I just read something to the effect that Cameron is filming three sequels to Avatar simultaneously.
...And my eyes bugged out-- because three?
Do I correctly understand that there are going to be THREE MORE of those movies?
No... No no no. Say it ain't so!
...Ok, ok. I know I don't have to see them if I don't want to... and maybe, by some fluke, they'll turn out more interesting than the original one was (not holding my breath, though). It's just that we'll be hearing all the hype about them for years to come.
Cameron says: "I think within the Avatar landscape I can say
everything I need to say that I think needs to be said, in terms of the
state of the world and what I think we need to be doing about it. And
doing it in an entertaining way."
And I respond: "No offense, but I don't particularly care what you think about the state of the world-- or what you think we need to be doing about it. Frankly, watching you preach your message (especially in a CGI world populated by blue people) sounds any but entertaining. Thanks anyway, but I've no real interest in watching Fern Gully-- er, I mean Avatar 2, 3, and 4."
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Friday, July 29, 2011
Random Stuff
And I mean random.
When I pulled aside the curtain on our kitchen door this morning (preparing to open it to let Trixie out for her morning stroll), there were two deer standing right outside our gate! That's probably the closest I've ever been to a wild deer. I was so surprised I didn't notice if they were does, bucks, whatever. (I tend to think neither of them had antlers, though.)
...Only uglier.
The story continues for a page or two more to say that since the other dogs only liked (Formerly-)Fluffy Dog when and because she gave them her beautiful fur, their friendship is shallow and short-lived. Soon, they're off pestering the new pup on the block (a poofy poodle) for a lock of his curly hair. Fluffy Dog, realizing that she has given away her natural-born gifts for nothing-- to a group who don't even truly value them-- is left sad and alone. Until her fur grows back in, that is. Then the others will be back for more, because it isn't right that she should have something they don't have.
The End. ;o)
(Maybe it's already been done?)
- - - - - - -
Via Twitter--
Oh, no!
*wipes away a tear*
*wipes away a tear*
This whole situation is infuriating.
...I'll leave it at that.
...I'll leave it at that.
- - - - - - -
Donald dislikes "Primetime: What Would You Do?"
Haven't seen it? Here's the description for tonight's episode:
Ick. This show gives me the shudders. Why didn't they bring back Candid Camera, instead?
Programs on Michael's "Change the Channel QUICK" List:
Haven't seen it? Here's the description for tonight's episode:
Scenarios (suggested by viewers) include a little person being mocked for his size; a teenager telling her boyfriend that she's pregnant and wants the baby--to his loudly expressed disapproval; a child disapproving loudly upon hearing his dad is gay; a young woman in a wheelchair being offered help in public when she doesn't need it; and a boy being harassed by others boys because he has red hair.
Ick. This show gives me the shudders. Why didn't they bring back Candid Camera, instead?
Programs on Michael's "Change the Channel QUICK" List:
- "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
- It was ok in the earliest episodes, but then it degenerated into every single week being about people with the most depressing stories they can find, tears being a must, and the designers going crazy and doing weird, over-the-top things every episode. I'm glad if people in bad (beyond their control) situations basically win the lottery and get a free home makeover, but... I don't want to watch it happen over an emotional hour of TV. I just don't like it.
- "The Doctors" and "Dr. Oz"
- Medical stuff? And in a "talk show" format? No, thank you. Not now, not ever. This is pretty much how I feel about most "talk shows", but the medical aspect makes me hit the "next channel" button with record-breaking speed. (I may have mentioned before-- in passing-- that I run screaming from serious medical/health-related stuff? I was telling the truth. Fiction, non-fiction, fan fiction-- doesn't matter. I don't like it. I can barely fathom that there are enough people out there who do like it that programs like these stay on the air...)
- - - - - - -
When I pulled aside the curtain on our kitchen door this morning (preparing to open it to let Trixie out for her morning stroll), there were two deer standing right outside our gate! That's probably the closest I've ever been to a wild deer. I was so surprised I didn't notice if they were does, bucks, whatever. (I tend to think neither of them had antlers, though.)
- - - - - - -
Sometime in the past month or two, Donald spotted a young armadillo rooting around in our side yard (outside the fence). We got some photos and videos of it. Maybe I'll get around to editing and uploading some of the video soon... (What a treat for you all! ;o))
- - - - - - -
Someone ought to make a satire of The Rainbow Fish in which the rainbow-scaled fish is replaced by a fluffy-haired dog. The other (short-haired) neighborhood dogs are jealous of Fluffy Dog's luxuriously long, silky fur and begin demanding that she share patches of it. Fluffy Dog is guilted into giving away all her fur (after some exceptionally bad advice from a mysterious alley cat), and in the end, every dog in the 'hood has a patch of her fluffy fur. Fluffy Dog herself now looks something like this:
...Only uglier.
The story continues for a page or two more to say that since the other dogs only liked (Formerly-)Fluffy Dog when and because she gave them her beautiful fur, their friendship is shallow and short-lived. Soon, they're off pestering the new pup on the block (a poofy poodle) for a lock of his curly hair. Fluffy Dog, realizing that she has given away her natural-born gifts for nothing-- to a group who don't even truly value them-- is left sad and alone. Until her fur grows back in, that is. Then the others will be back for more, because it isn't right that she should have something they don't have.
The End. ;o)
(Maybe it's already been done?)
- - - - - - -
There are people actually looking forward to this new movie about golf.
I am baffled.
Of course, I am also fully aware of the fact that there are plenty of people who'd be baffled by the things I look forward to, so...
(That Cowboys & Aliens thing looks interesting, for example.)
I am baffled.
Of course, I am also fully aware of the fact that there are plenty of people who'd be baffled by the things I look forward to, so...
(That Cowboys & Aliens thing looks interesting, for example.)
- - - - - - -
Musical obsession of the moment-- Patrick O'Hearn's "Beyond This Moment":
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday Random Stuff
Thoughts and "I/we did"s...
♣ It's funny how you can't help but notice which card games were popular during certain periods of history, based on how frequently they were mentioned in contemporary literature. Whist is always popping up in Austen, for example-- and in books set "between the wars", bridge seems to be the game of choice. In at least one of the E.F. Benson Lucia novels, all the characters are obsessed with it, and now I've just finished Agatha Christie's Cards of the Table, in which bridge plays an even more important role in the story. I don't guess I have any interesting commentary on this subject, though. It's just amusing to notice.
♣ The most recent (only?) TV adaptation of Cards on the Table is awful. I mean, I'm really fond of David Suchet as Poirot, so as far as that goes, I was happy, but did the writers have to change so much of the story? Nearly every aspect of the novel was distorted, often beyond recognition. This is the second time I've seen an adaption of an Agatha Christie that I'd actually read. That one was also altered significantly... and horribly. (Interestingly, both of these adaptations saw fit to inject homosexual themes where they didn't exist in the novels. I guess the writers thought that would make a juicier story for modern audiences. ...?) The downside: It's disappointing that it may be difficult to find a faithful adaptation when I want one. The upside: Maybe this means I can read all those Poirot novels I've watched adaptations of and still find the plot virtually unspoiled. (g) (My remarkable ability to forget things also helps in this respect.)
The main reason I don't understand major rewrites in adaptations (particularly in these Agatha Christie mysteries, where the plot is pretty much everything) is this: You have a carefully plotted story all ready to go. It's been proven successful! Yay! All you need to do is figure out how to transfer it to the screen. But no. You decide to change how characters behave-- their relationships to one another-- the motive of the murderer-- maybe even the murderer's identity. But why? Your audience can be divided into two groups-- those who have read the novel and those who have not. For those who have not read the novel, the original plot will be entirely new. (See? No need to change a blessed thing!) And those who have read the novel, yet still decide to watch an adaptation must've liked the original plot, right? I mean, if they hated it, why would they bother watching it on TV? It makes no SENSE.
♣ Sometime within the past few weeks, we (mostly Donald) put up a ceiling fan in the breakfast room. Last summer, we decided it would be a good place for one-- so now we're all set!
♣ I spent a portion of the morning cleaning out and reorganizing our pantry-- with the result that it is probably the most organized "room" in the house, now. (Probably ought to do something about that...)
♣ I sewed a washable pad for my Swiffer Wet Jet from a piece of an old towel and a couple snippets of elastic. It seemed to work pretty well (cleaned the floor, stayed put on the Swiffer during cleaning), so now I'm interested to see how it holds up in the washing machine. If the elastic doesn't work out, I may try velcro... but I have a feeling elastic is much cheaper (even if I have to replace it every so often.) ...Or I may try making one side of the pads out of some fabrics that tend to cling to the velco on their own...
♣ It's funny how you can't help but notice which card games were popular during certain periods of history, based on how frequently they were mentioned in contemporary literature. Whist is always popping up in Austen, for example-- and in books set "between the wars", bridge seems to be the game of choice. In at least one of the E.F. Benson Lucia novels, all the characters are obsessed with it, and now I've just finished Agatha Christie's Cards of the Table, in which bridge plays an even more important role in the story. I don't guess I have any interesting commentary on this subject, though. It's just amusing to notice.
♣ The most recent (only?) TV adaptation of Cards on the Table is awful. I mean, I'm really fond of David Suchet as Poirot, so as far as that goes, I was happy, but did the writers have to change so much of the story? Nearly every aspect of the novel was distorted, often beyond recognition. This is the second time I've seen an adaption of an Agatha Christie that I'd actually read. That one was also altered significantly... and horribly. (Interestingly, both of these adaptations saw fit to inject homosexual themes where they didn't exist in the novels. I guess the writers thought that would make a juicier story for modern audiences. ...?) The downside: It's disappointing that it may be difficult to find a faithful adaptation when I want one. The upside: Maybe this means I can read all those Poirot novels I've watched adaptations of and still find the plot virtually unspoiled. (g) (My remarkable ability to forget things also helps in this respect.)
The main reason I don't understand major rewrites in adaptations (particularly in these Agatha Christie mysteries, where the plot is pretty much everything) is this: You have a carefully plotted story all ready to go. It's been proven successful! Yay! All you need to do is figure out how to transfer it to the screen. But no. You decide to change how characters behave-- their relationships to one another-- the motive of the murderer-- maybe even the murderer's identity. But why? Your audience can be divided into two groups-- those who have read the novel and those who have not. For those who have not read the novel, the original plot will be entirely new. (See? No need to change a blessed thing!) And those who have read the novel, yet still decide to watch an adaptation must've liked the original plot, right? I mean, if they hated it, why would they bother watching it on TV? It makes no SENSE.
♣ Sometime within the past few weeks, we (mostly Donald) put up a ceiling fan in the breakfast room. Last summer, we decided it would be a good place for one-- so now we're all set!
♣ I spent a portion of the morning cleaning out and reorganizing our pantry-- with the result that it is probably the most organized "room" in the house, now. (Probably ought to do something about that...)
♣ I sewed a washable pad for my Swiffer Wet Jet from a piece of an old towel and a couple snippets of elastic. It seemed to work pretty well (cleaned the floor, stayed put on the Swiffer during cleaning), so now I'm interested to see how it holds up in the washing machine. If the elastic doesn't work out, I may try velcro... but I have a feeling elastic is much cheaper (even if I have to replace it every so often.) ...Or I may try making one side of the pads out of some fabrics that tend to cling to the velco on their own...
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Welcome, 2011!
Are you getting the new year off to a good start?
We rang in 2011 at my parents' house with pizza, a couple of games (What's Yours Like? and Forbidden Island, both of which sound far more suggestive than they actually are, I assure you (g)), and a scary movie (30 Days of Night) with snacks. Then we watched a little of such "countdown" shows as we could find, (sort of) saw the pelican drop (something they do in Pensacola and which was kinda-sorta televised locally), wished each other a Happy New Year, and went out on the porch to catch a few glimpses of neighbors' fireworks (and listen to the wind rushing in the the trees and some distant cannon-like booms). It was a good end to the old year!
Then we said goodnight and had the long drive home. Ok, not really. It probably took less than five minutes to get from their door to ours. Trixie thought it was great that the people were up at 1 a.m. and didn't really want to go back to her crate for the night. ("Seriously? You do realize I was in that thing from 6 p.m. until after midnight, right?")
2011 has been rainy and dreary, so far, but that's ok. It's Saturday morning, we're safe and cozy at home, and there's nowhere we have to be-- nothing we have to do. (Except maybe take a nap to catch up on missed sleep.)
I hope the coming year treats you well!
Don't forget to eat some black-eyed peas today (for prosperity)! ;o)
We rang in 2011 at my parents' house with pizza, a couple of games (What's Yours Like? and Forbidden Island, both of which sound far more suggestive than they actually are, I assure you (g)), and a scary movie (30 Days of Night) with snacks. Then we watched a little of such "countdown" shows as we could find, (sort of) saw the pelican drop (something they do in Pensacola and which was kinda-sorta televised locally), wished each other a Happy New Year, and went out on the porch to catch a few glimpses of neighbors' fireworks (and listen to the wind rushing in the the trees and some distant cannon-like booms). It was a good end to the old year!
Then we said goodnight and had the long drive home. Ok, not really. It probably took less than five minutes to get from their door to ours. Trixie thought it was great that the people were up at 1 a.m. and didn't really want to go back to her crate for the night. ("Seriously? You do realize I was in that thing from 6 p.m. until after midnight, right?")
2011 has been rainy and dreary, so far, but that's ok. It's Saturday morning, we're safe and cozy at home, and there's nowhere we have to be-- nothing we have to do. (Except maybe take a nap to catch up on missed sleep.)
I hope the coming year treats you well!
Don't forget to eat some black-eyed peas today (for prosperity)! ;o)
Monday, December 27, 2010
Random Thoughts
• After letting the floors go for a while, I spent a good amount of time vacuuming today. (It took forever, so let this be a lesson to me not to wait so long, next time.) I'm still in awe of how well our (no longer so) new vacuum cleaner works, compared with the old one.
• I love the Trixie-dog, but if you have a problem with long white dog hairs getting on everything (making it nearly impossible to get out the door without at least one hair lurking somewhere on your clothes, even if you're very careful), the Eskie probably isn't the breed for you. Neither she nor her hair have a doggy smell, but you will get unscented dog hair on your clothes, if you come into our house for any length of time. No amount of vacuuming will ever eliminate all that fur. It's just a fact of life with American Eskimo Dogs. (You have been warned.)
• Thanks to gifts and my own purchases, I have enough hand lotion to last an average woman a few years, figuring for moderate use. And yet I keep noticing that my hands look dry, thinking to myself, "I ought to put on some lotion"-- and then getting distracted by something else and promptly forgetting all about it. Apparently I need to wear a bottle on a cord around my neck. It may be the only way I'll ever remember to use it...
• I saw someone blog about how she's thinking of doing Project 365 again in 2011, with an emphasis on macro photography this time-- and I thought, "Hey, that sounds like a fun idea!" That's right. I am tempted to do Project 365 again. This is probably a bad idea.
• The last time I made Santa Fe Stew, I made it vegetarian (by omitting the chicken). I did this because I was feeling lazy and didn't want to bother with the chicken-- and because I didn't think it would affect the stew much, since I typically use less meat than the recipe calls for, anyway. (I did add a couple bouillon cubes, though, to supply a little chicken flavor... and I also used quite a bit more beans than the recipe calls for, so there'd be plenty to freeze for later. However, I always use more beans than are called for...) It turned out fine. This remains one of my favorite dishes. Donald likes it better over rice (which I also like but don't absolutely require), and I like to eat mine with some tortilla chips on the side.
• The clothes dryer is buzzing. I could pretend not to hear it, but I don't think Molly will take care of it on her own...
• As predicted, Molly was just lying in her dog bed in the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to the buzzer. She's better at pretending not to hear than I am.
• Movies we've watched recently include the following: Splice, Vampires Suck, Devil, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (with Rifftrax commentary), and others that fail to come to mind. (Oh, such as The Legend of the Guardians, which Donald wanted to see because of the quality of the cgi.)
• TV shows we've been watching together: Community (just finished Season 1, though we've already seen some of Season 2 as it aired), Monk (we're on Season 3), various sitcoms (Big Bang Theory, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, The Middle, Modern Family, etc.)... and probably some other things I'm forgetting. (We were watching The Walking Dead, too, but of course the first season of that is over now.)
• Those are all the random thoughts I'll bother you with for now. But you never know when there may be more. (That'll give you something to look forward to.) ;o)
• I love the Trixie-dog, but if you have a problem with long white dog hairs getting on everything (making it nearly impossible to get out the door without at least one hair lurking somewhere on your clothes, even if you're very careful), the Eskie probably isn't the breed for you. Neither she nor her hair have a doggy smell, but you will get unscented dog hair on your clothes, if you come into our house for any length of time. No amount of vacuuming will ever eliminate all that fur. It's just a fact of life with American Eskimo Dogs. (You have been warned.)
• Thanks to gifts and my own purchases, I have enough hand lotion to last an average woman a few years, figuring for moderate use. And yet I keep noticing that my hands look dry, thinking to myself, "I ought to put on some lotion"-- and then getting distracted by something else and promptly forgetting all about it. Apparently I need to wear a bottle on a cord around my neck. It may be the only way I'll ever remember to use it...
• I saw someone blog about how she's thinking of doing Project 365 again in 2011, with an emphasis on macro photography this time-- and I thought, "Hey, that sounds like a fun idea!" That's right. I am tempted to do Project 365 again. This is probably a bad idea.
• The last time I made Santa Fe Stew, I made it vegetarian (by omitting the chicken). I did this because I was feeling lazy and didn't want to bother with the chicken-- and because I didn't think it would affect the stew much, since I typically use less meat than the recipe calls for, anyway. (I did add a couple bouillon cubes, though, to supply a little chicken flavor... and I also used quite a bit more beans than the recipe calls for, so there'd be plenty to freeze for later. However, I always use more beans than are called for...) It turned out fine. This remains one of my favorite dishes. Donald likes it better over rice (which I also like but don't absolutely require), and I like to eat mine with some tortilla chips on the side.
• The clothes dryer is buzzing. I could pretend not to hear it, but I don't think Molly will take care of it on her own...
• As predicted, Molly was just lying in her dog bed in the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to the buzzer. She's better at pretending not to hear than I am.
• Movies we've watched recently include the following: Splice, Vampires Suck, Devil, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (with Rifftrax commentary), and others that fail to come to mind. (Oh, such as The Legend of the Guardians, which Donald wanted to see because of the quality of the cgi.)
• TV shows we've been watching together: Community (just finished Season 1, though we've already seen some of Season 2 as it aired), Monk (we're on Season 3), various sitcoms (Big Bang Theory, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, The Middle, Modern Family, etc.)... and probably some other things I'm forgetting. (We were watching The Walking Dead, too, but of course the first season of that is over now.)
• Those are all the random thoughts I'll bother you with for now. But you never know when there may be more. (That'll give you something to look forward to.) ;o)
Monday, July 5, 2010
Recent Happenings and Doings
Monday, after leaving the first load of laundry in the washer, I discovered that it would fill and agitate as usual, but refused to drain (and because it couldn't drain, I didn't try the rinse or spin cycles). To put a long story short(er), Donald removed a broken lid switch (a safety feature that causes the machine to automatically stop agitating and spinning when the lid is opened), and (because we didn't feel that this particular safety feature was vital for us) he hotwired it, if that's the word I'm looking for. . . Anyway, he bypassed the lid switch, and that did the trick. (Though we did have to start a whole new washing cycle to get the thing to realize that all was well.) Thanks to my heroic handyman (and a bit of electric tape), I was able to wash clothes again. (And there was much rejoicing.) I just have to be very careful to resist the powerful urge to stick my arms into the machine while it's moving. I may have to tie a string around my finger to remind myself.
Entertainment... (film, TV, books)...
We've been watching all three Lord of the Rings movies with the RiffTrax commentaries (because the third one just came out). It was funny, but I think I've had enough super-long movies for a while.
We've finally caught up to season three of Chuck. I'm enjoying this season less than the previous two, so far. I don't care for the whole Shaw storyline, and my patience with Sarah/Sam is growing thin, too. There's still plenty of time for it to improve, though.
The last two books we've read together:
Shades of Grey, by Jasper Fforde
Thoroughly enjoyable. The first in a series (a trilogy, I think), though, so there are unanswered questions/unresolved conflicts at the end. It's difficult to categorize-- somewhat fantasy, a little sci-fi, definitely mystery. Most of its charm (for me) was its sense of humor and the fun of trying to figure things out from the tidbits of information the author doles out a little at a time.
Something Fresh, by P.G. Wodehouse
This was the first non-Jeeves/Wooster Wodehouse we'd read-- or at least the first I'd read. Donald may have listened to some on tape back when he had a long commute. This book introduces a different set of characters-- the Blandings Castle set. So far, I prefer the Jeeves and Wooster set, but this group of characters is entertaining, too. (However, I did find that my favorite parts were those that could just as easily have been set in a Jeeves and Wooster book.) I didn't care so much for the slightly more serious, "romantic" parts of the book. I turn to Wodehouse for humor; anything else is a bit disappointing. I realize that this must not be much fun for an author-- being pigeonholed by an audience that is displeased when s/he ventures into new territory-- but there it is! And since Mr. Wodehouse has been dead for quite some time, now, we need not worry about hurting his feelings. ;o)
The last book I finished:
Mapp & Lucia, by E.F. Benson
It took me a little while to decide how I felt about the Lucia books. (This is sacrilege to the true Luciaphile, I know.) However, by now I know that I find them curiously interesting (particularly now that Miss Mapp's in the story). I've seen this series described as a mixture of Wodehouse and Keeping Up Appearances, and that's the best explanation I've come across. They're very much comedies of manners-- cozy, tangled webs, full of one-upmanship and friendly (?) rivalry-- small town/village stories about a handful of characters who take very careful note of one another's comings and goings. Some of the characters behave in the most horrifying ways, yet you find yourself still interested in them, even if you don't always like them. They all suffer occasional downfalls, which may be what keeps you from simply despising them.
What I'm reading now:
Don't Look Now, by Daphen Du Maurier
I'm into the fourth story in this collection of short stories (some of which are fairly longish). So far I've read "Don't Look Now", "The Birds", "Escort", and most of "Split Second". ("The Birds" was creepier than the movie version, I think, by the way, and it's my favorite in this book so far.)
Every so often, I'm in the mood to read macabre, spooky, suspenseful stories, but I usually end up feeling that something's missing from them. I'm not sure exactly what I want that I'm not getting from these stories. . . Resolution? That's frequently left out in favor of something "artistically" open-ended. (Either that, or everything just falls apart at the end, as with the bulk of what I've seen from Stephen King, who can spin a scary story but hardly ever brings it all together in a satisfying conclusion.) However, sometimes there's a definite end/resolution-- as in "Don't Look Now" and "Escort"-- but it's still not quite there, up to the level I'd hoped it would be. Generally, short works are not as satisfying to me as full-length novels, and most of the creepy things I read do tend to be short stories. . . Or maybe I'm just too picky. I'm enjoying these stories well enough, though I think I'll be ready to return to a more cozy, prosaic genre by the end of the book.
The bunnies (wild rabbits) are a little crazy this year. I guess they've decided that the entire yard is theirs, now, and frequently the dogs get to do a little bunny-chasing when they are let outside. Twice the other morning a bunny was just a couple of yards from our house, right where Trixie could see it-- and growl a low, throaty growl-- and bark-- and continue to bark, at intervals, single, startlingly loud barks-- long after the offending bunny had decamped and the yard been declared "all clear". This was not good for my nerves. (I hope it isn't a sign that I'm turning into Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.)
After a first attempt at knitting, a week or two ago, I haven't picked it back up again. The casting-on part (long-tail cast-on) was ok, once I knew exactly what I was supposed to do, but the first row after that was awful. Trying to get the needles to do what I wanted-- ugh, it filled me with disgust, even though I tried to remember that when I first started crocheting, the crochet hook didn't immediately bend to my will, either. I think part of the problem may have been the yarn I was using. It was a partial skein I had only because it was bundled with some other yarn I wanted to buy at a thrift store. It was nasty, nasty stuff (and I use almost only acrylics when I crochet, so if I say it's nasty, you may believe me that it was). Scratchy, catchy, yuck. Next time-- assuming there is a next time-- I'll use something a little nicer, even if whatever I make is likely to turn out ugly because I'm a rank amateur.
I suppose I still would like to learn to knit, if it doesn't turn out to be too much of a pain to get the hang of it. The problem is that what I really want to knit is lacy fabric, and from what I gather, that's the type of thing that many even fairly seasoned knitters view with trepidation. I wonder know how much of that is exaggerated-- or just people overestimating the difficulty of knitting lace / lace knitting-- or if it really is that much more difficult. . . I have a lot of confidence in the idea that if you want to do something badly enough, you can make it work, but I'm not sure if I do care that much. Especially when there are so many lacy things I could just crochet, instead. It's not exactly the same look, but it's beautiful in it own right. . . .We'll see.
I'm forgetting some things (probably some things more interesting than the stuff I did manage to remember), but this entry has been "in the works" for long enough, as it is!
- - - - - - -
Entertainment... (film, TV, books)...
We've been watching all three Lord of the Rings movies with the RiffTrax commentaries (because the third one just came out). It was funny, but I think I've had enough super-long movies for a while.
We've finally caught up to season three of Chuck. I'm enjoying this season less than the previous two, so far. I don't care for the whole Shaw storyline, and my patience with Sarah/Sam is growing thin, too. There's still plenty of time for it to improve, though.
The last two books we've read together:
Shades of Grey, by Jasper Fforde
Thoroughly enjoyable. The first in a series (a trilogy, I think), though, so there are unanswered questions/unresolved conflicts at the end. It's difficult to categorize-- somewhat fantasy, a little sci-fi, definitely mystery. Most of its charm (for me) was its sense of humor and the fun of trying to figure things out from the tidbits of information the author doles out a little at a time.
Something Fresh, by P.G. Wodehouse
This was the first non-Jeeves/Wooster Wodehouse we'd read-- or at least the first I'd read. Donald may have listened to some on tape back when he had a long commute. This book introduces a different set of characters-- the Blandings Castle set. So far, I prefer the Jeeves and Wooster set, but this group of characters is entertaining, too. (However, I did find that my favorite parts were those that could just as easily have been set in a Jeeves and Wooster book.) I didn't care so much for the slightly more serious, "romantic" parts of the book. I turn to Wodehouse for humor; anything else is a bit disappointing. I realize that this must not be much fun for an author-- being pigeonholed by an audience that is displeased when s/he ventures into new territory-- but there it is! And since Mr. Wodehouse has been dead for quite some time, now, we need not worry about hurting his feelings. ;o)
The last book I finished:
Mapp & Lucia, by E.F. Benson
It took me a little while to decide how I felt about the Lucia books. (This is sacrilege to the true Luciaphile, I know.) However, by now I know that I find them curiously interesting (particularly now that Miss Mapp's in the story). I've seen this series described as a mixture of Wodehouse and Keeping Up Appearances, and that's the best explanation I've come across. They're very much comedies of manners-- cozy, tangled webs, full of one-upmanship and friendly (?) rivalry-- small town/village stories about a handful of characters who take very careful note of one another's comings and goings. Some of the characters behave in the most horrifying ways, yet you find yourself still interested in them, even if you don't always like them. They all suffer occasional downfalls, which may be what keeps you from simply despising them.
What I'm reading now:
Don't Look Now, by Daphen Du Maurier
I'm into the fourth story in this collection of short stories (some of which are fairly longish). So far I've read "Don't Look Now", "The Birds", "Escort", and most of "Split Second". ("The Birds" was creepier than the movie version, I think, by the way, and it's my favorite in this book so far.)
Every so often, I'm in the mood to read macabre, spooky, suspenseful stories, but I usually end up feeling that something's missing from them. I'm not sure exactly what I want that I'm not getting from these stories. . . Resolution? That's frequently left out in favor of something "artistically" open-ended. (Either that, or everything just falls apart at the end, as with the bulk of what I've seen from Stephen King, who can spin a scary story but hardly ever brings it all together in a satisfying conclusion.) However, sometimes there's a definite end/resolution-- as in "Don't Look Now" and "Escort"-- but it's still not quite there, up to the level I'd hoped it would be. Generally, short works are not as satisfying to me as full-length novels, and most of the creepy things I read do tend to be short stories. . . Or maybe I'm just too picky. I'm enjoying these stories well enough, though I think I'll be ready to return to a more cozy, prosaic genre by the end of the book.
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The bunnies (wild rabbits) are a little crazy this year. I guess they've decided that the entire yard is theirs, now, and frequently the dogs get to do a little bunny-chasing when they are let outside. Twice the other morning a bunny was just a couple of yards from our house, right where Trixie could see it-- and growl a low, throaty growl-- and bark-- and continue to bark, at intervals, single, startlingly loud barks-- long after the offending bunny had decamped and the yard been declared "all clear". This was not good for my nerves. (I hope it isn't a sign that I'm turning into Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.)
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After a first attempt at knitting, a week or two ago, I haven't picked it back up again. The casting-on part (long-tail cast-on) was ok, once I knew exactly what I was supposed to do, but the first row after that was awful. Trying to get the needles to do what I wanted-- ugh, it filled me with disgust, even though I tried to remember that when I first started crocheting, the crochet hook didn't immediately bend to my will, either. I think part of the problem may have been the yarn I was using. It was a partial skein I had only because it was bundled with some other yarn I wanted to buy at a thrift store. It was nasty, nasty stuff (and I use almost only acrylics when I crochet, so if I say it's nasty, you may believe me that it was). Scratchy, catchy, yuck. Next time-- assuming there is a next time-- I'll use something a little nicer, even if whatever I make is likely to turn out ugly because I'm a rank amateur.
I suppose I still would like to learn to knit, if it doesn't turn out to be too much of a pain to get the hang of it. The problem is that what I really want to knit is lacy fabric, and from what I gather, that's the type of thing that many even fairly seasoned knitters view with trepidation. I wonder know how much of that is exaggerated-- or just people overestimating the difficulty of knitting lace / lace knitting-- or if it really is that much more difficult. . . I have a lot of confidence in the idea that if you want to do something badly enough, you can make it work, but I'm not sure if I do care that much. Especially when there are so many lacy things I could just crochet, instead. It's not exactly the same look, but it's beautiful in it own right. . . .We'll see.
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I'm forgetting some things (probably some things more interesting than the stuff I did manage to remember), but this entry has been "in the works" for long enough, as it is!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Green Card Interview
After seeing the movie Green Card (in which an American woman marries a Frenchman just so he can stay in the country, but of course-- because this is a romantic comedy-- they end up falling in love along the way), you might think that the INS (i.e. immigration) interview would be a harrowing experience for newlyweds. In the movie, they memorize all kinds of details about each other-- the types of things only truly living-together-as-a-married-couple people would know. And sure enough, the interviewer asks some fairly invasive, specific questions.
Before Donald and I had our INS interview to verify that we truly were married and living together, I of course thought about that movie and was a little stressed by it. I mean, how many insignificant details did we have to remember to pass the test? "Does he really need to know what brand cold cream I use? (Oh my gosh, I've got to start using cold cream, now. . .)" That sort of thing. (Ok, not really that sort of thing, exactly, but you get the idea. (g))
Fortunately, we found helpful reassurances online that the real interview wasn't likely to resemble a dramatic scene from a movie. Though it was a little stressful (mainly because the agent we dealt with wasn't especially friendly and it turned out that we hadn't been informed that Donald needed to have some special fingerprints taken-- in a specific city-- within a limited space of time), there were no "gotcha" questions (that I can remember, at least). It was fairly brief and straightforward. ("How did you meet?" etc.)
So ever since then, I've been going along through life thinking the movie was totally bogus. Until today. Unless people are making up stories, some people apparently do face more specific interrogations, separate interviews, and so on. I imagine that if you're a legitimate couple, you won't have real trouble convincing the authorities of it, but still! Maybe we were lucky (and well documented). Also, it probably didn't hurt that Sweden is a developed country and there aren't tons of Swedes trying to get into the country illegally. . .
. . . And that's all I have to say about that. (g)
The End.
(rambling over)
Before Donald and I had our INS interview to verify that we truly were married and living together, I of course thought about that movie and was a little stressed by it. I mean, how many insignificant details did we have to remember to pass the test? "Does he really need to know what brand cold cream I use? (Oh my gosh, I've got to start using cold cream, now. . .)" That sort of thing. (Ok, not really that sort of thing, exactly, but you get the idea. (g))
Fortunately, we found helpful reassurances online that the real interview wasn't likely to resemble a dramatic scene from a movie. Though it was a little stressful (mainly because the agent we dealt with wasn't especially friendly and it turned out that we hadn't been informed that Donald needed to have some special fingerprints taken-- in a specific city-- within a limited space of time), there were no "gotcha" questions (that I can remember, at least). It was fairly brief and straightforward. ("How did you meet?" etc.)
So ever since then, I've been going along through life thinking the movie was totally bogus. Until today. Unless people are making up stories, some people apparently do face more specific interrogations, separate interviews, and so on. I imagine that if you're a legitimate couple, you won't have real trouble convincing the authorities of it, but still! Maybe we were lucky (and well documented). Also, it probably didn't hurt that Sweden is a developed country and there aren't tons of Swedes trying to get into the country illegally. . .
. . . And that's all I have to say about that. (g)
The End.
(rambling over)
Monday, November 16, 2009
I know what *I* want for Christmas. . . ;o)
Unfortunately, he won't be "out" (ahem-- take that as you will. . .) until April, so I'll just have to wait 'til then-- wait and save my pennies, because from the sound of it, he's going to be one expensive piece of plastic.
Here he is, in all his fabulosity-- It's the "Palm Beach Sugar Daddy" Ken doll!
*sigh*
Isn't he dreamy? ;o)
I don't know about you, but I just love a guy who can pull off this frou-frou girly-man look!
Admit it, gals, you're drooling over your keyboards, right?
. . . Have you finished staring in disbelief yet? If not, I can wait another minute or two.
Done now? Ok! :o)
The expression on "Sugar Daddy's" face gives me the creeps, and those sandals are. . . Well, let's just say I don't like 'em. As for the floral swimming trunks, the less said, the better. And the rest of his wardrobe. . . Is it just me, or does it look like Maria from The Sound of Music whipped up his jacket from the remnants of her bedroom curtains, while she was making play clothes for the children?
. . .Only she saved the mismatched, ugly neon lime curtain for Sugar Daddy Ken. (I can't blame her. He certainly deserves no better than neon lime.)
Apparently this is old news, but it was new to me. The people behind the doll say he's called "Sugar Daddy" because he is "daddy" to a dog named "Sugar".
. . . Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say.
Oh, but they also mention that he's really intended for adult collectors (hence the outrageous price of $70-$82).
So which is it? You can either play wide-eyed innocent and name the puppy "Sugar" or you can say he's designed for a strange bunch of adults who really, really need a metrosexual sugar daddy Ken to complete their collection. You can't have it both ways.
Well, this has been pointless, but just consider yourself lucky that it's not a political post. ;o)
Here he is, in all his fabulosity-- It's the "Palm Beach Sugar Daddy" Ken doll!
*sigh*
Isn't he dreamy? ;o)
I don't know about you, but I just love a guy who can pull off this frou-frou girly-man look!
Admit it, gals, you're drooling over your keyboards, right?
Done now? Ok! :o)
The expression on "Sugar Daddy's" face gives me the creeps, and those sandals are. . . Well, let's just say I don't like 'em. As for the floral swimming trunks, the less said, the better. And the rest of his wardrobe. . . Is it just me, or does it look like Maria from The Sound of Music whipped up his jacket from the remnants of her bedroom curtains, while she was making play clothes for the children?
. . .Only she saved the mismatched, ugly neon lime curtain for Sugar Daddy Ken. (I can't blame her. He certainly deserves no better than neon lime.)
Apparently this is old news, but it was new to me. The people behind the doll say he's called "Sugar Daddy" because he is "daddy" to a dog named "Sugar".
. . . Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say.
Oh, but they also mention that he's really intended for adult collectors (hence the outrageous price of $70-$82).
So which is it? You can either play wide-eyed innocent and name the puppy "Sugar" or you can say he's designed for a strange bunch of adults who really, really need a metrosexual sugar daddy Ken to complete their collection. You can't have it both ways.
Well, this has been pointless, but just consider yourself lucky that it's not a political post. ;o)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Happening Lately
What's been happening lately, in (informal, not at all "parallel"-- sorry Mrs. Boswell) list form:
- Quite a bit of rain, lightning, and thunder-- not constantly, but frequently enough.
- Such intense humidity that it's not very pleasant to be outside, despite temperatures lowered by the rain. (There. That's weather out of the way. I think...)
- Donald joined Facebook and discovered some type of Tetris game there, after which fact, Facebook = Tetris, for him.
- I've mostly abandoned Facebook. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about it. I like being able to keep up with people who don't (to my knowledge) blog, but there are other aspects of it I don't like at all.
- Watched Coraline and thought it was visually striking (in spots, at least) and pretty weird overall.
- Watched Being John Malkovich and thought it was really weird.
- I started watching Wives and Daughters again. (Always a good antidote for weird.) I think I like it even better on this viewing than before, maybe because of its stark contrast to the Malkovich atrocity. (Apologies to those who love it. There are funny, creative bits, but it just goes off the deep end. Insanity is not creative genius. It's merely insanity. Plus I didn't like any of the characters well enough to care about them. That's never a good sign, in my opinion.)
- Watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the theater (a weekend or two ago). The special effects were pretty special. I've forgotten most of the book, though, so I can't say how good it was as an adaptation. (It sounds like I've been doing a lot of movie-watching! More than usual, probably, since there's not much new on TV this time of year.)
- Gave Molly the first half of a haircut. She was fairly well-behaved for a while, but progress slowed drastically when we started trying to cut the places she's sensitive about (that is, practically everywhere but the back and sides-- but most especially her legs, feet, and "underneath"). After a while, we decided she'd had enough for one day. Round two awaits... Still, we've removed a lot of hair. She must be more comfortable this way-- and it's funny how much smaller she looks without all that extra padding!
- I noticed Donald's driver's license was about to expire, and he went to have it renewed. (Mine's good for another year. I need to write myself a note on the calendar, since they don't send reminders...)
- Someone spoke of "co-boys". I was mystified for a moment, then realized that "co-boy" = "cowboy". So if you ever hear a Swede say something about "co-boys" or "co-girls" at the "ro-day-oh"-- now you'll know what s/he means. Oh! And every Swede knows that "co-boys" love Mexican food, so if you ever have to feed them, I suggest "tack-ohs"-- not tacos, mind, but tack-ohs. Definitely not pasta, though. Co-boys loathe "past-ah". (Sorry, you-know-who. I only do it because you make so few mistakes these days, and I want to remember them for the time when you no longer make any.)
- Oops. I accidentally published this entry prematurely, and I don't see a way to undo it, short of deleting the whole thing... Well, that's ok. I'll just wrap it up quickly...
- Donald's been putting up beadboard wainscoting in the breakfast room. He's making fast progress. Fast by our standards, at least. I've posted a couple of photos (at Flickr) from the first bit he put up, but I need to take more. Maybe later today...
Monday, March 23, 2009
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs-- the movie!
Donald found this and showed it to me, knowing how much I like the classic picture book, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Apparently, there's going to be a movie based on the book:
I'm not sure yet what to think. Clearly, they've added to the original storyline-- they'd have to, really, to make a movie out of it-- but several of the scenes in the preview are based directly on illustrations in the book, which is a good sign. I'll definitely have to give it a watch, sooner or later. Though I doubt it will completely capture the pure whimsy of the original, it's still probably worth seeing once for anyone who enjoys the book.
I'm not sure yet what to think. Clearly, they've added to the original storyline-- they'd have to, really, to make a movie out of it-- but several of the scenes in the preview are based directly on illustrations in the book, which is a good sign. I'll definitely have to give it a watch, sooner or later. Though I doubt it will completely capture the pure whimsy of the original, it's still probably worth seeing once for anyone who enjoys the book.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Videos, Music, Sports, & Saplings
Do not adjust your monitors. ;o) Or in other words, yes, I changed the background color. I was getting tired of acid green. Time for a soothing pale blue! I've also adjusted a few other little things in the setup of this blog. For instance, there's now a Vimeo widget in the sidebar, so that you can see at a glance if I've put up any new videos (on Vimeo, at least).
And as a matter of fact. . .
I mentioned, an entry or two ago, being disappointed by the unavailability of certain soundtracks. Well, this isn't quite as good as a soundtrack on CD (mainly because the conversations and sound effects are still present and can be distracting), but if you're desperate to have the music from North & South to listen to, try this site. A word of warning to those who haven't seen the program (or read the book)-- listening to these tracks (or, indeed, even reading their titles) might give away some of the storyline. (I used tiny, dialogue-free snippets from the soundtrack in the two non-Trixie videos I linked to above.)
And as a matter of fact. . .
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I've put a few more new videos on Vimeo. (g)
One is a short clip Donald filmed at the frozen lake at Glaskogen (Sweden). I realized I hadn't included any close-ups of how that ice looked, and I thought it was pretty enough that it required sharing.
One is just a (probably boring) experiment with saturation-- nothing but pine trees and a sky full of windy clouds.
Then there's another quick one of Trixie. (Yes, I know. I'm now undeniably one of those people who inflict upon others their endless videos of vacations and pets. It can't be helped. At least you don't have to watch them, since I'll never know if you did or not. (g))
This is an older piece of film-- before Donald's trip, I think, and definitely before the rubber chicken toy lost its head:
Slo-Mo Trixie from Michael Johansson on Vimeo.
One is a short clip Donald filmed at the frozen lake at Glaskogen (Sweden). I realized I hadn't included any close-ups of how that ice looked, and I thought it was pretty enough that it required sharing.
One is just a (probably boring) experiment with saturation-- nothing but pine trees and a sky full of windy clouds.
Then there's another quick one of Trixie. (Yes, I know. I'm now undeniably one of those people who inflict upon others their endless videos of vacations and pets. It can't be helped. At least you don't have to watch them, since I'll never know if you did or not. (g))
This is an older piece of film-- before Donald's trip, I think, and definitely before the rubber chicken toy lost its head:
Slo-Mo Trixie from Michael Johansson on Vimeo.
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I mentioned, an entry or two ago, being disappointed by the unavailability of certain soundtracks. Well, this isn't quite as good as a soundtrack on CD (mainly because the conversations and sound effects are still present and can be distracting), but if you're desperate to have the music from North & South to listen to, try this site. A word of warning to those who haven't seen the program (or read the book)-- listening to these tracks (or, indeed, even reading their titles) might give away some of the storyline. (I used tiny, dialogue-free snippets from the soundtrack in the two non-Trixie videos I linked to above.)
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An entry on a blog I read linked back to some previous blog entries and a number of heated comments-- all related to the fact that a Swedish wrestler threw down his bronze medal during an Olympic award ceremony. (Actually, from what I recall, he went and set it down rather carefully on the floor. I don't remember any violent hurling. (g)) Some people feel it was a display of righteous indignation after an obviously unfair call by a corrupt system of judging. Others think that he should have respected the dignity of the occasion and saved his protests for later. Then there are those, like myself, who are amazed that enough people care about wrestling for there to be a corrupt system of judges. (Admittedly, I'm not a particularly sporty gal-- Don't fall out of your seat in shock, now! ;o)-- but of all sports, wrestling seems just about the least appealing to watch or participate in. Yuck.) More proof that no matter what hobby or interest you take up, if you're there long enough-- if you look deeply enough-- you'll find people who take things way too far. Passion, you say? Passion schmassion! In all things, moderation! ;o)
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This morning, Mom and I went to a local Arbor Day event and picked up a variety of free saplings. Now to decide where ours should go. . .
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
More Random Stuff
Ew. I think I found a tick on Trixie today, while petting her on the couch. (I didn't dare give it a close inspection, but I'm pretty sure it was a tick.) It wasn't attached, so I was able to easily grab a paper napkin, pluck it off her back, and squash it-- but now I feel a bit squeamish about the possibility of other ticks left on the couch. . . or on me. (nearly faints) Ugh! Well, that's enough! (No, it's not the first one we've seen in the past month or two.) The dogs will be getting their (overdue) flea/tick-prevention treatment, pronto.
I've been re-watching North & South, and it turns out that it, too, was better than I'd remembered. The "social issue" aspect wasn't as overbearing as I'd recalled and the heroine not quite so annoying, either. (She's no Jane Eyre, but I can make it through the miniseries without throwing things at the TV.)
Side Note: So many of these well-made period miniseries have such wonderful soundtracks-- but they seem rarely to be available on CD (or even download online). I'd love to have the music from Jane Eyre (2oo6 version), Wives and Daughters, and North & South, to name just a few, and I know (from what I've read while looking for these soundtracks) that I'm not the only one interested. It seems like a wasted opportunity for these composers.
While amusing ourselves with silly things on the Internet, we came across a song by a Swedish girlband known as "Troll". Donald remembers this one, but I don't. Maybe it didn't make it as big in the US. . . Anyway, the name of the 1989 hit is "Jimmy Dean". Because of presence of the words "jacket", "car", and "movie star" in the lyrics, I'm thinking the reference is probably to James Dean-- not the guy responsible for Jimmy Dean sausages-- but it still makes me laugh. (Actually, I'd probably like the song better if it had been written with the sausage guy in mind. I've never really understood the fascination with James Dean-- I'm not that interested in the Kennedy clan, either. . . Must be something wrong with me.)
Oh. Now I see the picture of James Dean at the beginning of the video, so yeah, I guess that leaves no doubt: This song was not about the breakfast sausage guy.
So disappointing. ;o)
-- -- -- -- --
I've been re-watching North & South, and it turns out that it, too, was better than I'd remembered. The "social issue" aspect wasn't as overbearing as I'd recalled and the heroine not quite so annoying, either. (She's no Jane Eyre, but I can make it through the miniseries without throwing things at the TV.)
Side Note: So many of these well-made period miniseries have such wonderful soundtracks-- but they seem rarely to be available on CD (or even download online). I'd love to have the music from Jane Eyre (2oo6 version), Wives and Daughters, and North & South, to name just a few, and I know (from what I've read while looking for these soundtracks) that I'm not the only one interested. It seems like a wasted opportunity for these composers.
-- -- -- -- --
While amusing ourselves with silly things on the Internet, we came across a song by a Swedish girlband known as "Troll". Donald remembers this one, but I don't. Maybe it didn't make it as big in the US. . . Anyway, the name of the 1989 hit is "Jimmy Dean". Because of presence of the words "jacket", "car", and "movie star" in the lyrics, I'm thinking the reference is probably to James Dean-- not the guy responsible for Jimmy Dean sausages-- but it still makes me laugh. (Actually, I'd probably like the song better if it had been written with the sausage guy in mind. I've never really understood the fascination with James Dean-- I'm not that interested in the Kennedy clan, either. . . Must be something wrong with me.)
Oh. Now I see the picture of James Dean at the beginning of the video, so yeah, I guess that leaves no doubt: This song was not about the breakfast sausage guy.
So disappointing. ;o)
-- -- -- -- --
Yesterday, Donald noticed a typo on a receipt he got from a store one of his former co-workers described as "the ghetto Wal-Mart": "Mobile" was spelled "Moblie" at the top of the receipt. That's pretty bad, misspelling the name of your own city!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Random Chit-Chat
(Written throughout the day, a bit at a time, like many of these posts are, actually.)
This was one of those weekends that leave me feeling less rested on Monday morning than I did on Friday morning. Well, maybe it's not quite that bad, but I could definitely do with another day of weekend. I think I get that feeling most often when we go out and about more than usual. (I am a homebody at heart.) Saturday, we spent most of the afternoon out shopping. At least it wasn't a fruitless excursion-- if nothing else, we found Donald a couple nice, new pair of shoes (at sale price!) for work, to replace an old pair at the end of its miles-- but it still doesn't feel like a proper Saturday when you have to compete with crowds and long lines in shops.
This was one of those weekends that leave me feeling less rested on Monday morning than I did on Friday morning. Well, maybe it's not quite that bad, but I could definitely do with another day of weekend. I think I get that feeling most often when we go out and about more than usual. (I am a homebody at heart.) Saturday, we spent most of the afternoon out shopping. At least it wasn't a fruitless excursion-- if nothing else, we found Donald a couple nice, new pair of shoes (at sale price!) for work, to replace an old pair at the end of its miles-- but it still doesn't feel like a proper Saturday when you have to compete with crowds and long lines in shops.
-- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- --
Hm. What more is there to say? So much of what I can think of-- what's presently on my mind-- isn't likely to interest anyone, including myself. It's mostly a list of things I need to do today. Laundry, for instance, as well as some general house-cleaning. And more important than those tasks-- going through a pile of papers and sorting things into piles: stuff to file, stuff to toss, stuff to discuss with Donald (to decide whether to keep or toss), and bills-- which I really, really hope aren't too close to being due. Piles of paper stress me, precisely because I'm worried I'll forget a bill that's due. It's surprising, really, how often I still allow things to pile up, considering that it does stress me out to have stacks of paper that grow by the day.
One might also wonder, in this age of automatic billing, why I don't simply have all our bills paid, well, automatically. We do take advantage of that service in one or two cases, but I guess I'm not completely up with the times. We've progressed past the point of paying with checks from our check book, as we did back when we were just married, but we still haven't reached the level of technological dependence that we let the computers handle everything for us. Not quite yet. ;o) (This is largely because I feel that if I didn't have to look at bills in order to pay them, I wouldn't examine them closely enough.)
So. Shall I next describe for you in depth my process for sorting laundry? (g) No? Well, you're probably right. Have to leave something to write about another day. . .
One might also wonder, in this age of automatic billing, why I don't simply have all our bills paid, well, automatically. We do take advantage of that service in one or two cases, but I guess I'm not completely up with the times. We've progressed past the point of paying with checks from our check book, as we did back when we were just married, but we still haven't reached the level of technological dependence that we let the computers handle everything for us. Not quite yet. ;o) (This is largely because I feel that if I didn't have to look at bills in order to pay them, I wouldn't examine them closely enough.)
So. Shall I next describe for you in depth my process for sorting laundry? (g) No? Well, you're probably right. Have to leave something to write about another day. . .
-- -- -- -- --
I've been re-watching my way through Wives and Daughters again, a bit at a time. It's better than I remembered, though there have been several times I'd have liked to reach through the screen and slap someone. I suppose I'll have to watch North and South (the Gaskell one-- not that Civil War thing from the 80s (g)) again, next, though from what I remember of that one, I expect to find it at times a dreary process. From what I recall, those characters behave even more maddeningly-- and there's also the whole "social issue" aspect of the series. Yes, yes, I suppose authors like to have something of substance in their novels, but some of them manage to do it without making you feel you're being preached to-- and honestly, I am either annoyed or bored when those things encroach too far in my entertainment. (I probably sound like a thoroughly spoiled little brat, but I don't care. :oP)
Speaking of irritation in the form of "entertainment"-- though it's hardly my only complaint with the show, I'm exasperated by the frequent mention of "this economy" in the last two episodes of Desperate Housewives*. I could almost hear the writers: "See how current-- how relevant we are? We feel your pain! Truly, there is no disconnect between the Hollywood elite and you commoners stranded in the cultural wasteland between L.A. and New York." (Not that the Hollywood elite would like the insinuation that they have anything to do with Desperate Housewives. (g) But you get the point.) Of course, nothing on that program should surprise me, at this point. I haven't yet forgotten the episode in which the neighborhood had a whole day's warning of the approach of one specific tornado-- a tornado, not a hurricane. People had time to tape their windows and make leisurely plans about where they would weather the storm. I don't know if they meant it to be funny, but it certainly was!
*Now that I've admitted to still watching that silly, silly show, I need hide nothing from you, my faithful readers, for what confession could be more shameful? ;o)
Speaking of irritation in the form of "entertainment"-- though it's hardly my only complaint with the show, I'm exasperated by the frequent mention of "this economy" in the last two episodes of Desperate Housewives*. I could almost hear the writers: "See how current-- how relevant we are? We feel your pain! Truly, there is no disconnect between the Hollywood elite and you commoners stranded in the cultural wasteland between L.A. and New York." (Not that the Hollywood elite would like the insinuation that they have anything to do with Desperate Housewives. (g) But you get the point.) Of course, nothing on that program should surprise me, at this point. I haven't yet forgotten the episode in which the neighborhood had a whole day's warning of the approach of one specific tornado-- a tornado, not a hurricane. People had time to tape their windows and make leisurely plans about where they would weather the storm. I don't know if they meant it to be funny, but it certainly was!
*Now that I've admitted to still watching that silly, silly show, I need hide nothing from you, my faithful readers, for what confession could be more shameful? ;o)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Keeping in practice. . .
Time to write another post, if only to keep in the habit.
Yesterday evening, I watched the 1998 film adaptation of Tess of the d'Urbervilles (the version with Justine Waddell as "Tess".) Having read the book before, I should've known better. The "dairy" segment of the film was beautiful (such lighting!), but the general trend of the story was much as I had remembered-- only worse. (I had forgotten precisely how it ended, so the last fifteen or twenty minutes were all but new to me.) Well, if nothing else, Thomas Hardy's depressing tales make me realize what a bed of roses my own life has been. . .
Today I cleaned out the "deep freezer" (aka "chest freezer"). It's not exactly an exhilarating job, what with fingers cold from removing ice and the race against potentially defrosting food, but it needed doing. Now I have a mental inventory of exactly what's in there, and I can definitively state that we needn't buy chicken for at least a month-- possibly two. Nor are we lacking for bread. I'm sure you will rest easier tonight, knowing that. ;o)
This strange story has been big in the local news for the past few days. It appears that an Indiana man (whose life was evidently falling apart) made a fake distress call from his small plane, parachuted to safety, and deliberately left his plane flying on autopilot, to fall wherever it may. It ended up in a residential area of Milton, FL-- but fortunately it didn't crash into a home. If it turns out that this guy did do this intentionally, he deserves to go straight to jail, and he ought to be on his knees thanking God that he didn't kill anyone with his abandoned toy.
Looking through the local story linked above, I can't help but wonder why so many journalists (of all people) don't know the basic rules of punctuation-- like, you know, where commas do and do not belong in a sentence.
If you're a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick-maker, I don't really expect you to know (or particularly care) about the language, beyond the bare minimum you need to get by in life. Ok, I'm going to go all school-teachery on you and point out that maybe you ought to care a little, if only because sooner or later you'll have to write something, and your (in)ability to do so with clarity affects how people perceive you. But even if a butcher writes "Spare Rib's - Buy 1 Get One Have Off", at least it doesn't affect his ability to cut, package, and sell meat (though he may lose some business if people don't understand his signage). In other words, it's not specifically part of his job description, so we tend to overlook his goofs. A journalist, on the other hand, really ought to make a point of learning how the language works. (Why, for instance, does that article start with "but"? It feels like we were late getting to the website, and we missed the first part of the story!)
Anyway. . . I guess I should be used to it by now, but come on! Please, folks, at least cut back on the randomly placed commas. You're embarrassing me! People are going to think we're all uneducated hicks, down here, and it's simply not true.
- - - - -
- - - - -
Until this week, we had been having exceptionally mild weather with brief cold snaps, this season, but the local TV meteorologists are telling us that that's over (for a while, at least). It's certainly chilly, now. In fact, later on I need to go bundle up the few remaining bits of exposed pipe outside. I'm going to wait until I take the dogs in for a while, though. I hope that if Trixie doesn't see me messing with the various spigots around the yard, she'll be slower to notice and mess with them. A vain hope, perhaps, seeing as she's already developed a fascination with at least one of them.
- - - - -
Yesterday evening, I watched the 1998 film adaptation of Tess of the d'Urbervilles (the version with Justine Waddell as "Tess".) Having read the book before, I should've known better. The "dairy" segment of the film was beautiful (such lighting!), but the general trend of the story was much as I had remembered-- only worse. (I had forgotten precisely how it ended, so the last fifteen or twenty minutes were all but new to me.) Well, if nothing else, Thomas Hardy's depressing tales make me realize what a bed of roses my own life has been. . .
- - - - -
Today I cleaned out the "deep freezer" (aka "chest freezer"). It's not exactly an exhilarating job, what with fingers cold from removing ice and the race against potentially defrosting food, but it needed doing. Now I have a mental inventory of exactly what's in there, and I can definitively state that we needn't buy chicken for at least a month-- possibly two. Nor are we lacking for bread. I'm sure you will rest easier tonight, knowing that. ;o)
- - - - -
This strange story has been big in the local news for the past few days. It appears that an Indiana man (whose life was evidently falling apart) made a fake distress call from his small plane, parachuted to safety, and deliberately left his plane flying on autopilot, to fall wherever it may. It ended up in a residential area of Milton, FL-- but fortunately it didn't crash into a home. If it turns out that this guy did do this intentionally, he deserves to go straight to jail, and he ought to be on his knees thanking God that he didn't kill anyone with his abandoned toy.
- - - - -
Looking through the local story linked above, I can't help but wonder why so many journalists (of all people) don't know the basic rules of punctuation-- like, you know, where commas do and do not belong in a sentence.
If you're a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick-maker, I don't really expect you to know (or particularly care) about the language, beyond the bare minimum you need to get by in life. Ok, I'm going to go all school-teachery on you and point out that maybe you ought to care a little, if only because sooner or later you'll have to write something, and your (in)ability to do so with clarity affects how people perceive you. But even if a butcher writes "Spare Rib's - Buy 1 Get One Have Off", at least it doesn't affect his ability to cut, package, and sell meat (though he may lose some business if people don't understand his signage). In other words, it's not specifically part of his job description, so we tend to overlook his goofs. A journalist, on the other hand, really ought to make a point of learning how the language works. (Why, for instance, does that article start with "but"? It feels like we were late getting to the website, and we missed the first part of the story!)
Anyway. . . I guess I should be used to it by now, but come on! Please, folks, at least cut back on the randomly placed commas. You're embarrassing me! People are going to think we're all uneducated hicks, down here, and it's simply not true.
- - - - -
Well, that should be enough to keep the old digits from forgetting where all the letters are on the keyboard. ;o)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
"Entertainment-Related" Stuff
(Think I have a shot at next year's Blogger's Choice Award for "Blog with the Most Boring Blog-Post Titles"?)
I've put off writing this entry, and written it in such bits and pieces, that now I no longer really care whether it gets written or not. But since I'm this far along, I might as well finish it. (Now I know you're filled with anticipation. (g))
Engrish on Flickr--
I could've sworn I'd already written about this (in this entry), but I can't find it, now. It must've been accidentally deleted. . .
If you're a fan of Engrish.com, you really ought to take a look at the Engrish "group" on Flickr. Some of the photos are things you'll already have seen on the other site (if you're a regular visitor), but most of them are worth another look, anyway. There are nearly 7,500 photos in the pool-- enough to keep you busy for hours.
Of course, there are other Engrish groups on Flickr, too, some of which claim to be better than the one I've linked to above. (I leave it to you to look and decide. Myself, it'll take me weeks to look through all the photos in just that one group.)
As a matter of fact, there are so many groups on Flickr that maybe I'll share just a few more that I find amusing and/or interesting:
** ** ** ** **
Songs most likely to be stuck in my head, lately:
I've put off writing this entry, and written it in such bits and pieces, that now I no longer really care whether it gets written or not. But since I'm this far along, I might as well finish it. (Now I know you're filled with anticipation. (g))
** ** ** ** **
Engrish on Flickr--
I could've sworn I'd already written about this (in this entry), but I can't find it, now. It must've been accidentally deleted. . .
If you're a fan of Engrish.com, you really ought to take a look at the Engrish "group" on Flickr. Some of the photos are things you'll already have seen on the other site (if you're a regular visitor), but most of them are worth another look, anyway. There are nearly 7,500 photos in the pool-- enough to keep you busy for hours.
Of course, there are other Engrish groups on Flickr, too, some of which claim to be better than the one I've linked to above. (I leave it to you to look and decide. Myself, it'll take me weeks to look through all the photos in just that one group.)
As a matter of fact, there are so many groups on Flickr that maybe I'll share just a few more that I find amusing and/or interesting:
- Strange and Funny Signs-- Photos of strange and funny signs. (Never would've guessed, huh?)
- Grocer's Apostrophe-- Signs illustrating the sad decline of the apostrophe. (Warning: This may cause irritation and high blood pressure in "Grammar/Punctuation Police" types.)
- Pyrex Love & Calling All Corning Ware Lovers-- Did you know that vintage Pyrex and Corning Ware are hot items for collecting, these days? I saw several pieces (and patterns) in these groups that brought back memories of meals at my mother's and grandmothers' tables. . . :o) (And I'm guessing this is a large part of why they're collectible. People in my general age range want a set just like Grandma or Mom had.)
- Foodie Craft!-- Food-themed crafts. I don't know why, exactly, but these things are just fun to look at, I think.
- Dogs Eating Potato Chips-- You may be asking, "Why? Why a group devoted to dogs eating potato chips?" The answer, obviously, is because they can.
- The Candy Shop & Candy Blog-- Photos of candy. I wonder why I'm suddenly so hungry. . .
- Garden Junk vs Garden Art & Bowling Ball Art & Weird Yards and Gardens-- I think you've got the point, right?
- Vintage Advertising-- And if you scroll down that first page, you'll find links to lots of other related Flickr groups. Truly, Flickr has more vintage ads and "stuff" than you ever wanted to see in one place!
- Here's one for Halloween: ***Looks HAUNTED to ME!!!***
And before I move along (finally) to the next topic, here are a few specific photos that made me laugh:
- "Hot Diggity Dogger" -- It's a toaster-esque machine that heats two buns and hot dogs at a time. Donald had heard of this before, but it was all new to me. This seems like the quintessential "buy it and use it exactly twice before it goes into storage/is given away or sold" kitchen gadget. I'd have to eat a whole lot of hot dogs to justify the counter space one these babies would take. . . (That said, we have our toaster out all the time, and yet we eat toast maybe once a year. Maybe that often. We're not big toast-eaters, even though I do like it on chilly days like today.)
- "Tell Me Truth!!!"-- Maybe you'll think I'm a weirdo, but I find this absolutely hilarious. The "put your paws up, or else" pose-- the crazy juxtaposition of a kitten and a gun-- the caption. It's so bizarre!
- "Cell World" & "Cell World 2"-- I've seen some hideous figurines in my time. I guess anyone who's wandered through a dollar store has seen some strange things. These particular uglies transcend the ordinary. They are exquisitely tacky.
** ** ** ** **
Songs most likely to be stuck in my head, lately:
- Brandi Carlile's "Have You Ever"-- (A couple of the photos in that video are. . . odd, if you ask me, but the song's beautiful.)
- Patrick O'Hearn's "Adagio from 'Fantasy for a Gentleman'"-- (Sorry about the tiny clip. It was the best I could find.) My brain has had this on repeat for a day, now. This song has such an eerie atmosphere to it. For me, it conjures images of a rain-wet cobblestone street in an oceanside town about a hundred years ago. Each stone has a little curve of golden light, reflecting from a partially clearing sunset sky. The "gentleman" from the title is seen from behind, closed umbrella in hand as he walks towards the ocean. That picture may not seem to "go" with the spooky feeling of the music, but it's what I see when I hear it.
- Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights"-- What a weird voice! But it's a weird story, so it fits, somehow. . . Oh, and I can only endure this particular version of her singing this song. The other (more common?) one grates on my nerves, because she sounds (even more) like a witch. (shudder) (Help! I'm addicted to parentheses!!)
- "Arioso" (a.k.a. Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056 Arioso, by J.S. Bach), as played by Tracy Silverman and Thea Suits Silverman-- Not much to say. It's just a nice, soothing melody.
- A handful from The Alan Parsons Project that you can listen to here, including "Sirius", "Eye in the Sky", and "Mammagamma". Also, from the same group, "Time" (which I linked to not too long ago) and "Don't Answer Me". (Incidentally, I just saw the video for that song for the first time and. . . yuck. I just don't get the appeal of the comic book format, and I don't have much sympathy for the girl. Why is she dating the mean guy?)
- Ray Lynch's "The Oh of Pleasure" and "Falling in the Garden"-- Two more that I linked to recently, but here they are again, because they're still "new favorites".
** ** ** ** **
Berkeley Square--
I've finished watching the first (and only) season. It was entertaining, but it did seem to get more and more soap opera-ish as the story progressed.
SPOILER ALERT!!
Serious spoilage to happen immediately.
Read at your own risk.
Ok, it was kind of soapy before-- especially with the baby switch-- but then there was the "oops, I accidentally shot my father" bit, the "oops, I buried the dead baby right where the city needs to come through and dig" thing ('scuse me while I roll my eyes), and so many similarly soapy incidents that before I knew what was happening, I was up to my nose in bubbles.
Still, it was enjoyable enough that I was disappointed to see it come to an end-- particularly since that end left so many things unsettled-- or very conveniently "temporarily" settled. It's obvious that they were planning/hoping to take the show into another season. Too bad that didn't happen! (So I guess it wasn't much better than a typical soap, in that regard, either! At least there were no children who went away for a month and came back seven years older. Also, no sickening incidences of every male in a family having a romantic relationship-- ok, at different times, but still-- with the same nasty woman. And of course the clothes, sets, writing, and acting were still about a thousand times better than a regular soap opera.)
A few tidbits to just get off my chest before I put this series aside:
- Mrs. Simmons, apart from being a horrid, horrid woman, looks like a goose. No, I mean it! I know she can't help what she looks like, but-- a goose!
- Hannah's baby switch was such a stupid idea! Sure, she didn't want her baby to live so near a typhoid outbreak, but how did she think the baby switch was ever going to work out? Worst case scenario-- She's dismissed for some reason and has to abandon her child, confess (and likely go to jail or be executed), or "kidnap" the child and go on the run. Best case scenario-- She gets to keep her position well into old age, but she may never be able to tell her son his true identity, and she'll have to stand by helplessly when her emotionally-distant employers return and make all the important decisions in her child's life.
- Pringle seems so familiar to me, but it must just be my imagination, because I didn't recognize anything else she's done (according to IMDB).
- The cheating wife (and frankly, her husband, for the most part), the cheating officer/whatever-he-is, Pringle, Mrs. Simmons, the parents who go away and leave their two children for months, "Lord Hugh", and I'm probably forgetting someone else-- oh, yes, the spoiled debutante girl. As far as they're all concerned, I'm glad to leave them behind. They can remain stuck in their unfinished storylines for all eternity, as far as I'm concerned.
- The whole Matty/Ned thing was nice, but I think Lydia and the butler (what was his name, though?) made a sweeter story (even if Lydia is a little bit too clueless and eyes-bulging-in-shock sometimes).
** ** ** ** **
I finally finished reading To Say Nothing of the Dog. I paused lengthily before reading the last fifteen or so pages. I guess I felt that the story was pretty much finished at that point, so I wasn't compelled to pick it up again. That doesn't sound very flattering, but I did enjoy the book. If you're a fan of stories involving time travel-- or humorous references to Victorian-era literature-- this might be for you. The romance part was just ok. Not at all bad, but it definitely isn't primarily a romance. Also, I suspect that the fact that it's all told from a male point of view-- crammed in amongst so much other stuff-- had something to do with my dissatisfaction. As far as the mystery component of the book goes, I was able to guess the solution to at least one "puzzle" almost immediately. Still, all in all it was a pleasant read.
** ** ** ** **
(Older) Movies:
Halloween--
Donald and I watched Halloween for the first time ever, a few weeks ago. We watched it with the RiffTrax commentary, which was probably an improvement on the original. I don't know what I was expecting, but not what it turned out to be. I think I thought it would be quite a bit more frightening-- and gory-- than it actually was, though listening as the RiffTrax guys poked fun at everything obviously ruined the atmosfear. (Get it? Atmosfear? Ha ha ha. . .)
Actually, I found all the partial nudity more surprising than the scary parts of the film. (Yes, I'm an American prude. Sorry, but I can do without all the shots of bare-chested women. Thanks anyway.) I wondered if this was just a 70s thing, that they "couldn't" include much gruesome horror, so they chose to include the nudity instead for some extra shock value. Then again, considering some of the other movies made in the 70s, probably not. . . Not that I'm really complaining about the lack of show-it-all horror. I don't enjoy excessive blood and gore in movies (or in real life, for that matter!).
Watching it these days, at first it's hard to see what all the fuss was about this movie. But I suspect that seeing it back when it was new (and when I didn't keep thinking "seen that gimmick before. . . and that"), in a darkened theater. . . or later on, on TV in an otherwise empty house would be a different experience. . . And now I've decided that, no, I wouldn't want to watch this (RiffTrax or not) in an empty house at night.
Troll 2--
This is another we saw with RiffTrax commentary. With the commentary, it was agonizingly bad, in a "please let this end soon" way. Without it, I know for 100% certain I would never have sat through the whole thing. Wow, it was bad.
I can't believe what gets made into movies. How did anyone look at this script and think it was a good idea? Stupid, stupid movie, with some amazingly bad acting. Seriously. When I watched this, I kept thinking, "How dared that #@^& acting teacher to give me such trouble when these people have actually been paid to act, despite the fact that they should never be in proximity to a defenseless audience?!" And yes, I'm referring to that oft-mentioned college acting class yet again. Why, no, I don't have the least little bit of trouble letting things go. Why do you ask? I know I'm not destined for fame on stage or screen, but I think I should win awards, compared to some of these poor actors.
The Fifth Element--
I wasn't impressed. At all.
I like to check out the IMDB.com page for movies after viewing them for the first (and often only) time, just to finally find out the name of that actor/actress who looked so familiar, etc.-- and also to see what people have written about the movie. (Kind of silly, considering that so many of those commenting seem to be mind-bogglingly stupid. I'm sorry if that sounds "ugly", but it is so, so true.) Anyway, I saw that there are apparently many people who absolutely adore this film and say that the problem with the rest of us is that we're trying to take it too seriously. Of course, those were probably the same people who thought that the irritating-beyond-words, please-someone-make-him-shut-up cross-dresser-guy was hilarious, so. . .
** ** ** ** **
Donald and I have been watching John Adams through NetFlix. It's an interesting show, but I'm ashamed to admit that my memory of history class isn't good enough for me to judge its accuracy. Besides, there's no way historians could know some of the particulars included in the show, anyway, so there must be a fair bit of artistic license taken.
A few comments on the program (and yes, there will be **SPOILERS**):
A few comments on the program (and yes, there will be **SPOILERS**):
- How could they both have left their children behind for so many years, while they lived an ocean away? I can't imagine how I would have felt if my parents had done that to me and my sisters. . . No wonder one of their sons was resentful. I would've resented that, too!
- The smallpox vaccination scene? Disgusting, horrific, yuck yuck yuck.
- John is supposed to be somewhat annoying at times (I think), but what about Abigail? Because the fact that everyone has to comment on how important she is-- the wise woman behind the man, etc., etc.-- is also irritating after a while.
** ** ** ** **
Donald asked what I was writing about and I was answering. . . blah blah blah. . . He asked if I'd mentioned To Say Nothing of the Dog, because he's now reading that novel. I answered that I didn't think I'd spoiled anything in what I'd written. "But," I added, "you might want to skip"-- and I almost said "that chapter".
Ah-ha-ha-ha!
"You might want to skip that chapter!"
It's so funny-- because this entry is going on forever and ever-- and. . .
Yeah, I tend to ramble. Sorry about that. But, you know, you don't really have to read all this stuff. Even you loyal readers. ;o) Please don't feel bad about skipping paragraphs or whole entries. Otherwise, I'll feel obliged to make this stuff interesting for other people, which would put a huge crimp in my style.
Ah-ha-ha-ha!
"You might want to skip that chapter!"
It's so funny-- because this entry is going on forever and ever-- and. . .
Yeah, I tend to ramble. Sorry about that. But, you know, you don't really have to read all this stuff. Even you loyal readers. ;o) Please don't feel bad about skipping paragraphs or whole entries. Otherwise, I'll feel obliged to make this stuff interesting for other people, which would put a huge crimp in my style.
** ** ** ** **
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Random. (What else is new?)
Random thoughts:
-- I just caught a mosquito biting the side of my left hand, just below the pinky. I swatted at it, but I must've missed. Now my hand is itchy, and I'm just waiting to see where else the thing bites me. (I never seem to feel the actual bite.)
-- I've been spending a lot of time, lately, cleaning up puppy "mistakes", including mopping the entire dining room floor (where Trixie stays most of the time) every single morning. (I lead such a glamorous life!) By now, that floor has certainly been mopped more than any other place in this house (because I'll be the first to admit that mopping the floor has never been a high priority for me. Cleaning the floor is such an irritating chore, because it never stays clean for more than a few hours, at most.) Yes, I'm beginning to wear my way through that dining room floor, and we've only had her for a couple of weeks. Mopping is good exercise, though, right? I'm sure to lose five or ten pounds from all this mopping, right? ;o)
-- Someone I know (who shall remain nameless-- oh, who could it possibly be?), when singing "Yankee Doodle" some time ago (why? I can't remember) thought they lyrics were "Put a noodle on his head / And called it macaroni". Yeah, I guess that makes about as much sense as the real lyrics do, but I still laughed. (g)
-- I'm looking forward to the return of new episodes of favorite TV programs, starting in September. If I were "cool", I suppose I'd pretend to be too busy or glamorous (see above) to care about a new season of television programming, but-- I'm not, so I do!
-- Speaking of TV. . . Donald and I were amused to find that we aren't the only ones who think the new animated Wendy in TV commercials looks a bit creepy. (g) Especially in this one:
-- Trixie likes chewing on this old shoe:
But so far, we haven't felt safe leaving her with it unattended. (We want to prevent her chewing off a piece and eating it.) So it's a "special treat" toy, like her little yellow, spiky, squeaky toy and a couple of ping pong balls that she loves.
It may be a tragic mistake to let her chew this old sneaker. Possibly she'll grow to be a terror to all shoes, regardless of age (or race or sex (g)). However, I think that some dogs are capable of distinguishing between "their" shoe and other shoes-- just like a dog that chews on his own stuffed animal knows not to chew on pillows. Maybe she'll be one of those dogs. (I hope!)
-- More puppy stuff:
She's just lately developed a bad habit. (Well. Another bad habit, in addition to the typical puppy biting/chewing thing.) The clinical term is "coprophagy", but I generally refer to it as "Ewww! Gross! Trixie, why do you do that?!" ;o)
Anyway, it's extremely frustrating, because I am as scrupulous as you possibly can be about keeping her room clean. As soon as I see that she's left a "surprise" (of either type!), I remove it (if applicable), mop the spot with diluted cleanser, then wipe it again with water. And I generally give the whole room a quick mopping every morning, as I wrote before. I honestly don't see what more I could be doing, other than keeping constant vigil over the room-- because the only times she even has the opportunity to engage in this disgusting behavior is overnight or before I notice that she's "been busy". (How many euphemisms for "pooped" can I use before I come right out with it?)
Of course this is one of those things that could have any number of causes. Even watching me clean up after her could be causing her to mimic me (in her own special way (g)), according to some sources! (sigh) I need to figure out a plan for house training her, I guess, but she's still so young (eight weeks old, today) that I haven't wanted to push her too hard. . .
-- I've been trying to find out how old puppies usually are when they learn to fetch. So far, I haven't found much about specific ages-- probably because it varies so much with breed, individual personalities, and other circumstances-- but I have learned that if a dog is to be considered for training as a guide dog, bomb dog, etc., it's critical that they learn fetch.
Molly's always been good at fetching. (Except, of course, when she refuses to bring the toy back-- usually a sign that she's not in the mood. (g)) You'd expect a spaniel to be naturally adept at fetching, since that's part of the breed's "job"-- fetching dead birds. (What? That's what they are, you know, whether you plan on eating them later or not. You needn't blame me if it sounds nasty.)
Daisy, on the other hand, was usually completely uninterested in fetching. There were a very few times when she got excited about a game of fetch. (Maybe she didn't want to butt in on "Molly's game"; maybe she simply didn't see the appeal in running after something and bringing it back, only to have it thrown away again. . .)
. . . So I was surprised when Trixie took to the game so quickly. She started during our first week with her, so she couldn't have been even seven weeks old at that time! It may change as she grows older, but for now, she seems to love playing fetch.
(whispers) She also likes playing growly games of tug-o'-war, but don't tell anyone about that, ok? Some people think tug-o'-war is bad for dogs. At least we try to rig it so that the people always "win". Supposedly, if the puppy/dog "wins", s/he thinks s/he's the alpha of the pack.
-- Looks like we may be getting a taste of Tropical Whatever-She-Is-Now Fay, early next week. Of course, that's very iffy, at this point. We're not worried about this one, though. Some of our more violent afternoon thunderstorms are probably worse than Fay is likely to be.
-- I read yesterday that the BBC is planning to film another version of Jane Eyre! Sure, there've been plenty of film adaptations already-- including one the BBC did only so long ago as 2006!-- but I'm always up for another Jane Eyre adaptation! They've cast Ellen Page in the lead role, which makes me even more curious. I haven't seen Juno (which, unless I'm mistaken, is the movie that she's best known for), but I must say I wasn't impressed (or at all tantalized) by the previews. I really wonder how she'll make the transition from bratty teen to Jane Eyre. If she's a bratty Jane Eyre. . . ugh! In that case, I'll have to fall back on the 2006 version. (It wasn't completely faithful to the book, but I think it's my favorite version to date.)
-- On the subject of film adaptations. . . Sullivan's filmed another Anne movie, and from the trailer (and what I've read) it looks to be a doozy. His Anne movie (Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story) bore absolutely no resemblance to the chain of events described in Montgomery's books. Even if you aren't bothered by a little thing like that ;o), the characters didn't behave as they ought, and the timeline didn't make sense. According to the books, Anne's youngest child was teen-aged by the beginning of World War I. In the film, she wasn't even married to Gilbert, yet! (Shocking, I know. (g)) I couldn't get past all those changes, and I didn't enjoy the movie at all.
Warning: This will contain spoilers for the new movie!
This next movie-- Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning-- looks like it'll be even worse. From what I gather, the film starts out with Anne in her sixties. It's either during or after WWII, and I've read that Gilbert is supposed to have died in the war. Anyway, she finds a letter or something, and we're taken back to the years before she was sent to Green Gables. I think the worst thing in the trailer was some guy (the nonexistant adopted son Sullivan invented for Anne3, maybe?) asking OlderAnne, "So you weren't adopted?" and Older Anne smilingly replying, "As a child I made up stories about my parents." What?! So she only pretended to be an orphan, all those years?
I'm not a purist, really. I enjoy the first two Sullivan adaptations, despite deviations from the novels. What's more, I realize that if it weren't for those films, I may never have found the books. But this is going too, too far. The basic germ of the whole AoGG story is that a girl orphan is sent by mistake to people expecting a boy. Now he's rewriting it so that Anne wasn't even a true orphan?!
(What's next? She actually was a boy? (g) Or maybe she has a sex-change operation because of the trauma of not being the boy the Cuthberts wanted. Perhaps I can sell that idea to Sullivan. . . It's very cutting-edge. ;o))
Yes, Anne had a wild imagination, but she was not a dishonest child. She wouldn't "make up stories" about something that important. And why in the world would she have waited so long to hunt up her possibly still-living father? Why keep it a secret for so long? Are we to believe that she somehow repressed the memories all this time? It's just plain yucky and not at all true to the spirit of the Anne books, in my not-so-humble opinion.
Anyway, if you're interested, here's a link to the trailer:
Don't say I didn't warn you!
;o)
-- I just caught a mosquito biting the side of my left hand, just below the pinky. I swatted at it, but I must've missed. Now my hand is itchy, and I'm just waiting to see where else the thing bites me. (I never seem to feel the actual bite.)
-- I've been spending a lot of time, lately, cleaning up puppy "mistakes", including mopping the entire dining room floor (where Trixie stays most of the time) every single morning. (I lead such a glamorous life!) By now, that floor has certainly been mopped more than any other place in this house (because I'll be the first to admit that mopping the floor has never been a high priority for me. Cleaning the floor is such an irritating chore, because it never stays clean for more than a few hours, at most.) Yes, I'm beginning to wear my way through that dining room floor, and we've only had her for a couple of weeks. Mopping is good exercise, though, right? I'm sure to lose five or ten pounds from all this mopping, right? ;o)
-- Someone I know (who shall remain nameless-- oh, who could it possibly be?), when singing "Yankee Doodle" some time ago (why? I can't remember) thought they lyrics were "Put a noodle on his head / And called it macaroni". Yeah, I guess that makes about as much sense as the real lyrics do, but I still laughed. (g)
-- I'm looking forward to the return of new episodes of favorite TV programs, starting in September. If I were "cool", I suppose I'd pretend to be too busy or glamorous (see above) to care about a new season of television programming, but-- I'm not, so I do!
-- Speaking of TV. . . Donald and I were amused to find that we aren't the only ones who think the new animated Wendy in TV commercials looks a bit creepy. (g) Especially in this one:
-- Trixie likes chewing on this old shoe:
But so far, we haven't felt safe leaving her with it unattended. (We want to prevent her chewing off a piece and eating it.) So it's a "special treat" toy, like her little yellow, spiky, squeaky toy and a couple of ping pong balls that she loves.
It may be a tragic mistake to let her chew this old sneaker. Possibly she'll grow to be a terror to all shoes, regardless of age (or race or sex (g)). However, I think that some dogs are capable of distinguishing between "their" shoe and other shoes-- just like a dog that chews on his own stuffed animal knows not to chew on pillows. Maybe she'll be one of those dogs. (I hope!)
-- More puppy stuff:
She's just lately developed a bad habit. (Well. Another bad habit, in addition to the typical puppy biting/chewing thing.) The clinical term is "coprophagy", but I generally refer to it as "Ewww! Gross! Trixie, why do you do that?!" ;o)
Anyway, it's extremely frustrating, because I am as scrupulous as you possibly can be about keeping her room clean. As soon as I see that she's left a "surprise" (of either type!), I remove it (if applicable), mop the spot with diluted cleanser, then wipe it again with water. And I generally give the whole room a quick mopping every morning, as I wrote before. I honestly don't see what more I could be doing, other than keeping constant vigil over the room-- because the only times she even has the opportunity to engage in this disgusting behavior is overnight or before I notice that she's "been busy". (How many euphemisms for "pooped" can I use before I come right out with it?)
Of course this is one of those things that could have any number of causes. Even watching me clean up after her could be causing her to mimic me (in her own special way (g)), according to some sources! (sigh) I need to figure out a plan for house training her, I guess, but she's still so young (eight weeks old, today) that I haven't wanted to push her too hard. . .
-- I've been trying to find out how old puppies usually are when they learn to fetch. So far, I haven't found much about specific ages-- probably because it varies so much with breed, individual personalities, and other circumstances-- but I have learned that if a dog is to be considered for training as a guide dog, bomb dog, etc., it's critical that they learn fetch.
Molly's always been good at fetching. (Except, of course, when she refuses to bring the toy back-- usually a sign that she's not in the mood. (g)) You'd expect a spaniel to be naturally adept at fetching, since that's part of the breed's "job"-- fetching dead birds. (What? That's what they are, you know, whether you plan on eating them later or not. You needn't blame me if it sounds nasty.)
Daisy, on the other hand, was usually completely uninterested in fetching. There were a very few times when she got excited about a game of fetch. (Maybe she didn't want to butt in on "Molly's game"; maybe she simply didn't see the appeal in running after something and bringing it back, only to have it thrown away again. . .)
. . . So I was surprised when Trixie took to the game so quickly. She started during our first week with her, so she couldn't have been even seven weeks old at that time! It may change as she grows older, but for now, she seems to love playing fetch.
(whispers) She also likes playing growly games of tug-o'-war, but don't tell anyone about that, ok? Some people think tug-o'-war is bad for dogs. At least we try to rig it so that the people always "win". Supposedly, if the puppy/dog "wins", s/he thinks s/he's the alpha of the pack.
-- Looks like we may be getting a taste of Tropical Whatever-She-Is-Now Fay, early next week. Of course, that's very iffy, at this point. We're not worried about this one, though. Some of our more violent afternoon thunderstorms are probably worse than Fay is likely to be.
-- I read yesterday that the BBC is planning to film another version of Jane Eyre! Sure, there've been plenty of film adaptations already-- including one the BBC did only so long ago as 2006!-- but I'm always up for another Jane Eyre adaptation! They've cast Ellen Page in the lead role, which makes me even more curious. I haven't seen Juno (which, unless I'm mistaken, is the movie that she's best known for), but I must say I wasn't impressed (or at all tantalized) by the previews. I really wonder how she'll make the transition from bratty teen to Jane Eyre. If she's a bratty Jane Eyre. . . ugh! In that case, I'll have to fall back on the 2006 version. (It wasn't completely faithful to the book, but I think it's my favorite version to date.)
-- On the subject of film adaptations. . . Sullivan's filmed another Anne movie, and from the trailer (and what I've read) it looks to be a doozy. His Anne movie (Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story) bore absolutely no resemblance to the chain of events described in Montgomery's books. Even if you aren't bothered by a little thing like that ;o), the characters didn't behave as they ought, and the timeline didn't make sense. According to the books, Anne's youngest child was teen-aged by the beginning of World War I. In the film, she wasn't even married to Gilbert, yet! (Shocking, I know. (g)) I couldn't get past all those changes, and I didn't enjoy the movie at all.
Warning: This will contain spoilers for the new movie!
This next movie-- Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning-- looks like it'll be even worse. From what I gather, the film starts out with Anne in her sixties. It's either during or after WWII, and I've read that Gilbert is supposed to have died in the war. Anyway, she finds a letter or something, and we're taken back to the years before she was sent to Green Gables. I think the worst thing in the trailer was some guy (the nonexistant adopted son Sullivan invented for Anne3, maybe?) asking OlderAnne, "So you weren't adopted?" and Older Anne smilingly replying, "As a child I made up stories about my parents." What?! So she only pretended to be an orphan, all those years?
I'm not a purist, really. I enjoy the first two Sullivan adaptations, despite deviations from the novels. What's more, I realize that if it weren't for those films, I may never have found the books. But this is going too, too far. The basic germ of the whole AoGG story is that a girl orphan is sent by mistake to people expecting a boy. Now he's rewriting it so that Anne wasn't even a true orphan?!
(What's next? She actually was a boy? (g) Or maybe she has a sex-change operation because of the trauma of not being the boy the Cuthberts wanted. Perhaps I can sell that idea to Sullivan. . . It's very cutting-edge. ;o))
Yes, Anne had a wild imagination, but she was not a dishonest child. She wouldn't "make up stories" about something that important. And why in the world would she have waited so long to hunt up her possibly still-living father? Why keep it a secret for so long? Are we to believe that she somehow repressed the memories all this time? It's just plain yucky and not at all true to the spirit of the Anne books, in my not-so-humble opinion.
Anyway, if you're interested, here's a link to the trailer:
Don't say I didn't warn you!;o)
Monday, July 14, 2008
You can't trust the Internet, etc.
Or at least, you can't trust everything you read on it.
But you already knew that, didn't you? ;o)
Some of you also know that when someone sends you a photograph of themselves standing on a gigantic ant bed, it might be a joke photo that they made with Photoshop. . . (g)
Anyway, where was I?
Oh, yeah. I was making the brilliant observation that many times you can't trust what you read online, because anyone (myself included (g)) can get on here and write just about anything. Sometimes we know what we're talking about, but sometimes we don't.
For instance, I was wondering why some yarn is called "ombre" and some is called "variegated". I figured there must be a difference-- but what? I (of course) looked to the Internet for an answer. Multiple sources indicate that "ombre" yarn is dyed various tints and shades of a single color/hue (dark blue, medium blue, and pale blue, for example), while "variegated" yarn is dyed a number of completely different colors (yellow, blue, and green). This holds true for some of the yarns I've seen, but there are also plenty of "ombres" that don't fit that definition.
So which is correct? The supposed definitions of ombre and variegated yarns, or the manufacturers and namers of yarns? Even the Internet can't tell me-- and it's so vital that I know, too! ;o)
Donald and I went out for lunch and a movie, today. We saw WALL-E. I'm not sure what I expected, but whatever my expectations were, I think they were surpassed. (g) It was a really sweet and amusing movie-- especially considering that the main character is a robot.
I don't want to give away too much, so just to be sure that I don't spoil it, I'm posting a SPOILER WARNING now. Don't read the rest of this post if you don't want the film potentially spoiled for you.
WARNING!!!!
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
(for WALL-E)
.
.
.
I was already in a somewhat more emotional mood than usual, today. (I woke this morning from a sad dream involving Daisy, and some of those feelings were still hanging around, I guess.) So I'm not sure how much of my emotional response to this movie was from something other than the movie itself. . . Maybe it was the lack of dialog in the first part of the film. Maybe WALL-E reminded me of E.T. Who knows! (g) Whatever it was, I found myself repeatedly getting teary while watching this movie.
As I wrote before, over all, I enjoyed the film. It was sweet in spots, funny in others, and generally entertaining. Even if you aren't a "robot person" (and I'm not), most people will enjoy this movie.
However, there are definitely some not-so-hidden messages. For instance:
Anyway, even though there were "messages", they certainly didn't ruin the film for me (and I think Donald found them less obvious that I did. . . or at least not really "political" in nature). If you want to see a really weird movie full of propaganda, rent Happy Feet. Not really appropriate for young kids (assuming you don't want to brainwash them). . . Nowhere near amusing enough to hold an adult's attention. . . Who in the world was the target audience?! I didn't care for it. ;o)
Well, enough rambling. . . Back to regular schedules tomorrow!
But you already knew that, didn't you? ;o)
Some of you also know that when someone sends you a photograph of themselves standing on a gigantic ant bed, it might be a joke photo that they made with Photoshop. . . (g)
. . .On the subject of Photoshopped pictures, here's a little quiz that tests your ability to tell whether or not a photo has been manipulated. (I think it's a little hard to tell, sometimes, with such small photos, but it's still interesting. If you want to give yourself a little better chance on the quiz, you might want to watch the segment of NOVA that deals with this subject.)
Anyway, where was I?
Oh, yeah. I was making the brilliant observation that many times you can't trust what you read online, because anyone (myself included (g)) can get on here and write just about anything. Sometimes we know what we're talking about, but sometimes we don't.
For instance, I was wondering why some yarn is called "ombre" and some is called "variegated". I figured there must be a difference-- but what? I (of course) looked to the Internet for an answer. Multiple sources indicate that "ombre" yarn is dyed various tints and shades of a single color/hue (dark blue, medium blue, and pale blue, for example), while "variegated" yarn is dyed a number of completely different colors (yellow, blue, and green). This holds true for some of the yarns I've seen, but there are also plenty of "ombres" that don't fit that definition.
So which is correct? The supposed definitions of ombre and variegated yarns, or the manufacturers and namers of yarns? Even the Internet can't tell me-- and it's so vital that I know, too! ;o)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Dog-lovers: There are some new photos of Soffi (Donald's parents' new puppy) here. There's also a video of Soffi and Lukas playing together. (Just be aware that the video may take a while to load.)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _After taking a little break from crochet, I finally tried my hand at making something other than a granny square. Nothing fancy-- just a simple flower shape from some scrap yarn. I imagine I made some mistakes along the way (partly because there are still a couple of things I'm not 100% sure how to do), but at least you can make out that it's a flower.
You know what this means? I may be able to follow patterns, provided that they're very basic. Amazing. ;o)
It may not sound like much, but I'm not much for following patterns. I was more of a "play it by ear/heart" musician in Band-- which meant I never applied myself much to learning to read sheet music well-- which meant my sight-reading skills were very poor, later on. I'm pretty much a "play it by ear" sort of person in most of my hobbies. . . I think I prefer some things that way, but for crochet, it's probably a good idea to learn to follow patterns.
You know what this means? I may be able to follow patterns, provided that they're very basic. Amazing. ;o)
It may not sound like much, but I'm not much for following patterns. I was more of a "play it by ear/heart" musician in Band-- which meant I never applied myself much to learning to read sheet music well-- which meant my sight-reading skills were very poor, later on. I'm pretty much a "play it by ear" sort of person in most of my hobbies. . . I think I prefer some things that way, but for crochet, it's probably a good idea to learn to follow patterns.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Donald and I went out for lunch and a movie, today. We saw WALL-E. I'm not sure what I expected, but whatever my expectations were, I think they were surpassed. (g) It was a really sweet and amusing movie-- especially considering that the main character is a robot.
I don't want to give away too much, so just to be sure that I don't spoil it, I'm posting a SPOILER WARNING now. Don't read the rest of this post if you don't want the film potentially spoiled for you.
WARNING!!!!
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
(for WALL-E)
.
.
.
I was already in a somewhat more emotional mood than usual, today. (I woke this morning from a sad dream involving Daisy, and some of those feelings were still hanging around, I guess.) So I'm not sure how much of my emotional response to this movie was from something other than the movie itself. . . Maybe it was the lack of dialog in the first part of the film. Maybe WALL-E reminded me of E.T. Who knows! (g) Whatever it was, I found myself repeatedly getting teary while watching this movie.
As I wrote before, over all, I enjoyed the film. It was sweet in spots, funny in others, and generally entertaining. Even if you aren't a "robot person" (and I'm not), most people will enjoy this movie.
However, there are definitely some not-so-hidden messages. For instance:
- People are growing increasingly fat and lazy.
- People are so constantly connected to their gadgets that they're becoming distanced from one another and disconnected from the world around them.
- The world is becoming too "consumerist"/consumption-driven.
- We're killing the planet, and soon the only way it will be able to "heal" itself is for us to leave for a long, long time.
Anyway, even though there were "messages", they certainly didn't ruin the film for me (and I think Donald found them less obvious that I did. . . or at least not really "political" in nature). If you want to see a really weird movie full of propaganda, rent Happy Feet. Not really appropriate for young kids (assuming you don't want to brainwash them). . . Nowhere near amusing enough to hold an adult's attention. . . Who in the world was the target audience?! I didn't care for it. ;o)
Well, enough rambling. . . Back to regular schedules tomorrow!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Nothing in Particular
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Donald noticed over the weekend that mockingbirds have been pecking at our tomato plants. Annoying! He put up a makeshift "cage" around all the tomato plants, and that should work for now.
I've read a little online and found a few other ideas, too. Some people suggest hanging junk CDs, foil streamers, etc. on fishing line to frighten the birds away. My personal favorite, though, is a rubber snake. Just move it around every day or two, and the birds are supposed to think it's the real thing. (Of course, we'd have to put it so that Molly couldn't get to it, or it'd be her newest toy! I can just imagine her running around with a fake snake hanging out of her mouth! It wouldn't be good for my nerves. (g))
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Donald's parents are getting a puppy today! (Already have it by now, I'm sure.) There are photos on this page of Thorbjörn's website. Their puppy is the one sitting by herself in two of the photos. I think Donald said her name is Soffi (spelling may be wrong), but I'm not sure if that's what they're calling her or just what the mother-dog's owners have been calling her.
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I just remembered something that happened one of the evenings we were taking care of Prince and Skipper, recently. We were driving away, and the dogs had "escorted" us to the front of the yard, near the fence. Suddenly, I saw a bird "dive-bombing" poor Skipper! He must have been near a nest. I've seen video of birds attacking cats that way, but not dogs. Fortunately, he seemed to be fine, though I do think he was aware that the bird was fussing at him.
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We watched The Invasion the other night.
SPOILER ALERT!!
Don't read this section if you haven't seen The Invasion yet and don't want it spoiled.
Afterwards, I checked out what people were saying about it on IMDB (Internet Movie Database). Just because I like doing that. (g) I don't know what I expected, really, because, well, many of the people who comment there are. . . well, let's just say they're not all the best or the brightest. Still, I allowed myself to feel shocked when some of them expressed the opinion that the virus was actually a good thing. Yeah, what's so bad about something that takes away the essence of who you are? I mean, it was bringing about world peace! Who cares if we cease to be who we are-- lose emotion and autonomy-- if it means the world's at peace?
I knew the concept of the rights (and the value) of the individual was being steadily brainwashed away, but this has brought it into even sharper focus for me.
SPOILER ALERT!!
Don't read this section if you haven't seen The Invasion yet and don't want it spoiled.
Afterwards, I checked out what people were saying about it on IMDB (Internet Movie Database). Just because I like doing that. (g) I don't know what I expected, really, because, well, many of the people who comment there are. . . well, let's just say they're not all the best or the brightest. Still, I allowed myself to feel shocked when some of them expressed the opinion that the virus was actually a good thing. Yeah, what's so bad about something that takes away the essence of who you are? I mean, it was bringing about world peace! Who cares if we cease to be who we are-- lose emotion and autonomy-- if it means the world's at peace?
I knew the concept of the rights (and the value) of the individual was being steadily brainwashed away, but this has brought it into even sharper focus for me.
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I'm trying to learn to crochet granny squares. I got a little demonstration from Mom and Aunt Cathy on Friday, and since then I've also found a couple of helpful tutorials online. (I'm sure there are lots more.) I guess I'm making some progress, but I'm sure my tension is off, because I can't seem to hold the yarn comfortably-- and my work so far is not very pretty. I'll probably improve if I just stick with it for a while, but it's hard to want to work on it when the results aren't that great. I don't think I'll ever be known for my patience in learning new skills.
(I've made two "complete" squares, so far. Still not perfect, but at least they're square. ;o) There's a photo on my Flickr page, if you're interested.)
(I've made two "complete" squares, so far. Still not perfect, but at least they're square. ;o) There's a photo on my Flickr page, if you're interested.)
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We have a new camera! It's a Canon XSi, and of course it works with all the lenses we've been using with our older camera. So now when we go somewhere, we can both take photos. (g) The bigger display is really nice-- and of course the larger photos are a plus, too.
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I'm sleepy tonight. Maybe going to bed a little early would be a good idea. . . Hope your week's off to a good start!
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