years to figure that out...and I'm using my Yuwie page to repair some of the bad karma I may have chalked up in an earlier chapter of my life. Take my lead. Use some or all of any Yuwie funds you receive to help make YOUR world a better place.

PART 2: How Evilkim Yuwies (Or, how to roll like an imaginary supermodel)

WHAT MY PAGE IS ABOUT:

This page is devoted to celebrity gossip commentary, book/reading suggestions and movies that I have enjoyed that you may enjoy as well. The book reviews because most of what I read and enjoy should be made into movies. The movies...because I was a theater minor and love the craft...and duh, they are what create celebrities. And celebrity gossip...because it's all about the people that star in the movies that were made from the books. See? It all ties together. All manner of silliness, sarcasm and snarkiness does ensue here...and shall continue that way. If none of those things interest you then perhaps some other page is more worthy of your "friendship".

FRIEND-ING:

If you would like to add me GREAT! But do know that I DO look at each page belonging to someone requesting an add. If your page is basically just a template...unadorned and reflecting nothing about who you are...or, is just an ode to greed, multi-level, money-hoarding gimme-gimme more-ness? Nope...no dice. Same goes for you guys who nothing but women in your friends list. It's just creepy and wierd, and I shall not be a part of anyone's twisted cyber-collection thank you very much. Oh...and with one or two very special exceptions...if you have no profile photo/pic/image you get 86ed without a second thought.

To make Yuwie a great site that attracts a steady stream of viewers there needs to be more to it than just a bunch of people trying to glom money off one another. And it goes without saying that if your page violates Yuwie's rules or is overtly offensive (trust me...you have to try really hard to offend me) then your request will not be approved. You can all read, and if you have half a brain you've read over what is and isn't allowed here on Yuwie. If you haven't, or you feel like it is your mission to toe the line...well...see ya', wouldn't want to be ya'.

Oh...and to those who preach about keeping their pages clean and pure (and all biblical-like), yet then go and post their own questionable/soft core porn content on their own pages...or the pages of others...then kick an additional hissy when their "friends" follow their lead? Puh-lease! Pick one side of the bridge and stay on it already! If I see one more page littered with bible passages that are mingled with heaving bossoms and/or "bar room" language I may just scream. I'm not against any of those things...in fact...I totally embrace some of those things...but throwing them all together is a tad hypocritical, no? I will not add these "worst of both world" pages. Period. Heck...I may start giving out "worst of both world" awards. *LOL*

COMMENT APPROVAL:

I love comments as much as anyone. Receiving them and giving them. Fun ones, silly ones, touching ones, satirical ones. You get the picture...but let's go over what I won't approve...as it still seems some are without the clues:

I will NOT approve your comment for posting...

* If it is any sort of "chain" message.
* If it is huge and stretches out my layout.
I worked hard on my page and don't want it looking yuck! 
* If it is against Yuwie's regulations. Duh!
* If it is loaded with "get rich quick" links. Not interested. I'm
just here just for kicks and giggles!
* If it is loaded with "add my referral" links. One or two via
msg is one thing, but lists of referral links? No. If you
would like me to do your "marketing"...hire me.
* If it is loaded with religious and/or political propoganda.
I find both these subjects to be very personal. I'm sure my beliefs are very different than yours, and our freedom to have those differences is one of the awesome things about this country...but please,
express your beliefs on your own page. I prefer to keep my page a nonsectarian/nonpartisan space.

Oh...and please don't send me gross comment photos. Ewww.

COMMENTING FREQUENCY:

Next subject; to all the whiners who have messaged me saying "You didn't comment on me as much as I commented on yoooouuuuu!", "You didn't visit my page every single day the second you got out of bed like I do for yooouuuuuu!", "I give out (insert some insane and trivial number here) page views and you should do it tooooooooooooooo!", "You were online and I was online...and I saw you online and you didn't send meeee a message telling me to have a nice daaaaaaaaay!", "I spend (insert insane number) hours on here and you don't sign on half as much as meeeeeee!". Oh...or threatening me with "If you don't start being more active I am going to delete you!".

O...M...G! What are we? Extras in a remake of "The Heathers"? Are ya'll bucking to replace LiLoh in the next installment of "Mean Girls"?

Ugh...people...HELLO! Maybe some of you are independently wealthy and have little or no other things to deal with/enjoy in life outside of staying upright in front of your computer screen...but some of us have...what are those things? Oh right...JOBS! You know, those things where you do stuff in exchange for money so that you can keep the lights on and, well...buy stuff? And we have those beings that move around inside our homes...that we love and enjoy spending time with...what are those beings called? Oh yeah...spouses, partners, pets and...FAMILIES!!!

Cripes people! Step away from the keyboard now and then. Go outside!

There is a whole three-dimensional world filled with three-dimensional people out there and, while Yuwie is a fun distraction, living here every waking moment isn't smart or healthy.  If you need to make money go out and get a job! Yes it is hard...yes there are few jobs to be had...but I'm pretty sure that those who are getting the jobs are out in the real world applying for them. And there are organizations to assist displaced homemakers, minorities, single parents, seniors starting over, former drug addicts, gay and lesbian, non-english speaking and or the handicapped ... to get a start in the job force. Yuwie is a nice extra...but I doubt that anyone reading this is paying all their bills with Yuwie money. 

HOW I COMMENT/RATE/ETC:

Now on to how I do my commenting and such. Simple really. Anyone who stops by to say hello...or reads and comments on my bloggy or rates my page gets at the very least a comment and page visit from me :-) I think CC had a great idea there in her inspirational notices! (Hi CC!). Sometimes I don't get around to doing it all...sometimes I only get around to doing part of it...sometimes I have the spare time to read, rate and comment a bunch. It all depends on whatever my schedule will allow. Job, family, life...they all come first. I'm simply here for the kicks and the creative release. If I see that you thought of me...then of course I will make every attempt to let you know I appreciate it. Sometimes I just feel all squidgie (new word) and I spray out comments to everyone. Sometimes I drop by to see just a few. I comment in the "comments section"...not in comment sections that have been blog-located. It all depends on the availability of my spare time and how I choose to spend it.  You either want an actual friend...or you don't.

I blog pretty regularly (schedule on the front page). Maybe some people read it...maybe they enjoy it. Either way I have fun with it and that is what matters to me. There are a number of great blogs that I read. Sometimes I comment...sometimes not...but I am reading and appreciating when I have time.

HOW I USE THE BLOCK, DELETE & IGNORE FEATURES:

Duh ya'll. I'll make this simple...and honestly, I didn't think it was all that complicated:

If someone threatens, harrasses or offends me (which is really hard to do) I BLOCK and REMOVE them. No need to tell them I'm doing it. I just want them gone and prefer to skip the drama. I may unblock...I may not. Whichever I choose is totally up to me and I happen to dig that little arrangement.

If I grow tired of seeing constant notices about "add my friend, get rich quick, my life is awful because...yada yada yada" I use the IGNORE function. Again...no need to let them know I did. Drama is exhausting.

If someone blocks and/or removes me (and I happen to even notice...which is rare) I reciprocate and move on. Not for any hostile reasons...but simply because I don't have time for that type of manipulative game playing and negative energy in my life, and don't want it pooping all over my fun time. Do not block me then change your mind and try to contact me to blame your unacceptable behavior on a bad day, a stressful job or an illness. I've got trump cards to all of it and I seem to be able to conduct myself in a civil manner. I expect the same from my friends.

AND FINALLY...(or at least "finally" for this section of babble)

If you have issues with the content of my page, how I conduct myself on this site or any other matter...please be mature enough to contact me via message to see if it is something we can resolve privately. Do not involve me in your flame wars, malicious chatter or passive aggressive nonsense.

Wow....I feel better. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Feel free to contact me, ignore me, remove me, delete me or block me if you take issue with this post. We can do that here. We are (most of us) adult humans...and we have free will. Use it in the best manner you see fit!

PART 3: How I use my "Top Friends" section (or..How to be one of the Top O' The Heap Peeps)

Recently (depending on when you are reading this) a person, who shall remain nameless (because I fear naming them would encourage yet more of this really creepy OCD behavior) , messaged me with the concern that I was misusing my "Top Friends" area. This person then went on to explained to me in great detail the scientific and mathmatical calculations and contortions that they had devised to indicate to themselves who was worthy of such an esteemed position on their page.

For real.

Well, first of all, this person must have been soooo busy 'figgerin that they overlooked my bloggy entry, and the big fat sign right smack on my page, that explain in pretty simple terms why I am here. Second of all...why are THEY so worried about MY "Top Friends" list? Oh! Maybe because they aren't on it? Could be. Doubt it. I mean..it's not like this is some Studio 54-ish hot spot with a bouncer out front. But, you never know what goes on in people's minds, huh?

But, of course, then that got me thinking. Maybe the world out there is bored enough to get around to wondering how I make the monumental and life changing decisions as to who gets a sparkly spot beyond the velvet ropes of my dandy "Top Friends" VIP section.

It could happen.

I mean...if there are absolutely no Will & Grace reruns on..and no channels running Die Hard or The Birdcage people might really wonder about this very thing. Really.

So...here it is; how all those special folks earned the coveted "Top Friends" spots on my page.

You're on the edge of your seat...right?

It's simple. They all have one or more of the following traits:

* A page NOT devoted to money making, MLM programs, get rich quick schemes.

* A page with a purpose...be it uniting collectors of troll dolls or simply as a spot for random thoughts...but more than an unoriginal template holding nothing more than comments.

* A page WITH a profile pic or image. That blank frame thing just makes me nuts! I've only made an exception to this rule for two very special people...and I have my reasons.

* An attractive page. And yep, that would be attractive according to my taste. Good balance, not all stretched out (resizing pictures is so simple on Photobucket that a child could do it), not a bunch of clutter and nice colors always make me smile. Oh...and none of that nonsnse with the bible passages stuck right next to pics of Jack Daniels bottles, couples all entangled and sweaty and women/men with their "all-together" on display. Separately none of that stuff offends me. But, together it just screams bi-polar hypocrit!

* A page owned by someone who is super-cool and reflecting that person's cool personality. Yup...you guessed it...coolness deemed by me ;-)

* A page owned by someone who takes a moment now and again to pop by my page, peek at my blogs and leave me a little note that they were there and maybe a little about what they are thinking.

* And finally...a page that has the comments section right smack on the front page where it belongs, and not relocated to force "friends" to "pay" for your "friendship".

So there it is. Now you won't have to lie awake tonight wondering.

You're welcome ;-)

(And for those a little slow on the up-take...yes...the smattering of blatant sarcasm is intended)

PART 4: How I think YOU can make Yuwie better...(Or, The Big Fat Duh!)

I'm not alone one this train of thought ya'll. Check out MoonLaLa's bloggy and Mouse's page .

So...here's the thing; say you are a newbie just cruising by and you stumble into this Yuwie place. What do you see? What is your general opinion right off the bat? First, a number of days ago, I asked one person their opinion of this whole Yuwie thing. This was a person unfamiliar with the site yet very internet savvy. Then I asked a few other people I knew, who were unfamiliar with the site and just sort of  regular Joes and Josephines, to take a drive-by view.

You know what they said?

And here I quote one of them who pretty much said what they all said, but in the least "colorful" manner...

"Man! It looks like a place where a bunch of greedy people feed off eachother and talk about nothing but how to make easy money. Like one of those ads in a cheesy magazine. You know...those multi-level business things that aren't really selling anything?"

This person also mentioned that all the "popular blogs" listed on the "Home" page were titled with things like "1,000 page views. 1,000 comments!" and "For More Friends, Views and Money".  

Then he yawned.

Umm...not good.

So...I took a step back...and you know what? These newbie viewers who I polled were right. 90% of the blogs and chatter here are about nothing other than...well...here. The success to Myspace is the diversity. You can find pages on cooking....on music...on literature...on movies...on actors...on musicians....on writers...on travel. Need I go on? Yeah..yeah...I know...this isn't Myspace. On Myspace you don't get paid for page views.

Blah, blah, blah! Hush up and listen now.

As I understood it, the theory behind Yuwie is that it too would be a "social networking site"...but "with a twist". Right?  Well kids...from the unbiased outside viewers I talked with (two of whom spent upwards of an hour wandering around Yuwie-ville)...the site appears to be all "twist" and little else. All people chattering and babbling and arguing about nothing BUT Yuwie and how to make money on Yuwie. This is at first sight...in the first few minutes someone browses the Yuwie. The few minutes that convince them to stay...or move on to someplace else. There ARE some awesome pages, layouts, blogs and people out there. And there are some great guides to how to find them...but they aren't apparent at first glance.

Yes, Yuwie is pretty darned cool...but if that one aspect is ALL that anyone covers here...well, the people (the ones that bring in page views and sign-ups) tend to lose interest. Do you remember that kid in high school who talked about nothing but his car? How quick did you get tired of hanging out with him? Or the girl who constantly chattered about how popular she was? Mind numbing after awhile, huh? Get the picture? Most people have incredibly short attention spans and even less patience. No one is going to be interested in my page...or your page...or that guy's page...if we are all hooting and hollering about the same thing.

I've recently seen people all puzzled and commenting about how they lost X amount of friends this week. Ummm..perhaps that is because once you've seen 5 or 10 pages of the same content on the same subject....well, maybe there are more interesting places to spend spare time. And off they go. How many times would you go to a mall where 90% of the stores all selling white t-shirts? How many times would you eat in a restaurant that only has grilled cheese sandwiches on the menu? There are clues out there ya'll...you just have to open your eyes...get past the delusions of easy money...and see them.

Of course there are those who will say..."if they don't like the making-money side of this place...or how it looks on the surface...then we don't need or want them here". Everyone is allowed their own opinion. That particular one, though, is a bit short sighted and counter-productive I would think.

So...I have a challenge for you...and you....and you. Join me in a little experimental revolution...to make this a more diverse and interest-holding attraction. My theory being that if the whole site is more interesting...more people will join it and more people will continue to hang out on it...and THAT will make it way more successful for everyone. That includes me...a person who has no interest in the money-making portion of this gig...but who just wants to share her writing and such with other like-minded people.

Here's what I'm doing: 

I am making a point of visiting every page belonging to the "friends" on my "friends" list.

I will be REMOVING any "friend" who has a page that consists of page decor and blog content devoted in the majority to money-making/friend-adding/page-view-begging/how-to-get-rich, yadda-yadda-yadda etc...and I will not approve any "friend" requests that come from pages such as those I just described. 

BUT...I will be keeping and/or ADDING anyone who has a page that has diversity and is mostly devoted to something beyond ...well... to put it bluntly ...greed.

Sure a few good, hearty plugs for Yuwie are great...but I want to surround myself ...and make my page a launching point to people who value more things in life than just money...and who have the depth and originality to talk about more than just how to make a buck off Yuwie.

Happiness, friends and fun are my gig. How about yours?

If you feel like...yeah, this may be a way to swing this place onto the right road...feel free to suggest this bloggy entry to friends...or quote it in your blog. Just be sure to give me credit for my words. Thank you.

Just my opinion...and as usual...I'm pretty darned sure I'm right ;-)

The End (for now).

Happy Friday ya'll! Today I'm going to recommend a fun and suspense-filled movie that a lot of people missed out on. It's perfect for summer...because the setting is...ahhhhh...the Bahamas! And with a cast including Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, and Don Cheadle...you simply can't lose! Now granted...the critics were not kind to this flick...but in my opinion it is because you have to pay attention to keep up with the twists and turns that are so skillfully crafted into the story. In my experience...critics prefer to be spoon-fed...and that's just boring and sad.

So...I give you...After The Sunset.

Two master thieves are finally retiring after one last successful mission. Residing in their own tropical paradise, their old nemesis, FBI Agent Stan P. Lloyd shows up to make sure they really are retired. Docked in the port is a ocean liner called the "Diamond Cruise" and Stan is convinced that they're not really retired at all, and that this is the next set up. While Lola is busy settling into their new life and trying to find ways to keep busy, Max is contemplating whether or not to steal the diamond. Now the question is, will he? Will Stan finally catch him after eight years of chasing him? Will Lola help Max steal it? And what of that shady character that has told Max he must steal the diamond for him?

Need a clippy?

Just a really fun ride and a super summertime film. Indiana Jones it isn't...but still...just great fun for a lazy summer evening!

Love & Linguini to All!

Today I'm doing something a little different. I made the discovery of a really awesome cook book (yeah...I know..I'm a disaster in the kitchen) that I'm now recommending to everyone. It has some awesome twists on some really cool recipes that make them healthy food. As a weight loss success story (the ONLY thing I have ever seen through to completion in my life!) and the wife of a heart surgery patient, I'm always trying to find food that is good, fun, healthy and easy to make. It's also a plus if the recipe will not put me in danger of having a visit from the fire department (although having the fore boys swing by doesn't sound that awful on the surface).

Anyhoooo, I give you The Hungry Girl Cookbook by Lisa Lillien.

With some minor changes in your shopping list, and a little brain adjustment you can keep eating really YUM foods but make them healthier! And as an added bonus the Hungry Girl website offers Weight Watchers point values for each of the recipes in the book!

Click here to eyeball the Amazon review on Hungry Girl...and ignore the one or two negative reviews...from people who seem to be p.o.ed that these recipes don't taste EXACTLY like the high fat/high calorie versions. I've tried a number of the recipes already, and added some of my own (read: Hubster's...because he is king o' the kitchen here) spices, and ALL of them were YUM!

Check it out! Evilkim says "Be healthy, Have fun & Eat well!"

Good morning my Gossipoplitans! I do hope you had a spectacular holiday weekend. All sorts of stuff is going on out there in Crazytown...and now is the time to catch up.

Ummm...did she really expect a nom?

I mean really ya'll. It was all over the news that BritBrit had been "snubbed" by the Emmy noms. Uhhh...doing a two show cameo does not an actress make. Ya' feel me? What did she have...like maybe ten lines total? Evidently I'm the only one out here who isn't surprised. The honor of an Emmy should go to ACTORS and ACTRESSES...not some used-to-be popstar who puts in three days work as a ratings magnet. Thank you, Emmy comittee, for keeping your heads on straight.

Poster-boy for saying NO!

Resident side-show geek, Steve-O from "Jackass" (the most aptly named movie/TV show since Dumb & Dumber) is back in rehab. A mental hospital to be more specific. Evidently he fell off the wagon (I wasn't aware that he had ever boarded) hard. In his own words....after 115 days of staying clean... "I did so much cocaine, ketamine, pcp, nitrous oxide, and all sorts of other drugs, that, quite simply, my brain is f**ked up." If you would like to read his entire blog entry feel free to click here. While I find Steve-O pretty much repulsive and dangerous to human-kind...I do wish him well in his quest for normalcy and sobriety. Even whack-jobs deserve a chance at a happy, healthy long life.

Gossipopolis says...

...Back on up off Miley's grill ya'll! Seriously...this kid has some actual talent (unlike Liloh and BritBrit)...so let her get her sea legs in the nutty entertainment biz before ya'll go trying to tear her down. I honestly hadn't heard any of her work...but I did today (heard 7 Things I Hate About You on the way to a morning meeting) and I have to say that my jaded ears were tres' impressed. This kid has pipes that her Daddy can be proud of plus some. So give Miles a little space ya'll. She's a good egg and has all of Gossipopolis cheering for her!

So honestly...what is going on with Madge?

I'm hearing the divorce is on...the divorce is off. And now A-Rod (who I'm told is some baseball star...forgive my very girly ignorance of sports) is getting dumped by HIS wife...who is blaming Madonna for exerting some sort of Kabalah-based mind control over her hubby. What is UP with these people? Mind control? If you want to break up just do it...don't go splashing around in the muck-pond on the way to your freedom. Just UGH!

and BTW...who else misses 80s Madonna?

I know I totally do!

And lastly...Congrats to Nicole and Keith!

This charming and photogenic couple are celebrating the birth of a baby girl! Name...Sunday Rose Kidman Urban. I sooo love unique names. I couldn't be happier for this couple...and everyone in Gossipopolis shall be drinking a toast to their continued glorious bliss!

O.K. kiddies...after having The Hubster on vacation and home for 5 days, coupled with holiday laziness, my house is a disaster area. So I am off to be domestic (shut up...I can too be domestic!) If you like what I write please feel free to visit my other bloggies for a more personal side of me...and if you like this entry drop me some Yays.

I'll be back on Wednesday with my bookshelf selectioin of the week :-)

Love and linguini to all!!

Happy July 4th ya'll!!!! It's Friday! Yay!! And now you have a whole weekend to look forward to! Double Yay!! And some of you have kiddies. Wouldn't it be cool to pop a bunch of popcorn, take a break from the summer heat and watch a good family movie?

Well have I got a movie for you!

We here in Gossipopolis would like to suggest to you...

Here's the Amazon review dealie for you to eyeball:

"An irresistible concept meets computer-generated wonders in Night at the Museum, inspired by a 1993 children's book by Milan Trenc. Ben Stiller stars as Larry Daley, an underachieving inventor waiting for his ship to come in while getting evicted from one apartment after another for lack of funds. Larry's son needs some stability, so the well-meaning ne'er-do-well takes a job as night watchman at New York City's Museum of Natural History. What the soon-to-retire guards (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs) don't tell him is that an ancient pharaoh's tablet in the museum causes everything on display to come to life at night. Thus, Larry meets representations of Teddy Roosevelt, Attila the Hun, fire-worshipping cavemen, and Roman Empire soldiers, and learns to cope with an excitable T-Rex and man-eating, ancient animals. The film might have left things at that, but an added story element gives Night at the Museum some extra urgency and excitement, especially fo! r kids: Larry becomes responsible for keeping this nightly miracle going and preventing anything in the museum from dying due to exposure to sunrise. Computer effects, as well as wildly imaginative costumes and makeup, help make the film appeal to the 8-year-old in everyone."

Super fun for the whole family! And come on....ROBIN WILLIAMS! He hasn't made a bad movie yet (O.K...I'll give you TOYS. That did kind of suck.). But really...it is a superb cast and the story is just perfection. Rip-roaring fun...as the reviewers always say ;-)

Need a clippy? Here you go!

So why not take some time to just kick back, relax and enjoy a cinema break this weekend. You know you deserve it!

This week's selection from my way overcrowded bookshelves is a winner for anyone who loves a good mystery.

I give you...

Here's a rundown of what's in store behind the cover of this great book that started me on a marathon reading binge and quest to find all of Kate White's books.

"Meet Bailey Weggins, the thirty-something, single-again true crime writer for a leading Manhattan woman's magazine. Smart and savvy, she's got a sixth sense when it comes to seeing the truth in a story-especially if it's murder. Bailey's in bed with her commitment-challenged lover K.C. when she gets a frantic call from her high-maintenance boss at Gloss magazine. Grabbing coffee and a cab outside her Greenwich Village apartment—the consolation prize in her divorce settlement—Bailey reluctantly heads uptown. At Cat Jones's Upper East Side town house, she finds something that seriously clashes with the chic décor: the dead body of the family's line-in nanny.

As Bailey—unofficially—delves into the murdered girl's past, she finds no shortage of A-list suspects. But when a startling discovery suggests that Cat may have been the intended victim, Bailey is suddenly up to her bed head in high-profile investigation that's perfect fodder for a tabloid headline: Is someone trying to kill the editor's of women's magazines?

With the spotlight on New York's glitzy media world, Bailey interviews back-stabbing editors, straying husbands, and one sexy, six-feet two psychologist who could make her decide to kick K.C. to the curb. Sporting her pair of red slingbacks and armed with the investigative skills she's honed as a true crime reporter, she sets out on a search that takes her from Manhattan's exclusive Carnegie—Hill area-the nanny heartland of America—to the ritzy weekend estates of Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Bailey will need all her street smarts and some lightning-fast detective work to catch a killer who could end up deleting her name from the masthead for good." (From Kate White's official site) 

This is the first in a series that follows the misadventures of Bailey. I can assure you that each and every one of them gets better and better...an they are great to start with!

Perfect beach reading material...and also super for those summer stormy days when you are cooped up inside.

Do enjoy. I know I did!

Today's Gossip Alert is a change up of pace.

But first I just had to comment on this pic that I stumbled across.

I'm honestly not sure what to do with this image. Mr. Tyler...rock and roll megastar...in Crocs? Really?

I am without words.

And now...simply because we're all a bit weary of Britney and Lindsay's antics, which teenaged pop tart just managed to get knocked up, if or if not Madonna is splitting up with Guy... and the whole Amy Winehouse story that just could not get any sadder...I think we'll just take a break from all the negative dish for a moment. 

So...here's what I'm going to do...I'm going to give ya'll the scoop on some television shows you simply should not miss! Being a confirmed videot I am MORE than qualified to guide you to inspiring, enjoyable and, yes, maybe even shows where you might learn a little something!

Excited?

I knew you would be!

First up on the menu, I have a badass, road-tripping, writer and chef. A cynic extraordinare and bonified smartass. I give you...

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

With Tony's show on The Travel Channel you not only get your eyes opened to some incredible inside scoop on awesome foods, professional chef's tips and restaurants...

...but you'll also get an illuminating tour of places, customs and people you may never knew existed!

Not only is this guy a world traveler...a knockout success of a chef...but he's a writer with a most wonderful sarcastic wit that will have you tuning in every week just to hear his stories and witness his often hillarious adventures. Note: This show is not for kiddies...or those with tender ears.

That censor button pusher gets a real workout with this show...and the topics sometimes covered are quite often not for tiny ones. Tony is a tough guy with an artist's heart. He tells it like it is and he doesn't take static from anyone. He IS static! This guy is a New Yorker from the toes up...and to add to that spectacular trait...he's an awesome blogger. Feel free to eyeball his bloggy HERE. Seriously ya'll...this guy's writing is a JOY to read.

Tony is MOST gossip-worthy, having led a rough and tumble, knife and fork climb up the culinary ladder.  TV personality, best-selling author, public speaker, weary world traveler, gourmand, punk-rock aficionado, proud New Yorker and, most recently, newlywed and doting father.

Watch this show once and you'll be HOOKED!

Not into cooking and travel (although you should be! Food and new places ROCK!)? Well why not check out the Sci-Fi network's fantastic show...

Ghost Hunters

These guys add a real sense of professionalism to the sometimes hokie subject of the paranormal. They go into each investigation trying to find reasonable explanations for whatever odd things are going on. Only when they can't debunk or find a source of an event will they consider possibly deeming a place "haunted".

Through the use of some pretty awesome high tech equipment these two (and their team) are out to help those who no one else will believe. They've investigated homes, theaters, battle ships, prisons, asylums and hotels. This show just keeps getting better and better.  Click here to learn more aout this great show!

Looking for something more in the comedy genre? Something with a bit more intellectual spin than most elementary sitcoms?

Then Check out The Big Bang Theory.

Here's the scoop...Leonard and Sheldon are brilliant physicists, the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people, especially women.

All this begins to change when a free-spirited beauty named Penny moves in next door. Sheldon, Leonard's roommate, is quite content spending his nights playing Klingon Boggle with their socially dysfunctional friends, fellow CalTech scientists Wolowitz and Koothrappali. However, Leonard sees in Penny a whole new universe of possibilities... including love.

With a spectacularly well meshed cast...headed up by Roseanne alumni Johnny Galecki ...I can promise you a fast paced, intelligently witty and down right funny show right there on little old CBS where gawd and everyone without cable can watch it!

And last but not least, if you aren't watching...

...then you are totally missing out. I'm pretty darned jaded. My Dad worked in the entertainment industry for quite awhile and, through various jobs, travels and adventures, I myself have seen pretty much everything from dancers to singers to magicians to actors and many, many more acts of every genre. This show has opened a door on whole new ideas in entertainment. A man, a trombone and a Donna Summer song? Sounds lame, huh? Totally NOT! Who knew?! I, and I think anyone else who watched the first show, was blown away. And not just by that act...there were more....WAY MORE that just rocked the house. Click Here to get a peek inside the show and find out when it's on in your time zone!

We, here in Gossipopolis, look forward to these shows every week. EVEN if they are reruns! We hope you will too :-)

Next week we will return to our regular Gossip Alert format.

Promise ;-)

O.K. ya'll...I usually poo-poo these blatant-chick-flicky-obvious-plays- for-tissue sales...BUT, saw this movie the other night and I do have to say it got me. Starts slow...but it picks up speed and really delivers some thought provoking and self-examination inspiring topics. Plus it has a bunch of scenes that are just damned funny.

So...for this week's selection...I give you 27 Dresses.

And yes...Katherine Heigl is just about as cute as a bug, and her timing and akward yet graceful beauty are flawless. But...this movie, in my eyes, belongs to Judy Greer (who played Fern in Jawbreaker and one of Charlie's many girlfriends on 2-1/2 Men...to save you from going "Where in the heck have I seen her before?"). Her character, Casey, in this movie so closely mirrors my own personality (which may or may not make you start to really dislike me) that I swear someone was spying on me while writing this screen play. I love supporting characters, and love watching the good ones, like Ms. Greer, silently act while the main characters are speaking. So do that while watching this chick-flicky-yet-very-enjoyable film.

Here's a little rundown of the storyline:

"Katherine Heigl is delightful as Jane, a self-effacing Gal Friday so addicted to organizing weddings in her off time, that 27 Dresses opens with her character juggling two nuptials on the same night. A perpetual bridesmaid, Jane’s hobby is discovered by a matrimony reporter named Kevin (James Marsden), who hides a romantic side behind his wall of cynicism. While Kevin gradually develops feelings for Jane, the latter’s superficial sister, Tess (Malin Akerman), pursues George (Edward Burns), Jane’s boss and the object of her love. This romantic circle could go on forever, except that Jane is unexpectedly moved by Kevin despite her general irritation with him and without knowing that he’s on the verge of sandbagging her with a ridiculing article in his newspaper. The situation is absurd, but the emotions are not. Heigl is very good, rooted in a long tradition of comely comediennes playing characters who fly under the radar of life. She makes Jane’s pain palpable and conveys her character’s inability to say no without making her look unappealing or weak. Marsden perfectly captures the part of a rumpled, underdressed writer with repressed passions, Akerman is as convincingly shrewish here as she was in The Heartbreak Kid, and Burns is fine as one of those guys so busy saving the world he barely pays attention to the people in his life. The scr i pt by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) is fun if predictable, and Anne Fletcher’s direction is vibrant." --Tom Keogh - Amazon.com

Aaaaand here's a clippy!

Do enjoy. And perhaps...for some of you...it will bring some enlightenment.

Let's take a look at a male author here for a change. Carl Hiaasen is one of my favorite authors. He's brilliant, witty and so adorably bitter and jaded about this wonderland that is Florida. I've read each and every one of his novels (and there are MANY o choose from), and have yet to be disappointed. I started with Strip Tease...which yes, was turned into a starring vehicle movie for Demi Moore and her implants. I saw the movie...thought it quite...well...sucky, but then I read the book. THEN I totally GOT IT! And now I love the movie. Go figure. O.K...where was I? Oh yeah...Skinny Dip...a TOTALLY good read for the summer time (as is Strip Tease as a matter of fact).

Here's an Amazon review for you and yours:

"Charles "Chaz" Perrone fancies himself a take-charge kind of guy. So when this "biologist by default" suspects that his curvaceous wife, Joey, has stumbled onto a profitable pollution scam he's running on behalf of Florida agribusiness mogul Red Hammernut, he sets out right away to solve the problem--by heaving Joey off the deck of a luxury cruise liner and into the Atlantic Ocean, far from Key West. But--whoops!--Joey, a former swimming champ, doesn't drown. Instead, as Carl Hiaasen tells in his 10th adult novel, Skinny Dip, she makes her way back to shore, thanks both to a wayward bale of Jamaican marijuana and lonerish ex-cop Mick Stranahan (Skin Tight, 1989), and then launches a bogus blackmail campaign that's guaranteed to drive her lazy, libidinous hubby into a self-protective frenzy.

You've got to hand it to Hiaasen: He's perfected a formula for crisply written, satirical crime fiction that makes the best use of imaginatively repulsive villains, as well as less thoroughly venal scoundrels and victims who ultimately overcome their antagonists, all while stumping for the preservation of Florida's environment, particularly the Everglades. In Skinny Dip, we find Chaz (who'd rather be golfing than puttering around the "hot, buggy, funky-smelling and treacherous" reaches of nature) falsifying water samples to help Hammernut turn the 'Glades into "God’s septic tank." That scheme, though, is endangered not just by Joey's sudden disappearance, but by the suspicions of a python-loving police detective and Chaz's own outstanding inability to tame his Viagra-enhanced tumescence. Even by assigning Chaz a baby-sitter--the hulking, hirsute, and painkiller-addicted Tool--Hammernut can't keep his pet biologist out of trouble. As Joey and Stranahan unfold their revenge plot, and Tool's conscience grows in competition with Chaz's ego, the reader can only marvel at the extent of the train wreck ahead."

Guys will dig this author as much as gals. There is plenty of the macho stuff...and the south Florida setting is great for those of you not located close to sandy beaches and tacky t-shirt shops (not as prevalent as some would have you believe in these parts). So get up off your butt, get to a library or book store and check out Carl Hiaasen.

You will SO thank me!