Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Royal Families: Crown Princess Victoria & Prince Daniel


     If anyone was born to be queen than it would be crown princess Victoria of Sweden. Born in 1979, Victoria was not the original heir to the throne. Due to the primogeniture laws at the time, that honor was given to her younger brother. However, a few days after he was born, the law was changed and now the oldest child would ascend to the throne, regardless of their gender. Since then, Victoria has dedicated her life to her country and to her people. 

      In 1996, though, it was revealed that Victoria was suffering from anorexia due to the intense stress of royal duties and living in the public spotlight. Her condition had gotten so severe, that she moved to California to get treatment and attended college at Yale University. While there, Victoria was able to live an anonymous life as well as taking better care of herself. At that time, it was unheard of for a royal to admit to a personal health disorder, especially one as severe as anorexia

Victoria in 1996-1997 when she suffered from anorexia
     Fast forward to 2001 and Victoria has returned home, healthier and decides to hit up a gym. There she meets Daniel Westling, the handsome gym owner who becomes her personal trainer. Pretty soon the media catches on that the crown princess has a new boyfriend....and they are not thrilled and neither is Victoria's father. Daniel was a gym owner, a commoner, middle class management. There was no way he could fit into royal life. 

      Victoria and Daniel kept their relationship out of the public eye as much as possible, but it was hard with the press constantly hounding Victoria on where her real loyalties lie. Overtime, Daniel won over the family and the people when they saw how much more confident Victoria was when she was with him. His relaxed nature and likable personality was noticeable and he seemed to be someone who can handle royal duties very well. 

     On February 2009, Daniel received permission from the royal court to ask Victoria to marry him (this is common procedure in several royal families). And on June 19, 2010, Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling were married and were given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of  Västergötland. 

Victoria and Daniel with their children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar
     Victoria and Daniel have two children. Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland (February 23, 2012) and Prince Oscar, Duke of Skåne (March 2, 2016). Crown Princess Victoria is one of most respected royals of her generation. She has balanced traditional beliefs with modern day thinking and has become an inspiration for girls and women all over the world. She and Daniel often appear together at royal engagements and both are renown for their tireless charity work in Sweden. They are wonderful representations of a modern day royals and a modern royal family. 

Christmas cookie making - 2014

Decorating the Christmas tree - 2014

Christmas baking - 2015 (Victoria is pregnant with Oscar)

Monday, March 28, 2016

Character Sketch: Michael Corleone


      While most people know who Michael Corleone is (the third son of the first Godfather, Vito Corleone, who took over the family's illegal crime business when Vito died), there is the constant question of what Michael Corleone is. 

Is he a hero for taking over the family business? 

An anti-hero for killing to save the one's he loves? 

A villain for his cruel tactics and manipulation? 

A sinner, yes; a saint, definitely not. 

While Michael Corleone may be a plethora of characteristic contradictions, there is no denying that he is a tortured soul who longs for redemption. There is something about Michael that tends to magnetically draw people to him. Many people might be able to relate to him. The odd child that never fit it, the son desperate to leave, sometimes perceived as the runaway or the prodigal. 

     Michael lives in the shadow of his oldest brother Sonny, whom he can never seem to match in personality. He is close to his second older brother Fredo, but Fredo's fragile nature sometimes seems too shallow for Michael. Then there is Constanza or Connie, the only daughter, the spoiled little sister who gets what she wants and sometimes gets what she may not deserve. At the center of all of this is Michael's loving, but sometimes distant mother, and his extraordinary and beloved father, Vito who is worshiped and feared by everyone who knows him.

      The Corleone family is lively and there is no shortage of love and drama to go around. Yet, that is not what Michael wants. He doesn't want his father's family, he wants to make his own. Michael longs for independence, freedom and his own identity; not just to be seen as Don Vito's third son. So when the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor, Michael enlists for the Marines that very day, causing conflict from his father, Sonny and Tom (Michael's adopted brother). 

Michael Corleone throughout the years
      Michael hoped that with the ending of the war would come the beginning of his independence from his family, but things go very differently. As "The Godfather" progresses you see the once happy, charming young man with hopes and dreams begin to descend into his father's underworld and that descent comes with may prices. When there is an assassination attempt on his father's life, Michael is called back home to help his family. 

     Eventually, he gets himself embroiled in a Mafia war that has him exiled to Sicily where he meets and marries beautiful young girl, Apollonia. Just when Michael believes he is finally happy and able to live as he sees fit, the family business finds him and destroys all his hopes of family and that is where any chance of Michael's independence ends.

     While the reader (or viewer) may pity Michael's lot in having to run the family business, the man manages to justify every mean he uses to control the business. Michael lost his own independence and dreams of success, so the only way he can get them back is by using the family business that he was once running away from and create his own successful life within it. Success means murder, lying, cheating, bribing and manipulating your way into the highest seat of power. If Michael wants power than he will have it. If he wants justice than he will obtain it.

The Corleone family in happier times -- 1958, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
      All Michael really has at the end of the day is his wife (who leaves him) and his children, Anthony and Mary. During the second film, it was obvious that Michael preferences his son over his daughter. However, in the third film, we get the understanding that Michael's past sins has caused his son to distance himself from his father and leave him. That opens up Michael's relationship with his daughter whom he believes he has neglected in lieu of the family business. Mary hopes now that she will get the love and affection that she has craved her whole life for from her father. 
      
     Happiness is never a certainty with Michael Corleone and in the end he has saved the family, but loses the most precious thing in his life. His daughter. The little girl he could have spent a little more time with is ripped from his life and he will never recover from his grief. 

     The repetitive theme of 'how far do you go for the ones you love?' is consistent throughout Michael's life. While he may be a hero to some, a villain to others, and an anti-hero to a larger majority, Michael Corleone was a man who, in the beginning, was trying to forge his own life. While Michael Corleone was no saint, he was not entirely evil either. An extraordinary greatness is thrust upon him and all he can do is carry his family as best as he can and live life as well as he is able. 

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Where man sees but withered leaves, 
God sees sweet flowers growing.
 ~Albert Laighton 

Friday, March 25, 2016

New Layout


It was about time to change my layout style, so I went a little darker and used my favorite vampire fandoms as my theme : )


Friday, March 18, 2016

The Lost Boys


     I may just need to admit to the fact that I am a fan of vampires. Ok. Said it : ) I blame The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, (even though I stopped watching The Vampire Diaries...it was just getting too crazy.) and even Twilight which is very good, if you leave out Bella and Edward. However, before Twilight or The Vampire Diaries, Joel Schumacher's 1987 cult film, The Lost Boys, paved the way for the idealized pop culture vampires we have today. 

     Before Lost Boys. vampires were primarily adults who were centuries old and lived in hiding. They had never been a bunch of rocker bad boys who partied and joked around. Since 1987, the vampire mythology has changed and now vampires are young, beautiful and complicated. The movie still has a huge following and I can now call myself one of those followers.

~ ~ ~
Michael and Sam Emerson
Jason Patric as Michael Emerson and Corey Haim as Sam Emerson
      Newly divorced. Lucy Emerson and her teenage sons, Michael and Sam, have moved from Phoenix to Santa Carla, California to start a new life. Santa Carla, considered the murder capitol of America, is filled with punks, burnt out hippies and low lives, but there's a party every night on the beach, so how can it be that bad? When Michael Emerson meets a beautiful young girl named Star at a concert one night, he falls hard for her. 

     However, Star isn't alone and she introduces Michael to David and his biker gang. Michael is a reasonable person, but he is desperate to stay with Star and follows the guys to their caved in hotel on the beach. While there, Michael's whole life is turned into madness and chaos, and all he has to depend on is his younger brother to get him out of trouble as well as save their family. 

      Michael Emerson: While searching reviews for this film, I read from several viewers that Michael Emerson was the Edward Cullen of the 80's. Also that Jason Patric's performance as Michael was boring and anemic, especially compared to Kiefer Sutherland's breakthrough performance as the evil vampire leader, David. However, I find neither one of those to be true at all! I though Michael was a great character (not a hint of Edward Cullen in him at all!!). 

      What I loved the most about Michael is that oftentimes in movies where teenagers are in a divorce situation, you always have the one kid that is moody, angry, the whole world hates me and does everything in their power to make everyone miserable. Michael was the absolute polar opposite of that.

      He is very supportive and even defensive of his mother and seemed content with moving. Michael adores his younger brother Sam and is fiercely protective of him. He is a genuinely good guy, who is compassionate, honest and loves deeply (reminds you of another favorite vampire of mine?). And it's those qualities that prevents Michael from self-destruction and remaining a decent humane person.

     Sam Emerson: I loved Sam!!! He crazy, he's a dork, but an ever so lovable dork. A proper geek who knows comic books like a pastor knows the Bible (at least most do). Sam is his own individual person who doesn't care what people think about him. While trailing through a comic book store, Sam meets Edgar and Allen Frog, who believe in truth, justice and the American way...and defending the world from monstrous vampires. When Michael begins to go off the deep end, Sam enlists the help of the eccentric Frog brothers to save them. Sam also provided the comic relief for the film and some of his dialogue is just gold. 

~ ~ ~

The Lost Boys & Star

     . The hardest thing about the Lost Boys is that they are all so damn likeable in the beginning, you find it hard to hate them. While they're vampires, they also retain fun loving and charismatic demeanor of regular teenagers. David, their leader, is as charming as he is cruel and if he wants something (or someone), he will stop at nothing to get it. His boys, Paul, Dwayne and Marko are loyal to a fault to him, while his two new recruits, 10 year old Laddie and Star are still half-vampires and must kill to complete their transformations. 

Star and Michael
(A much better love story than Twilight)
     Beautiful Star who is lonely and longs for love and affection, finds herself in a situation she can't get out of. Originally Michael was going to be Star's first kill so she could become a complete vampire, but she begins to fall in love with him and refuses to go through with it. Star's decision to maintain her humane nature has severe consequences and she and Laddie are put into extreme danger.  

     While Star gives the appearance of a delicate doll, she has an incredible strength of character that is brought out in her love for Laddie, with whom she is a mother figure. Star will do anything to keep the sweet little boy safe and would sacrifice herself to keep him alive. It's Star's love for Laddie (rather than just Michael) that made me appreciate her character so much. 

     However, it's hard not to fall in love with Michael Emerson, especially after being with David. Star's and Michael's love story was a sub-story because the film was more focused on the relationship with the Emerson brothers, but the romance was very well done. Not sappy or too sensual, even though there is a brief love scene (nothing graphic). One can really see how Star is desperate to be freed from David and the Lost Boys and how Michael values her safety more than his own. 

~ ~ ~

"Cry Little Sister" by G Tom Mac - The title song
(I found this rather strange seeing that no one in the story had a younger sister)

      The movie has no shortage of 1980's campiness and if it proved one thing, it was that Kiefer Sutherland was one of the few people on the 80's that could properly rock the mullet. That being said, The Lost Boys was just a fun film. The horror isn't over done and there's a proper balance of drama and humor that carries throughout the story as well. I loved the characters, good and bad, and the character development in the leads were all very well written and acted. 

      Chances are, this movie is probably going to end up on my (already over flowing) DVD shelf. For someone who is pretty picky about horror/80's films, I would say that that after seeing The Lost Boys, I now understand why the film is as popular now as it was almost 30 years ago. It's campy, it's funny, with a little romance, well balanced horror, brave heroes (and a beautiful heroine), evil punk vampires and a bevy load of young unknown talent that was introduced. Yeah...typical 80's film that makes me wish I had been a teenager at that time. 

Thursday, March 17, 2016

In Memoriam


In Memoriam

By Ivy M. Spargur

One for a professor who saw a great lion sing
One for his friend who had a green and gold ring

One for a child who would always believe
One for her brother who had once been deceived
One for the oldest son that held the great key

One for a spoiled brat who flew on dragon's wings
One for a brave girl who found a lost king

Their stories now ended and forever are done
They will never be told or remembered

Except, maybe, by one...


Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. 

 ~Adrienne Cook


Saturday, March 12, 2016

The Phoenix - Chapter Two


Chapter Two.
Three Years Later - 1185

     Over the years, the de Bourde family continued on with their day to day lives without the presence of the dearly missed wife, mother and mistress of the house. Marcella, now ten, grew with her mother’s words close to her heart. She was a happy child who loved reading, writing, horses, new dresses, swinging on her swing in the rain and trekking through the family woods with her brother. Andre, who was approaching thirteen, was all right as far as brothers (older or younger) were concerned. Actually, if Marcella was being honest, he was much better than most boys she knew.

     Andre was much like his father, independent and stubborn, but also generous and good natured. He dreamed of becoming a soldier, but knew that eventually he would become a merchant like his father. He wasn’t too depressed about it though. As a merchant, you traveled, made money and met important people. And that was what Andre wanted to do, leave home and see the world.

     Of course, Father had difficulty at first raising a high spirited son and a reserved daughter without the assistance of a loving mother, while also being gone for weeks or even months at a time, but he managed. And of course, he was not alone. There were the servants that managed the home and Reynard, the house steward, who he had complete trust in. Andre and Marcella were given a loving and safe home where they received high educations from their own father, who would bring back from his trips, books of history, art and languages, and maps of all of his travels.

     Eventually, Father and children, settled into comfortable routines of daily living that consisted of work, school, life on the estate, trips to town and, of course, church. For Father, church was a necessity, whether he was home or not. While Andre kept his feelings regarding God to himself, Marcella found herself denying the existence of a deity who didn’t have the capability to save her mother. If Marcella wanted to believe in something, then she had to see it. If she could no longer see her mother, then her mother was gone. If she could not see God, then God was not there. At only ten, Marcella only relied on the teachings of her well travelled father and the words of her mother.

     “Be brave and be good to people.”

     Marcella tried to be brave. When she was afraid of the dark or got lost in the woods or had to meet new people. Being brave wasn’t very hard, because she had Father and Andre. However, being good to people was much more difficult. Being good meant, holding your tongue when someone spoke out of turn to you or giving the last treat to someone else who didn’t get any or simply walking away from a confrontation.

     One rainy spring day, Marcella was on her swing that was hung from a cloistered area outside the house. Rain came in through the windowed areas and dripped through the slats of the wooden overhead. Slowly it started to soak her, but she didn’t care. She twisted herself up tightly and then let go. For a few seconds she was just a blur of red dress, long hair and the small sound of childish giggling. When she stopped she dug her bare feet into the mud and sighed with relief.

     Father is coming home today! She thought, I wonder what he will bring home with him! Soon Andre came down the stairs that led down from the house to the outside swing and told her that she needed to come inside, bathe and change for Father’s return.

~ ~ ~

     Father returned home later that evening and brought with him more books, maps and other gifts of his travels to England. While Marcella was paging through the new book she received, Father placed two large bundles in front of her.

     “You probably won’t be using these for a while, but I want you to have them now,” he said with a smile.

     Marcella put her book down and eagerly opened up the bundles. Inside were two bolts of brightly colored silk cloth, one was gold and the other a deep burgundy.

     “Oh Father!” Marcella exclaimed, “How beautiful! Thank you so much! You found this in England?”

     “From a Syrian merchant in England who was selling his country’s finest cloth,” Father explained, “When I saw the red and gold, it reminded me of the glorious sunrise on the morning you were born,” he smiled, “Yes, you came in with the sun and when I held you for the first time, we watched it together.”

     He bent down and gave her a small kiss on her forehead, not just out of love, but also to hide the pain in his eyes that he still harbored for the loss of his children’s beautiful mother.

     “The colors reminded me of the Phoenix; from the story you tell us,” Andre said as he ran his hand over the smooth cloth.

     “Oh, Father, do tell us that story!” said Marcella, “I haven’t heard it in so long and I have so missed your stories.”

     Father smiled as he stroked Marcella’s hair, “Another time, my pet. However, there is something I must speak to the both of you about; a matter that could have a great effect on all our lives.”

     Both children sat down in front of their father, eager and even a little frightened at whatever he was about to reveal to them.

     “Two years ago,” Father began, “I had the privilege of meeting a fine man, Lord le Bastone and his wife, Lady Ysobella. They have two girls; the oldest is close to Marcy’s age. Well, I have done much work for Lord le Bastone and he and I have…well had became very good friends.”

     “Had?” interrupted Andre, “Was there an issue?”

     “He died six months pass and before his death, he asked me to handle the financial welfare of his widow and two girls. In the last several months, I have become much better acquainted with Lady Ysobella as well as her daughters.” Father paused for a second and then went on, “Lady Ysobella is a lovely women, and her girls miss their father terribly-“

     Suddenly, Marcella had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Where was Father going with this? What did this family, most especially her and Andre, owe to this woman and her girls?

     “Children, I know you miss your mother and I miss her too, but I believe there is an opportunity to regain what has been lost in both of our families.”

     Everything was happening so fast and Marcella was having difficulty taking it all in.

     Andre, like always, was the first to speak, “So, for the last six months, you have been seeing a widow and playing temporary father to her girls and have completely left your own children in the dark? And you just expect us to accept the idea of a stranger coming into our lives to replace our mother?

     “Andre,” began Father, “That’s not how it’s been. I have simply been taking care of the finances for Lady le Bastone and she has been gracious enough to host me in her home when I pass through on my travels. Anything beyond that only exists in your head.”

     “Do you love her?” Marcella asked, unable to raise her eyes to him, “Do you love her like you loved Mother? Could you love another man’s children like your own?”

     “My darling, I still love your mother very much, but we are not meant to live on this earth wrapped in grief and sorrow. We must learn to live on even after death. Like the Phoenix,” he said with a smile, “Nothing, no not one thing, can ever stop-“

     “The Phoenix from rising,” Marcella finished. That was the final line of her father’s story that she loved so much. A simple story of life, death, sacrifice and hope. A story that was definitely much more interesting than anything she could have found in the Bible.

     “Why are just now telling us this?” Andre asked.

     “Because, Lady Ysobella has received a marriage proposal from a lord in England, but she doesn’t want to leave France. Also, she knows me better and knew that her husband trusted me as well. To say that this is short notice in an understatement-“
     “Of the century,” Andre said under his breath.

     “However,” Father continued, ignoring his belligerent son, “I believe that this arrangement between our families could work very well.”

     After few seconds of silence, Marcella asked, “When will we meet them?”

     “Hopefully in a fortnight,” Father said, “If everything works out well. I do want you children to be happy. Please, please, give these three ladies who have already suffered a great loss a chance. You know the pain of losing a parent and all I’m asking is that you extend some grace to others.”

     Andre let out a sigh, “All right. If you think we can be happy…together…be far from me to stand in the way.”

     “Thank you,” Father said, “Marcy?”

     “I…” she started, but she couldn’t form the words, because she literally didn’t know what to say.

     Then her mother’s words came, “Remember, always be brave and good to people.”

     “Be brave, be brave when new situations arise,” she thought, “Be good to people who have also lost and need to see goodness in others.”

     “I need to…put this cloth in the attic,” she finally said, “I can’t keep it in my room if I am to have two sisters sharing it with me.”

     Father smiled with relief, “Thank you, children. That you very much.”

     Andre rolled his eyes, still not happy about the whole ordeal, but he would get over it. He probably just didn’t like the idea of having more girls in the house. One little sister was enough.

     Marcella managed a small smile, but focused her attention on lifting the heavy bolts of cloth.

     “Don’t carry those,” Father said as he took one, “Andre, you take the other one and follow me to the attic."

~ ~ ~

     Andre and Marcella loved the estate attic. True it was usually dark and dusty, but what was stored on its shelves and in its corners always held fascination for the children. Old books, torn maps, portraits of relatives long dead, wooden chests, banners, shields and other such intrigues. The children had spent many a rainy day playing hide and seek due to the attic’s wonderful hiding places. The attic was their own private world where the two children were on an equal standing with each other.

     “Where do you want these?” Andre asked Marcella when they got to the top of the stairs.

     “A place where the moths won’t get to them,” said Father as he looked around, “And I know just where to put them.”

     He went to on old ornately decorated trunk; a trunk that both children knew very well. It had belonged to their mother; her dowry chest when she married father. Marcella had always loved going through the chest, but Father was insistent that she be very, careful with its contents. What lay inside were the only remains of their mother; all that hadn’t been burnt after she left.

     Several old dresses, beautifully sewn blankets, embroidered pillows, three necklaces that were made of silver beads and pearls and were carefully kept in an elegant metal box and Marcella’s favorite, a pair of delicate slippers that had real glass flowers sewn to on the sides, making the slippers appear that were made entirely from glass. Mother had worn them on her wedding day and that was the only time she ever wore them.

     While Father took everything out of the chest, Marcella carefully placed mother’s glass slippers on her feet. They were still a little too big, but they were beautiful. She imagined one day, she would wear them to her wedding or a ball with noblemen and ladies.

    " I’ll dance all night in them," she thought, "and my dress will be made from the silk father bought me! And a nobleman will fall in love with me and ask me to marry him and I’ll be a great lady"…

     “Marcy!” Andre broke into her thoughts by snapping his fingers in her face; his most aggravating tactic to get her attention.

     “What?” she asked, growing more annoyed with her brother as the evening wore on.

     “We need to put the shoes back,” Father said.

     “Oh, I see,” Marcy said as she took off her shoes and gave them to her brother.

     “They are stunning,” Andre remarked as he ran his finger over one of the glass flowers, “Where did mother get these?”

     “I had them made for her,” smiled Father, “She always loved flowers. She hoped that one day a daughter would wear them.”

     He wrapped them up, placed them on top and slowly shut the lid.

    “Now, I hope we don’t forget that lovely cloth is in there,” Father said as they walked down the attic stairs.

     “I won’t forget,” Marcella said, “I go through the trunk every couple of weeks." It’s a way…a way I can remember mother, when I start to miss her, she thought. And right now, with the idea of having a new mother in the near future, Marcella missed her own more than ever.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Before Starfleet...There was CTU

This is not a review!

Just general thoughts and feelings on the characters in Season 3 of 24!

Top: Zachary Quinto as Adam Kaufman in S3 of 24 (2003)
Bottom: Zachary Quinto as Spock in Star Trek (2009)
     Long before Zachary Quinto put on the Vulcan ears, he played CTU Agent Adam Kaufman in S3 of 24; and his character in the beginning is just as aggravating and as annoying as Spock throughout the reboot movies. Later on Adam lightens up considerably and actually becomes a very likable person. 

Other thoughts...

Jack Bauer
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer in S3 of 24
Jack Bauer was awesome, like always! His storyline gets so much  darker and grittier, he should be changing his name to Winchester instead. Season 3 also dealt more with Jack's role as a friend and not just as an agent and father, and it was great to see that side of him brought out more.

~ ~ ~

Kim Bauer and Chase Edmunds
L-R: Elisha Cuthbert as Kim Bauer and James Badge Dale as Chase Edmunds
Kimberly Bauer has grown up so much! She is definitely more her own person and I see so much of her father in her as she grows. There is a new independence to Kim and it's great to see Kim make decisions that are based on what's best for others and not for herself.

Oh, and Chase! He's amazing! He's a like a younger Jack Bauer, but much more balanced and that's probably due to being around Jack. Loved him and Kim together!!

(However, I don't think the relationship lasts...)

~ ~ ~

Tony Almeida and Michelle Dessler
L-R: Carlos Bernard as Tony Almeaida and Reiko Aylesworth as Michelle Dessler
Tony Almeida has come a long way from the wussy, crybaby agent he was in Season 1. He finally manned up and got a spine in the end of Season 2. Three years later in Season 3, he's still the director of CTU and manages everything smoothly. Granted, he still makes mistakes, but he is ever so much forgivable now!

MICHELLE DESSLER!!! OMG! She's amazing! I was so skeptical of her in Season 2 and now I feel somewhat guilty for ever doubting her. Michelle is an everyday heroine that every girl/woman should aspire to be. Calm, patient, generous and effortlessly courageous. She can take orders with dignity and no complaints and give orders without sounding like an overcompensating alpha-bitch. Michelle is the type of women Nick Fury would recruit for S.H.I.E.L.D.

Michelle and Tony
(I love that you can see Tony's wedding ring)
Tony and Michelle are my new favorite couple! Their relationship in the show is realistic and not sappy or over-romanticized. The have trials that are far from over, but their triumphs are memorable and hopeful. 

~ ~ ~

President David Palmer
Dennis Haysbert as President David Palmer in S3 of 24
Still great as ever, but God, did he make some really bad mistakes. 

I still love him though : )

~ ~ ~

 Chloe O' Brian
Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian in S3 of 24
I DID NOT LIKE HER! 

She was so winy, constantly complaining and just down right annoying.

 Just shut-up and do your job, Chloe.