weekend open thread: the cold tail end of January

My thrilling, action-packed weekend will include the following:

Picking up a Princess-themed bunk bed for my daughter (whose room is now the color of Pepto-bismol)

Watching my husband curse and groan as he attempts to put the bed together

Wait until he gives up entirely so I can take over and finish it because I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REGULAR SCREWDRIVER AND PHILLIPS-HEAD SCREWDRIVER, FOR GOD'S SAKE

Waiting with great anticipation for the latest Dr. Who episode

Teaching my son how to properly perform the castle move in chess

Resist my son's request to go see "Mall Cop"

Make plans for my NYC visit

Anne-Kari, you could also explain to your son the difference between the two screwdrivers, instead of chess. Or you could explain it to your daughter. *g*

(I'm not grinning at the thought of a young gil being taught about screwdrivers; I'm grinning at the thought of keeping that knowledge to the females in your family.)

I have to work.

And I'm glad to see I'm not the only one in this country who has a parent who (1) can play chess and (2) knows the difference between a regular and a Phillips-head screwdriver. (My late father was both a chess player and a do-it-yourselfer.)

I am gonna give Outlander a try if it shows up here. Early reviews are disappointing, but I always give these crackpot Genre Films a chance, because finding that Odd Gem is so worth it.

If it's not here, Underworld definitely. I'm a sucker for leather. And Rhona Mitra. In leather.

@MaSch - hee hee. Knowledge is pow-ah! Girls only!

@Tonio - funny thing is, although my husband theoretical does know the difference, he invariable uses the wrong one because 'it'll fit, look!' (stripping top of whatever screw he's using).

Also, he sucks at chess. Good thing he's cute :)

Going to start the evening with seeing about installing Ubuntu on my laptop. After that comes BSG, and then out to an AIDS fundraiser to finish the night.

A whole lot of nothing for the most part on Saturday until going to see a friend perform improve comedy as Number Six in an ongoing show called Battleawesome Awesomestar.

Beyond that it's fairly open and quiet as I hopefully attempt to save money to buy a Nikon D90. Overall a pretty geektastic weekend.

@James - oooooh, Nikon D90. We wants it!

Going to write the last DVD extra for my recently-completed second Doctor Who fanfic story, Saving Horse Feathers. If you get the title, you know who the tenth Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Harry meet in the story. And I certainly hope that most FlickFilosopher Faithfuls would twig. If you don't get the title, well...go read it! :) Then you'll know.

Plan to watch The Next Doctor on TV all in a gulp which should be much more fun than watching it on the computer in ten minute increments separated by two + hour download periods.

Plan to watch The Ruby and the Smoke which is my current NetFlix flick.

OK, that ends my Doctor Who plans. Unless I get around to watching David Tennant's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? which just arrived in my mailbox this week. Obsessed fangirl? Moi?

Plan to finish Louise Erdrich's novel, The Plague of Doves, which is amazing, as are all of her novels.

Marley & Me is on at the local theatre. Yes, just the one movie. Very small town. Lucky to have the one-screen movie house at all. I may drag my hiney out into the winter cold to see it, or may wait for the DVD.

Aside from that, SHOULD (no guarantee I will) get the oil changed in da Vibe. And SHOULD do some work on a cross-stitched quilt square that was supposed to be done November 15. Oops. No guarantees on that one either.

@James - whoa, whoa, whoa, I just googled Battleawesome Awesomestar. Now I'm REALLY jealous of you.

Let's see...yard sales were a bust this week (it rained Wed-Fri and subsequently scared everyone).

A bunch of movies hit our dollar dive (AND it has a policy of $1 admission for any movie after 9:00 PM, sort of a reverse Happy Hour). We saw "The Tale of Despareux" (sic) last night -- OK with it (beautiful and interesting animation style, but I wish it had followed the book more closely), and may go see "Bolt" and "Quantum of Solace." If I really wanted to class it up, I'd go see "Happy Go Lucky," too.

Grocery shopping.

FORCE MYSELF to get some sewing done. I need to make some Hawaiian shirts featuring flame fabrics for the upcoming gem and mineral (and bead) shows here, and I've gotten as far as prewashing the material. Woo.

MaryAnn, do you have tickets yet, or an idea of what plays you'll be seeing? And if you say "Twelfth Night," I am going to absolutely die of envy...

I am gonna give Outlander a try if it shows up here. Early reviews are disappointing, but I always give these crackpot Genre Films a chance, because finding that Odd Gem is so worth it.

I was so excited Outlander was finally coming out until I found out that the local theatre apparently has no intention of showing it. Which is especially mean because it was filmed around here and was a pretty big deal locally at the time. I was looking forward to seeing some familiar terrain in a story like that. *sigh*

I'm working 3-11 shifts all weekend. On my off time, I'm sleeping, drinking martinis (I'm high class like that), and FINALLY watching Iron Man. I'm practically drooling in anticipation.

I took my friends to see the new Underwold movie because nothing else looked appealing and it certainly was. I bet it'll be #1 in the box office since the entire theater was jam-packed. I don't see your review of it, though. Why not? Did you just assume that it would be terrible?

One unusual theatre offering in London is Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, written by Tom Stoppard and Andre Previn and including a full orchestra. It hasn't been performed very often for obvious reasons. It has had some excellent reviews, which I am avoiding as I'm going to see it next week. Here's something about the production that was written before the first performance:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article5422934.ece

A possibility for your list, maybe, MaryAnn?

I've got an LP of Stoppard and Previn's EGBDF (yes, I'm that old) and remember it was quite affecting.

Oh, "Underworld" movies. I didn't think much of the first two. All that squadered potential made me sad, but, like a moth to a flame, I went to see the third attempt all full of optimism and Goobers. I think this was the best one so far, but good god. I'm not lookin' for slapstick, but they gotta give that super serious tone a rest. I watched "Wolf" to wash it off, so I'm good.

Also, "The Amateurs" was funny. Great cast. Some good chuckles. William Fichtner was damn funny. If movies about folks who aren't filmmakers making porn is your thing, I'd recommend this over "Zach and Miri".