I'm not a fan of Anne Coulter by any stretch of the imagination and hate almost everything she's ever written, but I kind of like this article. Ann Coulter: How can I make your flight more uncomfortable?

We had a photo contest in my department and I won first place in "Offsite Picture" and "Best Overall". There were only six people taking photos so it's not like there were dozens to choose from, but I was so surprised I won. I didn't even buy my digital camera. My cousin gave it to me in 2004, and I'm pretty sure she bought it at Walmart's or some store like that.

The photo was taken at Domaine Chandon, a champagne maker Napa. I think it won because on the right side of the photo somehow I captured a beam of light. Is that hard to do? It must be because it's never happened to me before. The mushrooms were just rocks piled up to look like mushrooms.

I won treats from Peet's coffee: a bag of chocolate toffee almonds for best offsite picture, and a one-pound bag of coffee called "Holiday Blend" for best overall.

I need to update my reading list. I have been getting into reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation stories.

I've read Prelude to Foundation, Fondation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, and Foundation's Edge. They are amazing stories.

A friend got into reading Asimov's Robot stories and she's going to lend me her books.

I'd like to read all of Asimov's books; he is such a good author. When I really like a writer I read all of their books. So far I've read all of F. Scott Fitgerald, Elie Weisel, Oliva Butler. Can't remember any more right now.

The worst thing about having to sit around and wait to see "Heroes" is having to watch Howie Mandel on "Deal or No Deal". I just don't get him and that show, and even just five minutes of it is torture for me.

I'm getting over a cold and waiting for "Heroes" to come on. There was an article on SFGATE.com about the show, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2006/11/09/apop.DTL&hw=dna&sn=003&sc=242, and I had to watch it. I downloaded the episodes I missed on iTunes and got hooked. What can I say?

For Thanksgiving I drove up to Redding to see my aunt and uncle. There were their usual selves and I spent Thanksgiving at an indian casino gambling, just like the last time I saw them. My aunt made turkey dinner and I brought home a ton of leftovers. But it was rainy up there and I think I got too cold and on Friday I started sniffling. This is my second cold of the season. Normally I get a cold when I can't get enough sleep. I didn't know I could get a cold when my body temperature drops too low, so this is a new one for me.

The first one only lasted 4 days, although I was in recovery for a couple of weeks. I'm on day 3 now and feeling better, but I think it will take me all week to get over it.

I've seen three movies with all this time off. So here are my capsule reviews:

Marie Antoinette - I wanted to see this movie because The Cure contributed two songs, but there were instrumentals only. I was so bummed. The costumes were beautiful and I think Sofia Coppola was able to film at Versailles, which is rare. I read the review afterwards and loved The NY Times review. The movie needed I think some editing, and I think the type of storyline that worked in "Lost in Translation" doesn't quite work in this type of historical fiction movie. Jason Schwartzman was totally miscast only because he looks so much older than Kirsten Dunst. Marie Antionette was 15 years old when she become engaged to the Dauphin, who was only a year older than her. If the Louis character looked around 16, the storyline might have made more sense. If you're into late 80's post-punk music, then you'll like the soundtrack. I think it might have been better if I saw this movie in a theatre with a better sound system.

Casino Royale - Daniel Craig is beautiful and he looks like he could kill a man with his bare hands; how cool is that! The first James Bond actor who actually looks like he can kill people, and not some dressed up Brit pansy. I mean Pierce Brosnan is not a man I want to see sans clothes, but I'd love Daniel Craig to walk around in my apartment permanently in the nude or with those cute swimming shorts of his. I normally hate men in tiny swimming shorts, and Daniel Craig is an exception. He is so cute! And so rough and tough too with great biceps! He looks mean and nasty. There was not not quite enough violence in the movie to suit my taste. I think they toned that part down, but there was some good hand to hand combat scenes with 007 getting punched out and bleeding. Some guy in the theatre afterwards said that Daniel Craig looked like Joe Montana. Interesting. I'm not into blondie boy either, but Daniel Craig can definitely act and he's got killer blue eyes like my first love. I'm a sucker for boys with deep blue eyes.

For your consideration - not as outrightly funny as their other movies, but the laughs are there if you get the jokes. It helps if you know yiddish too. Catherine O'Hara was brilliant as usual, but even more so in this movie because she went through quite a transformation. I think you have to know quite a bit of how Hollywood works to get this movie fully. The characters aren't quite as self-explanatory as they are in the other movies. I'm not sure how many people will like it because it represents an evolution from their other movies. Instead of just presenting people as they are, they added some commentary probably because it's Hollywood and it's their business and they have a ton to say about it all works.