The incredible,pop culture relatable egg

This holiday weekend is a double dose of spring celebration,with one seemingly ordinary but essential element that they share in common;the egg. Whether you're dying them for your Easter basket or preparing some for the first Seder of Passover,eggs are part and parcel of this season.

As a sassy side dish to this classic rite of spring,I've gathered up a few egg-centric pop culture moments to place in my blog basket of goodies for all to enjoy:

Our opening egg gag is from I Love Lucy,in one of the Connecticut episodes where Lucy and Ethel decide to stop their men from fighting about their chicken raising business by smuggling in store bought eggs to put in the reluctant layer's nests. Unfortunately for Lucy,Ricky picks the worst time to insist on the two of them rehearsing the tango for a local event. That dance number ends on a very crushing note indeed:

Speaking of dance,Veruca did a mean one as she sang her spoiled heart out in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory over not getting a special chocolate egg laying goose of her own.

Being so severely self centered,it was only natural that Veruca paid no attention to the quality measuring scales that those eggs were weighed on and the risk she took in climbing on top of one for her big finale. Then again,bad eggs are not fond of being detected:

Eggs of the non chocolate variety are meant to be eaten but first,they need to be properly cooked. One of the daunting challenges that Julie Powell undertook in her quest to make every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking,as chronicled in the book and film Julie and Julia,was the egg chapter.

Julie wasn't a big fan of eggs to begin with and even the most seemingly simple of egg recipes such as poaching can be tricky even for an experienced chef. With a little persistence and help from loved ones,she did manage to conquer her distaste for eggs and learn to love them wholeheartedly:

Another important goal in dealing with eggs is to hatch them and it took the first season of Games of Thrones for Daenerys Targaryen to figure out how to awaken the set of dragon eggs she received as a wedding present.

As with most things,there was a bit of trial and error on her part but eventually she did discover not only the right way to bring those sleeping dragons to life,Dany realized a special power of her own ready to to be roused. Thanks to those early attempts,she soon learned how to be the true Mother of Dragons that she was destined to be:



Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everyone and best wishes for great egg dishes this weekend. I hope that you all can share in the delights of the season and get that special treat from your holiday mascot of choice:

Game of Thrones sets up the board for season two,Mad Men's Betty has a scare and a pair of southern lady writers are saluted on American Masters

The second season of Game of Thrones(based on the second book "A Clash of Kings" in the Song of Ice and Fire series)picked up where they left off last time,as Rob Stark continues his campaign to be King of the North,Dany and her dragons lead their people into the desert and Jon Snow accompanies the Night's Watch north of the wall while the former king's elder brother Stannis prepares his own bid for the Iron Throne.

Said throne is currently held by Joffrey,the vicious boy king whose hobbies include tormenting poor Sansa Stark and having all of his supposed father's illegitimate children put to the sword(that's going to put a crimp in any plans for a family reunion there!). Even his dear mother Cersei doesn't have as strong a hold over him as she used to,which spells real trouble for the folks in King's Landing.

However, Tyrion has now arrived and in his new position as Hand of the King(temporarily filling the spot for his warmongering father Tywin),could curb some of Joffrey's less than prudent decisions regarding the kingdom,not to mention improve his manners.

Granted,big sister Cersei is far from thrilled about this new development but in the end,she may appreciate his voice of reason:

On Mad Men this week,we checked in on Betty,who has been feeling so down about her recent weight gain that she's starting to withdraw from any social gatherings.

Taking the advice of her new mother-in-law(who Betty should be a lot nicer to),she went to the doctor to get a prescription for diet pills and got an unpleasant surprise as he found a lump near her thyroid. Fortunately,it turned out to be benign yet that news didn't please Betty too much as the change in her physical appearance seems to have unsettled her more than the possibility of chronic disease.

What might be more toxic to her new marriage is that she went to Don first about her troubles and didn't mention that at all to current hubby Henry(who found out about it from a follow-up call from Don). As understandable as it was for Betty to turn to Don in such a moment,not being appreciative of Henry's no-holds-barred love for her is just as dangerous as any tumor to the health of their relationship:

PBS's American Masters series debuted two back-to-back episodes on Monday that paid tribute to two well known writers of the South,each of whom had only one book to their name but that was enough for them to make their mark on literary history.

First up was the author of Gone With The Wind in Margaret Mitchell:American Rebel,a woman who courted controversy in both her public and private life. Nonetheless,most agree that she was a woman well ahead of her times in many ways and the creator of a truly remarkable heroine:

Watch Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel on PBS. See more from American Masters.

The other film was Hey,Boo:Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird,Mary McDonagh Murphy's engaging documentary about the impact of that modern classic upon society then and now.

This was the second time that I've seen this movie and it still packs quite a punch. I need to catch up on the Margaret Mitchell one and fortunately,both of them will be replaying on most PBS stations over the holiday weekend. If you haven't at least seen Hey,Boo,look for it,you won't be sorry,folks:



RANDOM NOTES:

THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR: Season eight begins on May 13 and yes,Bobby Flay and Giada will be on deck as will Alton Brown to guide a fresh batch of potential foodie hosts through their paces. All three of them are going to be team leaders this time around and give some more intense input to their contenders,which should kick things up a notch:

Check out The Chronicles of Copper Boom and hang out at the Party Overkill

Last year,I published my first E-book entitled The Hench Woman's Handbook,which has been pretty well received and has encouraged me to spread my wings a little more on this front. So,today,I launched a new online series that also has superhero themes combined with a young woman's coming of age story.

The Chronicles of Copper Boom is about a girl named Penny Slater who was born with incredible powers yet is terrified about them being discovered by others. When we first meet her in Party Overkill,she's managed to contain them for most of her life but an unexpected guest at her stepsister's birthday party forces her to come out into the open.

His name is Kingston Cobre,a former military man who was turned into a snake like being,thanks to a secret government experiment,and his unusual looks come in handy when seeking refuge from the law after a botched robbery. Kingston is mistaken for the entertainment hired for the party and doesn't hesitate to play along with the confused hostess and company. Penny,however,quickly realizes that a true danger is in their midst and must decide what to do about it.

To paint the picture a bit broader,here's a small sample(told from Kingston's point of view):

Anyway,as that whole heist went straight to hell in a handbasket,my main priority was me but since one of the other geniuses that I was with brought a portable flame thrower with him to rob a diamond expo(moron is too good of a word for that jackass, glad he got twenty to life from the judge), my overcoat was fried like a cheap piece of bacon which made my getaway that much harder.


Not that I burn too badly these days, but a big man like me attracts plenty of notice to begin with and being covered in scales with a face like Lord Voldemort doesn't help you blend into the crowd too good there. Plus, I got these extra body parts which I tend to wrap around my shoulders and waist, kind of like a pair of suspenders and a belt. If you have a coat from the Big and Tall store and a hat to match, it works but that wasn't my lucky day for damn sure.

So, I'm running down the street in broad daylight in the middle of uptown, trying to find a good sidestreet or a decent alley to duck into. Those damn buildings were stacked together tighter than those newspaper piles you always find in one of those hoarder houses , I swear. All the damn stores had huge glass windows in the front, which made the idiots inside look like snotty goldfish, and there were security cameras all over the place, too many for me to knock out all at once.

....While I was running, I was using my snake limbs to knock stuff over and make it harder for the cops to catch up with me. Took down a couple of mail boxes, plus a few of those plastic stands where folks wait for the bus but my big lucky break on that route was a fire hydrant that I caught at just the right angle and popped off like a cheap champagne cork. The water spray from that baby gave me enough cover to duck into the first open door that I spotted.

It was some kind of fancy apartment building and if the doorman was on duty, I sure the hell didn't see him. I headed right for the elevator and pressed a button without looking before the doors shut. During my ride, I took a quick inventory; coat and shirt gone, my duffel bag of guns empty from a small rip on the side that I meant to sew up tearing open at the worst possible time, a pocketful full of gems that hopefully were worth something on the black market and at least one blade tucked into my right boot.

Not my best equipped set of circumstances, true but I've had worse. The elevator stopped at Floor P, which I took to be the penthouse. When I got out into the hallway, there were three doors for me to choose from and I was planning to use the tried and true method of selection that most people learn at their grandpa's knee,"eenie, meanie, minie, mo".

Before I could even start, the door in the middle swings open and this snotty looking woman in a wine colored pant suit pops up. "I thought I heard the elevator! Do you know how late you are? I pay good money for..." She stopped bitching for a moment and craned her frosted blonde head around like a cartoon character. "Where are the rest of you? I specifically ordered three entertainers to arrive all at the same time and I paid extra for Princess Pony to be here by now!"

Lucky for me, I'm not bad at improvising when the situation calls for it. "Sorry for the delay, ma'am, but the traffic's been terrible today. Real bumper to bumper out there, plus a couple of the side streets are closed due to.." She cut me off quick. "I don't care about your petty pedestrian problems! My little Tiffie has been asking for Princess Pony since dawn and she is going to have Princess Pony!!" From what I could smell off her breath, this lady had been downing martinis since dawn. Her eyes looked a little bloodshot there.

"Well,ma'am,Princess Pony is on the way but unlike me, her costume doesn't allow her to climb out of a car stuck in traffic and walk the rest of the way without messing it up. She and my fellow, uh, entertainer are doing their best to get here and if I can use your phone, we can get a progress report on their whereabouts." I had no idea who Princess Pony was supposed to be but if this tipsy broad was dumb enough to let me in, I was willing to do a song and dance number for her brat.

My inspiration for Copper Boom comes from two young heroines,one from DC Comics and the other from Marvel. In the 1990s,the X-Men had an animated TV series that featured Jubilation Lee,aka Jubilee,as a major character. She had been introduced into the comics via The Uncanny X-Men and is still around in one form or another.

Jubilee was a logical choice to highlight for the cartoon show,since her spunky attitude and colorful outfits made her instantly likable. Her plasma bomb abilities were rather formidable and if not for her bonding with such unlikely mentors as Wolverine and Gambit,she might have been easily turned to the dark side:

The second muse is from Teen Titans,which I originally was introduced to in the Mark Wolfman/George Perez era with the comic book in the 1980s. Tara Markov joined the group of young superheroes using the name Terra and despite her wisecracking ways,became a solid member of the team. She didn't win everyone's trust but her amazing earth shifting powers were a great asset and soon enough,Terra was officially accepted.

Unfortunately,she happened to be a double agent,sent to spy on the Titans and betray them to her partner in crime,Deathstroke. Despite appeals from her former friends, Terra's cold hearted nature and lack of restraint regarding her powers lead to her ultimate demise. A more sympathetic version of her appears in the Cartoon Network series that aired from 2003 to 2006. Even when slightly mellowed,Terra was able to pack a massively muddy punch:



Both of these girls were gifted with extraordinary abilities and powerful allies,yet one became a superhero and one a villain. Each had the opportunity to go either way with encouragement from good guys and bad. What made the difference? It's an old trope,granted,however I still think it's worth exploring and I hope that my readers will agree and follow me on this journey.

Right now,The Chronicles of Copper Boom is only available at Smashwords at $0.99(the upcoming chapters will also be at that same price)and will soon be up for downloading at other online retailers. As with The Hench Woman's Handbook,we have a Copper Boom Facebook page that will be updated with new release details and themed videos such as Warrior Woman of the Week and Memorable Mentors. Our first Memorable Mentor is Magneto,who takes any opportunity to encourage young folks into embracing evil:



Thanks for listening to my spiel and please feel free to give me your feedback on Copper Boom,every little bit helps me to become a better writer. My goals are realistic enough not to expect to become the next J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyer but I wouldn't exactly turn that deal down either if luck was my lady that night:

The Shoemaker's Wife serves up a sweet saga sauce for a reader's ragout

I've talked about saga novels before,dividing them into two basic classes;the steadfast(family dramas for the most part with strong female leads)and the sexy(which doesn't really need much of an explanation). Adriana Trigiani's upcoming book,The Shoemaker's Wife,is a prime example of the steadfast variety and a shining one at that.

The story begins in the Italian countryside during the early part of the last century,as two young people unexpectedly meet up and form a quick yet solid attraction to one another.

Ciro Lazzari,the youngest of two brothers left in the care of nuns as their widowed mother has no way to support them,happens to encounter by chance Enza Ravenelli,the eldest daughter of a large and loving family,upon a very sad occasion. Despite the tragic circumstances that bring them together,Ciro and Enza know that one way or another,they are meant to be:

Both of them make their way to America separately and for different reasons. Ciro is cast out of his convent home due to discovering a secret that breaks his heart but not as much as being separated from his brother Eduardo does.

His best hope for a new life is as an apprentice to a shoemaker in New York's Little Italy section of the city. He takes to the trade rather well,even bringing in Luigi Latini, a new friend made during the voyage, over into the business.

Enza travels with her father,looking for work that will paid well enough for their family back home to build a house for all of them to live in. She comes down with a dreadful case of sea sickness that threatens her chances of ever returning to her loved ones. The pair of them reach New York but Enza's illness makes the hospital their first stop.

While her father goes out of state for a job,Enza stays with ungrateful relatives in Hoboken while pursuing her dreams of becoming a seamstress. After a grueling stretch at a shirt factory,she,along with best friend Laura Heery,take whatever work they can until a golden opportunity presents itself in the form of a position in the wardrobe department of the Metropolitan Opera House.

Not only does Enza get to express her creativity and skill,she is also able to fit costumes for one of her favorite singers,Enrico Caruso(who also loves her home style cooking to boot):

Enza and Ciro do run into each other in New York but something keeps getting in the way of their potential romance,such as other love interests,a variety of misunderstandings and the impending approach of WWI that causes Ciro to enlist in the Army. Yet,true love manages to prevail and eventually,Enza and Ciro find the right time and place to pledge their lifelong devotion to one another.

Author Adriana Trigiani based this book on her grandparents and before you can cry "spoiler alert",let me assure that this is not the case here. This story is lovingly painted in rich details and emotional depths that you truly feel as if you are experiencing everything right along side Enza and Ciro,whose tale doesn't simply end after "I do." Their passion for life and love scents the pages like a perfume that envelopes your senses. These are not corny cut out figures,folks;Enza and Ciro are vivid characters that,no doubt,do real justice to their real life counterparts.

It's also a story about community and family,increasing your circle of love by adding good friends and neighbors into your social mix. Creating a world within the wider world that cherishes and supports each other during good times and bad is a subtle but succinct theme of the book that may sound old fashioned to some yet I suspect that desire for connection never really goes out of style:



The Shoemaker's Wife will be released on April 3 and if you're seeking a great read for a book club,springtime gift or just for the joy of it,your search is over. I've read a few of Adriana Trigiani's novels before but this book is clearly her masterpiece. Indulge yourself in the feast for the soul that she brings to the reading audience this season:

Mad Men gives us a song and dance,TAR teams fight for the Fast Foward and new stakes for The Vampire Diaries

The fifth season of Mad Men started off with a blast,as civil rights protests and their impact become part of the scene at Sterling Cooper Draper Price and other social changes are in the wind.

The other main event of this two-parter was Don's surprise birthday party,orchestrated by new wife Megan right down to putting on a special performance of "Zou Bisou Bisou" as her gift to him. It was a charming number and everyone was entertained(and a few were slightly jealous). However,the aftereffect of that musical interlude caused a few unwelcome ripples at the office:

Speaking of the office,Joan stopped by for a visit with her new baby and a chat with Lane about her coming back to work. Turns out that she didn't need to worry about taking back her place of honor,since their finances are close to dire straits and could use some of her grounded guidance.

Along with Pete's power struggles with Roger(who is becoming increasingly worthless to the business,in my opinion)and other tensions simmering under the surface,this new season of Mad Men is showing signs of renewed vitality and is as watchable as ever:

Another Fast Forward came up on The Amazing Race this week and two teams decided to go for it.The challenge was to stack 150 bales of hay from a truck into a precisely measured pile on the ground.

Team Jersey(Joey "Fitness" and Danny)went up against Team Pilot(Rachel and Dave,a combat pilot and his army wife)and at first,Team Jersey seemed to have the edge. Team Pilot was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning and they nearly started to argue too much again(like they did in a previous leg).

Yet,as time went on,it was clear that Team Pilot was much more organized and in the end,they completed the task. They came in first and won a pair of cars as their special prize(nice!). Unfortunately for Team Jersey,the time that they lost in going for the FF lead to them being eliminated from the Race. Sorry,guys,but at least you gave it your best shot:

On The Vampire Diaries,the gang is now able to focus more on the clear and present danger that is Klaus and his Original siblings due to Ric's Jekyll and Hyde dilemma being wrapped up for the moment.

Damon's discovery of the white oak that can kill them being part of the framework of the restored Wickery Bridge appeared to be a lost hope as his former mentor Sage burned it up to protect her old flame Finn.

As is the way of these things,however,the Salvatore boys did manage to recover a nice chunk of that special wood to whittle into stakes for all of their friends to deploy as they will. Klaus and kin's goose looks cooked but don't be too sure about their demise,folks. They do have to string out some more plot line rope to last until May,after all(not that I'm complaining!):



RANDOM NOTES:

CHOPPED ALL-STARS: A second round of this special competition for charity begins next week and the list of contenders includes Cat Cora,former Food Network Challenge host and current judge Keegan Gerhard,Marcus Samuelsson and Iron Chef Michael Symon. This sounds like a savory showdown where you won't want to miss one moment or a bite:

Who is the real Bully in this MPAA battle?

The Motion Picture Association of America's ratings board has never been known for not making arbitrary decisions about why one film gets a PG-13 and another receives an R for similar content,however their latest ratings dispute is doing more than potentially hurting someone's box office receipts.

An upcoming documentary called Bully,which chronicles the current growth of severe bullying that has lead to an increased level of suicides amongst young people,was given an R simply due to usage of the dreaded F word. The Weinstein Company(the distributors of the film)have made an appeal to the MPAA board for a PG-13 but have subsequently been denied.

Therefore,the studio has chosen to release the movie unrated,which limits where it can be shown. One theater chain,AMC,has agreed to show Bully at their locations but the odds of other moviehouse franchises doing so are rather slim. Of course,the MPAA claims that this is all about helping the parents yet the main concern of this particular film is the kids and they're the ones who need to see it the most:

Most of the MPAA's objections to changing the rating here are purely based on keeping their power base intact,pure and simple. They like things the way they are and not even a well meaning film that could offer encouragement and emotional support to both kids and parents going through such a tough time is enough to sway them.

Another part to this bias is that Bully is an indie film,which makes it that more vulnerable to being pushed around by their so-called standards. It's no secret that smaller movies are treated differently by the ratings board than films backed by major studios. Of course,even with that larger amount of clout,film makers have often had to waste time and money by adding over the top moments to possibly objectionable scenes in order to toss a bone to the MPPA's cut and slash crew:

Fortunately,a lot of folks have been speaking out about this issue,including a few famous faces as well. A young woman named Katy Butler started an online petition to get the rating for Bully changed and some of her supporters include NFL quarterback Drew Brees,teen star Demi Lovato and talk show hostess Ellen Degeneres.

Even members of Congress have signed the petition(granted,this is an election year)and while Bully may not get the PG-13 it deserves,at least the conversation about the unfair tactics of the film industry's rating system is reaching a wider audience:



Yes,parents do need a guide to help them find the age appropriate films for their children but let's be real about this. Most kids over the age of ten go to the movies on their own and if it's something that Mom and Dad think is bad,they want to see it all the more. However, in this case, a documentary is not usually a teen's first choice at the multiplex.Bully is the kind of film that should be shown in schools and without a PG-13 rating,that won't be possible.

I know that some people believe the recent attention paid to bullying in the media is just an overreaction and once upon a time,I did,too. Thinking over my past childhood and teen experiences,however,I do see that there is quite a difference between then and now. For one thing,text messaging and Facebook pages didn't exist when I was a kid,so while bullies could hound me at school and harass me on my way home,they weren't able to send me messages telling me to kill myself or create an internet site devoted to personally demeaning me.

There weren't a lot of pop culture outlets that dealt with the issue in my day,other than a few family sitcom plots,Judy Blume's YA novel Blubber and Stephen King's horror novel and film adaptation of Carrie. I was lucky enough to have a supportive family structure that helped me through those rough times but plenty of my peers didn't and perhaps it would have been better for us all if an open discussion had been engaged instead of the usual "kids will be kids" screed handed out by adults. I haven't seen Bully for myself but I wouldn't be surprised to see something of myself in those troubled kids.

Dealing with this issue in a positive manner is important and this film could be a golden opportunity for encouraging both parents and kids to talk about it candidly and shed some more light on how this affects them in their day-to-day lives. By denying Bully the chance to be seen by as many people as possible,the MPAA does not live up to it's agenda of providing families with the best information about the contents of a movie.

It would be nice to leave a legacy of understanding and empathy for future generations as the solution to bullying instead of just sweeping the whole mess under the rug for someone else to deal with later. Not to mention an alternative to indulging in revenge fantasies,which can be a harmless outlet for some but if no other viable option is presented,the more vulnerable among us could misinterpret as their battle cry. Do the right thing,MPAA,and give Bully the theatrical freedom that it deserves. Otherwise,you may wind up with more than metaphorical blood on your hands:

Rock out as you read

There seems to be a small yet steady trend of homemade music videos with book lover themes that's growing with leaps and bounds.They appear to cover just about every corner of concern for bibliophiles and their musically inclined counterparts,which is a real marriage of the minds in the pop culture realm and browse worthy to boot.

The latest Lit Rock clip hitting the internet is "B*tches in Bookstores",which is a parody of a Jay-Z/Kayne West tune. While I'm not familiar with the original song,these pumped-up pageturning ladies seem to be doing it justice and then some:






Another ode to hardcore reading came out around this time last year,courtesy of Julian Smith. His tough guy stance on being interrupted while reading,"I'm Reading a Book",isn't a parody of anything in particular,which makes this toe tapping laugh fest all the more enjoyable:

A lesser known but still just as compelling video,"Library Girl" is a charming love song about a librarian looking for love beyond the reference section. There's a nice little indie vibe about this piece,far more authentic than any of the antics Zooey Dechannel gets up to in "New Girl"(no,I don't watch that show but the tweeness of it rankles me nonetheless).

Anyway,this humble ballad of a bookish gal seeking her perfect bookend of a mate deserves to be heard and featured on playlists,perhaps even made into a theme song for a romance amongst readers TV series-hey,stranger things have happened!:

Frustrated writers even have an anthem of their own in this category,as this Kei$sha inspired parody takes on the perils of "Writer's Blok." The composer of this tribute to stalling for time is Jackson Pearce,whose has several YA fantasy titles out and clearly has a good sense of humor regarding her labors of love.

Distractions are an author's worst enemy and occasional best friend yet so hard to resist,especially when set to a danceable groove like this:



So,it appears that books and music can and do make a perfect pop culture pairing,much like a Reese peanut butter cup or a martini with a new episode of Mad Men. Not only is this a great way to spread the good word about books and reading,this merging of formats is also an excellent vehicle for advocating the need to keep our struggling literary outlets afloat,which is very rock n' roll indeed:

It's your own comic book,Charlie Brown!

Today,I have a very special guest post,a review of KaBoom Comics' new line of Peanuts comic books,based upon the classic strip by Charles Schulz.

My sister Stephanie O'Donnell,a graphic artist whose work can be seen in Greg Carter's Perfect Agent action adventure series(as well as the cover art for my first ebook,The Hench Woman's Handbook),considers Peanuts to be one of her major influences and her take on this latest adaptation is aimed at fans and newcomers alike:

"Peanuts" is back in comic book form once again, thanks to Boom! Studios' subsidiary for kiddie titles, KaBoom!. It stays true to the earlier days' humor in a longer format. Lucy is just as much of a fussbudget as she was 50+ years ago. Charlie Brown is still a lovable loser, and Linus holds on literally and figuratively to his blanket fixation.


The best part of it for me was to kind of relive my childhood through this recent incarnation. I'm an avid collector of Peanuts memorabilia, especially the old trade paperbacks. This makes for a nice addition to my collection. The artwork is crisp and faithful to the originals. There's even a "How To Draw" section with Lucy instructing the reader on how to recreate Charlie Brown, all the while mocking him in her usual fashion:







The formatting is not all that different from the maximum four panel fare, just presented in a larger funnybook style. They're almost like short stories; very short stories, often times channeling the old Sundays.

Readers will be delighted to see a lot of old favorites returning. Charlie Brown's pining for the little red haired girl, Snoopy's vast imaginary world and relationship with Woodstock, and of course, the football shtick are back in full effect.

It just wouldn't be Peanuts without those realiable tropes. Linus' blanket is also often a focal point, as there are plans for a comic version of "Happiness Is A Warm Blanket". The sneak previews are promising:




There's still a few fairly new concepts (at least to me) that work just as well alongside the standards; A storyline in which Lucy can't seem to avoid a very popular song from being stuck in her head is quite refreshing, if not highly amusing and relatable. It's got a fresh vibe overall while keeping the tropes that made it so notorious. It's not at all dated.

I'm definitely looking forward to more from this series. It's good for beginners and/or avid fans and collectors such as myself. The Peanuts comic series is a sweet nostalgic treat.- Stephanie O'Donnell


Thank you,Stephanie,for sharing your thoughts and insights on this fresh incarnation of Charlie Brown and friends. If this had been a book report for school,I think Miss Othmar would have given you an A plus:

Take a mental vacation with a Spring Break Book

With winter now officially over and done with for another year,many young folk are eagerly embracing that special rite of passage that is Spring Break. Granted,times are tough and money is scarce but that never stopped anyone who truly wanted to take a little time off from their daily routine to get their party on.

However,you don't have to necessarily hit the beach or the road to enjoy this always trendy tradition and age is irrelevant when you choose to check into a mental motel with a brain candy of a read by your bedside.




I'm doing that right now,and my choice of Spring Break Book is an old school romp through Hollywood with Olivia Goldsmith's Flavor of the Month.

The delightfully overwrought plot brings together three women from different walks of life-Mary Jane Moran,whose dramatic plastic surgery has turned her from a plus size character actress into a fresh looking ingenue,Sharleen Smith,a sweetly naive girl on the run from a deadly secret and Lila Kyle,a diva in the making, determined to outdo her formerly famous mother in any way she can.

These ladies are cast in a ground breaking TV show called Three for the Road and while their best dreams seem to be coming true all too fast,a few of their personal nightmares are close to rising to the surface.

Granted,some of the pop culture references are a little dated(the book came out in 1993)but it's still quite a page turner,as Goldsmith sprinkled plenty of salty satire into the soap opera antics of the story. In some ways,Flavor of the Month proves that the more things can change,the more they can stay the same:





If I'm still feeling restless after that,my next candidate for Spring Break reading is Savages by Shirley Conran. It's another blast from the past(1987,to be exact),as five corporate wives find themselves stranded on a jungle island in the South Seas after their spouses are slaughtered by the locals.

Taking a few survival tips from the captain of their fishing boat,the ladies find themselves battling not only the elements and those out to finish them off but at times,each other. Think of it as a combo between any of those Real Housewives series on Bravo and The Hunger Games,with a touch of Revenge thrown into the mix:





Now,if either of these sexy sagas intrigue you,the library would be your best bet for finding a copy since they're pretty much out of print. I just happen to be lucky enough to have them still on my shelves(okay,Savages I did buy used a couple of years ago).

However,for those who want to splurge a bit and are in the mood for some Downton Abbey flair,I have a wonderful suggestion for you. No Angel is the first book in a trilogy by Penny Vincenzi and it tells the tale of a publishing empire run by Celia Lytton,the aristocratic wife of the owner who gains even more control of the business as her husband goes off to fight during WWI.

As much as Celia loves him and publishing,her heart truly belongs to Sebastian Brooke,a charismatic children's author. Torn between duty and love,she and all those connected to Celia suffer and benefit from her ultimate decision. There are loads of supporting players here, with just as compelling story lines and yes,there even is a version of the Dowager Duchess Violet on deck as well. No Angel is available in paperback,along with it's follow-ups,Something Dangerous and Into Temptation,and all three are a real royal treat:



Whatever you chose for your Spring Break Book,the key thing to keep in mind is that leisure time of the mind is just as great as actual relaxation time for the body is. As long as you don't overdo it,spring break or any other vacation is really just a state of mind so it can be taken wherever you are. Appreciate the goodness on hand and use your imagination to enhance the rest(portable saunas not included but a nice bonus if you can get them):

TAR tackles beards and witches,Elena's Vampire Diaries angst and Mad Men back in town

The teams on The Amazing Race went to Bavaria(not "Bolivia"as a certain Big Brother gal thought)and were faced with a pair of Detours that really gave new meaning to the term "local color."

Challenge one was to style the beard of a traditional dressed gentlemen into designs that would be daunting even to an experienced barber. Most of the teams opted for this Detour,relying on their partner to work wonders with hair gel and spray:





The other option had teams follow a path towards a house with a witch in the yard and use the pieces of wrapped gingerbread picked up along the way to finish making a gingerbread house. That was the one I would've gone with,just to see the old school witch crackling as she stirred her cauldron.

Mark and Bopper took this challenge,after their Speed Bump(a yodeling lesson which they took to pretty well),along with Kerri and Stacy and Team Big Brother. The latter chose this task,by the way,because Rachel claimed that she didn't know what a beard was and I am so not kidding about that. I don't mean to pick on them but that girl is beyond annoying,with her constant complaining and carrying on.

It's too bad that Kerri and Stacy wound up being eliminated this round,since I would rather see more of them that Miss Tammy Whine-ette here:





Elena's troubles never seem to end on The Vampire Diaries,as tonight's episode will have her worrying that her guardian Alaric is unknowingly behind a spree of mysterious murders in town,due to long term use of the magical protection ring that he's been wearing.

It's not like this girl doesn't have enough on her plate,with the on-again,off-again love triangle she has with the Salvatore brothers,plus a pack of Original vampires literally out for her blood.

Oh,and let's not forget her best friend Bonnie the witch whose newly found mom is now becoming a vampire and gal pal Caroline who is in between romances while mourning her dad's untimely death due to the current kill spree possibly caused by might-be-going crazy Alaric. Whew,a lot of ground to cover there but I think I managed it.

Anyway,at some point,Elena is going to be concerned about her brother Jeremy(conveniently sent out of state)since he also has one of these protection rings and if this whole overexposure theory is correct,that boy is doomed to be a killer. Hopefully,Stefan will get over his latest bout of moodiness to be of some comfort to Elena(if he doesn't,Damon surely will):





The two hour premiere of the fifth season of Mad Men is set for this Sunday and advance word on the show so far is that it's been worth the wait. The cast and crew have been cagey about giving away too many details but it's clear that Don's mood about life is much more positive,due to his hook-up with Megan.

One of the highlights of this series is how the changing times are reflected through the characters and their reactions to the brave new world unfolding before them. With the civil rights movement,feminism and the Vietnam war making more strides in the mid to late sixties,we should really see some meaty plot lines based on these major developments,I'm guessing. At any rate,it's good to see the old gang back in action:



RANDOM NOTES:

GAME OF THRONES: Yes,we all know the show is coming and part of the campaign for Season Two asks the fans to "pledge their allegiance" to a warring house. As much as I admire the Starks,my loyalty lies with Danearys Targaryen,the mother of dragons:

The Kitchen Divas and the Case of the Ghostly Written Cookbooks

There's a bit of a kerfuffle amongst food writers a-brewing,as an article written by Julia Moskin for The New York Times Dining section that chronicles her experiences as a professional ghost writer of cookbooks,some of which are credited in full to celebrity chefs.

In addition to talking about the ups and downs of culinary/literary collaboration,Moskin also mentioned that other cookbook authors had assistance in putting their books together,such as Rachael Ray and Gwyneth Paltrow. That riled up Paltrow quite a bit,who tweeted her denials as fast as she could:





Rachael Ray also joined Paltrow in insisting via Twitter that she and she alone wrote all of her cookbooks and that the guy quoted in the article as her ghostwriter is just her food stylist and friend,nothing more.

Moskin,in reply,has defined what she considers to be the standard for cookbook ghostwriting,aka "ghost-cooking" in a follow-up article:

"Ghost-cooking is rarer than the routine work of wrestling hot, messy, complicated recipes onto the page in comprehensible English. That work can include transcribing scribbled notes into logical sentences. Measuring out ingredients and putting them in order. Producing the routine bits of the book like the glossary and the guide to ingredients.

That is cookbook ghostwriting, as I and many others have experienced it. The food itself, and the story that surrounds it, usually comes from the chef in varying stages of page-readiness."



In other words,ladies,no one is saying that you can't cook or didn't write a single word or recipe. Clearly,you had some help there,in one insistence this being your first cookbook and other that you already have a lot of stuff on your plate to begin with.

There is no shame in admitting that you had some of the grunt work done by someone else,a person who worked along aside and with you to get your culinary vision on paper. What is shameful is thinking that you're too good to say so in public.

It's understandable that you would want to be respected as an author in your field of expertise(or in Paltrow's case,a favorite family pastime)and yes,there is a romance to the notion of bringing all of your best recipes together to share with the world and have others be inspired by your tasty talents:





However,do keep in mind that even the great Julia Child collaborated with two other people to write Mastering the Art of French Cooking and that all of their names were put on the cover.

Giving credit where credit is due is simply the right thing to do and it speaks volumes more about your kitchen skills and credibility than any of your Twitter complaints.

Mario Batali and Jaime Oliver,don't think that I'm overlooking you two. You've been on this denial wagon,too and all I have to say is this: if Bobby Flay can fess up about doing this,so can you. I have more respect for Flay,due to his honesty on the issue.

Rachael,I'm still a fan and wish you well. However,it would be nice if you weren't doing the whole "the lady doth protest too much" routine. Gwyneth,I think you need to find a recipe for humble pie and try a slice,it'll do wonders for your ego there:



Writing is an art form that occasionally requires more than one hand on the tiller and in many cases,a writer's best work comes from getting a much needed boost from a partner. Whether it's a play,TV sitcom or a cookbook,collaboration can be a beautiful thing and can be a real strength instead of a weakness. Don't be afraid,ladies, to say that you couldn't do it alone. Your fans will admire you all the more for it:

The pop culture playing pieces that make up The Hunger Games

The first big tent pole movie of the year will be opening at the end of this week,The Hunger Games,based on the first book in YA author Suzanne Collins' trilogy about a futuristic society where the oppressed citizens are forced to offer up their children to a literal blood sport that's televised and commercialized to the hilt.

In other words,it's the ultimate reality show. The heroine of the story is Katniss,(Jennifer Laurence)who volunteers to take the place of her little sister and winds up developing romantic feelings for Peeta,the boy from her district chosen to compete with her.

The trouble with that is not only is there another boy back home interested in her,the object of the game is to be the last person standing and that means Kat and Peeta will have to choose which one of them dies in order to win. Given that each of them has a particular physical talent which gives both an edge in the competition,their chances of surviving are strong yet incredibly sad at the same time:





While The Hunger Games are a new phenomenon,this series does have it's pop culture predecessors,particularly in the cinematic realm,and as we wait to see how well THG presents itself onscreen,checking a few of these films out should be a great way to make the time pass quickly.

Speaking of quick time,1976's Logan's Run showcases a world dedicated to the pleasures of youth as the inhabitants of a domed society in the 23rd century are only allowed to reach the age of 30. Upon that fated birthday,he or she must submit to "Carousel" for the alleged good of all.

Our hero is Logan 5(Michael York),whose job it was to capture "runners" who resisted Carousel but now he finds himself on the lam with a lady love beside him. Even though Logan is not involved in an official death game,the race for his life is just as risky and full of treacherous obstacles:





A more brutal example of youth gone wild comes from Japan,with Battle Royale in 2000. This cult film has a group of teenagers are taken to a remote island and forced to fight to the death by government order. If they don't comply,an electronic collar placed around their necks will explode which is a pretty solid incentive to participate there.

In between the slayings,old friendships and new romances are put on the line as tensions rise along with the body count. One of the slaughtering students in the cast happens to be Chiaki Kuriyama,who later became better known to Western audiences as Go-Go Yubari in Kill Bill,Part One. You can see where she got those killer instincts from in this fearsome flick:





For more of a grown-up look at the dark side of competition,1975's Rollerball starred James Caan as Jonathan,the most prominent member of his team who is starting to be a liability for the corporation that sponsors his sport.

Rollerball games are used by the elite in this advanced world to give the lower classes an outlet for violence as well as stamp out any notions of individuality and Jonathan's popularity threatens that status quo.

The pressure is on for him to retire but Jonathan decides that now is the time for him to take a stand. A remake of this film was released in 2002 but I suspect that it couldn't match up to it's earlier incarnation in more ways than one:





Another variation on the blood sport theme arrived in 1987 with The Running Man, rather loosely based on one of Stephen King's Richard Bachman novels.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was the main man on deck here,as a police officer framed for a massacre and sentenced to be a contestant on a gruesome game show that lets audience members win prizes if their favorite "stalker" makes the latest kill.

The movie gets very cartoony at times,with over the top bad guys for our hero to take down and scenes clearly written in order to slip in a dandy one liner for Arnie. Despite the subtle as a sledgehammer theatrics,you do have to give the film makers credit for casting real life cheesy Family Feud emcee Richard Dawson as the sleazy love to hate him Running Man host Killian:



Fortunately,The Hunger Games promises to be a little more sophisticated than the likes of The Running Man yet it is one of the stepping stones that made this path to Panem possible. Knowledge is power and knowing the source of possible inspiration for a sci-fi saga helps to enhance your enjoyment of it.

One might feel a little guilty about enjoying such fictional fights to the death and that is a good thing but part of the reason we love pop culture is that our best and worst fantasies are played out in a safety zone of imagination. Granted,some people don't know where to draw the line between real and make believe but why let them spoil our game?:

Belly up to the bar with these sudsy songs

Let's face it,folks;between March Madness and St. Patrick's Day this weekend,there are going to be a lot of celebrations taking place at your local bars and pubs. Not making a judgment call here,just stating a fact.

As a pop culture follower,bars are rather iconic touchstones such as Rick's Cafe Americain from Casablanca, Roseanne's Lobo Lounge and Merlotte's in True Blood

What's also iconic are songs about or featuring bars. Most of them tend to be chatty(much like the patrons)and loudly over the top,yet that's the fun of listening to them. Whether your drink is hard or weak,some of the tunes assembled here should made that experience come alive for you.

A good one to start with is the Chumbawamba one hit wonder,"Tub Thumping". You may not know what the title means(neither do I)but after a few lyrics,the general theme becomes clear pretty quickly there:





A rousing follow-up number would be "Jump Around" by House of Pain. This rowdy tune is a real crowd pleaser at sporting events,being featured at both college and professional games of football,basketball and baseball.

It's also been on countless film soundtracks ranging from Mrs. Doubtfire to Daredevil,plus TV shows such as My Name is Earl and Lopez Tonight. This song was the band's biggest hit and it really has a life of it's own. The lyrics are not bar specific but it's not hard to imagine this punch drunk ditty playing in the background of your nearest watering hole:





For something a bit more mellow,we turn to the Billy Joel classic,"Piano Man". This ballad about a struggling musician observing the regulars in his nightly audience of bar patrons and staff is the standard by which all other songs in this genre are judged and rightly so.

It's one of those tunes that have you saying,"Man,they don't make them like this anymore." Granted,Joel himself is not entirely happy with this song in retrospect but it has stood the test of time rather well:





Of course,you can't put together a list like this without including "Where Everybody Knows Your Name",the theme from Cheers,co-written and sung by Gary Portnoy. It's one of the better known TV tunes of the 20th century and even received an Emmy nomination in 1983.

One of the amusing things about this song is that it's not as cheerful as it seems. If you've only heard the brief snippet from the opening credits,the full length version might be a bit of a surprise as the tone of the lyrics is sharply tongue in cheek with the notion of if it weren't for bad luck,the singer would have no luck at all:



Whatever you do for enjoyment this weekend,I hope you all have a good time and party safely. For those of you taking your entertainment to a bar or restaurant,please remember to tip your waitress and be considerate of closing time: