The last few days I've been suffering from the stomach flu and a wee bit of depression. To overcome both, I've been immersing myself in the dynamic duo of film - Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg (I can't leave out Nick Frost here - he's effing hilarious and just as cute as he can be). What can I say? Some people have Wellbutrin, I have Shaun of the Dead.

I can't help it. I love Shaun.



Actually, I just adore Simon Pegg. He's a good writer, a film buff, and he giggles very easily (see outtakes, esp. the ones on Hot Fuzz). Plus his nice deep voice doesn't hurt. I also find it endearing how his weight fluctuates all the time.

Check out every single special feature on Hot Fuzz and Shaun. They're so much fun. You can tell these guys are total fans by the geek-candy on their bonus stuff. There's a video diary of their promotional tour in America which is utterly fantastic. At one point they're so bored by their phone interviews they start taking off their clothes.

I can't wait for the trio to put out their latest - it looks to be a thing called Tintin.

Also, I have "Spaced" on reserve from the library. The complete series. They haven't even processed it into the system yet, but I'm first on the list.

Look - get out there. Get these movies. Watch them, and you'll understand. And if you're ever wondering what to get me for my birthday, I tell you now - a lunch date with Simon Pegg that will be our little secret.

I tend to read a fictional novel between each nonfictional one that I read, and my taste in books ranges from 19th century novels to contemporary crime fiction. I like to read just about everything (although I have a harder time reading sci-fi/fantasy than I did when I was a slip of a lass). This month I seem to be stuck on Carl Hiaasen novels. I read Sick Puppy, Basket Case, and then my first and favorite, Skinny Dip.

There are a few reasons that I really enjoy reading Hiassen (although I haven't enjoyed all of the novels, the ones I like, I like so much I have to write about it). The first reason is that he's really funny. It's not easy to make me laugh out loud.

I also have a long-standing penchant for the older man-younger woman relationship model, which Hiassen seems to play around with. It's not my fault. It started with Sting and this fantastic video. Understand, young Sting, you don't have to stand close to me to feel this heat. My lingering fancy for the mature male also stems from reading Jane Eyre during the days of sexual imprinting. Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre were separated by about twenty years. Smokin' hot. In my defense, it only does it for me if the two companions equal each other on some level. I get totally hot and bothered by an egalitarian match. So the Joey-Mick pairing in Dip and the Emma-Jack couplet in the Basket had my full and favorable attention.

The last thing I noticed about Hiaasen is how accurately his characters sound. They all have interesting quirks, but better than that are their distinct voices and vocabularies. Even in the internal dialogue.

Out of all this comes the confession that I have a love jones for Mick Stranahan. He's fit, he's smart, he's tough, and he takes all kinds of care of Joey at the same time that he knows she can take care of herself. He's constantly feeding her, teasing her, or giving it to her under picnic benches. Deeelicious.