A Prescription for j a s o n

I hope your cough gets better.

Milk

This is not a review of Milk as much as it is a change of heart concerning Sean Penn. I'll be the first to admit that when I saw Mr. Penn in "At Close Range" I was not a fan. I may have been a fan of his unnaturally huge biceps, but not a fan of his acting or his personal escapades.

Fast forward to "Dead Man Walking" and I was able to see a more vulnerable side of Mr. Penn. I felt his character's regret and fear.

Some years later, "Mystic River", or "Mystic Pizza" as I initially typed it, showed his over-the- edge fatherly side, but it was a bit over the top. He received the Oscar that year, but I believe it was more for his body of work than for this particular role.

Finally, here we are in 2008, and he's in "Milk" where he truly transforms himself into someone who is not anything like the persona Mr. Penn has worked so hard to conjure. He's soft. He's caring. Hell, he's gay! I believed him in this role. I fell for him in this role. He convinced me. I believe Mr. Penn. I believe.

The Thorn Birds, Oh My!

Is it just me, or is it hawt up in here!?

I'm having a Thorn Birds' moment. This is Fr. Jonathan Morris and he's a talking head on Fox News. Too bad.

Coming Attractions

My Favorite Things list.

The Little Yellow House and Being A Tourist in N.O.

MILK (not Mother I'd Like To Kiss, please!)

Streaming 2.0

My principal, who is known for being offensive, recently made a comment about the immigrant population in our school. While trying to be fair and concerned, she also inadvertently slips and sticks both feet in her mouth.

Principal: ...we need to help our children from other countries. We should be more sensitive to their plight. It is unfair that they recently got off the plane,...

Co-worker next to me: She's not gonna go there, right?

Me: No, she wouldn't.

Principal: ...or off the boat when they get here...

Co-worker next to me: Oh No She Didn't!

Me: Oh yeah she did. (both of us giggled uncontrollably)

• Did anyone catch Oprah on 30 Rock? Good for you! Good for you!

• What's the deal with bitchy women? I like women, not in that way, but I like them. Seriously, though, why do they have to be such complainers and whiners. Maybe it's just the ones I work with.Ugh!!

• I love cough syrup with codeine. Don't you? It chills you ever so slightly. Oh yeah, and it takes your cough away for about 4 hours.

• I finally received my letter to go to the Teacher of the Year dinner, and I went Wednesday night. My neighbor also got the same letter because she was the last person to receive her certificate that night. Afterwards, I went up to her and introduced myself even though we grunted HELLO at one another quite a few times in the parking lot at home. She had NO CLUE. None. Zilch. I had to say I lived in 3A for it to even dawn on her. I saw her this evening leaving her apt. and apparently she felt weird about not knowing me and she still felt embarrassed about it all. Funny, no?
• Something not so funny. Another teacher telling your students to be quiet even though we are in close proximity of one another. It's not the first time it's happened. It's the second and I think, and hope, it'll be the last time. Here's how I took care of it.
  

Me: Oh, hey listen. Thanks for telling my kids to be quiet. My voice is shot today because of my cold, and I wasn't being my usual self.

Repeat Offender: Well, I know. I hope you don't mind, but...

Me: Actually, I do mind, but thanks because I just wasn't up to it today.

Repeat Offender: (Nervous laughter) I see, well...I ...OK.

Do you think it'll stop? Probably not, but I let her know how I felt. Good for me! Good for me!