But I don't wanna!

Every year at this time -- like a swallow mindlessly returning to Capistrano -- The Gal Herself returns to the movie theater to see as many Oscar-nominated movies as possible. Of the 5 Best Picture nominees, I've seen Michael Clayton, Juno and now, today, Atonement.

That leaves No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. I don't really want to see either of them.

I'm sure they're both terrific movies. But the imdb.com plot summary for Old Men says, "Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon some dead bodies, a stash of heroin and more than $2 million in cash near the Rio Grande." Didn't Sweeney Todd deliver all the violence and dead bodies I need for a while? There Will Be Blood is an epic tale "about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business." That's not gripping me, either.

Which is not to say I won't see those two movies after all. When it comes to the Oscars, I have no mind of my own.

I'm IT!

Cricket's Hearth tagged me, and that makes me IT. I think it's neat to invoke a summertime kids' game on a frozen winter night.

4 Jobs I have had …

1. Babysitter (in high school; paid to eat potato chips and watch TV while the wee ones slept)

2. Receptionist at a real estate office

3. Secretary at Sears when it was still in The Sears Tower (I worked on the 6th floor of what was then the world's tallest building)

4. Associate Creative Director (my current job)

4 Moves I watch over and over …

1. Laura (a classic film noir from 1944; everyone in it is pretty and elegant and witty)
2. The Godfather (Spike TV has made it almost a weekly show, and I watch it dutifully watch)
3. The Way We Were (Poor Katie! Hubbell is beautiful but he is soooo not worth it!)
4. The Sound of Music (Loved it when I was a little girl, still love it now)

4 Places I have lived …

1. Carpentersville, IL -- where my basinette was located

2. Brookfield, IL -- where my family moved before I was 2; the house I lived in until I ran four towns over to …

3. Oak Park, IL -- where I still live now

That's it. Only 3. Sorry.

Cricket's Hearth had much better answers; she even met Elvis!

4 Shows I watch …

1. Law and Order:SVU (I keep hoping Elliott and Olivia will notice that they're in love)

2. Grey's Anatomy (McDreamy! Sigh.)

3. American Idol (But only after the finalists are chosen)

4. Hardball (HAH!)

4 Places I have been …

In acknowledgement of my geekiness:

1. The Truman Presidential Museum in Missouri

2. The Kennedy Presidential Museum in Massachusettes

3. The Clinton Presidential Museum in Arkansas

4. The Lincoln Presidential Museum in Illinois

4 People who email me …

1. My oldest friend

2. My best friend

3. My former boss

4. Robert Redford (OK, it's really spam from the Sundance catalog; just wanted to see if you were still reading)

4 Favorite things to eat…

1. Thin crust pizza

2. Burgers

3. Eggs Benedict

4. Salmon (esp. lox)

4 Places I would rather be …

1. Capt. Runaground, looking out onto the sea in Key West (aka "wasting away again in Margaritaville")

2. Chateau Elan Winery and Spa (see ticker below)

3. The friendly confines of Wrigley Field

4. Anywhere with my best friend (I miss him)

4 Things I look forward to this year …

1. A winning Cubs season (it's our centennial -- 100 years since our last World Series)

2. Longer hair (I'm letting it grow out and I'm at that awkward in-between stage)

3. FINALLY reaching my savings goal (to have 8 months' living expenses in the bank; I'm frozen at 7 but damn it, I will so save that last months' worth)

4. Being healthier (I figure losing weight and better skin will follow, right?)

I'm not tagging anyone because I did this meme before (I wonder if my answers were similar). But if you wish to play along, please let me know so I can read your responses.

SO, Cricket's Hearth, how did I do?