Kiki's 25.

One of the true survivors of the notorious minefield that is the world of a child actor, turns 25 today and there's a lot to celebrate about Kirsten Caroline Dunst's career.

From the underrated Marie Antoinette to Interview with the vampire via such treasures as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or the Cat's Meow or even being the best thing in Drop Dead Gorgeous, Ms Dunst brings a lot of screen presence and sparkle to her roles.

Besides the Witherspoon-Portman-Johansson trifecta, I think she's one of the few name above title openers. Actually, scratch that. Only Witherspoon stands as a real contemporary and considering she's five years older, that ain't too bad in itself.

Divisive actress she may be (see Elizabethtown and everything else not mentioned above) but she's gonna be around a long time, and we better get used to it.

So Happy Birthday Kirsten, and here's to more fine performances from yourself.

Lean cuisines and other assorted ramblings

Being so bad(ass) never felt so good. I bet I could just create this alternate reality and live all my fantasies that way. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that you know.
Seems to me like a lil' lean cuisine wouldn't hurt that much.
She ain't fat, she's just in need of an image make-over (or so she keeps telling herself). So that diet is doggedly pursued. It may never matter to him (whoever he is) but she's doing it for herself.

The thought of an inevitable union terrifies her. She won't admit it, but she's terribly independent. She doesn't know what to think about kids, but she's thinking of working with them... She's excited by all the possibilities and yet a bit scared too.
The bills? The car? The house?
She won't think about it. She thinks but she doesn't dwell.
Its forbidden territory. Her heart says it will be OK.

She's lost her religion. She needs it back. It defined her for a very long time. 'Xcept its no longer religion. She's questioning any and everything. Did we mention her independence? Oh yeah. But she thinks about Him. What does He think of her?
Sinner? Lost? Confused?
She flirts with going back. Of starting over.
But words fail her and she's weak.

Sloth.
One of the 7 deadly sins, you know. Her biggest obstacle. Her head is ringing all the alarms.
No job. No money. Mounting bills.
She flirts with suicide. What if she could just disappear? That's why she goes to the Internet. But it is not that simple. An Alternate reality. Indeed. Snap out of it. It will pass. Sooner than you think.
Whatever.
No really. This too, it shall come to pass.