I just got off the phone. I was talking to my good friend, Rinda. She does not share or understand my passion for Orlando Bloom. He looks like a skinny boy to her. She said that she thought Wentworth Miller was the same, UNTIL...she actually watched the show. Hearing his magnificent voice, seeing the intensity of his gaze, and just all those other small factors that a photo cannot capture, she now completely gets why I'm so ga-ga for this show.

Now, if I can only get her to watch the last half of Troy, maybe she'll see Orlando's many wonderful qualities. ;-)

Okay, I admit that I've become hooked on MS's version of the APRRENTICE. And finally - FINALLY - Amanda was booted out on her snooty heinie. Lord, I disliked her. The last 2 shows especially, she's really been a royal pain, holier-than-thou-ing it on each project. Marcela really was being sabotaged by Amanda and Ryan - and I can't believe how the two snakes kept teaming up on her and denying it.

I figure next week, Jim will be the one to go. I can understand why he's lasted this long - he has been effective in a weird sort of way. However, he's definitely too much of a loose cannon for Martha to trust in any postion of power. Of course, now that I've said this, he will probably be the one she chooses. ;-)

I think it's going to be either Dawna or Leslie.

My friend, Jill Floyd, was commenting on how wonderful ROME is, and the very graphic nature of the fight scene last week. So true! That fight scene had me cringing behind my hands in places. And I kept thinking: "Come on, Varenus! Jump in and save Pullo!!" I was so glad when he did.

I think eventually, Ireni is going to kill Pullo. It's like in the Oresteia myth. Agammemnon comes home safe from the Trojan war only to be killed in his bath by Clytemnestra. If Pullo dies in the series, I think it will be at the hands of someone we don't expect, not in a face to face confrontation with a man.

But who knows what will happen. That's what makes this show so delicious. Though we know historically what is going to transpire, we don't know how this series will play it out, and how these fictional characters will fit into the scheme.

Ironically, I would like to see Pullo survive more than anyone. Please note: I've not seen the first 5 episodes, so I may have missed something that would change my opinion. However, Pullo is a perfect example of a soldier trained to kill efficiently without thought. However, when he is of no more use, he is cut loose without anything to build a life on except his ability to kill (which as we see does not work well in a "civilized" society). Yet Pullo seems to have a great desire to belong, to love, to build a life. But when something happens to thwart him in a big way, his instinct is to lash out, to destroy the obstacle. But his remorse afterwards is so great at times, that it is heartbreaking. When he asked blessing on Varenus's family and Ireni, it showed just how much there is to him that is untapped.

Only one more new episode to go, and then the "long dark teatime of the soul" - no new episodes until 2007!!

Have you been watching? HBO's series, ROME, is wonderful. I've only recently subscribed to HBO, so I haven't seen the show from the beginning. But the last 5 episodes have been magnificent. Ciaran Hinds as Caesar! James Purefoy as Marc Antony - hubba-hubba (seen to the left as Edmond the Black Prince in "A Knight's Tale"! And Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson as Varenus and Pullo simply make the show. There is no weakness in this series. The writing, acting, set design, cinematography - everything is excellent.

The season finale is next week: Methinks that show shall take place on March 15th - the dreaded Ides of March. But if you think you know the story of Caesar's rise and fall, think again. This series explores angles and viewpoints rarely if ever seen.

If you have HBO, start watching this series. If you don't, pick it up when it's released on DVD, which I'm sure it will be soon.

Just for Michele, who is concerned about confusing the sneaky, dark-beer swilling Shark-Deer with the sweet, Two-Dogs Lemon or Orange beer sipping Deer-Shark, I have found a picture of the flora and fauna eating Deer-Shark, breeching the ocean surface. As you can see, there is a significant difference in the two animals. For one, even if you did steal a Deer-Shark's Two Dog's beer, the cumbersome antlers make the Deer-Shark one of the slowest animals in the ocean. This is also why they are rarely seen - too many predators faster than they are.

Christian remained asleep as the sneaky Shark-Deer waded to shore and proceeded to sip the last drop of Spaten from Christian's bottle. Later, Christian would accuse colleague Jeff Cox of beer-thievery, a serious offense in our department. But Jeff pleaded innocent. Only now, with the wonders of photography, can Jeff be cleared of this incident. As for those other occasions when beer went missing....well, you don't see the Shark-Deer on dry land in the middle of Oklahoma.