The more things change ...

Tonight I'm watching AMC's highly-acclaimed Mad Men for the first time. It's set in a Madison Avenue advertising agency ca. 1960. Except for the fact that everyone smokes, so much so that I want to wash my hair just from watching it, and that all the men openly call the women "honey," I'm surprised by how little the workplace has changed: Internal reviews are still a bitch, there's always an alpha (on the show it's Draper) and everyone waits to hear his reaction before they share their own, and when one of the agency leads takes ill, everyone jockeys for his position.

Gee, I can't wait to go to the office tomorrow.

Yum!

I am hooked on Japanese Cherry Blossom bath products by The Body Shop. It has the most delicious smell! It's only available for a limited time, so get yourself to The Body Shop, at the mall or online, today. Really. You will thank me.

"Maybe my blood pressure is a little high"

Yesterday we celebrated my friend John's birthday. A big Heath Ledger fan, he wanted to see The Dark Knight. So we did. He wanted to eat dinner at a specific restaurant near the movie theater because he enjoyed drinks with friends there and wanted to sample their menu. We did.

He didn't really like the movie. He was disappointed that the restaurant didn't serve burgers. I had a nice enough time, but he kept apologizing for the subpar movie and the limited menu. He wasn't drinking anything stronger than Sprite, and that is sooooo not like him.

He explained it away by saying he was tired, that his blood pressure was probably a little high. Almost two years ago, he suffered through a bout with heart failure and his recovery has been slow but steady. He didn't seem concerned by this, just weary and discontented, but it bothers me. Next week when I check in with him, I'll be sure to ask him if he's spoken to his doctor.

Yes, he is that good

Saw The Dark Knight on Saturday and it was better than I expected. Easier to follow, and with a better story than any of the previous Batman movies I've seen (Keaton, Clooney, Kilmer, and the previous Bale included).

Now let's talk Ledger. His appeal always escaped me. To be completely honest, I thought he mumbled through one of the sudsiest, silliest, most over-hyped and unintentionally funny movies of all time, Brokeback Mountain. With this in mind, I had quite the "show me" attttude toward his much-heralded final role as The Joker.

Incredible. Awesome. Original. Engaging. Deeply, darkly charismatic, the movie comes alive only when he's onscreen. Which is ironic and ultimately very, very sad.

P.S. Not for kids! I don't care how many cereal boxes the Caped Crusader currently graces. This movie is too violent and too intense for children.