This show is so good I sent a drunken tweet to one of the actors.

[stoney321]

AND I AM NOT ASHAMED. Okay, I'm totally ashamed, but it's too late to turn back now. Of course I'm talking about SouthLAnd. Some spoilery discussion under the cut.

1. Dewey!! I was surprised to see him come back. I like that they did bring him back, that was a lot of plot dedicated to a character that was only in a handful of eps. And the whole AA addiction thing, oh man, so genius. We have an addict that has basically switched his addiction from booze to being "sober." And he's still a dick.

2. Regina King! This woman is such an outstanding actress, and she plays such a rich character. (I mean, her character Lydia is the old trope of "I'm getting too old for this shit" long-time cop that can't help but care, but wants to not care. And it's being played as a young(ish) black woman. Brilliant. I love that she got in someone's face, a man's face, a jackass chauvinist man's face and shoved him. By his face.

3. Raise your hand if you saw that cute little hombre in his cowboy boots and as you cooed you realized he was going to die? *raises hand* And nonetheless it was still shocking? Damn, a shoot up at a Quinceañera. Side note, because I live in the land of North Mexico, that's fairly huge here. And we had a lot of Mexicans that attended my LDS ward house (parish) and a few quinceañeras were held at our church house. I loved the elaborate gowns they wore. Some members got snotty about it, and they stopped having them. (White males complained, of course. They started having "Rose Balls" for the white girls' 16th birthdays until both were barred. EYE ROLL.)

4. Red Sally! Ahahahaha. Also, damn, that chick has ta tas for days, my lands.

5. So Ben doesn't realize Coop is gay? Huh. Oh, right, only the audience is privy to that. That should make for an interesting episode.

6. OMG TAMMI AND HER PHOTOGRAPHER INSTRUCTOR. Poor Sammy. That look on his face.... Although I also saw a note of "free at last, free at last!" in there. Not to mention some big ol' ego bruising, because this short barrel chested baby-faced guy is also a gang detective cop with a massive chip on his shoulder. Ouch. I hate Tammi with the force of a thousand suns. She's that girl, the bitchy, whiny, never satisfied harpy that doesn't realize how good she's got it. She just always wants more. "If you're not moving forward, you're moving backwards" kind of person. Haaaaaate. Poor actress, she's nailing it, but it's such an unlikeable character. Good tv in other words.

I'm just saying, if you think this is just a cop drama, you're wrong. I mean it IS, but it's so damn real you'll think you're watching a reality show. These are real people, rich, diverse, not easily pigeonholed.



ION, I would very much like to run away and live in this wooden ball that has a steampunk feel to it. Here is what the inside looks like. (I'd redecorate, personally.)

Leave it to the Pioneer Woman's tasty kitchen blog to turn up something I spend too much money on and will spend money no longer! Liquid concentrated Chai, OKAY YES PLEASE.

Lastly, I am getting really excited for a couple of trips on my horizon. First up is my get away with the Mr. to celebrate out 10th anniversary. Wine country! (Alexander Valley, to be specific. I'm a fan. They're the less pretentious Napa.) That's in March. Then in April is my epic road trip with dovil across the southwest where we'll leave all of the grandeur of the desert to languish in Vegas until we feel our souls are too dirty to clean. All of the big stopping points along the way, Santa Fe,, Gallup (Route 66, basically) and then the Painted Desert, The Grand Canyon (where we're staying a few yards from the edge of the South Rim) up to Vermilion Cliffs, plyg country (lol), Zion Nat'l Park (staying right at the base of Angel's Landing, score!) and then on into Vegas. I really really really need a vacation from being a mom for a bit, so I'm looking forward to it.

I'm in the throes of testosterone-fuelled growing spurts, which translates into hair trigger of upset. The Boy has grown half a foot since Thanksgiving. That's not hyperbole, he's literally shot up 6 inches. He quit growing just before New Years, and now seems to be hitting yet another spurt as I can't keep him fed, and he's having two lunches, a snack, two dinners, and a bed time snack. This is what I get for getting impregnated by a giant. #2 seems to have stopped at 5'9", but I think she might make it to 6'. She's 13, btw. And she's built like a 22 year old. She also has no idea how to seal the deal with boys, so I am able to get some sleep at night. Gah.

Children. They're not for the faint-hearted.

Alrighty, I have to workout so I don't feel like a slug.

[ETA for music sharing] Three songs helping me move my butt this morning:

Bass Down Low (original)
Bass Down Low (Proper Villains Remix) I love this
Genius of Love Tom Tom Club remixed by Pinker Tones)

Bop around the house if you can't get outside. (These were all dl'd by promo blogs, so I'm assuming they're meant to be shared, Mr/s. FBI wo/man.)

Comments

[bienegold.livejournal.com]

Oh, you should post how that chai concentrate works out. Definitely something I'd like to try, but I'm a bit nervous to lay out the expense of the spices blindly.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Salute! Will do, Cap'n. I have the spices on hand, but I get that not everyone has cardamom pods, etc.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

I think when they went to the funeral last season (someone just reminded me of this on my own post) John made a very direct point of saying that Ben was his partner *at work* or something to that extent and that Ben caught on to that.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I need to rewatch the earlier eps, mostly because that is a treat for me.

[judetwee.livejournal.com]

Your 13 year old is 5'9''?

DAMN.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I know. My ex was 6'8" so...

[minstrel666.livejournal.com]

YOUR KIDS ARE HUMONGOUS! BROBDIGNAGIAN!

Just needed to get that out.

[minstrel666.livejournal.com]

Also: where do you poop inside that ball WHEN IT'S WINTER?

Doing your business in -10 Celsius outside: hello, frost-induced UTI. I missed you. #TMI

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I am creating a superior race of warriors for the impending apocalypse, duh.

[tabaqui]

I think i'm going to have to mainline Southland. Hearing too much good stuff about it, and the ads keep intriguing me, so! :)

The ball-tree-house is pretty cool but...am i not seeing a bathroom? Is it hidden somewhere? 'Cause having to go down the stairs to pee is kinda a deal-breaker.
*snerk*

She's 13, btw. And she's built like a 22 year old. We are rapidly approaching that with the Bebe. She's already taller than me - 5'6"? 5'7"? - and has a *shape*, with *curves*, though thank god it looks like she'll inherit my smaller boobage. Christ on a cracker, it is *very hard* not to lock her in her room!!

Six inches in two months. Jayzus.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

It a fabulous show, so smart and engaging.

Oh mmy girl has got some chesticles happening. She's almost able to fit into a D. NO ME GUSTA.

6 inches in FIVE WEEKS. Thanksgiving -> New Year's Eve. O_O

[tabaqui]

Holy crap. D? Yeesh. I'd hate that. For me, i mean. I've always been glad about being a small B, especially since i watched my sister struggle for years with being a big D and finally get some relief via breast reduction. Didn't help that she's about five foot, too.

Ah, oh, FIVE WEEKS, i misread for beginning of November. Jeez - poor kid must be hatin' life. Did he do the wake up in the night with cramps/pains thing? I remember doing that - oh how that sucked.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Well, we get up to Gs and higher in my family, so let's hope she takes a bit after her paternal family. :)

Yep, he and his sister would just ache in the morning. Nothing that a load of milk and a run wouldn't fix. We're big milk drinkers - I go through almost 5 gallons a week.

[tabaqui]

Okay, huh....does milk actually *help*, or is that just something that you hand out 'cause 'milk is good for you'? Innnnteresting.

I'd get awful muscle cramps in the night, and wake up limping 'cause i was so sore. Not fun!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

When my daughter broke her arm a few years ago and it healed in half the time, the dr. said it was because of the quantity of milk she drinks. The massive calcium intake helps her bones knit faster, essentially.

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

Rats (2500!!!), I have everything but the star anise. I ran out the last time I made Pho and haven't been to the Oriental market since before Thanksgiving.

Six inches?! It's no wonder he's cranky and tetchy. Wow, bodies are amazing.

Somehow I have never made it to the Grand Canyon. That sounds like a fantastic trip.

Time to go on my walk and then off to a dentist appointment. Southland is still waiting on the Tivo. Along with the first season of Justified. Damn my life is exciting.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

LOL. No star anise? Get thee hie to the Asian market and get a massive bag for a buck fitty. I love that place.

I try to keep it in perspective most days but there are times I'm ready to lock him out of the house, growing pains or no.

You MUST go to the Grand Canyon at some point in your life. There's a special cabin at the very base that you can only get to from hiking down and taking a raft trip, and it's super quaint and they feed you, too! That's for the more adventurous traveler, of course.

[fishwithfeet.livejournal.com]

I was about to say... those spheres look like they're in a PNW forest... and they are, but up in Canada-land. I wants one. It would be so cool to build one of my own and have it as a writer's retreat spot. Or make one for kiddos as the ultimate in nifty treehouses. Though I would honestly keep it for myself because I love treehouses.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Vancouver Island, yep! How awesome would that be to have in your backyard?

[fishwithfeet.livejournal.com]

So VERY awesome. As a kid I fantasized about having my own Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse complete with rideable zebras. What's even better is that this is within driving distance of me now that we've moved to WA. I think I might have convinced the hubbie that this would be a cool spot to head for our anniversary celebration.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

Re: sphere in the trees: the west coast of Vancouver Island is one of those places where people who are too hip and organic for Victoria (read:Olympia, Eugene, Santa Cruz, Taos, Austin) go to hang out; it's also full of surfers who think the Pipeline or Mavericks doesn't present enough challenge. And I wonder how the sphere would work in my oaks?

Julia, on second thought I think I'll go with my original plan to see if Nalini Nadkarni would set up a skywalk in the grove here.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Eh, I don't care about locals, I just want one of my own to hole up in with a book and bottle of wine, personally.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a fantastic treehouse! I'm impressed with the way the builder(s) fit so much inside.

I feel for you and the Boy during these growth spurts. Evan grew 2 sizes this year but not nearly in such a short time span. I bet your kid has some bad cramps in his legs. Not to mention the impact on your food bill. :-)

And I had no idea that #2 was so tall! And then there's little Emily... does she feel dwarfed?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just beautiful? How fun to retreat with a book and snacks.

Anne, I cannot keep food in the house, and I have an apocalypse pantry! I'm glad he's growing because it's making him feel good, but OY. Boys are just so expensive in spurts, huh?

Then again, #2 and jeans... I've told her she has to wear her floods until I know she'll stop growing. She can cover her ankles with her Uggs. Emily is happily wee and delights in being so. That kid is a goofy goober and I love them all pretty hard, I must say. :)

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I hear you about the overnight height.

In his Bar Mitzah pictures, Zachary was still shorter than height challenged Aaron. And then all of a sudden...

As far as number 2, most girls don't grow past 13, so she might be done. The figure is way more worisome, I suspect. You just have to hope both kids have their heads screwed on straight.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I think I recall seeing you talk about the bean pole in the family. ;)

Our doc said that it's menstruation that slows/stops growth, so depending on when that hits, that's when the growth begins to shut down. You'll average another 2 inches from onset of menstruation. And #2 was the last in her class to "get it," so I think she's going to get close to 6'.

The good thing about my girl is that she's the one that is an actual 13 year old. She loves her age, loves being her age, and is confident enough in herself to tell people to back off if they try and push her into situations she's not interested in. I really, really lucked out with this girl, I have to say.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Makes sense about menstruation, but it's not always true. I didn't get mine until I was 15, but I had stopped growing years before.

Very much a beanpole! Six feet, 138 pounds.

And you are very, very lucky. As you know by just looking at the clothes that teenage girls wear. Obviously you raised her right.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Well obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but my kid seems to be following the "standard" trajectory, and her bio-dad was 6'8". It's pretty reasonable for me to think she's going to glance six feet, is what I'm saying.

Oh man, the CLOTHES, I hear you, yikes. She's into baggy t-shirts, jeans, and - I swear to god it's a trend with her peers - fuzzy slippers. Mr. Stoney started giving her grief about her clothes and I smacked him on the arm and scream-whispered "let's let her hide her shape for as long as she wants, dummy." I swear you could see the lightbulb switch on over his head. YEAH. Let's keep this one under wraps for a while, lol.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

6'8"! Yowza.

I hope she's proud of her height. I see so many tall girls who walk permanently hunched over, trying to make themselves appear shorter.

Did I ever tell you the story about a girl I met in Nordstrom's over the spring? She was around 5'10", incredibly gorgeous and she was looking to buy 5 inch heels! I got to talking with her (she was a senior in HS) and she said she wore shoes that high on purpose to intimidate guys. I thought that was awesome and told her so.

She was going to Goeorgetown (if I recall correctly) on a full ride. She planed to work in an embassy someday and I have no doubt that she'll make it. Made me feel great about the future of Americam women.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, she's very proud of her height, I've made a point of letting her know it's inevitable and it's going to be fabulous. She's looking forward to high school where people will be able to look her in the eye. She has a couple of shrimpy dudes that are really into her. Hmm, I wonder why... (hint: eye level with ___)

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

eye level with ___

HA! and oh dear.

Maybe she should look into 5 inch heels in a few years.

[dovil.livejournal.com]

Children. They're not for the faint-hearted.

Ha, so true! Unless you have cardiac problems and are able to harvest them.

Yay for wine country!!! That sounds wonderful - one of those weekends that you think was probably perfect if only you could remember what happened.

Thankfully for the 13 year old she hopefully may have stopped growing but start buying basketball shoes for the The Boy. How hard is it to tell kids off when they're towering above you? Buy a step ladder and take it with you at all times.

In April I'm going to get off the plane and then fall over dead. How hilarious would that be! Well, maybe not for friends and loved ones, but they're only cats so they'll get over it by the next time someone else feeds them. I think with Angel's Landing we may be doing seperate hikes that day but we can both have walkie talkies and I can scream and plead for my life every 10 minutes so it'll be as if I was right there alongside with you. Do you know when you type Angels Landing into google the next words that pop up are 'zion deaths', they should put that in the brochure!

The first thing I thought on seeing that house was that I wanted it to drop to see whether I'd be winning lotto.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Harvesting is my ultiimate goal. I plan on blazing through each one of their livers. Maybe even on my wine trip.

I think we're going for a whole week, I can't remember. It's during the kids' spring break, so hopefully my delusion is accurate.

If you fall over dead, I'll just harvest your liver. Seeing as it makes up 73% of your body, there's sure to be one or two good lobes in there that aren't completely sauced on Fioja. And ahahaha, it does not, does it!? (OMG, are you scared of heights? If so I'll let you know ahead of time when I'm going to fake pushing you into the Grand Canyon.)

[dovil.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you can stitch livers together and get a giant liver that can burn right through a bottle of wine in one go? How awesome would that be, unless it meant that you couldn't get a buzz on in which case I'd have to stab a fork through one of them to get the balance right.

And that, kids, is how they invented pate.

My liver's not THAT big, just slightly better than some of those lightweights out there. So sad. There should be a telethon from them. Would you like it as a cheque or in cash. Bazinga!

The first time someone ever tried the fake push thing I turned around and punched them in the arm. Not on purpose mind you, it was purely out of fear, because if I was going to do something on purpose it would be to grab them so I could take them with me. I saw the pictures of the final leg of that hike, there is NO WAY I could or would want to do that PETrifing! - we are definitely splitting up that day, and I'm taking all the scroggin, or at least the chocolate bits.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

You know how they make those wine aerators? It's that weird device you hold over your glass and pour the wine through making it delicious and magical on the other end? I wonder if we could take portions of our stitched together livers and make mouth dams with them, filtering the booze as we drink it.

And that, kids, is how they invented meth.

The nice thing about the Angel's Landing hike is that you don't have to go that last bit to enjoy the view. You can climb up through the valley, through Walter's Wiggles and come out to a gorgeous plateau. But we can def. hike where you feel comfortable. (I used to do that hike every Sat. morning, can you believe it? 1:45 to get up, 15 to get down. Hmm, I wonder why I blew my knees out? <-- there's a naughty joke in there just waiting.)

Scroggin! I already plan on making some for our road trip since I won't be able to get your brick-n-bolts bread, or whatever you call it.

[dovil.livejournal.com]

Huh, I did not know about wine aerators, mainly because I pour the wine from the bottle straight into my mouth. Glaaaasss - what are these strange contraptions that you speak of, woman? But a whole week? YAY!

I think we should hike where I can cry and piss my pants in fear while you take photos and turn them into Christmas Cards for friends and family. You can stand next to me giving the thumbs up sign, standing with one foot on my body that's in foetal position on the floor. And I totally believe you did it every weekend that fast, but that's mainly because of your ongoing amphetamine abuse.