I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m anti-movie theater. I hate driving all the way to the theater, looking for parking, standing in line to buy tickets, paying an arm and leg for popcorn that is a 1,000% mark-up of cost, trying to watch a movie with annoying teenagers talking behind me, trying to stumble through a filled aisle, down stairs, and into a filthy bathroom just to pee… no thank you. So instead, I make good use of my Netflix account. But, it also means I am horribly behind when it comes to movie IQ. For example, today, I watched the modern classic “Twilight” for the first time. So, due to the fact that I am tragically behind, please excuse me for a moment but…

What a steaming pile of horseshit! Teenage girls really like this garbage?! I think my 15-year-old self would have vomited ten minutes into it. And then she would have kicked my ass for watching the whole thing.

I can’t imagine even a 13-year-old not gagging at this line: “Your scent, it’s like a drug to me. You’re like my own personal brand of heroin. ” – Edward Cullen. *violent gagging*

Suckiness aside, I did like the score and the cinematography was nice. But it can’t overcome the putrid dialogue. And acting. And plot. And headache-inducing fight scenes. Did I mention dialogue?

I have never appreciated “True Blood” so much. Oh, Bill and Eric… save me from this insipid pile of puke.

Yeah, you read that headline correctly. Hell has not frozen over, although I do feel a slight chill right now. I am rooting for the Jets today despite the fact that a win means a Super Bowl berth for my most hated team. It means some fist-pumping from Mark Sanchez and another week of listening to Rex Ryan. But I am rooting for the Jets today and you should, too. For a Jets’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts today will mean that resting your players will bite you in the ass. Roger Goodell couldn’t have asked for a better method of discouraging top seeded teams from doing so.

The Jets were cooked in Week 16. Hanging on to playoff hopes by a thin and shredded thread, they went into the third quarter with little more than a prayer. Indianapolis Head Coach Jim Caldwell answered those prayers and pulled many of his starters from the game. Under-prepared and overwhelmed, the Colts back-ups folded under a determined and inspired Jets team. The Jets’ playoff hopes were kept alive. 30-something days later, the story is vastly different.

Can the Jets do it? In my opinion, sure! Far stranger things have happened in the NFL. *cough 42 cough* I think the Jets match up very well with the Colts.

Besides, (whoever wins tonight) if either the Saints or the Vikings play the Super Bowl the way they played last week, it won’t matter who the hell wins the AFC. Those two teams look sharp!

Don’t forget to vote today since none of you voted in the primary.

To find your polling place: Where Do I Vote?

Work has gotten substantially more busy in 2010, but I already knew that was coming. From what I hear, most of our employees vacation in the summer, spend all fall traveling to conferences and stuff, and hold off on projects until after the holidays. So, once January rolls around, it’s pedal-to-the-metal.

I’ve also taken on the gargantuan task of assisting our academic affairs department (it’s actually just one woman) with her massive faculty search. This isn’t like hiring some schmuck for some run-of-the-mill job. This is a HUGE opportunity for a scientist – a faculty position at a very prestigious university as well as a full lab and a leadership role at our place. Candidates aren’t just talking to an HR rep and a hiring manager. These folks have TWO FULL 9-to-6 DAYS (!!!) of interviews with some of the top scientific leaders in the country. My role is to help schedule all the madness. And let me tell you, I’ve never before felt so fulfilled by merely booking hotel rooms.

And if that wasn’t enough, this week I was also permanently assigned to a group of scientists that I had been assisting for a couple months now. (They like me, they really like me!) I couldn’t even begin to tell you what they do or study. I’m about two PhD’s short of understanding any of it. But if they have a receipt that needs to be paid or an airplane ticket to purchase, gosh darn it, I’m there!

It’s all a far cry from last year at this time when I had to forcefully keep myself from driving off a cliff every morning. It’s a good feeling when you don’t find yourself hysterically crying for your entire commute, fully knowing the misery that awaits. In other words, seven months in and I still love my job.

I can’t help but feel personally responsible for the Patriots 33-14 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens yesterday. I let down the team, the fans, and myself. You see, our game day ritual includes properly setting up our living room. Everything must be in the proper position and this, my friends, is where I failed miserably.

Incapable of understanding how the Patriots could play so poorly through the first quarter, I looked up and noticed I had missed a huge part of our set-up. My “Biggest Fan” figurine was not on the coffee table where it is supposed to be. The Patriots began to play much better once the living room was set to proper Patriots game day feng shui, but the damage had been done. They just couldn’t overcome the insurmountable 24 point lead the Ravens had built up prior to me properly arranging my living room. IT’S ALL MY FAULT!!!!!!!

Overall, I can’t complain about this season. It was, as evident by the Richard Seymour trade, a rebuilding year and I expect to see some big changes in the coming off season, namely the departure of Adalius “Humble Pie – NOT” Thomas. I was pleased to see the development of safety Brandon Meriweather and I was also satisfied with the play of our other safety named Brandon (McGowan). I was most pleased with our very own German, Sebastian Vollmer. He stepped in and hardly skipped a beat. I hope corner Leigh Bodden returns for next season as well as RB Fred Taylor.

My biggest hope for the off season is for the Patriots to pick up a solid pass rusher as I feel that was one of their biggest defensive weaknesses throughout the ‘09 season.

Now, I’m left with only one option for the remaining playoffs – Baltimore. I can’t cheer for the Colts, certainly not the Chargers and most definitely not the Jets. On the NFC side, I’m all about the Arizona Cardinals (again). Brett Favre makes me ill so I can’t root for the Vikes, the Cowboys are the Cowboys, and after hearing how downright RUDE Saints fans were to my cousin during the Patriots-Saints game (I’ll save that story for another day but let’s just say they put Eagles fans to shame), I am rooting for the Saints to do nothing but lose… bad.

Here’s to a “fowl” Super Bowl – Cardinals vs. Ravens!