As I have mentioned before, one of my summer viewing pleasures is So You Think You Can Dance?. I don't remember watching it the first season (and now I realize I did, after checking wiki). The popularity of Dancing with the Stars may my propelled my interest, because I didn't miss an episode last season. There were so many dancers I enjoyed--Allison, Ivan, Travis, Donyelle (Travis and Donyelle are probably tied for my favorite). Benji was okay... but he didn't excite me as these other four did.
But this year marked the return of Hok (Hokutu Konishi). He tried out last summer, and would have went far if he would have had a work permit instead of just a student visa. The episode they told Hok he had to go home, scolded him even, was heartbreaking for him, the judges ... and me. There's something about him that's charming and captivating. Born in Japan, Hok was raised in Oxford, England and is going to school in Santa Monica for graphic design. (As a side note: his accent is amazing! Not quite British, almost sounds a bit Australian ...)
He's a hip hop, B-Boy--break dancing, but so much more than the 80's spinning on your head. These boys (and girls) and pop, lock, contort, flip and spin like no one else. It's truly entertaining to watch the really skilled b-boys. And Hok has those magical qualities. I can't wait to watch him perform each night. Even when he's not taking on his own style, he brings that magic to the other genres.
He nailed his jazz number in Week 3, but is struggling with the ballroom dances. While, I didn't notice any issues with last week's waltz, Mary Murphy didn't have many positive comments. As far as I can tell his carriage is great, but it's his footwork that needs work. I plead with the dance gods to have Hok practice ballroom to perfect that technique until he has blisters! If he doesn't, it will be his ultimate downfall.
My other favorites are Neil Haskill (contemporary), Sabra Johnson (contemporary) and Dominic Sandoval (hip hop).
Benji's sister Lacey is a contestant and Travis' adopted brother Danny is also on the show. Lacey is striking and very energetic, but she doesn't hit me the way the others do. The judges love her, so I'm sure she'll go far. And other than Danny's technique, he's not very fun to watch. From the beginning, the judges have tried to put their fingers on what it was that put people off about Danny. I think it comes down to, he dances--but doesn't connect with the audience. I don't think he feels what he dances. He just doesn't have the it factor, no magic.
I also love watch what the choreographer are going to pull out of their hats. My favorites are Shane Sparks (hip hop), Wade Robson (jazz/contemporary--and maybe the most talented, innovative, groundbreaking choreographer on the show) and Mia Michaels. I'm sure I missed one or two, but I haven't seen them on the show yet.
The last reason I love the show is that it's a good cue for what's coming on the music scene. KT Tungstall's song "Suddenly I See" was the farewell for the show last year. So by the end of the summer I knew those bars by heart. I didn't even hear it on the radio until the fall. And Fergie's London Bridge was performed live on the show a week before I saw it on Yahoo! Music Videos.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Thank you, Jonathan Larson
My first exposure to RENT was in 8th or 9th grade when the high school chamber choir sang "Seasons of Love" (SoL) It was one of those songs we all fell in love with, sang randomly and would gather in the back of the theatre to listen to.
I only wish our choir teacher would have given us the story. I can understand not telling us the musical's content, but they could have told us about Jonathan Larson, it's writer/composer.
I think my choir sang SoL and "Without You" during my junior year.
the next time I saw something about RENT, Neil Patrick Harris was a guest on the Rosie O'Donnell show. I had a crush on him since his Doogie Houser days and I hadn't seen him since he stopped playing that young MD.
He had black fingernails, and I don't remember the famous black and white scarf, but I can can picture him in it now. I loved the song he sang (though I can't remember which one it is). Then the ensemble sang SoL. They talked a little about the play and I remember wanting to see it, because of the songs I knew. But I was also not quite sure about the content--they had Doogie Houser wearing black fingernail polish after all.
I got any songs from RENT I could find that afternoon. It must have been a slow day, because all I could find was SoL, "Without You" and "Santa Fe." And out of context, "Santa Fe" was so odd I didn't think I'd like the full musical.
Skip ahead about four or five ears. Rent, the movie, is released. I saw the cast on The View, and it was a lucky experience because I'm never home to watch it and really haven't watched when I am home for years for various host reasons.
The cast sang SoL and it all came flooding back to me. Then they talked to the cast about the story, the phenomenon and Jonathan Larson. It was Larson's angle that made me want to know more. So during the summer I checked it out from the library.
I watched it alone at first, I wasn't sure if mom would like it. Before that first viewing, I was excited, eager and nervous all rolled into one. I had known about this for so long and finally had the chance to truly experience it. I didn't know if I would like it or if it had been built up too much and it would be a natural disappointment.
But it didn't let me down one bit. I watched it again right after I finished--something I've only done for a handful of movies. The next day I told mom she absolutely had to watch it. She did, and loved it too--but she didn't cry like I did.
I start crying at "Without You" and would continue to sob through to the credits. While I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction and waterworks, but I thought she'd do something. Finally I got her to watch the documentary, and then I got tears from her at "I'll Cover You, the reprise."
I went online and bought the soundtrack before I even had to take the movie back to the library.
As i write this, I realize I'm talking about my experience with Rent and not the greatness of Jonathan Larson, like I had intended. But I guess that's fitting, because I couldn't write anything that hadn't already been said. Brilliant, innovative, ground breaking, stubborn--the embodiment of an artist. And taken from us too soon. Yet another quality.
But is the lore created from the tragedy? If he had lived, what would have that done to the legend, hype, popularity and experience that RENT spawned in those early days ... and all the fans captivated in the years following?
Then on the other hand, it's such a shame he didn't get see everyone he touched, or the success and validation of his work. Just think of everything of he could have done ...
And I think that hurts just as much.
I only wish our choir teacher would have given us the story. I can understand not telling us the musical's content, but they could have told us about Jonathan Larson, it's writer/composer.
I think my choir sang SoL and "Without You" during my junior year.
the next time I saw something about RENT, Neil Patrick Harris was a guest on the Rosie O'Donnell show. I had a crush on him since his Doogie Houser days and I hadn't seen him since he stopped playing that young MD.
He had black fingernails, and I don't remember the famous black and white scarf, but I can can picture him in it now. I loved the song he sang (though I can't remember which one it is). Then the ensemble sang SoL. They talked a little about the play and I remember wanting to see it, because of the songs I knew. But I was also not quite sure about the content--they had Doogie Houser wearing black fingernail polish after all.
I got any songs from RENT I could find that afternoon. It must have been a slow day, because all I could find was SoL, "Without You" and "Santa Fe." And out of context, "Santa Fe" was so odd I didn't think I'd like the full musical.
Skip ahead about four or five ears. Rent, the movie, is released. I saw the cast on The View, and it was a lucky experience because I'm never home to watch it and really haven't watched when I am home for years for various host reasons.
The cast sang SoL and it all came flooding back to me. Then they talked to the cast about the story, the phenomenon and Jonathan Larson. It was Larson's angle that made me want to know more. So during the summer I checked it out from the library.
I watched it alone at first, I wasn't sure if mom would like it. Before that first viewing, I was excited, eager and nervous all rolled into one. I had known about this for so long and finally had the chance to truly experience it. I didn't know if I would like it or if it had been built up too much and it would be a natural disappointment.
But it didn't let me down one bit. I watched it again right after I finished--something I've only done for a handful of movies. The next day I told mom she absolutely had to watch it. She did, and loved it too--but she didn't cry like I did.
I start crying at "Without You" and would continue to sob through to the credits. While I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction and waterworks, but I thought she'd do something. Finally I got her to watch the documentary, and then I got tears from her at "I'll Cover You, the reprise."
I went online and bought the soundtrack before I even had to take the movie back to the library.
As i write this, I realize I'm talking about my experience with Rent and not the greatness of Jonathan Larson, like I had intended. But I guess that's fitting, because I couldn't write anything that hadn't already been said. Brilliant, innovative, ground breaking, stubborn--the embodiment of an artist. And taken from us too soon. Yet another quality.
But is the lore created from the tragedy? If he had lived, what would have that done to the legend, hype, popularity and experience that RENT spawned in those early days ... and all the fans captivated in the years following?
Then on the other hand, it's such a shame he didn't get see everyone he touched, or the success and validation of his work. Just think of everything of he could have done ...
And I think that hurts just as much.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Summer Rain
This morning I woke up to thunder. What I should have done was wake up and start exercising, but I rolled over and went back to sleep. I'm working on it. By the end of the week I hope actually start getting up. Baby steps.
I love summer thunderstorms. All summer long we're bathed in sunlight and can hardly go anywhere without sunglasses. But when a storm rolls in, it slowly gets darker. Storms of other seasons simply difuse the light, making it overcast and dull. Somehow the color seems to seep out of our surroundings. But summer storms simply turn off the light. Everything remains as vivid and brilliant as before.
Summer storms are also a relief to hot, muggy weather. Again, a switch is thrown and it becomes cooler. Most like our summer storms are a relief to dry water. Which causes another reason to rejoice. We don't have to water flower beds and gardens. Whoo Hoo!
So we have the cool weather, perfect to go puddle jumping and we also have a fantastic light show. Thunder and lightning are nature's fourth of july, especially when you're in the comfort of your home.
What can I say, I just like the rain!
I love summer thunderstorms. All summer long we're bathed in sunlight and can hardly go anywhere without sunglasses. But when a storm rolls in, it slowly gets darker. Storms of other seasons simply difuse the light, making it overcast and dull. Somehow the color seems to seep out of our surroundings. But summer storms simply turn off the light. Everything remains as vivid and brilliant as before.
Summer storms are also a relief to hot, muggy weather. Again, a switch is thrown and it becomes cooler. Most like our summer storms are a relief to dry water. Which causes another reason to rejoice. We don't have to water flower beds and gardens. Whoo Hoo!
So we have the cool weather, perfect to go puddle jumping and we also have a fantastic light show. Thunder and lightning are nature's fourth of july, especially when you're in the comfort of your home.
What can I say, I just like the rain!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Summer is here and so is NS-13 (tomorrow!)
Summer is officially here, though it's been quite warm for some time. Last night we had our first campfire of the summer. It was nice, though we didn't stay out long. I made a pizza over the fire and we watched the cats try to sneak over and steal some food.
We discovered that one of the cats looks like Hitler. It has a little patch of black under its nose. I'll try to get a picture of it to post. I can just picture it doing the salute and the march. I can also picture it holding meetings with the other cats plotting ways to destroy us. And that worries me.
I finished my last hardcore ascension before NS13 rolls out. I checked my stat page and it was 13 day run! I didn't use my full adventures two days of the run, so it would have been even faster. I have mixed emotions about that. It's cool because I finally got under two weeks--and could have done even better. But now with the changes coming tomorrow, I probably won't see a fast run for a long time.
The anticipation for NS13 is dreadful and exciting. There's been strange weather in the Kingdom lately, storm clouds over the map and a particularly nasty one over the Sorceress' lair. I hope she has a lightning rod and has turned off her appliances. Last year a meteorite was heading for the Kingdom and eventually collided with one of our moons, Grimace. Well, this created a small third moon the orbits the other two. And the meteor, or maybe it was a chunk of Grimace, fell to the Kingdom and created a crater on the northern-most region of the Desert Beach. After awhile, the penguins mysteriously appeared and set up camp. Soon we learned they were mining the grimacite. This lead to the opening of the raffle house and grimacite prizes.
Now, exactly one year after the site was created, we have been granted access to it. No one really knows how, but speculation is the mob penguin guarding the site (who've we all spoken to, but could never get past) left his post or was over run. The penguins are battling and dropping items--something that hasn't happened in three years!
So thousands of adventurers have depleted grimacite in their inventory. I'm just hoping this doesn't lead to some kind of nuclear poisoning and there's not another great plague.
There's also been a secretive mason hanging around the wrong side of the tracks. He claims he's using grimacite to rebuild Hagnk's. Hagnk's is where adventurers store their belongings when they ascend and during hardcore runs. Poor Hagnk's has been burned down, hit by the meteor and flooded. Now most of us have a soft spot for Hagnk, so we'd all be pretty willing to donate a chunk or two of grimacite to the worthy cause of helping him. Along with the rock, the mason asks for 25,000 meat because the grimacite ruins his tools has he shapes them into bricks. Smells like a scam (or meatsink) to me.
Well my Accordian Thief is having issues with little miss naughty up in her tower. Gah, she can't just give me a break. Since I won't be seeing her until Level 13 now she needs to inflict as much pain as possible right now when she has the chance.
We discovered that one of the cats looks like Hitler. It has a little patch of black under its nose. I'll try to get a picture of it to post. I can just picture it doing the salute and the march. I can also picture it holding meetings with the other cats plotting ways to destroy us. And that worries me.
I finished my last hardcore ascension before NS13 rolls out. I checked my stat page and it was 13 day run! I didn't use my full adventures two days of the run, so it would have been even faster. I have mixed emotions about that. It's cool because I finally got under two weeks--and could have done even better. But now with the changes coming tomorrow, I probably won't see a fast run for a long time.
The anticipation for NS13 is dreadful and exciting. There's been strange weather in the Kingdom lately, storm clouds over the map and a particularly nasty one over the Sorceress' lair. I hope she has a lightning rod and has turned off her appliances. Last year a meteorite was heading for the Kingdom and eventually collided with one of our moons, Grimace. Well, this created a small third moon the orbits the other two. And the meteor, or maybe it was a chunk of Grimace, fell to the Kingdom and created a crater on the northern-most region of the Desert Beach. After awhile, the penguins mysteriously appeared and set up camp. Soon we learned they were mining the grimacite. This lead to the opening of the raffle house and grimacite prizes.
Now, exactly one year after the site was created, we have been granted access to it. No one really knows how, but speculation is the mob penguin guarding the site (who've we all spoken to, but could never get past) left his post or was over run. The penguins are battling and dropping items--something that hasn't happened in three years!
So thousands of adventurers have depleted grimacite in their inventory. I'm just hoping this doesn't lead to some kind of nuclear poisoning and there's not another great plague.
There's also been a secretive mason hanging around the wrong side of the tracks. He claims he's using grimacite to rebuild Hagnk's. Hagnk's is where adventurers store their belongings when they ascend and during hardcore runs. Poor Hagnk's has been burned down, hit by the meteor and flooded. Now most of us have a soft spot for Hagnk, so we'd all be pretty willing to donate a chunk or two of grimacite to the worthy cause of helping him. Along with the rock, the mason asks for 25,000 meat because the grimacite ruins his tools has he shapes them into bricks. Smells like a scam (or meatsink) to me.
Well my Accordian Thief is having issues with little miss naughty up in her tower. Gah, she can't just give me a break. Since I won't be seeing her until Level 13 now she needs to inflict as much pain as possible right now when she has the chance.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Cell Phones Don't Swim
I always "love" those days when I wake up 10 minutes before I'm supposed to leave for work. Today was one of those days. I ironed a skirt (damn wrinkly skirts), started the coffee and got dressed. Then I grabbed my purse, threw my cell phone in it and grabbed my bag.I made a stop in the bathroom to jam some hair pins in (so I could fix it later after at the office) and put my contacts in. I set my purse (okay, maybe it was more towards a "throw" than a "set") on the counter, it tipped, and my cell phone went for a swim. I had water in the sink, soaking some things.
Now kids, no matter how much your cell phone begs and pleads, even if it's 88 degrees and humid. Your cell phone, should not go swimming. It gets water in it's ear and gets an ear infection, gets cold and quite frankly, sinks faster than Kerry when she tries to float. (sorry babe, it was an amazing reference that just came to me).
So nonetheless, I played lifeguard and brought my little buddy back up to the surface. I took out its battery and wrapped it in a towel and stuffed it in my bag. I proceeded to then put in my contacts, grab coffee, call work to tell them I'd be 10 minutes late and zipped out the door. Once I got to work, I fixed my hair and did my make up and addressed my poor wet phone. It wouldn't turn on. 15 minutes later, it turns on but the screen keeps going black. I took about 5 minutes to pull my numbers off so when the phone eventually flat-lined I would have them.
I shared my miseries with a co-worker (her husband dropped his phone in a pool) and we
looked at my poor little kyocera. The screen got better, but when Jeanne called my number, she couldn't hear me.I hoped online, checked out alltel.com, visited Radio Shack and finally hit PC Doctors. So right now I'm test driving a Motorola Razor. The only other one that somewhat tripped my trigger was an LG with a MP3 option. But I think I'm satisfied.
Again, Cell phones shouldn't go swimming. No swimming for cell phones. Bad idea.
Now kids, no matter how much your cell phone begs and pleads, even if it's 88 degrees and humid. Your cell phone, should not go swimming. It gets water in it's ear and gets an ear infection, gets cold and quite frankly, sinks faster than Kerry when she tries to float. (sorry babe, it was an amazing reference that just came to me).
So nonetheless, I played lifeguard and brought my little buddy back up to the surface. I took out its battery and wrapped it in a towel and stuffed it in my bag. I proceeded to then put in my contacts, grab coffee, call work to tell them I'd be 10 minutes late and zipped out the door. Once I got to work, I fixed my hair and did my make up and addressed my poor wet phone. It wouldn't turn on. 15 minutes later, it turns on but the screen keeps going black. I took about 5 minutes to pull my numbers off so when the phone eventually flat-lined I would have them.
I shared my miseries with a co-worker (her husband dropped his phone in a pool) and we
looked at my poor little kyocera. The screen got better, but when Jeanne called my number, she couldn't hear me.I hoped online, checked out alltel.com, visited Radio Shack and finally hit PC Doctors. So right now I'm test driving a Motorola Razor. The only other one that somewhat tripped my trigger was an LG with a MP3 option. But I think I'm satisfied.Again, Cell phones shouldn't go swimming. No swimming for cell phones. Bad idea.
Pictures (top to bottom): My old kyocera. *sniff, sniff*
My new Razr. She's pretty cool, but still gonna miss my old buddy Kyocera.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Affirmation ...
Do you remember the song from Savage Garden? Really fast beat, probably made faster by the club-machines for people to dance. It's title was "Affirmation" and each lyric started with "I believe." I've always enjoyed it, and agreed with most of their affirmations.
So two weeks ago, in pondering what I should blog about, and listening to the cd in the car, I decide to give some of my own affirmations. Sadly, there aren't as many as I would have liked, but I suppose I could always do a Part II.
With no further ado, here are my Affirmations: (the ones with * behind them are in the Savage Garden song, as well)
I BELIEVE ...
in Karma what you give is what you get returned.*
the grass is never really greener on the other side.*
that God doesn't endorse anyone who hates in his name.
that God also doesn't care who marries whom ... gay, straight or otherwise.
GW ran for office to follow through where his father failed.
movie stars should keep their personal lives and opinions to themselves. Knowing their skeletons and opinions ruins their storytelling ability.
we each need to make special efforts to do our part so we don't destroy the Earth.
a soul mate deosn't have to be a romantic match.
tanning beds are just as dangerous as the sun.
putting someone down is not okay--neither is not sticking up for a friend when you hear others putting them down.
a true friend is always there when you need them, which is the greatest gift they can give.
we by nature judge people--it's that realizing it's only our opinion--is what truly matters.
the line between heroism and terroism is blurred and in the eye of the beholder.
no one has the right to take your happiness.
in things that go bump in the night.
So two weeks ago, in pondering what I should blog about, and listening to the cd in the car, I decide to give some of my own affirmations. Sadly, there aren't as many as I would have liked, but I suppose I could always do a Part II.
With no further ado, here are my Affirmations: (the ones with * behind them are in the Savage Garden song, as well)
I BELIEVE ...
in Karma what you give is what you get returned.*
the grass is never really greener on the other side.*
that God doesn't endorse anyone who hates in his name.
that God also doesn't care who marries whom ... gay, straight or otherwise.
GW ran for office to follow through where his father failed.
movie stars should keep their personal lives and opinions to themselves. Knowing their skeletons and opinions ruins their storytelling ability.
we each need to make special efforts to do our part so we don't destroy the Earth.
a soul mate deosn't have to be a romantic match.
tanning beds are just as dangerous as the sun.
putting someone down is not okay--neither is not sticking up for a friend when you hear others putting them down.
a true friend is always there when you need them, which is the greatest gift they can give.
we by nature judge people--it's that realizing it's only our opinion--is what truly matters.
the line between heroism and terroism is blurred and in the eye of the beholder.
no one has the right to take your happiness.
in things that go bump in the night.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Rejected Adventure
Back during St Patrick's Day week, aka: Week of Drunk Lovin' II (yeah, that's a week in the KoL Community) the clan of Nobleese Obligiation (or some sort name) had a drunken stuper writing contest. I submitted this one, and sadly, it didn't place. I'm still proud of it though, so I decided to share it from you.
Cold, Wet & Sticky ~ Brilliant!
You’re that special kind of drunk where you are a better driver since your senses are heightened because you know you’re drunk. To celebrate your intoxicitity (which is a word on St. Sneaky Pete’s Day) you hit Seaside Town.
You stumble into the lair of the pretentious painter. He refuses to paint your portrait because you’re clothes aren’t good enough for him.
You’re just about to give him a piece of your mind when he asks why your tongue is green.
Forgetting that you’ve downed more than few green beers, you run away terrified and bump into a suspicious looking guy. He’s outraged at the drunken debauchery around him on this his holy day. Hey—Suspicious Looking Guy is Irish!
You stop to argue that everyone is Irish on St. Sneaky Pete’s day, and he takes a break from his rant to break you in half.
He dumps a thick black beer down your back and leaves you in a puddle with nothing but beads around your neck and your flashing button pinned to your socks.
You lose 17 chutzpah.
You gain Stale Beer Smell (10 turns)
KoL adventure text has pop culture references. Mine include: Family Guy episode where Peter and his friends are drunk and are deciding who should be the driver. Reference to the Pretencious Painter, when you visit him w/o an outfit he turns you away b/c you have bland clothing. Guinness. Flashing button was the item drop for Sneaky Pete's day.
Cold, Wet & Sticky ~ Brilliant!
You’re that special kind of drunk where you are a better driver since your senses are heightened because you know you’re drunk. To celebrate your intoxicitity (which is a word on St. Sneaky Pete’s Day) you hit Seaside Town.
You stumble into the lair of the pretentious painter. He refuses to paint your portrait because you’re clothes aren’t good enough for him.
You’re just about to give him a piece of your mind when he asks why your tongue is green.
Forgetting that you’ve downed more than few green beers, you run away terrified and bump into a suspicious looking guy. He’s outraged at the drunken debauchery around him on this his holy day. Hey—Suspicious Looking Guy is Irish!
You stop to argue that everyone is Irish on St. Sneaky Pete’s day, and he takes a break from his rant to break you in half.
He dumps a thick black beer down your back and leaves you in a puddle with nothing but beads around your neck and your flashing button pinned to your socks.
You lose 17 chutzpah.
You gain Stale Beer Smell (10 turns)
KoL adventure text has pop culture references. Mine include: Family Guy episode where Peter and his friends are drunk and are deciding who should be the driver. Reference to the Pretencious Painter, when you visit him w/o an outfit he turns you away b/c you have bland clothing. Guinness. Flashing button was the item drop for Sneaky Pete's day.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
To Hinder, a raccoon
The weather sure has been weird lately. Yesterday morning it poured and then was cloudy and by two it was so sunny. I hope today is the same because it's raining right now. I wanted to tend the garden later on. We'll see. As an aside, I hate blogging about the weather. Can you get any more cliche than that?
Last night around nine I took the cats some cooking scraps. I opened the door and saw a thick, furry tail. Well then, that explains why we have to fill the dishes up to the top every day. We have a fucking raccoon (i almost typed squirrel there, hee hee).
He's a big one, and mean too. I opened the door and flipped on the light, didn't even step foot in there and he growled and hissed at me. But now as I type, I'm not sure if he growled, but I know that he hissed. How weird is it that a raccoon hisses? I don't know why I keep saying "he." I didn't exactly check out the anatomy to make a distinction (more like tossed the pan in, turned off the light and shut/locked the door and ran back to the house).
I'm not quite sure what to do. I don't want to keep feeding the damn thing. I'm thinking of taking the food dishes in a night. I'll either lock them in the container where we keep the food or put them in Sparky's old house where the kittens are. I just need to bring them out each morning.
We had five baby kitties but can only find four now. I think I might know what happened to that poor fifth one.
My latest music interest is the band Hinder. I first heard it's song "Lips of Angel" on the way to Chicago last summer with the Colby girls. Not really listening to the words, I wasn't immediately pulled to the music. When actually heard the words, I was appalled.
The song is a phone conversation with his ex-girlfriend. She calls late one night, crying. Well, the new girl is just over in the next room, and he knows he needs to be quiet. Throughout the conversation he remembers being with her--hearing her voice say his name, wishing his current girl was her, saying that he's been thinking about her and finally, she makes it hard for him to be faithful.
Now the surface of this song makes me want to bitch-slap that guy. Cheating is a deal breaker. And though he may not be doing anything physical with her, he is emotionally cheating on the new chica. He's obviously still hung up on the ex, which is fine. But he shouldn't be in another relationship or sneaking around talking to her. But I digress.
There are two things that make me like this song. The emotion and forlornness in the guy's voice and the devotion to the ex-girlfriend. Everything else aside, it's an honest conversation filled with regret, guilt, longing, jealously and probably some delusion. But her voice takes him back to a happy part of their relationship, through rose-colored glasses they share a perfect moment. And perfect moments--no matter how they hurt others, are wrong and all other consequences forgotten--are something special.
The next song from Hinder, "Better than Me," I liked instantly. The music, the lyrics, yeah. It starts with an acoustic guitar (which I always love) and very simple vocals. There's just something about his voice that draws me in. Is it the scratchy rocker voice? Is it the feeling that he's singing from deep down in his gut and act of expelling the notes and words are the only things that are keeping him breathing?
The message I take from this song also has me conflicted. Better than Me is about a man reflecting on the relationship he ended. "I think you can do much better than me, after all the lies I made you believe." The lyrics are him remembering what they had together and what he'll miss. It also expresses the way she impacted him, and that even when he's older he'll still think about her--how we carry the people we love with us. Good or bad, the way they make us feel can be called back with a memory or a familiar sight. "And I think you should know this, you deserve much better than me ..."
The part that has me conflicted is that he broke up with her because she deserves better. I always hated when that happened in movies or books. It should be her decision not his. That always felt like a cop-out--and way to fake being noble when really it's just an easy way out rather than working for a relationship. On the flip-side, if he really is being shitty to her and she can't see it b/c she's so head over heels in love....
Hinder's best quality, and something not all rock bands can capture, is the music can be strong and powerful one moment and then next beat it's quiet and solemn. That range is what really makes their music interesting.
A week or so ago, I just had to hear their first single, "Get Stoned." Though it is not as lyrical as the other two, the lead singer has same raw quality voice that I enjoy. I love cadence and the beat of the song is fun. This song is more of a screaming-type of song--and I can't sing along and be on key with this one. It's about a dysfunctional relationship: the highest highs ;-) and lowest lows---they're not good for each other, but they're oh so good to each other.
Despite everything (and maybe a primal because of everything), I enjoy this song.
At first, I thought the lead singer reminded me of Marilyn Manson. He's very skinny and does that weird tilting-back arching thing where he throws his hand to the side like Manson. But then, after I saw the video for "Get Stoned" and something on Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, I realized they are really more similar. (though he still reminds me a little of Manson).
All in all, Hinder really isn't my type of band. The three songs I just described are about defunct relationships, and I'm not willing to buy the CD to find out if there's any more depth or intellect to the group. Nonetheless, those three songs were strong in my rotation.
Random music note, I popped in the blink-182 untitled CD (which is, of course, magenta). Good stuff (an evolved blink, one that makes me sad that I won't ever hear the next step). And extra great enjoying some music I'd forgotten (and Mark says on his blog that +44 is playing some blink songs at their concerts. I wonder how royalties might work for something like that...) I have to buy a new copy, mine's getting scratchy. Check it out too, if your so inclined.
Last night around nine I took the cats some cooking scraps. I opened the door and saw a thick, furry tail. Well then, that explains why we have to fill the dishes up to the top every day. We have a fucking raccoon (i almost typed squirrel there, hee hee).
He's a big one, and mean too. I opened the door and flipped on the light, didn't even step foot in there and he growled and hissed at me. But now as I type, I'm not sure if he growled, but I know that he hissed. How weird is it that a raccoon hisses? I don't know why I keep saying "he." I didn't exactly check out the anatomy to make a distinction (more like tossed the pan in, turned off the light and shut/locked the door and ran back to the house).
I'm not quite sure what to do. I don't want to keep feeding the damn thing. I'm thinking of taking the food dishes in a night. I'll either lock them in the container where we keep the food or put them in Sparky's old house where the kittens are. I just need to bring them out each morning.
We had five baby kitties but can only find four now. I think I might know what happened to that poor fifth one.
My latest music interest is the band Hinder. I first heard it's song "Lips of Angel" on the way to Chicago last summer with the Colby girls. Not really listening to the words, I wasn't immediately pulled to the music. When actually heard the words, I was appalled.
The song is a phone conversation with his ex-girlfriend. She calls late one night, crying. Well, the new girl is just over in the next room, and he knows he needs to be quiet. Throughout the conversation he remembers being with her--hearing her voice say his name, wishing his current girl was her, saying that he's been thinking about her and finally, she makes it hard for him to be faithful.
Now the surface of this song makes me want to bitch-slap that guy. Cheating is a deal breaker. And though he may not be doing anything physical with her, he is emotionally cheating on the new chica. He's obviously still hung up on the ex, which is fine. But he shouldn't be in another relationship or sneaking around talking to her. But I digress.
There are two things that make me like this song. The emotion and forlornness in the guy's voice and the devotion to the ex-girlfriend. Everything else aside, it's an honest conversation filled with regret, guilt, longing, jealously and probably some delusion. But her voice takes him back to a happy part of their relationship, through rose-colored glasses they share a perfect moment. And perfect moments--no matter how they hurt others, are wrong and all other consequences forgotten--are something special.
The next song from Hinder, "Better than Me," I liked instantly. The music, the lyrics, yeah. It starts with an acoustic guitar (which I always love) and very simple vocals. There's just something about his voice that draws me in. Is it the scratchy rocker voice? Is it the feeling that he's singing from deep down in his gut and act of expelling the notes and words are the only things that are keeping him breathing?
The message I take from this song also has me conflicted. Better than Me is about a man reflecting on the relationship he ended. "I think you can do much better than me, after all the lies I made you believe." The lyrics are him remembering what they had together and what he'll miss. It also expresses the way she impacted him, and that even when he's older he'll still think about her--how we carry the people we love with us. Good or bad, the way they make us feel can be called back with a memory or a familiar sight. "And I think you should know this, you deserve much better than me ..."
The part that has me conflicted is that he broke up with her because she deserves better. I always hated when that happened in movies or books. It should be her decision not his. That always felt like a cop-out--and way to fake being noble when really it's just an easy way out rather than working for a relationship. On the flip-side, if he really is being shitty to her and she can't see it b/c she's so head over heels in love....
Hinder's best quality, and something not all rock bands can capture, is the music can be strong and powerful one moment and then next beat it's quiet and solemn. That range is what really makes their music interesting.
A week or so ago, I just had to hear their first single, "Get Stoned." Though it is not as lyrical as the other two, the lead singer has same raw quality voice that I enjoy. I love cadence and the beat of the song is fun. This song is more of a screaming-type of song--and I can't sing along and be on key with this one. It's about a dysfunctional relationship: the highest highs ;-) and lowest lows---they're not good for each other, but they're oh so good to each other.
Despite everything (and maybe a primal because of everything), I enjoy this song.
At first, I thought the lead singer reminded me of Marilyn Manson. He's very skinny and does that weird tilting-back arching thing where he throws his hand to the side like Manson. But then, after I saw the video for "Get Stoned" and something on Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, I realized they are really more similar. (though he still reminds me a little of Manson).
All in all, Hinder really isn't my type of band. The three songs I just described are about defunct relationships, and I'm not willing to buy the CD to find out if there's any more depth or intellect to the group. Nonetheless, those three songs were strong in my rotation.
Random music note, I popped in the blink-182 untitled CD (which is, of course, magenta). Good stuff (an evolved blink, one that makes me sad that I won't ever hear the next step). And extra great enjoying some music I'd forgotten (and Mark says on his blog that +44 is playing some blink songs at their concerts. I wonder how royalties might work for something like that...) I have to buy a new copy, mine's getting scratchy. Check it out too, if your so inclined.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Sneezy, sniffy days
Friday as I was out and about I found myself taking deep breaths. Ahhh fresh cut grass smell. Unfortunately, with the fresh cut grass smell there was also pollen. Just last weekend I was thinking, "Wow, I haven't had itchy eyes or a runny nose at all this year. Usually it starts around April."
Yeah, if there's one lesson in life every one needs to learn early, it's never make that statement. You know the one. "Gee, XYZ hasn't happened yet (it usually does) or (I really expected it to)." By uttering those words (or even in my case, just thinking it), you just set in motion forces in this world that will ensure Condition XYZ will indeed happen. And most likely, in ten fold.
So now I'm sniffling and sneezing, taking allergy pills here and there. Yippee.
I ascended last night. It took a lot longer than I would have hoped because I haven't been able to get all my adventures in every day. I decided to go for Accordian Thief to pick up one or two skills before ... well, I'll tell you about that in just a bit. Doing an accordian thief run with my multi really was helpful. It's not that Accordian Thieves are incredibly hard, it's just that it's way harder without all the other skills from the other classes. As I'm adventuring, I'm always going for entangling noodles, or a reagant potion and the like. And there are a couple of really good buffs from the AT that I'd like before ...
Before, that is, NS13 rolls out. Now, I'm not going to bore anyone who doesn't care (though, I've probably done so already). So if you want to know what that is, or might be, GoodSearch it (or google it for you non-philanthropic types). Nonetheless--from the way it's hyped up, it's going to be big. More content, more items, more quests, more monsters----and a whole lot harder. So I gotta start pulling in the most important HP skills and mighty quickly b/c they announced NS13 rolls out in 29 days! So it's all no path HC runs so I can get the most skills I possibly can.
I need to finish a roll of film so I can get the rest of my New York pictures.
Yeah, if there's one lesson in life every one needs to learn early, it's never make that statement. You know the one. "Gee, XYZ hasn't happened yet (it usually does) or (I really expected it to)." By uttering those words (or even in my case, just thinking it), you just set in motion forces in this world that will ensure Condition XYZ will indeed happen. And most likely, in ten fold.
So now I'm sniffling and sneezing, taking allergy pills here and there. Yippee.
I ascended last night. It took a lot longer than I would have hoped because I haven't been able to get all my adventures in every day. I decided to go for Accordian Thief to pick up one or two skills before ... well, I'll tell you about that in just a bit. Doing an accordian thief run with my multi really was helpful. It's not that Accordian Thieves are incredibly hard, it's just that it's way harder without all the other skills from the other classes. As I'm adventuring, I'm always going for entangling noodles, or a reagant potion and the like. And there are a couple of really good buffs from the AT that I'd like before ...
Before, that is, NS13 rolls out. Now, I'm not going to bore anyone who doesn't care (though, I've probably done so already). So if you want to know what that is, or might be, GoodSearch it (or google it for you non-philanthropic types). Nonetheless--from the way it's hyped up, it's going to be big. More content, more items, more quests, more monsters----and a whole lot harder. So I gotta start pulling in the most important HP skills and mighty quickly b/c they announced NS13 rolls out in 29 days! So it's all no path HC runs so I can get the most skills I possibly can.
I need to finish a roll of film so I can get the rest of my New York pictures.
Friday, May 25, 2007
STUDIO 60 IS BACK! and the villagers rejoice
May has gone by so quickly. It feels like I was just in New York City and yesterday it feels like it was my birthday. But now it's Memorial Day Weekend.
I was generally unmotivated to write/blog this May, but I think I'm breaking out of it. I don't know what's worse: Being uninspired (not being able to write or write well) or or unmotivated (having ideas but not being interested in putting thoughts on paper/screen).
With May comes season finales. Apolo's the top dancer, Jordin gets the singing contract and everything but the damn hospital burned down in Grey's Anatomy. CSI:NY and Ghost Whisperer were suspenseful and exciting and Close to Home they were dropping like flies.
Lost ... Lost was completely confusing--I guess I should have watched more than that one episode this season.
OH! And I was disappointed with The Simpsons' 400th episode. 399 was great, but 400 was sub par--in fact because of the hype, it was so bad that it bombed.
Now that all the network shows are done they're moving into the various summer series--and I'm excited. I enjoy So You Think You Can Dance? and Last Comic Standing and all the other misfits that come about during our warm months.
NBC also brought back Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60: On the Sunset Strip. I love this show and was upset when it went on hiatus to showcase the dumb and pointless "Black Donnelley's."
Studio 60 is a spin on the behind the scenes of the late night variety sketch comedy show. Oddly so is 30 Rock. (I might do an Alec Baldwin rant sometime soon). DL Hugley and Matthew Perry are the most notable names on the show, but it's a great ensemble cast.
The show is about Matt and Danny two former writers of Studio 60 who are re-hired as Executive Producers after their iconic boss was fired. They lose most of the cast because they viewed Matt and Danny and traders, usurpers who couldn't make it in Hollywood so they came back and took (or stood back and let the network take the role of their former boss).
Matt has epic love pains for their star Harriet. They forever are the on-again off-again couple. She's too catholic, he's too liberal and on and on.
Danny lost his last job (director of a movie) when he was caught doing heroin and checked himself into rehab. He has fallen in love with the new and newly pregnant Network executive Jordan.
The writing is quick and witty. Very current with today's issues and relevant.
For some reason or another, low ratings, etc. etc. Studio 60 got the boot. I was devastated. It was the best new show of the season, the reason I looked forward to Monday nights.
When I went to New York, we stopped by NBC and I bought a Studio 60 coffee travel mug. If nothing else I would always have that.
I also heard that critics were complaining that the writing was too much about current issues and politics. They said they should do more jokes and less commentary about the world.
But that's why Studio 60 is so wonderful. Sketch comedy shows are about the world. I recently watched the 90's look into that *other* sketch comedy hit. One of the former cast members said the beauty of the show was it took everything going on in the world today: good, bad, ironic and funny ... and said the things about it that everyone is thinking, but no one wanted to say. Making fun of the president, trading kidneys for gas money and everything else we are subjected to on a daily basis.
Thank You! Studio 60 for telling the truth and bringing this witty, intelligent comedy when smart jokes are few and far between on other more blue collar comedy shows.
I hope others discover this gem of a show and tune it, so it's kept on the air!
I was generally unmotivated to write/blog this May, but I think I'm breaking out of it. I don't know what's worse: Being uninspired (not being able to write or write well) or or unmotivated (having ideas but not being interested in putting thoughts on paper/screen).
With May comes season finales. Apolo's the top dancer, Jordin gets the singing contract and everything but the damn hospital burned down in Grey's Anatomy. CSI:NY and Ghost Whisperer were suspenseful and exciting and Close to Home they were dropping like flies.
Lost ... Lost was completely confusing--I guess I should have watched more than that one episode this season.
OH! And I was disappointed with The Simpsons' 400th episode. 399 was great, but 400 was sub par--in fact because of the hype, it was so bad that it bombed.
Now that all the network shows are done they're moving into the various summer series--and I'm excited. I enjoy So You Think You Can Dance? and Last Comic Standing and all the other misfits that come about during our warm months.
NBC also brought back Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60: On the Sunset Strip. I love this show and was upset when it went on hiatus to showcase the dumb and pointless "Black Donnelley's."
Studio 60 is a spin on the behind the scenes of the late night variety sketch comedy show. Oddly so is 30 Rock. (I might do an Alec Baldwin rant sometime soon). DL Hugley and Matthew Perry are the most notable names on the show, but it's a great ensemble cast.
The show is about Matt and Danny two former writers of Studio 60 who are re-hired as Executive Producers after their iconic boss was fired. They lose most of the cast because they viewed Matt and Danny and traders, usurpers who couldn't make it in Hollywood so they came back and took (or stood back and let the network take the role of their former boss).
Matt has epic love pains for their star Harriet. They forever are the on-again off-again couple. She's too catholic, he's too liberal and on and on.
Danny lost his last job (director of a movie) when he was caught doing heroin and checked himself into rehab. He has fallen in love with the new and newly pregnant Network executive Jordan.
The writing is quick and witty. Very current with today's issues and relevant.
For some reason or another, low ratings, etc. etc. Studio 60 got the boot. I was devastated. It was the best new show of the season, the reason I looked forward to Monday nights.
When I went to New York, we stopped by NBC and I bought a Studio 60 coffee travel mug. If nothing else I would always have that.
I also heard that critics were complaining that the writing was too much about current issues and politics. They said they should do more jokes and less commentary about the world.
But that's why Studio 60 is so wonderful. Sketch comedy shows are about the world. I recently watched the 90's look into that *other* sketch comedy hit. One of the former cast members said the beauty of the show was it took everything going on in the world today: good, bad, ironic and funny ... and said the things about it that everyone is thinking, but no one wanted to say. Making fun of the president, trading kidneys for gas money and everything else we are subjected to on a daily basis.
Thank You! Studio 60 for telling the truth and bringing this witty, intelligent comedy when smart jokes are few and far between on other more blue collar comedy shows.
I hope others discover this gem of a show and tune it, so it's kept on the air!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
NYC Trip: A brush with semi-fame and the Endless Wait
So we got up at 6 a.m. or some other ungoldly hour. We hailed a cab and got the slippy, sliddy experience of whipping through traffic. When we reached the studio there was two lines, we were about in the middle of the first one. One line was for people who had tickets and the other was for walkins. Finally the doors opened and we got to go in. We had to go through security and then wait some more. I’d say we waited for at least 1 hour and 45 minutes. But I’m not sure anymore. It was forever. We were tired and you couldn’t bring beverages in, so we were without coffee.It was so good to finally sit in the studio chairs. Gelman came out and welcomed us. Told us how important we were (which I think they should have been telling us all along when we were standing in line like cattle) and he taught us how to clap loud and when to clap.
The guest host was Jeff Probst. (Yay!) and the guests were Diane Sawyer, some guy teaching us how to live green and Avril Lavine. It was cool how Kelly came to the audience and talked at each commercial break.
As we were leaving we saw Avril get in her car and be hassled by the paparazzi. We walked back to our hotel and stumbled by Avril’s hotel. They barricaded the streets from all directions to let her get in with some peace.
We window shopped a little, then went back to the hotel to rest. We did a little shopping on 51st Avenue and ate lunch at Familia’s Famous Pizzeria. Then we stopped at Ben and Jerry’s. I had a chocolate cheesecake and coffee.
Our matinee was A Year of Magical Thinking. It was okay. Probably better as a book. We were exhausted, so I guess I’d need to see it again to give it a fair shot (hopefully in my home, on pbs, with popcorn and a blanket).
As we were walking around between the shows we walked by half the cast of A Chorus Line. Whoo!We ate supper at Pigallea’s and I was craving red meat so I had a skirt steak with fries and steamed veggies. The pear/bleu cheese salad looked amazing, but that steak hit the spot.
Company was pretty good. It had some twists I didn’t see coming.
We walked back to the hotel, happy to sleep.
Thursday we woke up, ate, went to the airport, waited, flew, ate, waited, flew and came home. To Grey’s Anatomy. Whoo.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
NYC Trip: Yummy food, Lots of drinking
Today we walked down to Central Park, and it started to sprinkle. So we hopped in a carriage and took a 30 minute ride through the park. Below Left: A view of the skyline from inside Central Park.
We walked to Radio City Music Hall, but were about 45 minutes to an hour early. So we went into a couple of the stores near by, then to eat. We got turned around in the basement of Rockefeller Center and were on the wrong block and had to walk around to get back to Radio City. Below Right: The stage at Radio City Music Hall where various award shows have taken place.
The tour was pretty interesting. I enjoyed learning about the architect and why he made the design choices he did. We met a Rockette, went into their dance studio and saw their costumes throughout the year.
Then the group was going to head down to Statue of Liberty. I was tired and Michelle was cold,
so we went back to the hotel instead. We warmed up, rested and made phone calls back home.
We wandered out for dinner, just up the street by the Gershwin Theatre, where Wicked is. We ate at Azalea’s, which was so yummy. I introduced Michelle to the wonderful world of Moscatos. The one we had was a Moscato Trentino, a red dessert wine.
We walked to the next Theatre and watched A Chorus Line. This musical was good, but the storyline really didn’t catch me that much. The dancing was pretty awesome too. (Not to mention Larry (aka: Tyler Hanes, pictured below) was HOT!!)
Afterwards we walked to Broadway and decided to go to Caroline’s to see a show. We got $30 off our cover charge (how, I’m not quite sure, prolly cuz it was rainy and icky and they wanted to get people in). We had our two drinks. I had a Razztini and a Corona w/lime. I was lementing
that I probably was spending twice as much for drinks as everyone else and wishing I’d just order two cheap beers. But when we got the bill, the rum and coke people were charged separately for their mixer and booze. So, I spent ONE DOLLAR more than them. And I was satisfied.
The host was Brian Kennedy from SNL, and he did an amazing job. I could have listened to just him. We lost count of how many comedians actually performed. I’d guess at least 15-20. Five were pretty bad, and I’d say about five were fair to average. The rest were really good and excellent.
My favorite joke was “My daddy is a pilot, but that doesn’t make me think I can fly airplanes. Just because your daddy was president didn’t mean you make a good one.” Or something to that effect. So funny! I got yelled at for laughing at it though, I think my table might have been leaning to the republican side. I wish I remembered who said it, so I could properly attribute it. But whoever did, rocked.
I think we got back to the hotel around one or two. So we had to scurry on to bed since Regis & Kelly was tomorrow!
We walked to Radio City Music Hall, but were about 45 minutes to an hour early. So we went into a couple of the stores near by, then to eat. We got turned around in the basement of Rockefeller Center and were on the wrong block and had to walk around to get back to Radio City. Below Right: The stage at Radio City Music Hall where various award shows have taken place.The tour was pretty interesting. I enjoyed learning about the architect and why he made the design choices he did. We met a Rockette, went into their dance studio and saw their costumes throughout the year.
Then the group was going to head down to Statue of Liberty. I was tired and Michelle was cold,
so we went back to the hotel instead. We warmed up, rested and made phone calls back home.We wandered out for dinner, just up the street by the Gershwin Theatre, where Wicked is. We ate at Azalea’s, which was so yummy. I introduced Michelle to the wonderful world of Moscatos. The one we had was a Moscato Trentino, a red dessert wine.
We walked to the next Theatre and watched A Chorus Line. This musical was good, but the storyline really didn’t catch me that much. The dancing was pretty awesome too. (Not to mention Larry (aka: Tyler Hanes, pictured below) was HOT!!)
Afterwards we walked to Broadway and decided to go to Caroline’s to see a show. We got $30 off our cover charge (how, I’m not quite sure, prolly cuz it was rainy and icky and they wanted to get people in). We had our two drinks. I had a Razztini and a Corona w/lime. I was lementing
that I probably was spending twice as much for drinks as everyone else and wishing I’d just order two cheap beers. But when we got the bill, the rum and coke people were charged separately for their mixer and booze. So, I spent ONE DOLLAR more than them. And I was satisfied.The host was Brian Kennedy from SNL, and he did an amazing job. I could have listened to just him. We lost count of how many comedians actually performed. I’d guess at least 15-20. Five were pretty bad, and I’d say about five were fair to average. The rest were really good and excellent.
My favorite joke was “My daddy is a pilot, but that doesn’t make me think I can fly airplanes. Just because your daddy was president didn’t mean you make a good one.” Or something to that effect. So funny! I got yelled at for laughing at it though, I think my table might have been leaning to the republican side. I wish I remembered who said it, so I could properly attribute it. But whoever did, rocked.
I think we got back to the hotel around one or two. So we had to scurry on to bed since Regis & Kelly was tomorrow!
Monday, April 16, 2007
NYC Trip: Such a Great Day
This was the day we were supposed to go to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, but the ferries weren’t running. On the news this morning they said New York area received 7.5 inches of rain, something that happens about once in 15 years.
It’s still drizzling, so we go to a Rite Aid to buy a new umbrella and then walk to the Museum of Modern Art. The special exhibit was called Jeff’s Wall, a photography collection of a vast array of things. It featured flooding areas, a dirty kitchen, and migrants under a bridge to a windy day surprising business people.
There were a lot of familiar pieces at the MoMa. Andy Worhall’s Soup collection, the Three Musicians, and I got to stand and marvel in front of Starry Night.
After that we went to the NBC Experience store and I bought a Studio 60 mug. A nice guard in the underground section of Rockefeller Center showed us the way to get to some delis and we choose a world buffet kind. I had cold pastas, including a salad with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato.
We walked up Fifth Avenue, visited Trump Tower, hit Tiffany & Co. (the diamond floor was awesome!) and went in FAO Schwartz.
After all of this window shopping we went to our bakery down the street. We got the plain cheesecake and a black and white cookie. This went great with the coffee in the lobby. The cashier was either amused or annoyed that we all ordered the same thing.
Michelle and I picked a restaurant on Restaurant Row. I had a bowl of minestrone soup and a portabella and Parmesan salad. Then we finished walking the 10 blocks to the Nederlander Theatre to see RENT.
I wish I could more completely describe how I felt watching this musical. Part of me wishes I wasn’t so hooked on it. Because, being obsessed with things is just what I do, so how special is it? Anyways, I was nervous that I would like the musical as much as I enjoyed the movie. They are, after all, different from each other. The stories are the same, but told in different ways.
The set was a mix of blue and purple. To the right was a platform where the life support meetings took place and under it, was the orchestra. There were two tables in the middle of the stage, above them and to the back was a catwalk-type platform with a stairway leading down. To the left was a doorway and above it a collection of bizarre metallic sculptures (for lack of a better word).
A young man named Angel showed us to our seats, toward the back of the orchestra level. They were very good, we were to the left so the whole stage stretched before us. I was on the aisle, and had an unobstructed view of the stage.
Soon, the Mark began shooting without a script and we were swept in. Michelle leaned over and asked who the “guy in the maroon coat” was, since he was such an excellent singer.
When Today 4 U started, she asked who the woman in the Santa coat was, because she was an awesome singer and dancer. I leaned over and told Michelle that she was Angel, that guy in the maroon coat with the great voice.
At intermission, I clarified for Michelle who was dating who, who used to date, who was gay and who had AIDS. She saw the song Goodbye Love and asked if Mimi was going to die. I didn’t answer.
At Without You, I started tearing up. By I’ll Cover You, the reprise, I stared crying. But then I felt a jab, and I saw Michelle had joined me. Afterwards I practically floated back to the hotel and could hardly calm myself enough to fall asleep. It was such a great day.
It’s still drizzling, so we go to a Rite Aid to buy a new umbrella and then walk to the Museum of Modern Art. The special exhibit was called Jeff’s Wall, a photography collection of a vast array of things. It featured flooding areas, a dirty kitchen, and migrants under a bridge to a windy day surprising business people.There were a lot of familiar pieces at the MoMa. Andy Worhall’s Soup collection, the Three Musicians, and I got to stand and marvel in front of Starry Night.
After that we went to the NBC Experience store and I bought a Studio 60 mug. A nice guard in the underground section of Rockefeller Center showed us the way to get to some delis and we choose a world buffet kind. I had cold pastas, including a salad with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato.We walked up Fifth Avenue, visited Trump Tower, hit Tiffany & Co. (the diamond floor was awesome!) and went in FAO Schwartz.
After all of this window shopping we went to our bakery down the street. We got the plain cheesecake and a black and white cookie. This went great with the coffee in the lobby. The cashier was either amused or annoyed that we all ordered the same thing.
Michelle and I picked a restaurant on Restaurant Row. I had a bowl of minestrone soup and a portabella and Parmesan salad. Then we finished walking the 10 blocks to the Nederlander Theatre to see RENT.I wish I could more completely describe how I felt watching this musical. Part of me wishes I wasn’t so hooked on it. Because, being obsessed with things is just what I do, so how special is it? Anyways, I was nervous that I would like the musical as much as I enjoyed the movie. They are, after all, different from each other. The stories are the same, but told in different ways.
The set was a mix of blue and purple. To the right was a platform where the life support meetings took place and under it, was the orchestra. There were two tables in the middle of the stage, above them and to the back was a catwalk-type platform with a stairway leading down. To the left was a doorway and above it a collection of bizarre metallic sculptures (for lack of a better word).
A young man named Angel showed us to our seats, toward the back of the orchestra level. They were very good, we were to the left so the whole stage stretched before us. I was on the aisle, and had an unobstructed view of the stage.
Soon, the Mark began shooting without a script and we were swept in. Michelle leaned over and asked who the “guy in the maroon coat” was, since he was such an excellent singer.
When Today 4 U started, she asked who the woman in the Santa coat was, because she was an awesome singer and dancer. I leaned over and told Michelle that she was Angel, that guy in the maroon coat with the great voice.At intermission, I clarified for Michelle who was dating who, who used to date, who was gay and who had AIDS. She saw the song Goodbye Love and asked if Mimi was going to die. I didn’t answer.
At Without You, I started tearing up. By I’ll Cover You, the reprise, I stared crying. But then I felt a jab, and I saw Michelle had joined me. Afterwards I practically floated back to the hotel and could hardly calm myself enough to fall asleep. It was such a great day.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
NYC Trip: It's Raining, It's Pouring
Today is our Jane Marx tour, insight of Manhattan from a resident and history buff. Maybe a more accurate title would be historian, scholar, etc. Looking out from our 10th floor window I can see it’s raining. But because we’re this far up, I can’t see how hard.
Down at ground level, as we’re getting on the bus, I see its not raining too hard just sprinkles—big-drop sprinkles. As we start moving Jane points to the left and says we have the café with the best New York cheesecake right next to our hotel. She tells us to go there and order a plain cheesecake and black and white cookie. She takes us towards Central Park, points out big buildings, various shopping places and professes her hatred of Starbucks.
We hit the edge of Central Park and Jane tells us about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, showing us their apartment—an entire floor. We run out quick, in the rain, to see Strawberry Fields and Imagine.
Jane tells us the history of the city, celebrity happenings and local lore. How Central Park is man-made to look natural, bedrock, landfill and how many homes Tom Hanks may own. Viva la democrat, down with chain stores, etc. etc.
Our next stop out of the bus was St. John the Divine, which is under construction. We see the pretty floor and hear a choir rehearse. Leaving the Cathedral, there’s an inch of water on the steps and fierce winds. Hold on to your umbrellas, folks!
Soon we took a break for lunch at Katz Diner. It’s the place where the famous When Harry Met Sally scene took place. Jane taught us how to be real New Yorkers and order. Step up, know what we want, and tip generously. We ordered a Pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard, knish and chocolate egg cream. The knish was interesting. Jane said you’d either love it or use it for cement. The inside was the consistency of cement all right. Knish is made of potatoes and other spices and someone said sometimes meat. It was kind of sticky and creamy and had an odd sweet aftertaste. The chocolate egg cream had the mouth feel of a root beer float. I’m not sure what it’s made of, Jane mentioned chocolate syrup, seltzer and has never seen an egg.
Just down the street from Katz is the Seinfeld Diner. Leaving after lunch we ran through about 2 inches of rain on the ground.
Next, Jane took us to the financial district, we saw Wall Street and the Bull. In a couple of miles, we began to see effects of 9/11. Blacken buildings and construction to rebuild. We go into St. Paul’s the only building in the area not touched by the imploding buildings. It was a solemn experience seeing what now is the history of this building. It was such an odd juxtaposition of beautiful design with the arches, painting and chandeliers against the exhibits of chain link fence memorials, pots they fed the relief workers with and table of prayers and religious (not all Christian) symbols seeking solace, peace, understanding and hope.
We drove around the block and saw ground zero, then splashed into Winter Garden observatory area. Jane told us about the construction and recovery since that day what buildings needed to be taken down, how hundreds of body parts are being discovered every day as they remove levels of these buildings.
Cycling back we go through Harlem, see Bill Clinton’s office, Columbia University and a general waterlogged New York.
The bus drops us off at the Marquee Theatre in the Marriot Hotel for Drowsy Chaperone. This play is kind of like theatre for beginners, the narrator introduces each character, outlines the plot and points out cliché events of storytelling. The players do the same thing, turning to the audience making declarations of intent, history or feelings. The play was enjoyable, it was fun seeing all the different set changes and stage mechanics of the changes.
On the way back to the hotel, we were somewhat disoriented. We were going in the right direction, but nothing looked familiar, except that it was wet. A gust a wind broke my umbrella and there was no way to avoid the puddles.
We got back, wet from feet to knees, not to mention dripping hair. There was a about an hour before we had to meet Marilyn for supper, so we changed our clothes and I blow-dried my hair. 
We tied our shoes to the heater so they would blow dry a little and then wrapped our feet in plastic bags so the residual wetness wouldn’t make our socks soggy.
Marilyn took a group of about eight to Ruby Foo’s on Broadway, It was a Chinese place with a beautiful décor. The walls were adorned with gold and red baroques and golden Buda’s all around. Everyone ordered something different and we shared. I also enjoyed a ginger mojito. Very yummy.
NYC Trip: Up, up and away!
We left from the university parking lot a little after 7:30 a.m. Michelle and I travel with two others. Michelle added a couple of extra people to the trip at last minute and found it would be $800 more to get them in our group for tickets, so she purchased four separate ones. So, we ended up being separate traveling mates from the group.
I have to say this was quite nice. We had a 40 minute ride to the airport (instead of three hours on a bus) then after a fairly short wait, we flew to Detroit and connected to our flight to Newark Airport. Now I pretty much have no concept of time. I think we got in around 3 p.m. We ate in their little holding area (we hadn’t had any lunch) we had to squeeze together and wait for a table for room with seven people. That area was packed, and we were kind of surprised to see so many people who weren’t eating. It really wasn’t a comfortable place to be, yet everyone flocked there.
We ate, Michelle and I had a yummy chicken sandwich with grilled onions and french fries. It looked like a lot, but after scarfing it down, we found it was just the right amount.
The rest of the group went down below to more comfortable chairs and less crowded areas while Michelle and I waited for the group. When we found a monitor that we could see (the one on our level was faded or the sunlight made it unreadable), it said they were on-time, then landed at 4:30. I was started to get worried about where they were. What a start.
Finally they came out and everyone got their bags. The bus came, we loaded on people and
luggage. We traveled through the Lincoln Tunnel, crawling through the first half.
The sights outside of the city were interesting. The growing buildings, juxtaposed against stacked apartments. Then there was a castle-like structure, almost surrounded by a moat that we saw was a library (with a German or Polish looking name).
After some time we were actually in, traveling through the maze of tall buildings. I noticed spanish grafiti below the ramp that we passed through. We got to the hotel, got our room keys, jumped out and jetted up to our room. Only to jet back down and do a
walking tour of our four block area: Rockefeller Center, Times Square, TKTS booth. We passed the NBC Studios, got in the way of the locals and marveled at the lights.
After the tour we broke off into a group of six and went to the Stardust Diner. That’s where the hopeful actors and actresses sing on tables between serving your food. It was a short wait to get in, and after talking to others in our group they were discouraged by the line down the street and didn’t go.
I ate the Captain Video—which was a grilled chicken breast sandwich with avocado, salsa and the usual burger fixings. For
dessert I had a pecan tart, a little dry, but still good. Our waitress was a cute blond who was sweet and chatty—and a pretty good singer (and not all of them were good singers).
I think we got back to our hotel at around 11 or so. We really weren’t too exhausted, probably running on the thrill that we were in New York City and the trip ahead of us.
I have to say this was quite nice. We had a 40 minute ride to the airport (instead of three hours on a bus) then after a fairly short wait, we flew to Detroit and connected to our flight to Newark Airport. Now I pretty much have no concept of time. I think we got in around 3 p.m. We ate in their little holding area (we hadn’t had any lunch) we had to squeeze together and wait for a table for room with seven people. That area was packed, and we were kind of surprised to see so many people who weren’t eating. It really wasn’t a comfortable place to be, yet everyone flocked there.We ate, Michelle and I had a yummy chicken sandwich with grilled onions and french fries. It looked like a lot, but after scarfing it down, we found it was just the right amount.
The rest of the group went down below to more comfortable chairs and less crowded areas while Michelle and I waited for the group. When we found a monitor that we could see (the one on our level was faded or the sunlight made it unreadable), it said they were on-time, then landed at 4:30. I was started to get worried about where they were. What a start.
Finally they came out and everyone got their bags. The bus came, we loaded on people and
luggage. We traveled through the Lincoln Tunnel, crawling through the first half.The sights outside of the city were interesting. The growing buildings, juxtaposed against stacked apartments. Then there was a castle-like structure, almost surrounded by a moat that we saw was a library (with a German or Polish looking name).
After some time we were actually in, traveling through the maze of tall buildings. I noticed spanish grafiti below the ramp that we passed through. We got to the hotel, got our room keys, jumped out and jetted up to our room. Only to jet back down and do a
walking tour of our four block area: Rockefeller Center, Times Square, TKTS booth. We passed the NBC Studios, got in the way of the locals and marveled at the lights.After the tour we broke off into a group of six and went to the Stardust Diner. That’s where the hopeful actors and actresses sing on tables between serving your food. It was a short wait to get in, and after talking to others in our group they were discouraged by the line down the street and didn’t go.
I ate the Captain Video—which was a grilled chicken breast sandwich with avocado, salsa and the usual burger fixings. For
dessert I had a pecan tart, a little dry, but still good. Our waitress was a cute blond who was sweet and chatty—and a pretty good singer (and not all of them were good singers).I think we got back to our hotel at around 11 or so. We really weren’t too exhausted, probably running on the thrill that we were in New York City and the trip ahead of us.
Monday, April 9, 2007
That Dark and Winding Road
Sheryl walks into the room, brilliant smile, shaking hands and making small talk as she rounds the room like the lovely hostess she has always been. She pauses at the ornately gold adorned mirror to check her hair. It’s perfect, so she takes this opportunity to look lovingly at herself. She owns the room and she knows it.
She, however, doesn’t fool me. Sheryl may have the walk, glistening hair and Hollywood pearly whites, but she doesn’t look me in the eye. She never does. I wonder what she would see if she ever took that chance. What weakness would her eyes expose? Is it the truth that will break her perfect image?
You can learn a lot from how people look at me. Matt does the same thing every time he passes. He puffs up his chest—I can see the pep talk he’s giving himself. His hand goes back to smooth his hair as he cocks his chin, pretending to be James Dean. Matt’s routine bodes well for him as he presents himself together and confident, but maybe it would be okay if he didn’t give that pep talk—it might just help William.
William doesn’t look at me at all. He rushes past, head turned so he doesn’t have to. I see him standing here and there. He may not be a wallflower, but he’ll never take a chance that isn’t necessary. That new red head over there is everything William thinks he needs. She’s the total package as far as he can tell from where he’s standing, by the fern, talking to Mary. He strains his ears, trying to listen to the red head talk to Matt, so much that he isn’t listening to Mary anymore. He watches the shimmering red hair sway as she tilts her head, apparently disagreeing with Matt. William snickers. She’s already better than half the women here if she can see Matt for bastard that he is. William adjusts his shirt collar, gaze falling on the fern. “If I could only be Matt. Learn the secret that makes him so damn confident. Then I could be happy. I wouldn’t need that red head. I could have anyone…”
Great, now a plant is more interesting than I am. I’m used to men not paying attention to me because of beautiful women, but when a plant is more captivating… Mary thought as she crossed to the other side of the room, not caring about William’s feelings, when and if he noticed her absence. She looks into the beautiful mirror, tracing her nose with a long finger. I notice the change even if no one else in the room will. I could always see the lust in Mary’s eyes when she gazed at others. She gave herself a present, much like Matt’s pep talk. She wiped out her savings to do it, but patting her nose with a smile, she’ll never question the pain or money. Mary moves away, satisfied with her choice, looking to find acceptance in the room.
Lilly stands in the center of the room, people on either side, talking, laughing, sharing that beautiful smile everyone loves. Lilly isn’t like any of the other people here. When she passes me, she looks at me, really looks at me—and herself. Her eyes walk up and down her face, over her hair, she adjusts her necklace, but it’s her eyes. She looks long into her eyes.
Someone said long ago the eyes are the window to the soul, and that may be why everyone else avoids their eyes when looking at me. They are either afraid of what they see or what is not there. Lilly is quite the opposite. She’ll stand in front of me, looking at nothing but her eyes. They are just as beautiful as the smile everyone raves about, but the Lilly directly in front of me is not the Lilly socializing around the room. Her eyes, those beautiful eyes, haunt me. They are so broken. I don’t understand how no one else can see how sad Lilly is.
She knows it. I can see it. Lilly travels into her soul, a deep and winding road. I do not know what she’s searching for, but she so often comes back to me to look. Some of the paths are darker than others, and some do indeed lead her to the Lilly everyone sees. ...
She, however, doesn’t fool me. Sheryl may have the walk, glistening hair and Hollywood pearly whites, but she doesn’t look me in the eye. She never does. I wonder what she would see if she ever took that chance. What weakness would her eyes expose? Is it the truth that will break her perfect image?
You can learn a lot from how people look at me. Matt does the same thing every time he passes. He puffs up his chest—I can see the pep talk he’s giving himself. His hand goes back to smooth his hair as he cocks his chin, pretending to be James Dean. Matt’s routine bodes well for him as he presents himself together and confident, but maybe it would be okay if he didn’t give that pep talk—it might just help William.
William doesn’t look at me at all. He rushes past, head turned so he doesn’t have to. I see him standing here and there. He may not be a wallflower, but he’ll never take a chance that isn’t necessary. That new red head over there is everything William thinks he needs. She’s the total package as far as he can tell from where he’s standing, by the fern, talking to Mary. He strains his ears, trying to listen to the red head talk to Matt, so much that he isn’t listening to Mary anymore. He watches the shimmering red hair sway as she tilts her head, apparently disagreeing with Matt. William snickers. She’s already better than half the women here if she can see Matt for bastard that he is. William adjusts his shirt collar, gaze falling on the fern. “If I could only be Matt. Learn the secret that makes him so damn confident. Then I could be happy. I wouldn’t need that red head. I could have anyone…”
Great, now a plant is more interesting than I am. I’m used to men not paying attention to me because of beautiful women, but when a plant is more captivating… Mary thought as she crossed to the other side of the room, not caring about William’s feelings, when and if he noticed her absence. She looks into the beautiful mirror, tracing her nose with a long finger. I notice the change even if no one else in the room will. I could always see the lust in Mary’s eyes when she gazed at others. She gave herself a present, much like Matt’s pep talk. She wiped out her savings to do it, but patting her nose with a smile, she’ll never question the pain or money. Mary moves away, satisfied with her choice, looking to find acceptance in the room.
Lilly stands in the center of the room, people on either side, talking, laughing, sharing that beautiful smile everyone loves. Lilly isn’t like any of the other people here. When she passes me, she looks at me, really looks at me—and herself. Her eyes walk up and down her face, over her hair, she adjusts her necklace, but it’s her eyes. She looks long into her eyes.
Someone said long ago the eyes are the window to the soul, and that may be why everyone else avoids their eyes when looking at me. They are either afraid of what they see or what is not there. Lilly is quite the opposite. She’ll stand in front of me, looking at nothing but her eyes. They are just as beautiful as the smile everyone raves about, but the Lilly directly in front of me is not the Lilly socializing around the room. Her eyes, those beautiful eyes, haunt me. They are so broken. I don’t understand how no one else can see how sad Lilly is.
She knows it. I can see it. Lilly travels into her soul, a deep and winding road. I do not know what she’s searching for, but she so often comes back to me to look. Some of the paths are darker than others, and some do indeed lead her to the Lilly everyone sees. ...
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Before you go, there's something you should know:
This is a double dip Sunday, because I wrote the previous blog Thursday night and didn't get to post it until now. And now ...... I'm not completely sure what to write. Nothing of form is coming to me, so I guess this might be a random topic rambling.
I leave for New York Saturday... less than a week away. Whoohoo! I'll be able to scratch off a couple of my life goal's. Seeing Starry Night, meeting someone famous (we're going to Regis and Kelly, so I'm hoping to pop down and shake her hand), seeing RENT on Broadway. Whooo! Or maybe it's off broadway. I learned that on, off and off off is not based on location, but how many seats the theater has. Curious.
I also learned today that vanilla beans come from Orchid plants, a notoriously hideous-smelling flower. Even more curious.
Back to New York. I need to crack down and get packing. I gotta see if need film and get everything else together. Also gotta read the security-bag restrictions, different from the last time I flew. I'm bringing band-aids and TWO pairs of walking shoes, so hopefully I can avoid the bleeding feet.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll go to Food for Thought again this year. I don't know, i might be too tired. I'm trying to think of when I got back from San Francisco. I did editing and worked on our cases paper, which were mentally exhausting--though I'm sure I had a shit-ton of caffeine. But I didn't need to be sociable and pleasant to anyone. SO I dunno. I just hate missing it two years now that I'm back in town. Oh well, I guess.
So it's Oyster Egg Day in KoL---and Happy Easter to you real life folks---I got my basket, but there's no proclamation the main page and not a single f'ing egg has dropped. So I'm thinking Jick & Co. have a bug that delayed the Oysters. Maybe it'll be a double holiday like Sneaky Pete's. I haven't gotten drunk yet, so if it implements before I sign off today hopefully I can partake in the egg-hunting goodness.
The latest obsession is +44. (Click the music link below this post and you'll find my jabbering about them already.) The whole break up, secrecy, Tom's revolution and mental breakdown (in my opinion) fascinates me. Add in that they split early 2005 (i think) and I didn't find out until October 2006 when I saw +44's first video and thought I recognized Mark and then was almost positive when I saw Travis. Not to mention that Travis broke his arm during the filming of the video and when I watched them on Letterman (which I had fallen asleep and woke up just as they were being introduced) and noticed Travis was drumming with one arm. It's just a great, multi-faceted story. Mark's blog (which is updated more than mine, but I bet he doesn't have dial-up) keeps me hooked.
I have started practicing the guitar again. And I was re-introduced to the fact that I have very short fingers and my pinkie doesn't go to the top string without dislocation or go-go-gadget pinkies. I'm torn between giving up and hoping that somewhere there's an artist that doesn't have normal to long fingers and they have found a way to play and I just need to keep working at it. But then I think maybe I should take up violin, but I'm sure there's something inherent about me that will make me unable to play that either.
Learning to play the guitar is another of my life goal things. I don't know if I'll be able to fulfill that one. I need more. I'd like to get 100 or so, but now I have less than 32. There are somethings that people would put on that I just don't care about--like visiting all 50 states. What if I don't want to go to Wyoming? Huh? What about that then?
I'm not sure what else to write, but don't really want to end it like this. I could complain about the weather, but there's nothing I can do about it, so why bother. I just hope it's nice in NYC next week. I'm trying to get to Level 9 with my multi and buy a store in the mall, but that also means I need 60,000 meat (I think?). I'm finding jsut how frickin hard it is to adventure the first time around again. Even though I know stuff now. I forgot just how reliant I am on my ghoul whelp (or any familiar other than the volleyball and mosquito) and all the skills I've aquired along the way. I don't know how people who don't ascend can do it. Getting skills from others and bots just doesn't feel right.
Oh, I did a 14 day run. It was so cool, I ascended (I almost went oxy (eeep!)) and then clicked on my ascension tracker and there it was 14 days! Cool beans.
Well now I'm really running out of things to say. I've been horribly mis-spelling words all over the place. Yay for spell check.
That's all folks, sorry there wasn't a big finish.
Happy Easter. Eat an egg and some chocolate (dark, please) for me. Just not mixed together.
I leave for New York Saturday... less than a week away. Whoohoo! I'll be able to scratch off a couple of my life goal's. Seeing Starry Night, meeting someone famous (we're going to Regis and Kelly, so I'm hoping to pop down and shake her hand), seeing RENT on Broadway. Whooo! Or maybe it's off broadway. I learned that on, off and off off is not based on location, but how many seats the theater has. Curious.
I also learned today that vanilla beans come from Orchid plants, a notoriously hideous-smelling flower. Even more curious.
Back to New York. I need to crack down and get packing. I gotta see if need film and get everything else together. Also gotta read the security-bag restrictions, different from the last time I flew. I'm bringing band-aids and TWO pairs of walking shoes, so hopefully I can avoid the bleeding feet.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll go to Food for Thought again this year. I don't know, i might be too tired. I'm trying to think of when I got back from San Francisco. I did editing and worked on our cases paper, which were mentally exhausting--though I'm sure I had a shit-ton of caffeine. But I didn't need to be sociable and pleasant to anyone. SO I dunno. I just hate missing it two years now that I'm back in town. Oh well, I guess.
So it's Oyster Egg Day in KoL---and Happy Easter to you real life folks---I got my basket, but there's no proclamation the main page and not a single f'ing egg has dropped. So I'm thinking Jick & Co. have a bug that delayed the Oysters. Maybe it'll be a double holiday like Sneaky Pete's. I haven't gotten drunk yet, so if it implements before I sign off today hopefully I can partake in the egg-hunting goodness.
The latest obsession is +44. (Click the music link below this post and you'll find my jabbering about them already.) The whole break up, secrecy, Tom's revolution and mental breakdown (in my opinion) fascinates me. Add in that they split early 2005 (i think) and I didn't find out until October 2006 when I saw +44's first video and thought I recognized Mark and then was almost positive when I saw Travis. Not to mention that Travis broke his arm during the filming of the video and when I watched them on Letterman (which I had fallen asleep and woke up just as they were being introduced) and noticed Travis was drumming with one arm. It's just a great, multi-faceted story. Mark's blog (which is updated more than mine, but I bet he doesn't have dial-up) keeps me hooked.
I have started practicing the guitar again. And I was re-introduced to the fact that I have very short fingers and my pinkie doesn't go to the top string without dislocation or go-go-gadget pinkies. I'm torn between giving up and hoping that somewhere there's an artist that doesn't have normal to long fingers and they have found a way to play and I just need to keep working at it. But then I think maybe I should take up violin, but I'm sure there's something inherent about me that will make me unable to play that either.
Learning to play the guitar is another of my life goal things. I don't know if I'll be able to fulfill that one. I need more. I'd like to get 100 or so, but now I have less than 32. There are somethings that people would put on that I just don't care about--like visiting all 50 states. What if I don't want to go to Wyoming? Huh? What about that then?
I'm not sure what else to write, but don't really want to end it like this. I could complain about the weather, but there's nothing I can do about it, so why bother. I just hope it's nice in NYC next week. I'm trying to get to Level 9 with my multi and buy a store in the mall, but that also means I need 60,000 meat (I think?). I'm finding jsut how frickin hard it is to adventure the first time around again. Even though I know stuff now. I forgot just how reliant I am on my ghoul whelp (or any familiar other than the volleyball and mosquito) and all the skills I've aquired along the way. I don't know how people who don't ascend can do it. Getting skills from others and bots just doesn't feel right.
Oh, I did a 14 day run. It was so cool, I ascended (I almost went oxy (eeep!)) and then clicked on my ascension tracker and there it was 14 days! Cool beans.
Well now I'm really running out of things to say. I've been horribly mis-spelling words all over the place. Yay for spell check.
That's all folks, sorry there wasn't a big finish.
Happy Easter. Eat an egg and some chocolate (dark, please) for me. Just not mixed together.
At the end of the day
Grey's Anatomy. My weekly Thursday addiction, I'm a junkie aching for my fix.
Justice, punishment. Tonight's episode is when Bailey asked the chief what punishment he would dole out to Yang and Burke for lying and putting patients' lives in danger since he had a tremor in his hand.
Chief said this isn't a courtroom, there's no real concept of justice within these four hospital walls.
And that made me think. I don't know if there's justice outside of the four walls of a courtroom. In "real life" when someone is lazy, mean, out of line, wrong or simply just not living up to expectations or following the golden rule--there is no justice.
I think that's why people are so eager to embrace religion--that's the ultimate form of justice. Rules, bound in a book and a great big finger waging at you from a pulpit. Of course there's also the ultimate justice in the "final judgement."
In the daily course of things, though there may be balances, often there's not swift and harsh actions.
People get sick. Friendships end. People die. Families drift. Lives changed. Altered. Destroyed.
Kharma's balances don't always come fast enough.
Justice, punishment. Tonight's episode is when Bailey asked the chief what punishment he would dole out to Yang and Burke for lying and putting patients' lives in danger since he had a tremor in his hand.
Chief said this isn't a courtroom, there's no real concept of justice within these four hospital walls.
And that made me think. I don't know if there's justice outside of the four walls of a courtroom. In "real life" when someone is lazy, mean, out of line, wrong or simply just not living up to expectations or following the golden rule--there is no justice.
I think that's why people are so eager to embrace religion--that's the ultimate form of justice. Rules, bound in a book and a great big finger waging at you from a pulpit. Of course there's also the ultimate justice in the "final judgement."
In the daily course of things, though there may be balances, often there's not swift and harsh actions.
People get sick. Friendships end. People die. Families drift. Lives changed. Altered. Destroyed.
Kharma's balances don't always come fast enough.
"I listen to you talk, but talk is cheap. And my mouth is filled with blood from trying not to speak." ~ Mark Hoppus, No It Isn't, (+44)
Sunday, March 25, 2007
And it shall pass
Last week I was in a foul mood, and it lasted the wole week. I know why, and it will pass (and hopefully, has passed). But that didn't change the fact that I was grumpy.
I made cinnamon swirl cake to satisfy my sweet, spongy cake craving. I also succeeded in crossing another thing off my life goals list. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am able to crack an egg with one hand.
I have not yet perfected this skill, but I have cracked five in a row with relative ease. Now I need to work on keeping my hand cleaner and being faster about it.
My workload is piling up or myabe I'm just looking too far ahead. But it's making me start to panic. My vacation is growing closer and even though I need it desparately, I still am nervous about leaving and the work I'll be coming back to.
I ascended again Thursday, a 17 day run. It's getting very frustrating that I can't get to two weeks or less. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I ascended as a Seal Clubber again, thinking that maybe the same type of run will help me do a two-weeker. I'm not quite sure what skill I'll keep. I'm debating one of the passive melee or protection skills or the meatsmithing one. I'd need to read up on it, because I'm not sure if I ever meatsmithed anything ... and maybe that's why I'm not breaking the two weeks.
So far I'm Level 7 in four days ... which I believe is a record for me ... now I just need to sustain it. I've done an all-volleyball run before, but it didn't seem to help me go any faster. Especially in the higher areas. Maybe I'll wait until I'm in the Goatlet to go pure-sombrero. Right now, I'll start doing 10-turn runs with the sombrero in the Friars to level him up.
I created my first multi Wednesday--which means I got another KoL character. I chose an Accordian Thief. I figured I should go with the one class I've had the most trouble with. It'll be a softcore run, no time worries, no restrictions and maybe I'll learn something that'll help my hardcore runs.
I made cinnamon swirl cake to satisfy my sweet, spongy cake craving. I also succeeded in crossing another thing off my life goals list. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am able to crack an egg with one hand.
I have not yet perfected this skill, but I have cracked five in a row with relative ease. Now I need to work on keeping my hand cleaner and being faster about it.
My workload is piling up or myabe I'm just looking too far ahead. But it's making me start to panic. My vacation is growing closer and even though I need it desparately, I still am nervous about leaving and the work I'll be coming back to.
I ascended again Thursday, a 17 day run. It's getting very frustrating that I can't get to two weeks or less. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I ascended as a Seal Clubber again, thinking that maybe the same type of run will help me do a two-weeker. I'm not quite sure what skill I'll keep. I'm debating one of the passive melee or protection skills or the meatsmithing one. I'd need to read up on it, because I'm not sure if I ever meatsmithed anything ... and maybe that's why I'm not breaking the two weeks.
So far I'm Level 7 in four days ... which I believe is a record for me ... now I just need to sustain it. I've done an all-volleyball run before, but it didn't seem to help me go any faster. Especially in the higher areas. Maybe I'll wait until I'm in the Goatlet to go pure-sombrero. Right now, I'll start doing 10-turn runs with the sombrero in the Friars to level him up.
I created my first multi Wednesday--which means I got another KoL character. I chose an Accordian Thief. I figured I should go with the one class I've had the most trouble with. It'll be a softcore run, no time worries, no restrictions and maybe I'll learn something that'll help my hardcore runs.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Off to Emerald city
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
The spirit of St. Sneaky Pete's Day makes you feel like you could drink a whole bathtub full of this stuff!
You gain 2 Adventures.
You gain 1 Drunkenness.
and
Happy St. Sneaky Pete's Day!
Since everyone is Irish on 17 O'March and I'm not entirely sure that my roots aren't at least part Irish, I'm wearing a green shamrock shirt and there's Guinness chillin' for some Sneaky Pete's day ... or St. Patrick's Day fun.
First in the Kingdom, I must ready myself by increasing my intoxicitity (yes, that's a word on Sneaky Pete's Day) to 26 so I am falling down drunk. About six advanced cocktailcrafting drinks, a bubbly potion and three green beers later (my first green beer I've ever made!!)....
You drink the green beer. It makes you feel lucky. Or maybe it just makes you feel drunk, and feeling drunk makes you feel lucky. Either way, hooray!
The spirit of St. Sneaky Pete's Day makes you feel like you could drink a whole bathtub full of this stuff!
You gain 2 Adventures.
You gain 1 Drunkenness.
Tally forth~ On to DruNken deBatcHery =x=x=
Click on the various titles to see all the witty adventures.
"Watch where you're going" and "What, is this some kind of a joke?" are particulary funny.
lOOT tALLY:
- Flashing Novelty button
- Pink Glowstick
- 4 strings of blue beads
- 3 strings of red beads
- 6 string of green beads
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