Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
"Sweeney" Oddity
My husband and I saw a stage production of "Sweeney Todd" recently -- great show, by the way -- and noted before the production an older couple, mixed in with all of the other members of the audience, were dressed head to toe in 19th century garb. The man wore a suit like that James Gardner wore in the old "Maverick" TV show, and the woman wore a dressed that probably had her sweating by the end of the first act, since it looked like it was made out of velvet, and she had a large hat with feathers coming out of the top. I pity the person who sat behind her.
My first thought was that maybe they were part of the show, but, like my husband and me, they had balcony seats. Not that I go to big musical productions every week, but it's been my experience that when a cast member does pull a person from the audience, they generally stick to people who can get to the stage in a relatively quick manner.
So my second thought was that maybe they were dressed that way because there it is some kind of tradition, like when people sneak stuff into a cinema to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (toast, lighters ... I can't remember what all they do.). But I didn't see anyone else dressed that way, so I have no clue why they did it. Maybe they were confused and thought it was 1909 instead of 2009.
My first thought was that maybe they were part of the show, but, like my husband and me, they had balcony seats. Not that I go to big musical productions every week, but it's been my experience that when a cast member does pull a person from the audience, they generally stick to people who can get to the stage in a relatively quick manner.
So my second thought was that maybe they were dressed that way because there it is some kind of tradition, like when people sneak stuff into a cinema to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (toast, lighters ... I can't remember what all they do.). But I didn't see anyone else dressed that way, so I have no clue why they did it. Maybe they were confused and thought it was 1909 instead of 2009.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Several Months Later
Just a quick update for now.
Since my last post, I have:
• Read 10 books, including "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut, which I thought was great. I first became curious about the book around the time Vonnegut died. Until I read some of the stories about him and his most famous novel, I never had a desire to read the book because I thought it was a collection of five short stories, all set in a slaughterhouse. (Not something I'm proud of as an English major, but there it is.)
• Been to New York. Among our stops while we were there: The Jell-O Museum, which was a letdown, but only because my imagination is much bigger than what the Museum is capable of producing. I was kind of hoping to see exhibits made out of Jell-O, instead I saw Jell-O boxes and a TV that shows all of the commercials Bill Cosby starred in.
• Learned the hard way that just because a contractor is nice, doesn't mean he's honest. Our house was damaged in spring storm, and the man who repaired our roof neglected to seal around the chimney. We didn't know he didn't do the job right until the downpour from what was once Hurricane Gustav reached our home, soaking our carpet. The contractor was MIA during the rainstorm, so we got someone else to fix it, and the jerk has yet to reimburse us for that and the cost to clean all of the water out of our carpets.
• Started dyeing my hair. I always said I'd grow old gracefully, but I didn't like that I felt like I looked older than my 38 years. Now that I see my hair colored, I don't know what I was so afraid of.
Since my last post, I have:
• Read 10 books, including "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut, which I thought was great. I first became curious about the book around the time Vonnegut died. Until I read some of the stories about him and his most famous novel, I never had a desire to read the book because I thought it was a collection of five short stories, all set in a slaughterhouse. (Not something I'm proud of as an English major, but there it is.)
• Been to New York. Among our stops while we were there: The Jell-O Museum, which was a letdown, but only because my imagination is much bigger than what the Museum is capable of producing. I was kind of hoping to see exhibits made out of Jell-O, instead I saw Jell-O boxes and a TV that shows all of the commercials Bill Cosby starred in.
• Learned the hard way that just because a contractor is nice, doesn't mean he's honest. Our house was damaged in spring storm, and the man who repaired our roof neglected to seal around the chimney. We didn't know he didn't do the job right until the downpour from what was once Hurricane Gustav reached our home, soaking our carpet. The contractor was MIA during the rainstorm, so we got someone else to fix it, and the jerk has yet to reimburse us for that and the cost to clean all of the water out of our carpets.
• Started dyeing my hair. I always said I'd grow old gracefully, but I didn't like that I felt like I looked older than my 38 years. Now that I see my hair colored, I don't know what I was so afraid of.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Book Marks, Take III
For most of 2007, I read an average of one book every two weeks, until that is, early September.
After looking at it on my bookcase for a few months, I finally picked up a book written by a former co-worker, and, truth be told, it was tough to stay with the story. It took me seven weeks to finish it. It had its good moments, but I spent more time shaking my head and thinking, "What the ... ?" I liked the concept, but I thought it was way too descriptive. Every time someone's eyes or hair were mentioned, the narrator also gives the color, such as "She shook her brown hair," "Her brown hair flowed in the wind." "She looked down and her brown hair fell in front of her face." And, "He opened his blue eyes." "His blue eyes focused on the talisman." "As he woke up, his blue eyes registered shock." (Those are not direct quotes.)
And over-describing is not limited to eyes and hair. It applies to the curtains, the cafes, the streets, the carpeting, yadda, yadda, yadda. I think that with a decent editor, the book would've been half as long, but twice as readable.
There were also a few things that the characters conveniently forgot that seemed unforgettable, like what company they work for, because remembering those tidbits sooner would've prevented the author from furthering the plot the way she wanted. Plus, one issue in particular was brought up, but then never addressed again. That whole chapter could've been eliminated, in my opinion.
I would include the title of the book and the author here, but, on the one in a trillion chance that she stumbles across this blog, I'm not divulging that information. She wasn't my best friend or anything, but I still wouldn't want to hurt her feelings, which is why, by the way, I did not use direct quotes from the story a couple of paragraphs back.
But here are a few reviews for books written by authors I have never met, and therefore have no fears of hurting their feelings, but of course, it's easy not to worry about hurting someone's feelings when you have few if any negative comments to make. All three books were great reads, and all three authors really know their history.
Shell Shaker by LeAnne Howe
Grade: A
There's nothing like a little history mixed in with a narrative. I loved this story, which switches back and forth between past and present as the spirit of an 18th century Choctaw shell shaker comes to the aid of her 20th century descendants after the murder of a popular chief sparks division within the tribe. There is a lot of history and culture in this novel, and mixed in with that is a captivating story that had me wishing there were a sequel novel using the same characters. The details -- such as a scene in which one of the ancestors talks about how the tribe, which before removal was based in southeastern swamps, was not afraid of alligators and the traditional burial -- made the story even more alive for me. One of the landmarks (the name of which I can no longer remember, and because I borrowed this book from the library, cannot look it up) intrigued me so much that I spent some time Web surfing to find out more about it. All in all, an awesome story that I highly recommend.
The Freshour Cylinders by Speer Morgan
Grade: A-
Set in the 1930s when the Spiro Mounds in eastern Oklahoma were being looted, this tale of corruption and the theft of tribal artifacts is packed with history. I thought it was very readable, and I loved Morgan's idea that there might've been tribes in less-populated, travel-inhibitive areas of the U.S. that were able to live outside the scope of the U.S. government and its anti-American Indian policy. I think the story kind of meanders some toward the end, but it still held my interest. Speer Morgan is man I'd like to meet someday, though, and ask him some questions about this novel, such as:
1) How long did it take to do all of that research?
2) As someone who has toured the Spiro site, I know that there are actually several mounds at the Spiro site. Is there a reason it is referred to singularly in the book?
3) A few years back, my husband and I went to Woolaroc, a tourist site started by the founder of Phillips Oil, in northern Oklahoma, and saw some items taken from the Spiro Mounds at the Woolaroc museum. Is the connection to oil in the book a reference to this, or is it just a reference to the fact that there was an oil boom under way at Oklahoma at the time?
The Whipping Boy by Speer Morgan
Grade: B
I read "The Freshour Cylinders" and "The Whipping Boy" out of chronological order. "Whipping Boy" was both written and set prior to "Freshour," but honestly, I'm not positive I would've read "Freshour" if I had read "Whipping Boy" first, and the reason is probably going to make me sound like a prude, but I don't care. I thought that the sex scenes in "Whipping Boy" were incredibly drawn out. However, I kept reading because I had read "Freshour," which made me hopeful that there was a bigger story here other than a teenage boy and his affair with an older woman. Luckily, I stuck with it, because, like "Freshour," this book was rich with historical detail, and I love being transported completely to another place and time. This novel takes place before Oklahoma had achieved statehood. This book focuses on a plot to steal land from the tribes. Slow start, but also an interesting read.
After looking at it on my bookcase for a few months, I finally picked up a book written by a former co-worker, and, truth be told, it was tough to stay with the story. It took me seven weeks to finish it. It had its good moments, but I spent more time shaking my head and thinking, "What the ... ?" I liked the concept, but I thought it was way too descriptive. Every time someone's eyes or hair were mentioned, the narrator also gives the color, such as "She shook her brown hair," "Her brown hair flowed in the wind." "She looked down and her brown hair fell in front of her face." And, "He opened his blue eyes." "His blue eyes focused on the talisman." "As he woke up, his blue eyes registered shock." (Those are not direct quotes.)
And over-describing is not limited to eyes and hair. It applies to the curtains, the cafes, the streets, the carpeting, yadda, yadda, yadda. I think that with a decent editor, the book would've been half as long, but twice as readable.
There were also a few things that the characters conveniently forgot that seemed unforgettable, like what company they work for, because remembering those tidbits sooner would've prevented the author from furthering the plot the way she wanted. Plus, one issue in particular was brought up, but then never addressed again. That whole chapter could've been eliminated, in my opinion.
I would include the title of the book and the author here, but, on the one in a trillion chance that she stumbles across this blog, I'm not divulging that information. She wasn't my best friend or anything, but I still wouldn't want to hurt her feelings, which is why, by the way, I did not use direct quotes from the story a couple of paragraphs back.
But here are a few reviews for books written by authors I have never met, and therefore have no fears of hurting their feelings, but of course, it's easy not to worry about hurting someone's feelings when you have few if any negative comments to make. All three books were great reads, and all three authors really know their history.
Shell Shaker by LeAnne Howe
Grade: A
There's nothing like a little history mixed in with a narrative. I loved this story, which switches back and forth between past and present as the spirit of an 18th century Choctaw shell shaker comes to the aid of her 20th century descendants after the murder of a popular chief sparks division within the tribe. There is a lot of history and culture in this novel, and mixed in with that is a captivating story that had me wishing there were a sequel novel using the same characters. The details -- such as a scene in which one of the ancestors talks about how the tribe, which before removal was based in southeastern swamps, was not afraid of alligators and the traditional burial -- made the story even more alive for me. One of the landmarks (the name of which I can no longer remember, and because I borrowed this book from the library, cannot look it up) intrigued me so much that I spent some time Web surfing to find out more about it. All in all, an awesome story that I highly recommend.
The Freshour Cylinders by Speer Morgan
Grade: A-
Set in the 1930s when the Spiro Mounds in eastern Oklahoma were being looted, this tale of corruption and the theft of tribal artifacts is packed with history. I thought it was very readable, and I loved Morgan's idea that there might've been tribes in less-populated, travel-inhibitive areas of the U.S. that were able to live outside the scope of the U.S. government and its anti-American Indian policy. I think the story kind of meanders some toward the end, but it still held my interest. Speer Morgan is man I'd like to meet someday, though, and ask him some questions about this novel, such as:
1) How long did it take to do all of that research?
2) As someone who has toured the Spiro site, I know that there are actually several mounds at the Spiro site. Is there a reason it is referred to singularly in the book?
3) A few years back, my husband and I went to Woolaroc, a tourist site started by the founder of Phillips Oil, in northern Oklahoma, and saw some items taken from the Spiro Mounds at the Woolaroc museum. Is the connection to oil in the book a reference to this, or is it just a reference to the fact that there was an oil boom under way at Oklahoma at the time?
The Whipping Boy by Speer Morgan
Grade: B
I read "The Freshour Cylinders" and "The Whipping Boy" out of chronological order. "Whipping Boy" was both written and set prior to "Freshour," but honestly, I'm not positive I would've read "Freshour" if I had read "Whipping Boy" first, and the reason is probably going to make me sound like a prude, but I don't care. I thought that the sex scenes in "Whipping Boy" were incredibly drawn out. However, I kept reading because I had read "Freshour," which made me hopeful that there was a bigger story here other than a teenage boy and his affair with an older woman. Luckily, I stuck with it, because, like "Freshour," this book was rich with historical detail, and I love being transported completely to another place and time. This novel takes place before Oklahoma had achieved statehood. This book focuses on a plot to steal land from the tribes. Slow start, but also an interesting read.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Summer of Cinema
I think I can count on one hand the number of times I went to the movie theater last year. Actually, I think I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been the theater for 2006 and 2007 combined. But I think this year might be different, because I am already anticipating several, mostly superhero inspired, the first of which my husband I saw this weekend.
Iron Man
This was my husband’s pick. He’s the comic book fan, and I am merely a tagalong who didn’t even know Iron Man existed before he started telling me he wanted to see this film. I didn’t expect to have an opinion of it one way or the other, but I really liked it. It was funny, interesting and educational -- for example, I learned that Jeff Bridges looks an awful lot like Jesse Ventura if he shaves his head and grows some fur on his jowls. It was a little slow to get going, but once it picked up, it was soaring. I thought Robert Downey Jr. was awesome in the title role, which surprised me, too, because I have don’t think I’ve ever seen him in a starring role before; therefore, any opinions I had of him had come from his unflattering appearances in news. But I was impressed. There were a couple of plot points I took mild issue with, but I can’t give details without spoiling, so I’ll just say that they were very, very minor sticking points for me.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
I want to see this mostly because I have really liked all of the other Indiana Jones films. But I don’t have too high of hopes for it. I don’t know why I expect to be disappointed. All of the other films were fun and thrilling. Maybe it’s because as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less and less thrilled by films in which the hero has all of the answers. Maybe its because I fear Harrison Ford’s role will be little more than torch-passer to Shia LaBeouf. (Although I did see a trailer before “Iron Man” that seemed to indicate that Harrison Ford is still the star of this film. Whew!) Or maybe its because Harrison Ford is now older than Sean Connery was when he played his dad, relegated to the sidecar of Indy’s motorcycle. I’m really hoping for a pleasant surprise.
The Dark Knight
“Batman Begins” was one of those pleasant surprises (with the exception of Katie Holmes ... I don’t know if it was her acting or the character itself, but I was not sorry to see she is absent from “The Dark Knight”). I liked the fact that the story brought Batman a little more into the real world, giving him down-to-earth reasons for who he was and why he was. (I think that’s part of why I liked “Iron Man,” too.) My husband, the Batman authority in our house, still prefers Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman,” which I list as my second favorite to this one, but he enjoyed “Begins,” too. So, I have every intention of making opening weekend on “The Dark Knight.”
The Incredible Hulk
This is also my husband’s pick. I enjoyed watching the TV show when I was a kid (although, when I’ve caught it on TV since, I’ve wondered why), but I was not even remotely impressed with Ang Lee’s 2003 “Hulk.” Hubby liked it, though, so I’m sure that it appealed to quite a few comic book fans, but I thought it was long and slow, and I thought that the effect of the comic book panels was distracting. Before “Iron Man,” though, I did see a preview that makes me a little more curious this version.
Hancock
I know very little about this, except that it seems like another superhero film and that Will Smith is in it. And Will Smith has always been one of my favorite entertainers, despite his “Willenniam” phase. There are few actors that I go to the theater just because they’re in a movie. Tom Hanks is one. Will Smith is another. There might be others, but right now, that’s all I can think of.
The Happening
This is another movie that I am going to see mostly because of who is a part of it: M. Night Shyamalan. I’ve liked everything by Shyamalan so far, with the exception of “Lady in the Water.” I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t wow me, either. But just because he’s had more hits than misses with me, I’m very eager to see this one.
Iron Man
This was my husband’s pick. He’s the comic book fan, and I am merely a tagalong who didn’t even know Iron Man existed before he started telling me he wanted to see this film. I didn’t expect to have an opinion of it one way or the other, but I really liked it. It was funny, interesting and educational -- for example, I learned that Jeff Bridges looks an awful lot like Jesse Ventura if he shaves his head and grows some fur on his jowls. It was a little slow to get going, but once it picked up, it was soaring. I thought Robert Downey Jr. was awesome in the title role, which surprised me, too, because I have don’t think I’ve ever seen him in a starring role before; therefore, any opinions I had of him had come from his unflattering appearances in news. But I was impressed. There were a couple of plot points I took mild issue with, but I can’t give details without spoiling, so I’ll just say that they were very, very minor sticking points for me.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
I want to see this mostly because I have really liked all of the other Indiana Jones films. But I don’t have too high of hopes for it. I don’t know why I expect to be disappointed. All of the other films were fun and thrilling. Maybe it’s because as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less and less thrilled by films in which the hero has all of the answers. Maybe its because I fear Harrison Ford’s role will be little more than torch-passer to Shia LaBeouf. (Although I did see a trailer before “Iron Man” that seemed to indicate that Harrison Ford is still the star of this film. Whew!) Or maybe its because Harrison Ford is now older than Sean Connery was when he played his dad, relegated to the sidecar of Indy’s motorcycle. I’m really hoping for a pleasant surprise.
The Dark Knight
“Batman Begins” was one of those pleasant surprises (with the exception of Katie Holmes ... I don’t know if it was her acting or the character itself, but I was not sorry to see she is absent from “The Dark Knight”). I liked the fact that the story brought Batman a little more into the real world, giving him down-to-earth reasons for who he was and why he was. (I think that’s part of why I liked “Iron Man,” too.) My husband, the Batman authority in our house, still prefers Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman,” which I list as my second favorite to this one, but he enjoyed “Begins,” too. So, I have every intention of making opening weekend on “The Dark Knight.”
The Incredible Hulk
This is also my husband’s pick. I enjoyed watching the TV show when I was a kid (although, when I’ve caught it on TV since, I’ve wondered why), but I was not even remotely impressed with Ang Lee’s 2003 “Hulk.” Hubby liked it, though, so I’m sure that it appealed to quite a few comic book fans, but I thought it was long and slow, and I thought that the effect of the comic book panels was distracting. Before “Iron Man,” though, I did see a preview that makes me a little more curious this version.
Hancock
I know very little about this, except that it seems like another superhero film and that Will Smith is in it. And Will Smith has always been one of my favorite entertainers, despite his “Willenniam” phase. There are few actors that I go to the theater just because they’re in a movie. Tom Hanks is one. Will Smith is another. There might be others, but right now, that’s all I can think of.
The Happening
This is another movie that I am going to see mostly because of who is a part of it: M. Night Shyamalan. I’ve liked everything by Shyamalan so far, with the exception of “Lady in the Water.” I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t wow me, either. But just because he’s had more hits than misses with me, I’m very eager to see this one.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Book Marks, The April 14 edition
I recently finished a couple of books, for which I'll post reviews in upcoming weeks, but I thought I'd clear out some that I had written and saved some time back in 2007.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Grade: C+
This story of four daughters and their mother dragged to the Congo by their preacher father on his mission to spread the word of God to the natives had my attention for about three-fourths of the book. Through the eyes of the women, the narrative recounts the hardships the family faces in the jungle due to the differences in the terrain and wildlife, as well as the differences in the culture. At the same time, the father -- who echoes the same degree of one-sightedness that made the father in The Mosquito Coast by Paul Thereaux so frightening -- is so determined to convert the locals to Christianity that he lacks understanding of their culture and refuses to learn anything about it, which results in even more grief for his family. I couldn't put the book down as long as they were in the Congo, but once they left, it felt like I was reading a different book entirely. Time speeds up tenfold, and one character in particular becomes so political-minded that, even though I might agree with many of her sentiments, I became exhausted just reading her narration. I finished the book, but it literally became a chore to read.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Grade: A
I had never read Gaiman before, other than an article or two a friend had forwarded to me, and anything that begins in prison is not usually something that's going to pique my interest, but the cover, with its greenish hue and its bolt of lightning striking a two-lane road, enticed me to give it a shot. (I like storms.) It begins with convict Shadow getting an early pass from prison after his wife dies. With his wife gone and no home to go to, he accepts a job offer from a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday, who seems to know an awful lot about him. Then, Shadow and Mr. Wednesday travel a path paved with humor, tragedy, the mysterious, the mythical, the past and the present, as the cross the country seeking support for a coming battle.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Grade: A+
Still in awe of American Gods, I headed off to the bookstore to find more by Gaiman. In Neverwhere, meek Richard Mayhew, after helping Door, a girl whom most people would overlook, literally falls through the cracks of London society, into a world with warriors and floating markets and Rat Speakers and a whole cast of characters not usually seen by "normal" people. Richard lends Door a hand on her quest to find out who killed her family, and finds he's not as meek as he thought he was. It took me a little bit to get into this book because it feels a lot more like fantasy than anything I have read since I read A Wind in the Door back in grade school, but by the end, I had to rate it even better than American Gods.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Grade: C+
This story of four daughters and their mother dragged to the Congo by their preacher father on his mission to spread the word of God to the natives had my attention for about three-fourths of the book. Through the eyes of the women, the narrative recounts the hardships the family faces in the jungle due to the differences in the terrain and wildlife, as well as the differences in the culture. At the same time, the father -- who echoes the same degree of one-sightedness that made the father in The Mosquito Coast by Paul Thereaux so frightening -- is so determined to convert the locals to Christianity that he lacks understanding of their culture and refuses to learn anything about it, which results in even more grief for his family. I couldn't put the book down as long as they were in the Congo, but once they left, it felt like I was reading a different book entirely. Time speeds up tenfold, and one character in particular becomes so political-minded that, even though I might agree with many of her sentiments, I became exhausted just reading her narration. I finished the book, but it literally became a chore to read.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Grade: A
I had never read Gaiman before, other than an article or two a friend had forwarded to me, and anything that begins in prison is not usually something that's going to pique my interest, but the cover, with its greenish hue and its bolt of lightning striking a two-lane road, enticed me to give it a shot. (I like storms.) It begins with convict Shadow getting an early pass from prison after his wife dies. With his wife gone and no home to go to, he accepts a job offer from a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday, who seems to know an awful lot about him. Then, Shadow and Mr. Wednesday travel a path paved with humor, tragedy, the mysterious, the mythical, the past and the present, as the cross the country seeking support for a coming battle.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Grade: A+
Still in awe of American Gods, I headed off to the bookstore to find more by Gaiman. In Neverwhere, meek Richard Mayhew, after helping Door, a girl whom most people would overlook, literally falls through the cracks of London society, into a world with warriors and floating markets and Rat Speakers and a whole cast of characters not usually seen by "normal" people. Richard lends Door a hand on her quest to find out who killed her family, and finds he's not as meek as he thought he was. It took me a little bit to get into this book because it feels a lot more like fantasy than anything I have read since I read A Wind in the Door back in grade school, but by the end, I had to rate it even better than American Gods.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Cap'n Neurotic's Movie Watcher Survey
Cap'n Neurotic came up with the following survey a few months (maybe even as much as a year) ago. I copied it saved it so I could play, too. Stumbled across it again recently, and I thought I'd post it.
1. Where do you like to sit at the theater? Front row, back row, or in between?
Usually in between, but it depends on the size of the screen. If it's smallish, I like to be closer to the front but still roughly in the middle. If it's large, though, I have a little trouble taking in all of the action, so I like to sit back some.
2. Foreign language films – subtitles, dubbed, or not at all?
If I watch foreign language films, which isn't very often, I prefer subtitles.
3. Favorite movie watching snack food?
I'm cheap. I don't usually spring for snacks at a movie theater. If I do, I get a soda, and that's it.
4. What thing will turn you off of a movie almost immediately?
One character who has all of the answers, all of the time. I hate that! I don't mind if the hero "learns" the answer along the way, but any character who knows the answer just because he's John McClane (for example), annoys the crap out of me.
5. Movie you’re most upset you paid full price for?
"Resident Evil"
6. Movie you didn’t have to pay full price for, but which was still a complete and total waste of your time?
"Biodome" -- My friend and I tolerated it for only 10 minutes before walking out and going next door to watch "Seven" for the second time.
7. Movie you loathe with the fiery white hot passion of a thousand suns?
"My Stepmother is an Alien"
8. What was your first R rated movie?
"Nightmare on Elm Street," I think
9. What movie did you go to see the most times at the theater?
I can't think of any I've paid to see at a theater more than once.
10. Most overrated movie?
"Titanic"
11. Most underrated movie?
"The Brady Bunch Movie" ... not the sequel. The sequel sucks.
12. Movie that you always get sucked into when it comes on TV no matter how many times you’ve seen it?
A tie between "As Good As It Gets" and "Fried Green Tomatoes"
13. What special features do you usually watch on DVDs?
I'm really not a fan of DVD extras. If I watch any, it's usually gag reels, and they usually disappoint.
14. Widescreen or pan-and-scan?
Widescreen
15. Most disappointing film sequel/prequel?
"Star Wars Episode 1"
16. Biggest pleasant surprise?
"The Abandoned"
17. Whose taste in movies is closest to your own?
Probably Hubby -- we usually like the same things, although what piques our interests initially will differ.
18. Whose taste in movies is furthest from your own?
My sister's ... I think she liked "Biodome."
19. Movie adapted from a book: do you read book or watch movie first?
I read the book, and, quite often, I am very unsatisfied with the movie later. However, if I see the movie first and then try to read the book, odds are, I won't finish it.
20. Movie you’re almost ashamed to admit you like?
"Dude, Where's My Car?"
21. Biggest tearjerker?
"Steel Magnolias"
22. Scariest movie?
"The Ring" -- the ghost climbing out of the TV still creeps me out!!
23. Obscure movie you love but which almost nobody else knows of?
"Clockwatchers"
24. What’s the biggest factor in making you decide if you want to pay to see a movie in the theater or wait for the DVD?
I really have no idea. I just consult my own personal Gotta-See-It-Now-O-Meter. A rating of 8 or higher gets my butt in a theater seat on opening weekend or shortly thereafter. Anything else is a rental.
25. What do most of your favorite movies have in common?
I can't really think of anything they all have in common, except that they tend to make me wish I had written them myself.
1. Where do you like to sit at the theater? Front row, back row, or in between?
Usually in between, but it depends on the size of the screen. If it's smallish, I like to be closer to the front but still roughly in the middle. If it's large, though, I have a little trouble taking in all of the action, so I like to sit back some.
2. Foreign language films – subtitles, dubbed, or not at all?
If I watch foreign language films, which isn't very often, I prefer subtitles.
3. Favorite movie watching snack food?
I'm cheap. I don't usually spring for snacks at a movie theater. If I do, I get a soda, and that's it.
4. What thing will turn you off of a movie almost immediately?
One character who has all of the answers, all of the time. I hate that! I don't mind if the hero "learns" the answer along the way, but any character who knows the answer just because he's John McClane (for example), annoys the crap out of me.
5. Movie you’re most upset you paid full price for?
"Resident Evil"
6. Movie you didn’t have to pay full price for, but which was still a complete and total waste of your time?
"Biodome" -- My friend and I tolerated it for only 10 minutes before walking out and going next door to watch "Seven" for the second time.
7. Movie you loathe with the fiery white hot passion of a thousand suns?
"My Stepmother is an Alien"
8. What was your first R rated movie?
"Nightmare on Elm Street," I think
9. What movie did you go to see the most times at the theater?
I can't think of any I've paid to see at a theater more than once.
10. Most overrated movie?
"Titanic"
11. Most underrated movie?
"The Brady Bunch Movie" ... not the sequel. The sequel sucks.
12. Movie that you always get sucked into when it comes on TV no matter how many times you’ve seen it?
A tie between "As Good As It Gets" and "Fried Green Tomatoes"
13. What special features do you usually watch on DVDs?
I'm really not a fan of DVD extras. If I watch any, it's usually gag reels, and they usually disappoint.
14. Widescreen or pan-and-scan?
Widescreen
15. Most disappointing film sequel/prequel?
"Star Wars Episode 1"
16. Biggest pleasant surprise?
"The Abandoned"
17. Whose taste in movies is closest to your own?
Probably Hubby -- we usually like the same things, although what piques our interests initially will differ.
18. Whose taste in movies is furthest from your own?
My sister's ... I think she liked "Biodome."
19. Movie adapted from a book: do you read book or watch movie first?
I read the book, and, quite often, I am very unsatisfied with the movie later. However, if I see the movie first and then try to read the book, odds are, I won't finish it.
20. Movie you’re almost ashamed to admit you like?
"Dude, Where's My Car?"
21. Biggest tearjerker?
"Steel Magnolias"
22. Scariest movie?
"The Ring" -- the ghost climbing out of the TV still creeps me out!!
23. Obscure movie you love but which almost nobody else knows of?
"Clockwatchers"
24. What’s the biggest factor in making you decide if you want to pay to see a movie in the theater or wait for the DVD?
I really have no idea. I just consult my own personal Gotta-See-It-Now-O-Meter. A rating of 8 or higher gets my butt in a theater seat on opening weekend or shortly thereafter. Anything else is a rental.
25. What do most of your favorite movies have in common?
I can't really think of anything they all have in common, except that they tend to make me wish I had written them myself.
Friday, March 21, 2008
(Ahem) ... Me Me Me Me Me ...
Here are just a few random thoughts about me:
1. I was a chubby baby. Chubby enough, my dad says, that whenever I sat up, my legs would turn blue. But I slimmed as I grew into a toddler and managed to maintain a healthy weight until about a year after I was out of high school. The pounds have crept on gradually ever since. Well, until, that is, I started going to Weight Watchers. The second time. (The first time I went, I went with a friend, and we would spend just enough time at the meetings to be weighed, and then we would run down the street and have some pizza or greasy fast food. Ah, the memories.) But this time, so far, I've lost 60+ pounds. I am very, very proud of this, which is why I listed this first.
2. I have been learning to knit. I checked out a book at the library to learn from, but it proved a little too challenging. One of the steps for casting on the yarn, the book says, is to "knit" the yarn onto the needle. I thought, "Now, if I knew what it meant to 'knit' the yarn onto the needle, I wouldn't need this book." However, when roaming through a bookstore recently, I came across a marked down copy of "Knitting for Dummies." And now I know what it means to "knit" the yarn onto the needle. I still can't make a sweater, but I'm getting there.
3. I have been improving my house for five years now. I removed wallpaper from one bathroom and the kitchen and painted the walls, and have started working on the ceiling. I know that doesn't seem like much for five years' work, and it's a little disheartening to realize that that's only a fraction of what needs to be done. I'd be further along if I worked on it more often.
4. I have flown only once in my life. My husband and I went out to Washington state a few years ago to visit some of his family. I was nervous about going, so my husband tried to reassure me by telling me that he'd be sitting beside me, holding my hand the whole time if I wanted him to. Well, we had purchased our tickets at an online discount site, assuming our seats would be together. They were not.
5. The book I am reading right now, "Solar Storms" by Linda Hogan, is very good, but for some reason, even though the book is not very long and I am enjoying it, I have been reading it for five weeks now and I still have more than 100 pages to go. Normally, if I like a book, I finish it very quickly. I read the tiny type on the 543 pages of "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving, for example, in less than a week. Last year, I started keeping track of how many and which books I've read, which, for all of 2007, totaled 24. So far in 2008, I have completed one. "Solar Storms" will make No. 2. Someday.
1. I was a chubby baby. Chubby enough, my dad says, that whenever I sat up, my legs would turn blue. But I slimmed as I grew into a toddler and managed to maintain a healthy weight until about a year after I was out of high school. The pounds have crept on gradually ever since. Well, until, that is, I started going to Weight Watchers. The second time. (The first time I went, I went with a friend, and we would spend just enough time at the meetings to be weighed, and then we would run down the street and have some pizza or greasy fast food. Ah, the memories.) But this time, so far, I've lost 60+ pounds. I am very, very proud of this, which is why I listed this first.
2. I have been learning to knit. I checked out a book at the library to learn from, but it proved a little too challenging. One of the steps for casting on the yarn, the book says, is to "knit" the yarn onto the needle. I thought, "Now, if I knew what it meant to 'knit' the yarn onto the needle, I wouldn't need this book." However, when roaming through a bookstore recently, I came across a marked down copy of "Knitting for Dummies." And now I know what it means to "knit" the yarn onto the needle. I still can't make a sweater, but I'm getting there.
3. I have been improving my house for five years now. I removed wallpaper from one bathroom and the kitchen and painted the walls, and have started working on the ceiling. I know that doesn't seem like much for five years' work, and it's a little disheartening to realize that that's only a fraction of what needs to be done. I'd be further along if I worked on it more often.
4. I have flown only once in my life. My husband and I went out to Washington state a few years ago to visit some of his family. I was nervous about going, so my husband tried to reassure me by telling me that he'd be sitting beside me, holding my hand the whole time if I wanted him to. Well, we had purchased our tickets at an online discount site, assuming our seats would be together. They were not.
5. The book I am reading right now, "Solar Storms" by Linda Hogan, is very good, but for some reason, even though the book is not very long and I am enjoying it, I have been reading it for five weeks now and I still have more than 100 pages to go. Normally, if I like a book, I finish it very quickly. I read the tiny type on the 543 pages of "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving, for example, in less than a week. Last year, I started keeping track of how many and which books I've read, which, for all of 2007, totaled 24. So far in 2008, I have completed one. "Solar Storms" will make No. 2. Someday.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
In the Writing Mood Again
I've thought many times about just abandoning this blog completely, shutting it down and walking away from it, simply because more and more time was passing between spells where I would feel like I had anything to say. However, I'm in a mood to post again.
I've been spending my free time over the last several months getting caught up on my reading, among other things that I'd fallen behind doing around the house while I was taking classes. Sometime last year, I counted all of the books I had purchased but had yet to read. At the time, the number was around 35, I think. However, even though I've been reading quite a few lately, I've bought even more, so now I am behind 60-some books, at last count.
I have read 19 since the first of the year, which is pretty good for me, because I usually average about six a year, and I am within 30 pages of finishing No. 20. Here are a few reviews of what I've been reading:
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz.
Grade: C.
This was the first book I had read by Koontz, and it wasn't bad, but like many of the reviews I read at Amazon.com, I think the hero and heroine's one-liners during times when Beezo the Clown was terrorizing them were really out of place. Plus, I thought that some of the scenes of peril were really, really drawn out, and then the end came suddenly, and too much was written off as coincidence. I like the flow of Koontz's work and would be tempted to read another of his novels, but this is definitely going into my "To Be Sold" pile, because I know I'm not going to read this one again.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.
Grade: A
The story begins with an ailing, eccentric, reclusive yet famous author, Vida Winter, summoning a lonely, introverted biographer, Margaret Lea, to write her life story. Margaret is reluctant to accept the job, fearful that Vida will be less than truthful with her because Vida has related her life story differently to different reporters. But Margaret nonetheless accepts the job, and is soon captivated by Vida's haunting tale of twins, ghosts, wealth and family secrets. I first heard of this book through a "Barnes & Noble recommends" newsletter, and I thought it was great. I wasn't able to guess the ending, yet didn't feel cheated, like I have on so many other books in which the writer builds up to one conclusion, then suddenly shifts gears to create a surprise ending. This was a very satisfying read, IMHO.
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell.
Grade: B+
A collection essays recounting Vowell's trek through historic sites linked to the deaths of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley, Assassination Vacation is rich with information and wit. I stress the information part, because there is a lot of history I never learned in grade school (or even high school or college, for that matter) in this work. I enjoyed the book, but it left me yearning -- I wish that I, too, were able to pack up and travel around, seeing all of these sites, learning the history first-hand and then make some money writing about it. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
Grade: B
Ever read a story so vivid that you often stayed up too late reading it, passing the point of being able to easily drift off, and if you did somehow manage to fall asleep, the characters came with you, walking and talking throughout your dreams? That's what this book was like for me, at least for the first half anyway. It's the story of Johnny Wheelwright and how his childhood friendship with Owen Meany, a diminutive boy with a voice stuck in a "permanent scream" and who believes he is an instrument of God, haunts him into adulthood. Once Owen and Johnny are about 16, the book loses some of its magic for me; it's too easy to see the heartbreaking course Owen is on, but I still would recommend it to my friends.
Well, that's all for now. Within the next few posts, I will likely critique some more of my reads from this year.
I've been spending my free time over the last several months getting caught up on my reading, among other things that I'd fallen behind doing around the house while I was taking classes. Sometime last year, I counted all of the books I had purchased but had yet to read. At the time, the number was around 35, I think. However, even though I've been reading quite a few lately, I've bought even more, so now I am behind 60-some books, at last count.
I have read 19 since the first of the year, which is pretty good for me, because I usually average about six a year, and I am within 30 pages of finishing No. 20. Here are a few reviews of what I've been reading:
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz.
Grade: C.
This was the first book I had read by Koontz, and it wasn't bad, but like many of the reviews I read at Amazon.com, I think the hero and heroine's one-liners during times when Beezo the Clown was terrorizing them were really out of place. Plus, I thought that some of the scenes of peril were really, really drawn out, and then the end came suddenly, and too much was written off as coincidence. I like the flow of Koontz's work and would be tempted to read another of his novels, but this is definitely going into my "To Be Sold" pile, because I know I'm not going to read this one again.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.
Grade: A
The story begins with an ailing, eccentric, reclusive yet famous author, Vida Winter, summoning a lonely, introverted biographer, Margaret Lea, to write her life story. Margaret is reluctant to accept the job, fearful that Vida will be less than truthful with her because Vida has related her life story differently to different reporters. But Margaret nonetheless accepts the job, and is soon captivated by Vida's haunting tale of twins, ghosts, wealth and family secrets. I first heard of this book through a "Barnes & Noble recommends" newsletter, and I thought it was great. I wasn't able to guess the ending, yet didn't feel cheated, like I have on so many other books in which the writer builds up to one conclusion, then suddenly shifts gears to create a surprise ending. This was a very satisfying read, IMHO.
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell.
Grade: B+
A collection essays recounting Vowell's trek through historic sites linked to the deaths of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley, Assassination Vacation is rich with information and wit. I stress the information part, because there is a lot of history I never learned in grade school (or even high school or college, for that matter) in this work. I enjoyed the book, but it left me yearning -- I wish that I, too, were able to pack up and travel around, seeing all of these sites, learning the history first-hand and then make some money writing about it. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
Grade: B
Ever read a story so vivid that you often stayed up too late reading it, passing the point of being able to easily drift off, and if you did somehow manage to fall asleep, the characters came with you, walking and talking throughout your dreams? That's what this book was like for me, at least for the first half anyway. It's the story of Johnny Wheelwright and how his childhood friendship with Owen Meany, a diminutive boy with a voice stuck in a "permanent scream" and who believes he is an instrument of God, haunts him into adulthood. Once Owen and Johnny are about 16, the book loses some of its magic for me; it's too easy to see the heartbreaking course Owen is on, but I still would recommend it to my friends.
Well, that's all for now. Within the next few posts, I will likely critique some more of my reads from this year.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Basketball days
A few days ago, I attended a basketball game in which one of my nephews was playing. Watching one of my nephews' games always makes me long for the days when I played myself.
Now, I was never good. As a matter of fact, I sucked. Basketball wasn't offered for girls where I went to grade school, and by the time we moved to a school that did offer it, I was a seventh-grader, and I didn't even join the team until the following year. By then, my eighth-grade classmates had been playing for about five years. They were the PKs, as my best friend and I called them, the Popular Kids. Why I even joined the team at such at late date still baffles me. I think it was all the stories my mom used to tell about her glory days playing basketball. And possibly, it was because of the road trips with the boys, but I doubt it. My crush at the time was not very athletic.
But anyway, there I was, on a team full of girls I felt out of touch with, playing a sport I had no skill for and lacking the confidence to believe I could possibly get better at it. I was apprehensive, awkward, unambitious, untalented and so out of my element that I really have no clue what it is I'm fondly remembering these days as I sit in the stands watching my nephew play, wishing I was out on a court playing basketball with a bunch of friends, too. In truth, I didn't hate playing, but I hated feeling like I sucked so badly that I was embarrassing myself. And as out of sorts as I felt with my teammates, they were never rude to me a la "Mean Girls." So, maybe it was a fun time for me, and I just don't recall having all that much fun at the time.
Now, I was never good. As a matter of fact, I sucked. Basketball wasn't offered for girls where I went to grade school, and by the time we moved to a school that did offer it, I was a seventh-grader, and I didn't even join the team until the following year. By then, my eighth-grade classmates had been playing for about five years. They were the PKs, as my best friend and I called them, the Popular Kids. Why I even joined the team at such at late date still baffles me. I think it was all the stories my mom used to tell about her glory days playing basketball. And possibly, it was because of the road trips with the boys, but I doubt it. My crush at the time was not very athletic.
But anyway, there I was, on a team full of girls I felt out of touch with, playing a sport I had no skill for and lacking the confidence to believe I could possibly get better at it. I was apprehensive, awkward, unambitious, untalented and so out of my element that I really have no clue what it is I'm fondly remembering these days as I sit in the stands watching my nephew play, wishing I was out on a court playing basketball with a bunch of friends, too. In truth, I didn't hate playing, but I hated feeling like I sucked so badly that I was embarrassing myself. And as out of sorts as I felt with my teammates, they were never rude to me a la "Mean Girls." So, maybe it was a fun time for me, and I just don't recall having all that much fun at the time.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Out with the old?
Every now and then, I get the urge for newness. And so, sometime in mid-December, foolishly believing that I would do something different with my blog, I just started deleting my posts. I wanted direction. I wanted focus. I wanted organization. I wanted, it seems, to just wake up one morning and not be the me I have been for the last 36 years.
It was the plan when I went crazy with the delete button to write concise, well-thought out commentary-type posts, but those kinds of things take time -- time I’m not willing to give right now because I want to fix up my house, catch up on my reading, work on some short stories and a whole lot of other things. I realized my mistake about 10 minutes after everything was gone.
So, while I mourn the loss of everything I had written last year -- despite the fact that the biggest reason I deleted it was because I thought it was stupid -- I begin again, with a whole lot of the same old crap.
Happy freakin’ new year.
It was the plan when I went crazy with the delete button to write concise, well-thought out commentary-type posts, but those kinds of things take time -- time I’m not willing to give right now because I want to fix up my house, catch up on my reading, work on some short stories and a whole lot of other things. I realized my mistake about 10 minutes after everything was gone.
So, while I mourn the loss of everything I had written last year -- despite the fact that the biggest reason I deleted it was because I thought it was stupid -- I begin again, with a whole lot of the same old crap.
Happy freakin’ new year.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Prologue
In August 2004, I signed up for this blog. My thought on that hot, windy August day — (I really cannot remember the weather. This is a safe assumption, however, given that I live in Oklahoma.) — was that crafting a post at least once a week would help me get back into writing. When I was in high school and college, I dreamed of making a living as a writer. I could see me, each day pounding away at the keyboard, which would sit next to a 5-inch stack of completed pages. I’d be clad in my jammies, because inspiration would strike me in the middle of the night, and I’d be wearing dark-rimmed glasses and sporting a ponytail with just enough wisps of hair falling in front of my face to show that I was deep in thought.
That’s the dream. The reality goes more like this: Every couple of months, I sit with my fingers on the keyboard, typing, then immediately deleting, three-word phrases such as “The night was ...,” or “Allison could tell ...,” or “Jake walks toward ...,” hoping that something would spark the beginnings of a story. There are no completed pages next to my keyboard, because I cannot even formulate a plotline. I wear the clothes I wore to work, because inspiration has yet to strike in the middle of the night. I no longer own dark-rimmed glasses, and because of frustration, I pulled on my hair too much to keep my unruly tresses contained within any hair-holding device. The “wisps” I dreamed of consist of every strand on the right side of my head.
I blame the demands of a full-time job, housework, friends, family and the amount of time I spend vegging out in front of the TV for preventing me from getting passed my writer’s block. I read enough advice on the subject to know that the best thing I can do is keep writing. So, I thought this blog might inspire me to spend more time working toward this goal. I figured that I doesn’t matter what I write about, just that I write SOMETHING. Or, at least, that was the thought back in August 2004. Seeing how this is my first post in more than year, I don’t think this has worked so far.
But then, last fall, a friend of mine started his own blog. I am always in awe at the sheer volume of words he posts each week. He comments on movies, novels, TV shows and comic books, and entertains his readers with his adventures, past and present. I haven't done as much writing as he does in one day in ages. AGES. But you know what? I think the blog thing worked for him, because he’s got tens of thousands of words on paper for a story he’s working on. (I have yet to read it. But, I think I be able to make time for it between watching Lost and My Name is Earl. Having read some of his past work, though, I’m sure it’s good.)
My thought now is that if it worked for him, maybe it will work for me, too. So this is me, trying again.
This week, so far, I’ve written 528 words (not including this sentence).
That’s the dream. The reality goes more like this: Every couple of months, I sit with my fingers on the keyboard, typing, then immediately deleting, three-word phrases such as “The night was ...,” or “Allison could tell ...,” or “Jake walks toward ...,” hoping that something would spark the beginnings of a story. There are no completed pages next to my keyboard, because I cannot even formulate a plotline. I wear the clothes I wore to work, because inspiration has yet to strike in the middle of the night. I no longer own dark-rimmed glasses, and because of frustration, I pulled on my hair too much to keep my unruly tresses contained within any hair-holding device. The “wisps” I dreamed of consist of every strand on the right side of my head.
I blame the demands of a full-time job, housework, friends, family and the amount of time I spend vegging out in front of the TV for preventing me from getting passed my writer’s block. I read enough advice on the subject to know that the best thing I can do is keep writing. So, I thought this blog might inspire me to spend more time working toward this goal. I figured that I doesn’t matter what I write about, just that I write SOMETHING. Or, at least, that was the thought back in August 2004. Seeing how this is my first post in more than year, I don’t think this has worked so far.
But then, last fall, a friend of mine started his own blog. I am always in awe at the sheer volume of words he posts each week. He comments on movies, novels, TV shows and comic books, and entertains his readers with his adventures, past and present. I haven't done as much writing as he does in one day in ages. AGES. But you know what? I think the blog thing worked for him, because he’s got tens of thousands of words on paper for a story he’s working on. (I have yet to read it. But, I think I be able to make time for it between watching Lost and My Name is Earl. Having read some of his past work, though, I’m sure it’s good.)
My thought now is that if it worked for him, maybe it will work for me, too. So this is me, trying again.
This week, so far, I’ve written 528 words (not including this sentence).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)