Veronica Mars finally started playing here last week. They showed the pilot last Monday and then the first episode last Thursday. Sir Monkeypants and I are already completely hooked. We were planning on making this our “summer show” but on the weekend, I found myself whining about how many more days we had to wait for the next episode. So my lovely husband went online and downloaded the next four episodes, of which we’ve already watched one. He guesses that it will take us no more than three weeks to watch the entire season.

I’m excited! It’s a great show, intriguing with interesting characters. I like the fact that, so far at least, the “mysteries” that she solves in each episode don’t have a Murder, She Wrote feel — it’s not like she’s trying to figure out a puzzle that has a final solution, but rather, is exploring a potential crime and getting to know herself and the other characters better.

The show got renewed for next season (it has very borderline ratings). Hopefully this fall CTV will show it “live” so I don’t have to wait until next summer to catch up. Although, I guess the internet will always be there to provide!

We went to see Episode III last Friday and right in the middle of the film, they turned off the sound. Some guy came in and spent like, five minutes apologizing, then told us that due to an emergency he had to come in and ask if “DJ” was in the house. He wasn’t.

We missed an entire scene that I’m sure wasn’t critical to our overall enjoyment of the film, but if anyone remembers the gist of it, I’d love to know what happened. It’s a scene between Mace Windu and Yoda (and, I think, Bail Organa was there too), sitting together in a small room. They are talking about whether or not Anakin can be trusted and I heard Mace say something about a prophecy. Anyone know anything?

As if I needed another reason to think that Tom Cruise is a chauvanistic asshole.

Tom Cruise has criticized Hollywood pal Brooke Shields’ “misguided” use of the anti-depressant Paxil, while declaring the actress’ career as over. In an interview with Billy Bush on TV show Access Hollywood, to be screened on Thursday, Cruise speaks of his disappointment to learn Shields used Paxil to fight post-natal depression following the birth of her daughter Rowan. Shields is currently weaning herself off her medication so she and husband Chris Henchy can have another child. Cruise, who claims to have helped people fight drug addictions through his controversial Scientology religion, says the Suddenly Susan actress should have used vitamins to help her feelings of despair. Cruise says, “Here is a woman, and I care about Brooke Shields because I think she is an incredibly talented woman. You look at, where has her career gone?” Despite the Minority Report actor’s declaration her career is over, Shields is currently receiving rave reviews playing murderess Roxie Hart in the London theatre production of Chicago. Cruise maintains, “These drugs are dangerous. I have actually helped people come off. When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things.”

On Friday, our friend Jeff is coming over to babysit our kids while we go see Revenge Of The Sith. This is a huge, huge favour and we now owe him big. His required payment of one cold can of Coke is already chilling in the fridge, and I have this week’s Entertainment Weekly and our XBox all ready to go. Luckily for him, Gal Smiley likely won’t be having any more big poops any time soon.

I haven’t given this movie anywhere near the thought or internet attention that I gave the first two, because I’ve been so out of the loop and into the mommy scene. I don’t know anything about the new characters or the details of the action. And I must say, now that the day is almost here, I’m actually really looking forward to seeing it. The few commercials I’ve seen on TV are pretty exciting, and just to see a few old friends — Yoda, Chewy, R2 — again, will I’m sure be a lot of fun.

I haven’t been to see a movie in the theatre since the first week of January, 2004. I wonder if I’ll feel all starstruck at being in a theatre again, or if I’ll be disappointed in what used to be an almost-holy experience for me. Recently Sir Monkeypants went to the movies and couldn’t get over how loud it was. Since we usually tiptoe around here in the evenings, and watch TV with super-low volume and closed captioning all the time, I’m sure I will feel the same.

Still, it feels good to actually be going out in the evening, with Sir Monkeypants. For that reason alone I’m sure I’ll be pretty happy with Revenge Of The Sith.

This morning, it had been four days since Gal Smiley pooped.

She’s taking well to solids, but she isn’t too crazy about certain green vegetables. And she’s still getting the hang of her sippy cup; she likes to let the water trickle into her mouth, then blow a raspberry and let it all run down her chin. On the few occasions where she actually swallows some liquid, her eyes fly open, she gasps, and her whole body shakes, as if she’s just taken a shot of vodka. I predict that she will be a very cheap drunk someday. Anyway, the combination of extra solids and no extra fluids has stopped her up a little bit. A couple of days of tummy rubs and warm baths weren’t doing the trick, and she was getting pretty cranky about it.

So this morning I pulled out the Big Gun. It’s a cute, hip outfit we have on loan from my friend Fiona. Since it’s a loaner I’m always afraid that we’ll stain it or tear it or otherwise ruin it somehow, and precisely because of this, Gal Smiley always makes a point of either barfing on it, or more likely, pooping on it, every time she has it on. As I put it on her this morning I told her I expected results by the end of the day.

She took extra long falling asleep for her first nap so I should have suspected something was up. In any case when she woke up, it only took one step into the room to figure out that she took my threats seriously, and delivered big time. Fiona’s poor outfit had never seen so much action. I’ve changed a lot of poopy diapers in the past two years but nothing like this. A million wipes later, it was clear that either I was going to have to cut the clothes off of her — not an option — or pull them off, spreading the smelly goop all over her back, arms, and hair. Gack! She went immediately into the tub where I hosed her down as best I could. An hour later and I think I finally have everything cleaned up.

The good part is that although I was squealing and squealing, and Captain Jelly Belly ran for cover and hid the whole time in his room, Gal Smiley was so, so happy. It’s good to get it all out there.

This is kind of dumb, but last night I lost a lot of sleep thinking about Euchre. There are two ways (that I know of) to mark the points — with two 5’s, or with a 2 and 3. But for the life of me I couldn’t remember how to mark the points with a 2 and a 3, even though I used to do it all the time.

If anyone knows how I’d be most indebted if you’d remind me…then I can sleep well tonight!

Captain Jelly Belly is 2, and that sometimes means trouble. Today he was in quite a mood so late in the afternoon we took a walk outside, for a change of scenery. He reminded me why 2 can also be a really great age.

He found a rock, about the size of his fist, which he called his “big rock.” When he found it he tentatively asked me, “This rock our house?” and I said yes, and he was so happy he got to bring his rock home. He carried it carefully for half an hour and when we got home, he told me, “Rock tired now.” So I showed him how he could put the rock on the windowsill by the front door so it could rest.

About 20 minutes later I was making dinner and he came running over, all excited, with the rock in his hand. He couldn’t wait to tell me, “Big rock awake now!” I asked the rock how his nap had been, and the Captain replied in the smallest, squeakiest of voices, “Good.” I think it’s the first time he has actually spoken on behalf of one of his playthings.

Later I asked him to go and find his juice cup and, as usual, he took it on as a personal challenge. When he found it he came running, all proud, to show me he had it. I almost got a little misty-eyed, thinking about how right now he considers my request to find his juice something exciting — someday he’ll just turn to me and grunt, “I dunno where it is,” then go back to his video game.

Over dinner he pointed out the vase of blue-purple flowers he bought me for mother’s day for the millionith time. He likes to say, “Mommy sad!” and then direct my attention to the flowers so I’ll perk up. I always tell him how much I love them and how happy they make me and he just beams.

Yup, 2 is a pretty good age.

a) Total number of films I own on DVD/video: Surprisingly few. and I try to keep it down to the “must haves.” Not counting kids’ shows, I probably own about 30 DVDs — the videos are still kicking around but are earmarked to be given away.

b) The last film I bought: Return Of The King, extended edition.

c) The last film I watched: Oh boy. I’m pretty sure it was Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle, a recent rental. Funnier than expected — worth the $5.

d) Five films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me (explanation optional):

1) Star Wars — the original — seen it lots, love to watch it lots.
2) Die Hard — a Christmas Eve Jatania family tradition
3) Coyote Ugly — my ultimate guilty pleasure
4) Speed — my default workout tape
5) Moulin Rouge — a movie that was clearly made expressly for my personal entertainment

Lesson learned this afternoon: do not use the PlayDoh to make pretend food.

Last night, I played ultimate with FameThrowa, a practice game before our season starts next week. I’ve basically done nothing physical since before Captain Jelly Belly was born, so I know I’m going to be hurting. So far, so good though. I really took it easy trotting around the field last night. One girl who was covering me on defense told me she really liked the way I ran casually around the field instead of going “all out.” Sadly, I was going all out at the time.

Anyway, there’s this really experienced guy on our team named Quincy (name changed to protect the innocent). I knew him from a few seasons back when my old team used to play his all the time. He was known as “the fast guy” and none of the guys on my team ever wanted to mark him. So last night at practice, when introduced us, I knew who he was.

It turns out there are two Quincys on the team, and said that she wanted to refer to this fast guy as “Dr. Quincy Jones” since he is a doctor. And then I was like, “DOCTOR Quincy Jones?” And she was like, “Yes, he’s an allergist,” and I was like, “Um, he’s my allergist.” Granted he does not wear shorts and a t-shirt to the office, but I cannot believe that I totally didn’t recognize him! I’m still totally not over it.

I thought I’d really lost some brain cells from the two pregnancies, but really, this is ridiculous. I think I need some new glasses…or a new brain…or both!