Incarnate

The Word of the Day for October 30 is "incarnate."

incarnate: (adjective) Invested with bodily nature and form.

Synonyms: bodied, corporal, corporate, embodied

Usage: He was the beast incarnate, roaring and raging and being destroyed.

Relevance to My Life: When I told him about my bipolar diagnosis, he gazed upon me with a look of such abject horror that I felt as though I were evil incarnate.

In celebration of my status as Evil Incarnate, here is a selection of other evil, sadistic or possibly psychotic women:



Fatal Attraction

Instilling a healthy fear of bad 80s perms everywhere, while at the same time, a craving for Hasenpfeffer








Dangerous Liasons - Final Scene Between Merteuil and Valmont

Despite her villainy, the Marquise de Merteuil is still my favorite character in this film.









One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Nurse Ratched

She makes my blood run cold.







One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Therapy

Stick with it to the very end.









Mommy Dearest - Joan is Particular About the Closet

Really, how could I pass up the wire hangers bit.








Misery - Annie Wilkes Gives a History Lesson

Oh, Annie, Annie. Not the ankles!







ELO- Evil Woman

To my fellow evil ladies out there, happy Friday!

Etch

The Word of the Day for October 29 is "etch."

etch: (verb) Carve or cut a design into.

Synonyms: engrave

Usage: The wedding planner hired an artist to etch the couple's monogram on two champagne flutes.

Relevance to My Life: When my dad sat next to me at my son's funeral, I noticed for the first time, the deep lines that grief and worry had etched into his face; those same lines had been seared indelibly onto my heart.

Who can think of the word etch without automatically jumping to "Etch-A-Sketch?" I still love those things.




Mr. Spock Timelapse Etch-A-Sketch Portrait

This is incredible.










"Whoops 2008!" By The Etch-A-Sketch Man

I could do without the music, or maybe it's just that I'm overstimulated this morning, but this was pretty cool.









Is it a Good Idea to Microwave an Etch-A-Sketch?

These guys are my new favorites.










Is it a Good Idea to Microwave a Lava Lamp?

These guys were too much fun to leave at one video clip today






Is it a Good Idea to Microwave a Glow Stick?

It was either this one or the Axe body spray or the Furbys.

Edifice

The Word of the Day for October 28 is "edifice."

edifice: (noun) A building, especially one of imposing appearance or size.

Synonyms: building

Usage: He had commenced his labors, in the first year of their residence, by erecting a tall, gaunt edifice of wood, with its gable toward the highway.

Relevance to My Life: The day we moved into my childhood home when I was 4 years old, what scared me the most wasn't the spider-infested basement or the creaky stairs, but the dark edifice of old wood in the backyard: the two-seater outhouse, which smelled rank and foul and coated me with cobwebs the minute I pulled open the door.

I can't think of "edifice" without thinking of places like Pemberley, Manderley, or Brideshead.



Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth at Pemberley



Many a gentlewoman's loins were moistened at the Mr. Darcy bathing scene in the shadow of Pemberley.

And wow, I can't believe I typed that with a straight face.









A Walk That Changes Perceptions


At long last, Elizabeth sees a different side of Mr. Darcy. Plus, you get a better look at Pemberley (Lyme Park)










Pride and Prejudice in 20 Minutes- Part 1


This is a pretty good P&P Primer, despite its being the Keira Knightly version, although I have to admit that this adaptation is growing on me.







Pride and Prejudice in 20 Minutes - Part 2









Rebecca


"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again... " the beginning to my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie.

The building itself was like another character.







Brideshead Revisited


Another classic series in which a building plays a significant role.








Lunch With Sebastian


Probably one of my favorite scenes from the original Brideshead Revisited.

Slovenly

The Word of the Day for October 6 is "slovenly."

slovenly: (adjective) Negligent of neatness especially in dress and person; habitually dirty and unkempt.

Synonyms: frowzy, sloppy, slipshod

Usage: He was clad in a professional but rather slovenly fashion, for his frock-coat was dingy and his trousers frayed.

Relevance to my life: When I'm deep in a depression, I tend to wear the same comfortable clothes every day and stay wrapped up in blankets on the couch; immune to my outward slovenly appearance, I remain focused inward.

When I'm depressed, I may watch something funny to try to get me to crack a smile, or I may immerse myself in something depressing and soul-crushing.

Here are some of my favorites:



One of my favorite Scrubs episodes, done in musical format


My Musical (1 of 3) - Scrubs


The third song @ 4:17, "Everything Comes Does to Poo" makes me cry, but for all the right reasons.









My Musical (2 of 3) - Scrubs


A rant sung by Dr. Cox @ 2:20.








My Musical (3 of 3) - Scrubs


Guy Love. What more can I say?








Sometimes I want something macabre. That's when I reach for Dexter:


Dexter & Doakes


This is just a great show.









What I usually watch when I'm lost in a soul-searing depression is all 5 seasons of Six Feet Under, from the beginning...


Six feet Under - pilot


"Your father is dead and my pot roast is ruined." Just like that, this series hooked me.








...to the end.




Claire leaves home.



In my opinion, the best series finale.

Overbalance

The Word of the Day for October 5 is "overbalance."

overbalance: (verb) To have greater weight or importance than.

Synonyms: outbalance, outweigh, preponderate

Usage: The ancients were not always right in hiding the goddess in a well; witness the light which Bacon has thrown upon philosophy; witness the principles of our divine faith - that moral mechanism by which the simplicity of a child may overbalance the wisdom of a man.

Relevance to my life: Much like a parent tells a child that her vote counts for two votes to the child's one, my boss told me that his voice overbalanced my own in the matter; consequently, I found myself hearing those awful words, "We've decided not to ask you back."

Yes. Sometimes jobs suck either because you've been fired, made redundant, or brought to death's doorstep from the boredom of it all.




Johnny Paycheck - Take This Job and Shove It

I'm not the hugest fan of country-western music, but how can you not like this song?







Joanna Expresses Herself - Office Space

How many times have we wanted to express ourselves in just that way?

*sigh* That brought a tear to my eye.








Peter Meets with the Bobs - Office Space

The funniest scene from this movie









Inspiration from Michael Scott

As advice from idiot bosses goes, this really isn't that bad.








Tim's Review - The Office (UK)

Ricky Gervais is disturbingly awesome as Bad Boss David Brent.









The Devil Wears Prada Trailer

Some evil bosses are women.

I really love this movie despite its appearing frothy and chick-flicky.









Gordon Gekko - Wall Street

Some bosses are evil and greedy...









The Devil's Advocate

...while other bosses are the incarnation of evil.








A Good Question to Consider

Happy Monday, everyone!

Plop

The Word of the Day for October 4 is "plop."

plop (verb) Set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise.

Synonyms: flump, plank, plonk, plump down, plunk, plunk down

Usage: Exhausted, I plopped into the armchair.

Relevance to my life: After whining incessantly about how long she had to wait for supper to finish cooking, kid #2 plopped down next to me on the couch, slumped over on the verge of a mock-diabetic coma, stared at me with imploring eyes and whispered, "Please, Mommy. I'm starving."

After seeing the word of the day, the first thought that popped into my mind was the old Alka-Seltzer commerical.

Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz

Yes, that is Sammy Davis, Jr.







I'm a pepper (so's Popeye)

This diabolically catchy tune would get stuck in my head after this commercial.

I hate Dr. Pepper, too.













I'd like to buy the world a Coke....

... and contribute to a global epidemic of type 2 diabetes













Keep America Beautiful

With Iron Eyes Cody who's really of Sicilian ancestry. Bonus!














Mr. Yuk is mean, Mr. Yuk is green.

I think that they handed out some of these stickers when I was in elementary school.












Lotsa Hair from Prell

I can actually smell that vile green shit after seeing this commercial.












le Jardin du ax Factor

Dear God, I had this stuff when I was in middle school.












Charley

with Mel Torme!

Speaking of nasty perfumes from the 70s...










Jean Nate

I called this stuff Jean Nastay. I got a Jean Nate gift box one year.













Enjoli

'Cause I'm a Woman

But they didn't stop with Jean Nate, although they definitely should have.












The 70s were also about newfangled foods. Like Margarine, for example.



Chiffon Margarine

It's not nice to fool Mother Nature

Ha!









Pringles, the Newfangled Potato Chip

...or improbably perfect potato chips neatly stack in a canister.









Palmolive, You're Soaking in it

Oh, that Madge! I love the paternalistic commentator near the end. Because you know, we poor, flighty housewives need the endorsement of a big strong man, even when it comes to dish washing liquids.

True fun fact: the original green Palmolive is my favorite because I like the way it smells. It reminds me of when I was a kid. Freaky, huh?












Calgon, Take me Away

Are you kidding? I still say this almost daily!












Calgon = Ancient Chinese Secret

There was nothing politically correct about the 70s, man.













The only commercials marketed to men in the 70s seemed to be for men's cologne:

Brut

Starring everyone's favorite QB, Joe Namath













Aqua Velva Man

I can't help but laugh at this: Pete Rose as a sex symbol? God help us.

Slimy

The Word of the Day for Friday, October 2 is "slimy."

slimy: (adjective) Morally reprehensible.

Synonyms: despicable, vile, worthless, ugly, unworthy, wretched

Usage: "You are a slimy little liar," she yelled as she ran from the room in tears.

Relevance to my life: I was not surprised to hear from the slimy bastard again; I'd heard that his chasing 20 year-old tail had amounted to nothing. Lo and behold, he has come knocking on my door again. Apparently he kept me on the books as a back-up plan.

And now, for some slimy bastards in action:



Razzle-Dazzle from Chicago


In Chicago, Richard Gere plays the ultimate in sleazy, slimy bastard lawyers.

True fun fact: I saw him in person years ago in Washington DC when he was introducing a special envoy of the Dalai Lama at a Free Tibet rally. In person, Richard Gere is unbelievably good-looking. I was not expecting that.









Cellblock Tango


I can't post video clips from Chicago and not include this one. This is quite simply the best scene from the entire show.

Whenever I watch this show it makes me wish I'd kept up with my dance lessons. *sigh*








Thank You for Smoking


Aaron Eckhart plays a lobbyist for Big Tobacco, which is kind of the epitome of slimy bastardness, isn't it?

Great movie. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend that you do.







Roman Polanski in "Chinatown"


Now for a real-life slimy bastard who's been in the news recently. I don't care if he does have buckets of talent and a long history of tragedy in his past.

The fact remains that he raped a child and fled before sentencing. He needs to pay for his crime like any other rapist and fugitive from justice would.