- Again with the cyclical nature of history, though I suppose we could have seen this one coming, what with the infinite wisdom and tolerance so often displayed by our lovely citizenry: Rebranding Hate in the Age of Obama.
- Say, maybe we can stick the supremacists with these guys: Don't Mess With Texas...Get Rid of It.
- I was heartbroken when ABC canceled Pushing Daisies but if NBC dumps Chuck I might be again. It's quirky, it's fun, it references pop culture. Besides, who else can do a kind of Matrix (the first movie, the best one of the three) homage to end a season and have it be completely believable for the character? How can you not love a show where the main character's Halloween costume is one of the worms from Dune?
- Yet another pre opening day Star Trek article, this one focused on J.J. Abrams: New Team Retrofits Old Starship. I have to say I am a fan of his stuff, mostly Alias I guess. I was loyal to that series to the end and watched Lost for the first couple seasons before college distracted me and now...well, it's a bit daunting of a prospect to try to wade back in. Alias though, that was awesome. Oh, May 8th...coming ever closer but not quite close enough yet.
- So we Democrats get Specter now? Oh...okay...sure...welcome...back?
28 April 2009
27 April 2009
Musings, Part P
- I missed Shakespeare Day? Oh, Chicago. You have art museums, pizza, hot dogs, you had a pretty bad fire back in the 1870s, you're not too pure politics-wise and now Shakespeare Day. Awesome.
- With Kindle, Can You Tell It's Proust?. I have a Kindle, one of the first generation ones. I got it using birthday money from my grandparents that they gave me early so I could enter the queue for it on Amazon. I still remember the thrill when I got the email that I'd moved to the front (or really, that production had moved to my spot) and my Kindle would be arriving soon. My new toy was shiny (well, bright white) and awesome. I carried it everywhere, still do. For me, an unapologetic bookworm, the Kindle doesn't replace books. I still buy them and request them in lists that most people would wince at (the length, not the titles I hope). I take a book with me everywhere and now I take my Kindle. It's like the transition from having a cd player to having an iPod, you still buy music (I now mostly download, legally, from the iTunes store and keep my shopping cart on there full, waiting the day when I either have more money or just need new music) it's just easier to carry around and change at a whim. I still buy books and I'll never, ever stop. Now, I can just get electronic versions as well so when I travel I don't have to pack three or four books (depending on the length of the trip it may be more or less) I can just pack the Kindle and it's power cord. I can change computer Word documents to text files and load them up and read them away from the computer without having to print things out (which kills trees and I'm so used to reading off the computer I wouldn't bother anyway), I can even make notes on the document while I go and with the smaller screen, be able to focus on a couple paragraphs at a time without being distracted by something else on the page. And yeah, so people don't know what I'm reading, but if it's a guilty pleasure, I don't mind being mysterious. Let them think its Dickens or Tolstoy, I'll just be happy with my Alex Archer or JD Robb. Terry Pratchett though...that I wouldn't mind advertising. And with my Kindle, I can always stop in the middle of whatever I'm reading and indulge in some Pride and Prejudice.
- Oh, Star Trek. You're awesome. Until this article (Vulcans Never, Ever Smile), I didn't realize a series had been on pretty much consistently from the year after I was born until the end of my freshman year of college (if it really has been only 4 years since Enterprise went off the air). I think one of the things that sets it apart from other sci-fi series is that it's a very hopeful vision of the future. Earth is a utopia, there's basically a United States of the universe in the United Federation of Planets. The military arm of the UFP has a mainly scientific mission, to discover new stuff and boldly go. There's even a rule (the Prime Directive) about not mucking about in cultures which aren't at the same technology level you are, a kind of anti-imperialism which is awesome. Yeah, they fight bad guys, but to protect freedom and all that (We're All Trekkies Now). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of apocalyptic/utopian/dystopian sci-fi but I'm an equal opportunity sci-fi reader, I'll read anything that looks like it has an interesting plot. And Star Trek is no stranger to the darker stuff, Section 31, fleshed out in Deep Space Nine (my personal favorite series), acts as an intelligence bureau with seemingly no real oversight or accountability for their machinations, they just claim to "defend" the Federation. There's parallels to the Holocaust with the Cardassian's subjugation of the Bajorans, fears about keeping one's individuality and resisting oppression with the Borg, fears about being able to tailor your child to be better and stronger through Dr. Bashir's illegal genetic engineering (that his parents did to him when he was a child, fearing he would always be slower than the others). But it's still hopeful and a universe where diversity is accepted without question, no matter whether it is skin color, religious background, number of forehead ridges, or whether a person has red blood or green, everyone is alien so no one is excluded. What a wonderful world.
- Mexico City is not having a good day. First, the swine flu thing so people are staying indoors and now, a 6.0 earthquake meaning that not even indoors is safe (Strong Earthquake Felt in Mexico City). Welcome to the beginning of the end of April, Mexico. Happy Monday.
- Cue girlish aww: Suppers at Midnight.
- With Kindle, Can You Tell It's Proust?. I have a Kindle, one of the first generation ones. I got it using birthday money from my grandparents that they gave me early so I could enter the queue for it on Amazon. I still remember the thrill when I got the email that I'd moved to the front (or really, that production had moved to my spot) and my Kindle would be arriving soon. My new toy was shiny (well, bright white) and awesome. I carried it everywhere, still do. For me, an unapologetic bookworm, the Kindle doesn't replace books. I still buy them and request them in lists that most people would wince at (the length, not the titles I hope). I take a book with me everywhere and now I take my Kindle. It's like the transition from having a cd player to having an iPod, you still buy music (I now mostly download, legally, from the iTunes store and keep my shopping cart on there full, waiting the day when I either have more money or just need new music) it's just easier to carry around and change at a whim. I still buy books and I'll never, ever stop. Now, I can just get electronic versions as well so when I travel I don't have to pack three or four books (depending on the length of the trip it may be more or less) I can just pack the Kindle and it's power cord. I can change computer Word documents to text files and load them up and read them away from the computer without having to print things out (which kills trees and I'm so used to reading off the computer I wouldn't bother anyway), I can even make notes on the document while I go and with the smaller screen, be able to focus on a couple paragraphs at a time without being distracted by something else on the page. And yeah, so people don't know what I'm reading, but if it's a guilty pleasure, I don't mind being mysterious. Let them think its Dickens or Tolstoy, I'll just be happy with my Alex Archer or JD Robb. Terry Pratchett though...that I wouldn't mind advertising. And with my Kindle, I can always stop in the middle of whatever I'm reading and indulge in some Pride and Prejudice.
- Oh, Star Trek. You're awesome. Until this article (Vulcans Never, Ever Smile), I didn't realize a series had been on pretty much consistently from the year after I was born until the end of my freshman year of college (if it really has been only 4 years since Enterprise went off the air). I think one of the things that sets it apart from other sci-fi series is that it's a very hopeful vision of the future. Earth is a utopia, there's basically a United States of the universe in the United Federation of Planets. The military arm of the UFP has a mainly scientific mission, to discover new stuff and boldly go. There's even a rule (the Prime Directive) about not mucking about in cultures which aren't at the same technology level you are, a kind of anti-imperialism which is awesome. Yeah, they fight bad guys, but to protect freedom and all that (We're All Trekkies Now). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of apocalyptic/utopian/dystopian sci-fi but I'm an equal opportunity sci-fi reader, I'll read anything that looks like it has an interesting plot. And Star Trek is no stranger to the darker stuff, Section 31, fleshed out in Deep Space Nine (my personal favorite series), acts as an intelligence bureau with seemingly no real oversight or accountability for their machinations, they just claim to "defend" the Federation. There's parallels to the Holocaust with the Cardassian's subjugation of the Bajorans, fears about keeping one's individuality and resisting oppression with the Borg, fears about being able to tailor your child to be better and stronger through Dr. Bashir's illegal genetic engineering (that his parents did to him when he was a child, fearing he would always be slower than the others). But it's still hopeful and a universe where diversity is accepted without question, no matter whether it is skin color, religious background, number of forehead ridges, or whether a person has red blood or green, everyone is alien so no one is excluded. What a wonderful world.
- Mexico City is not having a good day. First, the swine flu thing so people are staying indoors and now, a 6.0 earthquake meaning that not even indoors is safe (Strong Earthquake Felt in Mexico City). Welcome to the beginning of the end of April, Mexico. Happy Monday.
- Cue girlish aww: Suppers at Midnight.
23 April 2009
Musings, Part O
- This sounds pretty cool and very unlike the stately Albert Hall: Graffiti makeover for Albert Hall. Too bad I can't be there to see it.
- When in doubt, there is an association for it. Case in point: the US Pea and Lentil Trade Association, affliated, of course, with the US Dry Pea, Lentil, and Chickpea Council.
- How fun: Ask Not For Whom the Cliche Tolls. Happy birthday, Shakespeare. The big 445...I think that can be considered over the hill. And the story's a scavenger hunt!
- Interesting question: Does Music Define You?. As I said in a comment on the site (my first...Ooooo), I think we define ourselves by it, just like social or political issues, but perhaps we aren't define by it. We are more than the box a social or political issue places us in and we can like more than one type of music. Sure, there can be a similar color palate but at the end of the day it becomes a painting that's more than monochromatic.
- Why can't it be May 8th yet? Star Trek's stellar return.
- I don't get it: TV plan to find Jade musical star. I wouldn't care about Jade Goody or her life (and recent death due to cervical cancer) except I was in London when the whole Big Brother thing happened with her. Her racist comments were all over the London free papers (which, yeah, little better than tabloids sometimes but a couple were like the Express, one of DC's free Metro papers that's more like a condensed, admittedly ad heavy Washington Post) that semester. She seemed...crass and just unappealing in every way. And yet, in the past two years (has it been that long already?) she seems to have reinvented herself...by putting her whole life on camera it seems. I just don't get the appeal. Any of it.
- Monkey See has become one of my favorite blogs (and just over a month ago, I barely wrote in my own and didn't frequent, well, any...just goes to show, times change...and quickly) and a daily source of pop culture amusement, particularly today: Caution Signs Endangered Movie Characters Really Need. I really want to plot contrivance one...think a company will pick it up and market it?
- Curse you BBC iPlayer and ITV player...why do you only have to work in the UK? This is why Americans love nice Brits who post British shows on YouTube that would take us months, if ever, to get if we're lucky enough to get BBC America.
- When in doubt, there is an association for it. Case in point: the US Pea and Lentil Trade Association, affliated, of course, with the US Dry Pea, Lentil, and Chickpea Council.
- How fun: Ask Not For Whom the Cliche Tolls. Happy birthday, Shakespeare. The big 445...I think that can be considered over the hill. And the story's a scavenger hunt!
- Interesting question: Does Music Define You?. As I said in a comment on the site (my first...Ooooo), I think we define ourselves by it, just like social or political issues, but perhaps we aren't define by it. We are more than the box a social or political issue places us in and we can like more than one type of music. Sure, there can be a similar color palate but at the end of the day it becomes a painting that's more than monochromatic.
- Why can't it be May 8th yet? Star Trek's stellar return.
- I don't get it: TV plan to find Jade musical star. I wouldn't care about Jade Goody or her life (and recent death due to cervical cancer) except I was in London when the whole Big Brother thing happened with her. Her racist comments were all over the London free papers (which, yeah, little better than tabloids sometimes but a couple were like the Express, one of DC's free Metro papers that's more like a condensed, admittedly ad heavy Washington Post) that semester. She seemed...crass and just unappealing in every way. And yet, in the past two years (has it been that long already?) she seems to have reinvented herself...by putting her whole life on camera it seems. I just don't get the appeal. Any of it.
- Monkey See has become one of my favorite blogs (and just over a month ago, I barely wrote in my own and didn't frequent, well, any...just goes to show, times change...and quickly) and a daily source of pop culture amusement, particularly today: Caution Signs Endangered Movie Characters Really Need. I really want to plot contrivance one...think a company will pick it up and market it?
- Curse you BBC iPlayer and ITV player...why do you only have to work in the UK? This is why Americans love nice Brits who post British shows on YouTube that would take us months, if ever, to get if we're lucky enough to get BBC America.
22 April 2009
Musings, Part N
- I think I want one of these...Judging a Book (Bag) by Its Cover.
- Save Chuck! Ferris would approve.
- Wow are people stupid. Who would have thought they couldn't even properly read a dictionary or Google properly (By the way, for Earth day, the Google image on the main page was gorgeous)? So, last night's Moment of Zen from the Daily Show featured a clip from some Fox News program (and now I have to sterilize my keyboard for writing that) but they said that Chavez called President Obama an ignoramus and that meant, and the woman actually had to Google this (which is sad and depressing to begin with), an ignorant lawyer, to which they pointed out the fact that he is a lawyer. The thing is...they/she got the definition wrong! Yes, Ignoramus was the name of an ignorant lawyer in the play Ignoramus by G. Ruggle in 1615 but that's only because the word ignoramus is Latin for "we ignore" or "to be ignorant of"! It's supposed to be ironic...a pun of sorts, because the lawyer would have to know Latin for his work. Besides, 1615...plenty of people spoke Latin, at least the ones who understood plays. Well, fine, maybe just the educated classes who would have known the word and could laugh about the character's name because ignorant means uneducated, and while lawyers can be annoying, they do have education. Absolutely no definition I found (here's dictionary.com's slate) specifically says it's an ignorant lawyer, there's about every entry in a thesauras for ignorant (simpleton, fool, dunce, etc) but no "ignorant lawyer" save the mention of the word's origin. The label was misapplied...and for pity's sake, don't say that you had to Google the definition of a word everyone should know. It's not that hard to figure out...sounds like ignorant, mus can be presumed to indicate more. You can fake by saying it's a really ignorant person. Thank you, my bleeding heart liberal educated brain for being better. Wonder what her SAT Verbal score was...
- Happy Earth Day! Here's some pretty awesome aerial views of this here planet of ours: GeoEye. Everything from Angor Wat, to the Palm Island of Dubai, to the Mall of DC on Inauguaration Day 2009, to Yankee Stadium.
- On a slightly more somber note, I'm not at all looking forward to the day I'm in Christopher Buckley's shoes (Mum and Pup and Me). By his account he didn't really get on swimmingly with either of his parents and I'm definitely doing fine with mine. How about we all decide to table the whole dying thing until we figure out a way to avoid the whole situation? I'd be okay with that.
- Imagine the cost to change all the signs and everything: Confusion over NZ's islands' names. Reminds me of the West Wing episode wherein there is discussion on dropping the 'north' from North Dakota to promote tourism to the state because the 'north' scares people away. Does it really matter if the island names aren't properly registered? What if the whole country is named wrong/illegally/sorta-kinda-not really correctly because they forgot part B of form 23, which is obviously essential to the whole recognized name deal?
- Cool! A Fairy Tale Beginning: Snow White, She's Not. Among Disney's Royal Ladies, Tiana Is a Notable First. Go Disney.
- Save Chuck! Ferris would approve.
- Wow are people stupid. Who would have thought they couldn't even properly read a dictionary or Google properly (By the way, for Earth day, the Google image on the main page was gorgeous)? So, last night's Moment of Zen from the Daily Show featured a clip from some Fox News program (and now I have to sterilize my keyboard for writing that) but they said that Chavez called President Obama an ignoramus and that meant, and the woman actually had to Google this (which is sad and depressing to begin with), an ignorant lawyer, to which they pointed out the fact that he is a lawyer. The thing is...they/she got the definition wrong! Yes, Ignoramus was the name of an ignorant lawyer in the play Ignoramus by G. Ruggle in 1615 but that's only because the word ignoramus is Latin for "we ignore" or "to be ignorant of"! It's supposed to be ironic...a pun of sorts, because the lawyer would have to know Latin for his work. Besides, 1615...plenty of people spoke Latin, at least the ones who understood plays. Well, fine, maybe just the educated classes who would have known the word and could laugh about the character's name because ignorant means uneducated, and while lawyers can be annoying, they do have education. Absolutely no definition I found (here's dictionary.com's slate) specifically says it's an ignorant lawyer, there's about every entry in a thesauras for ignorant (simpleton, fool, dunce, etc) but no "ignorant lawyer" save the mention of the word's origin. The label was misapplied...and for pity's sake, don't say that you had to Google the definition of a word everyone should know. It's not that hard to figure out...sounds like ignorant, mus can be presumed to indicate more. You can fake by saying it's a really ignorant person. Thank you, my bleeding heart liberal educated brain for being better. Wonder what her SAT Verbal score was...
- Happy Earth Day! Here's some pretty awesome aerial views of this here planet of ours: GeoEye. Everything from Angor Wat, to the Palm Island of Dubai, to the Mall of DC on Inauguaration Day 2009, to Yankee Stadium.
- On a slightly more somber note, I'm not at all looking forward to the day I'm in Christopher Buckley's shoes (Mum and Pup and Me). By his account he didn't really get on swimmingly with either of his parents and I'm definitely doing fine with mine. How about we all decide to table the whole dying thing until we figure out a way to avoid the whole situation? I'd be okay with that.
- Imagine the cost to change all the signs and everything: Confusion over NZ's islands' names. Reminds me of the West Wing episode wherein there is discussion on dropping the 'north' from North Dakota to promote tourism to the state because the 'north' scares people away. Does it really matter if the island names aren't properly registered? What if the whole country is named wrong/illegally/sorta-kinda-not really correctly because they forgot part B of form 23, which is obviously essential to the whole recognized name deal?
- Cool! A Fairy Tale Beginning: Snow White, She's Not. Among Disney's Royal Ladies, Tiana Is a Notable First. Go Disney.
21 April 2009
Musings, Part M
- I am not one of these people, thank God: Are We in a Narcissism Epidemic?. I didn't have a "sweet 16" party, I don't even remember what I did for that birthday...maybe went to Disney with my family? Probably. It might have been lunch at Cinderella's Table in the Castle in Magic Kingdom...maybe. I've never had plastic surgery and find the concept kind of squick (i.e. barely palatable, it feels wrong/an easy way out and if I'm not willing to work for a particular body type why should I be allowed to buy an external version of it?).
My parents were not the giving everything, asking nothing types. They were and are generous with meeting my interests (books mostly) and help me out financially when I need it (hopefully those days are at an end). I was also expected to help out around the house, which yes, was grating at the time. Was it good for me? Yes, and now that I'm almost 23 I can say that without caveats because, hey, maturity and the whole I have my own place thing. They weren't, and aren't, helicopter parents who suddenly swoop in (to make up for being distant and busy with work at all other times) when their precious baby starts to sniffle because something was unfair. Grow up moron and realize that yes, it was your fault and stop blaming others for your own failings/mistakes. (Students who whine about their teachers being "unfair" particularly get on my nerves because both of my parents are teachers and I know it's not their fault, it's the student. Besides, I never got away with blaming a teacher [not that I did beyond the one time but they were such a disappointment after having a wonderful teacher in that subject the year before and I couldn't get over the disparity at 15] so why should anyone else?)
Rules give us an ordered society. If you don't want to follow them and think your drinking is more important than taking a test at the scheduled time and more important than the brain cells you're killing? Go live on a commune and leave the rest of us to our structure. Education is and will always be more important than your so-called life experience. I just hope that when (perhaps if but it's too early to be thinking that) I have children I'm able to teach and nurture them like my parents did. Basically so they don't become self-absorbed airheads like so many I read about these days.
- For more on the teaching/teacher rant I just sort of gave read this: Teaching: No 'Fallback' Career. Also, think about the fact that my homestate of Florida has now drastically cut back the education budget in both public schools and the state university system. One of the schools, FSU, is even slated cut at least 21 (I believe) majors from its offerings. Including one of the subjects my mother teaches. Things like this are why I wanted to into education policy, which is currently too hard to get into at my entry level. Maybe I'll be able to make a mid-career change one of these days.
- Pastis interview from last summer: enjoy.
- Good for them: Delegates Walk Out of Racism Conference Over Speech. I think the conference is a good idea but only if everyone is honest about the issue and their role in perpetuating the problem. And President of Iran? The Holocaust happened.
- On a lighter note: completely random: Balloon Art by William Lamson.
My parents were not the giving everything, asking nothing types. They were and are generous with meeting my interests (books mostly) and help me out financially when I need it (hopefully those days are at an end). I was also expected to help out around the house, which yes, was grating at the time. Was it good for me? Yes, and now that I'm almost 23 I can say that without caveats because, hey, maturity and the whole I have my own place thing. They weren't, and aren't, helicopter parents who suddenly swoop in (to make up for being distant and busy with work at all other times) when their precious baby starts to sniffle because something was unfair. Grow up moron and realize that yes, it was your fault and stop blaming others for your own failings/mistakes. (Students who whine about their teachers being "unfair" particularly get on my nerves because both of my parents are teachers and I know it's not their fault, it's the student. Besides, I never got away with blaming a teacher [not that I did beyond the one time but they were such a disappointment after having a wonderful teacher in that subject the year before and I couldn't get over the disparity at 15] so why should anyone else?)
Rules give us an ordered society. If you don't want to follow them and think your drinking is more important than taking a test at the scheduled time and more important than the brain cells you're killing? Go live on a commune and leave the rest of us to our structure. Education is and will always be more important than your so-called life experience. I just hope that when (perhaps if but it's too early to be thinking that) I have children I'm able to teach and nurture them like my parents did. Basically so they don't become self-absorbed airheads like so many I read about these days.
- For more on the teaching/teacher rant I just sort of gave read this: Teaching: No 'Fallback' Career. Also, think about the fact that my homestate of Florida has now drastically cut back the education budget in both public schools and the state university system. One of the schools, FSU, is even slated cut at least 21 (I believe) majors from its offerings. Including one of the subjects my mother teaches. Things like this are why I wanted to into education policy, which is currently too hard to get into at my entry level. Maybe I'll be able to make a mid-career change one of these days.
- Pastis interview from last summer: enjoy.
- Good for them: Delegates Walk Out of Racism Conference Over Speech. I think the conference is a good idea but only if everyone is honest about the issue and their role in perpetuating the problem. And President of Iran? The Holocaust happened.
- On a lighter note: completely random: Balloon Art by William Lamson.
20 April 2009
Musings, Part L
- Well, the Washington Post has jumped on the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies train (Zombie? Let Austen Flesh It Out) , with other delightful additions that I now have to hunt down. Is it weird that I'm really looking forward to Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?
- YouTube is now Hulu? Deal Brings TV Shows and Movies to YouTube. I suppose it will be useful, though I'm used to watching things on there in 10 minute bits and as long as people still can upload their own videos (I mean, how can they ask us to give up Hamster on a Piano?) then I'm okay with this...I think. Time will tell.
- As you might imagine, I am a huge mental_floss fan. It's quirky, it's random, it has great info on the weirdest things...take 12 Oddly Specific Museums Preserving Our History or How to Stop Unwanted Phone Books or 8 Countries and States That Moved Their Capitals or the difference between pyramids and ziggurats (hint, ziggurats have ramps) or in the magazine, all about furniture, like the history of La-Z-Boy. And the shirts...awesome. A sampling: An Apple A Day still leaves you 2-4 servings short of your daily fruit recommendations. Friends Don't Let Friends Derive Drunk. Idioms are for the birds. Inconsistency: It has its ups and downs. Hokey Pokey Anonymous. A place to turn yourself around. Veni Vidi Wiki: I came. I saw. I edited collaboratively. Vampires are a pain in the neck. The Constitution: I read it for the Articles. Archaeologists will date any old thing. And two of my favorites: Easter Island: Why the long face? and Pluto, 1930-2006: Revolve in Peace. Gah. Absimally clever.
-Oh, Daily Show. I love you. You always come through for me and my liberal ire against idiots. Tip of the hat and salute.
- WB thou art awesome today. Because I just discovered, with a little help from NPR (Inside 'Hollywood's Attic': Warner Opens Its Vault), your archive. More from Cary Grant? And Katharine Hepburn? A film or two for my book (with the possibility of more, oh please add Kisses For My President [a 1964 film with the dad from The Happiest Millionaire, and the guy from Double Indemnity whose name escapes me...Fred something, but it has a female president which would totally be great for the book])? And a 1931 version of Private Lives, one of my favorite plays (Noel Coward is a master of banter)? And they're all under $20? Awesome. Check it out: Warner Archive.
Edit: The actor is Fred MacMurray. I knew it was Fred something. He was in over 100 movies and a TV series. He may be best known for Double Indemnity but he's more fun in Happiest Millionaire. Which would make sense based on the title.
- Why have a giant dish when you can have a network of dishes? Switch-on success for superscope. Again, part of me wishes I'd gone into astronomy or some other scientific space thing. These pictures promise to be awesome. Besides, I could totally get away with putting an X-Wing or an Enterprise model on my desk.
- Oh good, Ask brings back butler Jeeves. I hope it'll be useful while working for kgb_ now. Except...it better not cut into the volume we get.
-The Pulitzer Prizes were handed out today: 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Letters, Drama and Music, 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism, Damon Winter's A Vision of History-Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (this guy can take a picture, no doubt about that). Not quite sure the 13 short stories should count for the fiction award (isn't it supposed to be a book?) but whatever, it works I guess.
- YouTube is now Hulu? Deal Brings TV Shows and Movies to YouTube. I suppose it will be useful, though I'm used to watching things on there in 10 minute bits and as long as people still can upload their own videos (I mean, how can they ask us to give up Hamster on a Piano?) then I'm okay with this...I think. Time will tell.
- As you might imagine, I am a huge mental_floss fan. It's quirky, it's random, it has great info on the weirdest things...take 12 Oddly Specific Museums Preserving Our History or How to Stop Unwanted Phone Books or 8 Countries and States That Moved Their Capitals or the difference between pyramids and ziggurats (hint, ziggurats have ramps) or in the magazine, all about furniture, like the history of La-Z-Boy. And the shirts...awesome. A sampling: An Apple A Day still leaves you 2-4 servings short of your daily fruit recommendations. Friends Don't Let Friends Derive Drunk. Idioms are for the birds. Inconsistency: It has its ups and downs. Hokey Pokey Anonymous. A place to turn yourself around. Veni Vidi Wiki: I came. I saw. I edited collaboratively. Vampires are a pain in the neck. The Constitution: I read it for the Articles. Archaeologists will date any old thing. And two of my favorites: Easter Island: Why the long face? and Pluto, 1930-2006: Revolve in Peace. Gah. Absimally clever.
-Oh, Daily Show. I love you. You always come through for me and my liberal ire against idiots. Tip of the hat and salute.
- WB thou art awesome today. Because I just discovered, with a little help from NPR (Inside 'Hollywood's Attic': Warner Opens Its Vault), your archive. More from Cary Grant? And Katharine Hepburn? A film or two for my book (with the possibility of more, oh please add Kisses For My President [a 1964 film with the dad from The Happiest Millionaire, and the guy from Double Indemnity whose name escapes me...Fred something, but it has a female president which would totally be great for the book])? And a 1931 version of Private Lives, one of my favorite plays (Noel Coward is a master of banter)? And they're all under $20? Awesome. Check it out: Warner Archive.
Edit: The actor is Fred MacMurray. I knew it was Fred something. He was in over 100 movies and a TV series. He may be best known for Double Indemnity but he's more fun in Happiest Millionaire. Which would make sense based on the title.
- Why have a giant dish when you can have a network of dishes? Switch-on success for superscope. Again, part of me wishes I'd gone into astronomy or some other scientific space thing. These pictures promise to be awesome. Besides, I could totally get away with putting an X-Wing or an Enterprise model on my desk.
- Oh good, Ask brings back butler Jeeves. I hope it'll be useful while working for kgb_ now. Except...it better not cut into the volume we get.
-The Pulitzer Prizes were handed out today: 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Letters, Drama and Music, 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism, Damon Winter's A Vision of History-Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (this guy can take a picture, no doubt about that). Not quite sure the 13 short stories should count for the fiction award (isn't it supposed to be a book?) but whatever, it works I guess.
16 April 2009
Musings, Part K
- Oh, angry conservatives. You’re so cute sometimes. You conveniently develop amnesia and don’t remember things you said just a few years before when you turn around and do the very thing you were yelling at everyone else for. You ignore that history comes in cycles and things get repeated or come back to smack you upside the head but when you don’t ignore history, you get it wrong and completely ignore the historical context. Adorable. Like one of those Anne Geddes flower babies. Boston style tea parties in 2009. Wow. Awesome. Did we suddenly impose a tea tax I wasn’t aware of? Are we fighting against a king that lives across the ocean from us in a pretty awesome palace and is trying to raise money because his government needs the funds to pay off a war against France and figures he has colonies (just to milk them of all the profits and resources the home country can) so might as well use them? I’m thinking no. It might make more sense if our president really liked tea but I haven’t heard that bit of trivia so I think we’re safe. How about instead of tossing the tea, you toss yourselves? Don’t take it out on the tea, it didn’t do anything to you. Why Protest Big Government With Tea On Tax Day? Does it make sense? That’d be a giant nope.
- Well, I suppose a treadmill’s still pretty cool to have your name on, NASA Names Treadmill After TV’s Stephen Colbert and I’m quite impressed they managed to work it into an acronym. See the full episode here: The Colbert Report, Tuesday, April 14, 2009, the NASA bit starts around the 10:10 mark.
- I love these sorts of things: What’s Your NPR Name? Mine would be something like Jennkifer Orschwiller (at least I think that was the smallest town, it’s hard to tell, I’m not sure if it’s worse that there’ve been so many or that I can’t remember the names…)
- I guess I’ll ahead and weigh in on this, Big Wins Re-Energize Gay Marriage Activists. I’m completely thrilled for them and kind of proud those states were able to accomplish what they did. I suppose I understand how some people feel their way of life is threatened (though really, their outlook threatens my way of life so don’t we all threaten each other every day?) and that their marriage will no longer have meaning if everyone is allowed to get married, even homosexual couples. The thing is, heterosexual couples have done quite enough to destroy the institution of marriage all on our own, so isn’t the fact that people still want to get married in the first place a win for the institution? From the divorce rate, to the age gaps, to the mercenary motives, to the outright abuse that is far more common than we’d like to think, marriage is on shaky grounds right now. I could better understand if these anti-same-sex marriage people were framing everything from a religious viewpoint, because within the bounds of religion, yes, most of them go with the one man, one woman thing. Which is totally fine. But I haven’t heard of any same-sex couples who are trying to force their way into a religious ceremony, they seem to be going for civil ceremonies, probably because a religious one wouldn’t happen. And really, what’s wrong with wanting to be acknowledged by the state? It is a civil rights issue and one that absolutely deserves to be completely recognized. I’m all for love and marriage and soulmates but some days, people like those who belong to the National Organization for Marriage or the Family Research Council (or especially these guys in Afghanistan or even the child-bride ick in Saudi Arabia) make me want to say forget all that and go with the idea that marriage isn’t logical and love is just chemicals in the brain, nothing special, an argument frequently presented by the scientists in Bones. But that would be cynical. Hey, how about all those who don’t want others to have rights just go to Afghanistan, seems some people there would welcome them, except for the pesky Christian thing. At least they would align on social issues.
- This is really quite good: Winning Essay Translates Teen’s Story. Read it. And that’s all I really need to say about it.
- Well, I suppose a treadmill’s still pretty cool to have your name on, NASA Names Treadmill After TV’s Stephen Colbert and I’m quite impressed they managed to work it into an acronym. See the full episode here: The Colbert Report, Tuesday, April 14, 2009, the NASA bit starts around the 10:10 mark.
- I love these sorts of things: What’s Your NPR Name? Mine would be something like Jennkifer Orschwiller (at least I think that was the smallest town, it’s hard to tell, I’m not sure if it’s worse that there’ve been so many or that I can’t remember the names…)
- I guess I’ll ahead and weigh in on this, Big Wins Re-Energize Gay Marriage Activists. I’m completely thrilled for them and kind of proud those states were able to accomplish what they did. I suppose I understand how some people feel their way of life is threatened (though really, their outlook threatens my way of life so don’t we all threaten each other every day?) and that their marriage will no longer have meaning if everyone is allowed to get married, even homosexual couples. The thing is, heterosexual couples have done quite enough to destroy the institution of marriage all on our own, so isn’t the fact that people still want to get married in the first place a win for the institution? From the divorce rate, to the age gaps, to the mercenary motives, to the outright abuse that is far more common than we’d like to think, marriage is on shaky grounds right now. I could better understand if these anti-same-sex marriage people were framing everything from a religious viewpoint, because within the bounds of religion, yes, most of them go with the one man, one woman thing. Which is totally fine. But I haven’t heard of any same-sex couples who are trying to force their way into a religious ceremony, they seem to be going for civil ceremonies, probably because a religious one wouldn’t happen. And really, what’s wrong with wanting to be acknowledged by the state? It is a civil rights issue and one that absolutely deserves to be completely recognized. I’m all for love and marriage and soulmates but some days, people like those who belong to the National Organization for Marriage or the Family Research Council (or especially these guys in Afghanistan or even the child-bride ick in Saudi Arabia) make me want to say forget all that and go with the idea that marriage isn’t logical and love is just chemicals in the brain, nothing special, an argument frequently presented by the scientists in Bones. But that would be cynical. Hey, how about all those who don’t want others to have rights just go to Afghanistan, seems some people there would welcome them, except for the pesky Christian thing. At least they would align on social issues.
- This is really quite good: Winning Essay Translates Teen’s Story. Read it. And that’s all I really need to say about it.
14 April 2009
Musings, Part J
- I agree with 99% of this article, Washington Diary: crying on cable all except the line near the end about how the rage/crying/over the top nonsense is therapeutic. It’s not therapeutic, it’s embarrassing and pathetic. And it doesn’t exorcise our demons but adds more. It’s the kind of behavior we’re scolded for by our parents when we’re children and our parents won’t buy us candy while at a grocery store. It’s a temper tantrum that they should have grown out of. He’s right about turning to the Daily Show. As sad as it might be for some, it’s the only news I watch on TV. I get that the cable news (24 hour, nonstop plagues upon our planet that ought to at least be banned from airports) has to be complaining about something, whether it was liberals, or anyone who didn’t worship at the altar of whatever they were pushing that day, not backing our immediate past president or now just complaining about the president (and gee, who’s the anti-American now?) but do they have to do so in such a…petulant teenage girl who says like every other word, is fanatical about MySpace and can only hold a lengthy conversation over who is dating who (either in the popular circles at school or in the teen celebrity circles) or how scared they are they gained a fraction of a pound, fashion? Get over yourselves, give your audience a chance to use their brain cells, maybe nurture some at the same rate you’re killing them.
- Ever wonder what you can do with Peeps besides feeling your teeth cringe when you see a wall of them at your local store around holidays and blowing them up in the microwave? Well, you can be creative with them in the Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest. It’s in its third year and wow are some of them creative this year. For pictures see: Peep Show, Peeps Show II, and Peeps Show III. I particularly like the Metro ones…they really captured the trains quite well. Who knew Nighthawks could work so well with Peeps?
- Space is awesome. Seriously. If I were more into science and didn’t wear glasses I would totally have tried to be an astronaut. I was considering it for a while but soon decided my brain wasn’t a science brain but a social science brain that just really thought space was awesome. Still, I can envy people like this, Last Voyage for the Keeper of the Hubble and applaud them at the same time. You rock NASA.
- Ever wonder what you can do with Peeps besides feeling your teeth cringe when you see a wall of them at your local store around holidays and blowing them up in the microwave? Well, you can be creative with them in the Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest. It’s in its third year and wow are some of them creative this year. For pictures see: Peep Show, Peeps Show II, and Peeps Show III. I particularly like the Metro ones…they really captured the trains quite well. Who knew Nighthawks could work so well with Peeps?
- Space is awesome. Seriously. If I were more into science and didn’t wear glasses I would totally have tried to be an astronaut. I was considering it for a while but soon decided my brain wasn’t a science brain but a social science brain that just really thought space was awesome. Still, I can envy people like this, Last Voyage for the Keeper of the Hubble and applaud them at the same time. You rock NASA.
13 April 2009
Musings, Part I
- So, Jesuits. Pretty cool people usually. Within the myriad Catholic religious orders, they’re the most famously academic. If you see ‘Jesuit’ attached to the name of a college, you know it’s going to be a good one. Most are more than just a priest, they’re encouraged to be in the world and keep going in whatever profession they came into the order with, which was usually something academic. Here’s another reason they’re cool, a sense of humor: God to Man: Get Over Yourself .
- Leave Pixar alone, Pixar’s Latest Film Has Wall Street on Edge. I think Up looks great, then again I like…everything Pixar has done (even Cars which isn’t really my…well, it doesn’t speak to my very limited sports interests and isn’t my music genre of choice). I loved Wall-E. It was adorable and amazing to look at and Up doesn’t look any different. And the cranky old guy? He looks kinda cute. How cool would it be to float away in your house by means of hundreds of balloons?
- This recent NY Time article, Somali Pirates Said to Seize Ship with US Crewmen reminds me of a Daily Show report from last year, from after the election called The Buccaneer Stops Here. One of the many things I love about the Daily Show, besides the irreverent humor that nonetheless makes very good points about, well, everything, is John Oliver’s reports. I’m not sure why he’s my currently my favorite correspondent, possibly the British thing, possibly because he tried to refuse to do Dickensian English during his first reports on the show, during the Queen’s visit to the US, but I find him hilarious. So the whole pirate thing in the news brings to mind his report from November. Watch. Enjoy. Laugh.
- It’s funny how certain things become associated with other things in your mind. I think that’s one of the ways I learn, I link stuff up in my head and it may not make sense, but it seems to work out okay. So the association of today is Vienna Teng’s new album. I love her stuff. Unwritten Letter #1 is one of my top…three favorite songs. Anyway, her third album either came out or I found it when I was studying abroad in London. I, as I always do with new music, listened to it pretty much constantly for a while there. That semester in London was also when I decided to see what the deal was with Doctor Who, since I was in the country it came from. Turns out, the newly revamped series (the only part I’ve seen) is pretty much…awesome. I could go on and on about how cool it is and how great the 10th Doctor’s hair is (it’s pretty awesome) but since I was watching Doctor Who and listening to Vienna Teng’s third album those two are now linked in my brain. I can’t watch an episode without one of the songs sort of starting up in my head and vice versa with listening to the cd. I have the same problem with Eiffel 65 and one of the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? computer games. The game was pretty cool but the show, of course, was better. Oh Rockapella.
- An ode to peanut butter: Peanut Butter: It’s More Than A Sandwich. I like PB. Jif is the best kind, hands down no others need apply. Despite having sort of sworn off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (I decided freshman year of college that 13 years of them in school was quite enough to last a lifetime) I still enjoy PB toast and PB in other things, mostly Reese’s Peanut Butter cups which are my favorite candy. And the article is right, it is very American. You can’t find proper PB in Europe. Not just because we process things different but because they have things like Nutella and don’t understand our fascination with PB. PB is one of those simple foods that is just plain good on, well, quite a lot of things actually. My mom swears the best PB is from the top of a fresh jar, which yeah, is probably true. I’m not sure I’d refrigerate PB like the author of the NPR article does but a friend of mine refuses to refrigerate butter (which is just weird to me) so maybe it’s just a quirk.
- It’s kind of amazing to have friends who remember your quirks and indulge them for you.
- Leave Pixar alone, Pixar’s Latest Film Has Wall Street on Edge. I think Up looks great, then again I like…everything Pixar has done (even Cars which isn’t really my…well, it doesn’t speak to my very limited sports interests and isn’t my music genre of choice). I loved Wall-E. It was adorable and amazing to look at and Up doesn’t look any different. And the cranky old guy? He looks kinda cute. How cool would it be to float away in your house by means of hundreds of balloons?
- This recent NY Time article, Somali Pirates Said to Seize Ship with US Crewmen reminds me of a Daily Show report from last year, from after the election called The Buccaneer Stops Here. One of the many things I love about the Daily Show, besides the irreverent humor that nonetheless makes very good points about, well, everything, is John Oliver’s reports. I’m not sure why he’s my currently my favorite correspondent, possibly the British thing, possibly because he tried to refuse to do Dickensian English during his first reports on the show, during the Queen’s visit to the US, but I find him hilarious. So the whole pirate thing in the news brings to mind his report from November. Watch. Enjoy. Laugh.
- It’s funny how certain things become associated with other things in your mind. I think that’s one of the ways I learn, I link stuff up in my head and it may not make sense, but it seems to work out okay. So the association of today is Vienna Teng’s new album. I love her stuff. Unwritten Letter #1 is one of my top…three favorite songs. Anyway, her third album either came out or I found it when I was studying abroad in London. I, as I always do with new music, listened to it pretty much constantly for a while there. That semester in London was also when I decided to see what the deal was with Doctor Who, since I was in the country it came from. Turns out, the newly revamped series (the only part I’ve seen) is pretty much…awesome. I could go on and on about how cool it is and how great the 10th Doctor’s hair is (it’s pretty awesome) but since I was watching Doctor Who and listening to Vienna Teng’s third album those two are now linked in my brain. I can’t watch an episode without one of the songs sort of starting up in my head and vice versa with listening to the cd. I have the same problem with Eiffel 65 and one of the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? computer games. The game was pretty cool but the show, of course, was better. Oh Rockapella.
- An ode to peanut butter: Peanut Butter: It’s More Than A Sandwich. I like PB. Jif is the best kind, hands down no others need apply. Despite having sort of sworn off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (I decided freshman year of college that 13 years of them in school was quite enough to last a lifetime) I still enjoy PB toast and PB in other things, mostly Reese’s Peanut Butter cups which are my favorite candy. And the article is right, it is very American. You can’t find proper PB in Europe. Not just because we process things different but because they have things like Nutella and don’t understand our fascination with PB. PB is one of those simple foods that is just plain good on, well, quite a lot of things actually. My mom swears the best PB is from the top of a fresh jar, which yeah, is probably true. I’m not sure I’d refrigerate PB like the author of the NPR article does but a friend of mine refuses to refrigerate butter (which is just weird to me) so maybe it’s just a quirk.
- It’s kind of amazing to have friends who remember your quirks and indulge them for you.
08 April 2009
Musings, Part H
- I’m not sure how I feel about this idea; Thin and Inexpensive Netbooks Affect PC Industry if only because I want a computer to do more than just access the Internet. I can understand if you just need the internet and need more than a phone but if you’re going to have a computer, have a computer. I myself want an iMac. One with a huge hard drive so I don’t have to worry about space for a few years (at least that’s the hope, depends on how much video I find and no, I don’t really have space on the desk for an external hard drive) and so I can get some stuff off my iPod (namely BSG podcasts) that I put on there to free up space on my laptop. Irony is, now my iPod is full. Which hasn’t happened before…but I’ve gotten a lot more music while having this iPod compared to the last one, which was a 15 GB.
- Thank you writer Raina Kelley: Five Truths About Reality Dating Shows you just summed up why I hate reality shows, the dating ones in particular. I don’t understand why they are so popular. With the most recent Bachelor as evidence (solely gained through reading blurbs on it and never once letting the channel surfing get anywhere close to it with any length of a pole, 10, 11 or otherwise) all reality dating shows do is show the worst sides of people, unfortunately mostly women. I don’t understand why they let themselves be paraded around and given little more consideration than a shirt or tie selection for the guy in question. We watch TV and movies to see people that aren’t us, why would we want to watch our lives, we’re living them and besides, normal people? Boring. All reality shows do is reinforce stereotypes of people in a faux parallel world where the situations are carefully written and tailored so the outcomes are what they are: predictable, embarrassing, usually disgusting, degrading, and a pox on our society. I hope I never become a woman who is so desperate for some kind of comfort, whether it be through an “attractive” or “powerful” guy, each measured by the size of his bank account, that I’ll dump all of my self-respect and hope for real (not reality) love that I attach myself to someone relatively well off in such a painfully atrocious fashion. I may be square, but as Huey once said, it’s hip.
- So, who wants to show this to the US government? Facebook, YouTube At Work Make Better Employees
- Not to keep (rather, again) complaining about this but this article brought to mind some interesting comparisons, Inside the Duggar Family’s Conservative Ideology to what I remember about traditional Hindu culture, and if I remember correctly, often to current Indian culture as well. These families are teaching their daughters to have no concerns, no skills beyond that of a domestic, motherhood centered life (and in this age, unless you are well off, you can’t raise a family on one income alone, particularly a large family). From what I remember, women in India were to be obedient to their father and brothers, then to their husbands, and finally to their sons, keeping the obedience to the husband to his death, if she wasn’t required to do the whole funeral pyre with him thing. One would think that these Christians (I won’t say so-called though I’m sure they’d call me a so-called Christian) wouldn’t like following the practices of a “heathen” culture. The same kind of obedience is found in Islamic cultures as well. I was really hoping that my daughters (when and if I have them, plural or singular it matters not, though I’m not doing more than 3 kids I’d actually like to enjoy them and I’m sure not having to contend with more than two siblings is a good thing for most kids’ quality of life as well [I only have 1 sibling]) wouldn’t have to put up with the cult of domesticity, as my AP US History book called the whole keep women barefoot in the kitchen (whether literally or figuratively) movement. I really hoped we’d gotten past that. But no, history cycles and we’re doomed to repeat it so I guess they will. I only hope that the work of the women in the early parts of the 20th century were enough to override the more pernicious aspects of the Co’D. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. And teach them that yes, babies are cute, but only one or two at a time. And if you’re going to go against your upbringing…get a tattoo or something, don’t go towards a whacko religious movement/cult.
- I came across this on the NPR website, it’s a list of the 100 top musical works of the 20th century, originally broadcast in the year 2000 . I like lists like this. I like going through them and seeing which I’ve heard (hopefully a lot) and which I haven’t but really should, and which I just don’t understand how they got on the list. It’s like the AFI movie lists. Looks like I’ll have to set up an Excel list for music now…
- Thank you writer Raina Kelley: Five Truths About Reality Dating Shows you just summed up why I hate reality shows, the dating ones in particular. I don’t understand why they are so popular. With the most recent Bachelor as evidence (solely gained through reading blurbs on it and never once letting the channel surfing get anywhere close to it with any length of a pole, 10, 11 or otherwise) all reality dating shows do is show the worst sides of people, unfortunately mostly women. I don’t understand why they let themselves be paraded around and given little more consideration than a shirt or tie selection for the guy in question. We watch TV and movies to see people that aren’t us, why would we want to watch our lives, we’re living them and besides, normal people? Boring. All reality shows do is reinforce stereotypes of people in a faux parallel world where the situations are carefully written and tailored so the outcomes are what they are: predictable, embarrassing, usually disgusting, degrading, and a pox on our society. I hope I never become a woman who is so desperate for some kind of comfort, whether it be through an “attractive” or “powerful” guy, each measured by the size of his bank account, that I’ll dump all of my self-respect and hope for real (not reality) love that I attach myself to someone relatively well off in such a painfully atrocious fashion. I may be square, but as Huey once said, it’s hip.
- So, who wants to show this to the US government? Facebook, YouTube At Work Make Better Employees
- Not to keep (rather, again) complaining about this but this article brought to mind some interesting comparisons, Inside the Duggar Family’s Conservative Ideology to what I remember about traditional Hindu culture, and if I remember correctly, often to current Indian culture as well. These families are teaching their daughters to have no concerns, no skills beyond that of a domestic, motherhood centered life (and in this age, unless you are well off, you can’t raise a family on one income alone, particularly a large family). From what I remember, women in India were to be obedient to their father and brothers, then to their husbands, and finally to their sons, keeping the obedience to the husband to his death, if she wasn’t required to do the whole funeral pyre with him thing. One would think that these Christians (I won’t say so-called though I’m sure they’d call me a so-called Christian) wouldn’t like following the practices of a “heathen” culture. The same kind of obedience is found in Islamic cultures as well. I was really hoping that my daughters (when and if I have them, plural or singular it matters not, though I’m not doing more than 3 kids I’d actually like to enjoy them and I’m sure not having to contend with more than two siblings is a good thing for most kids’ quality of life as well [I only have 1 sibling]) wouldn’t have to put up with the cult of domesticity, as my AP US History book called the whole keep women barefoot in the kitchen (whether literally or figuratively) movement. I really hoped we’d gotten past that. But no, history cycles and we’re doomed to repeat it so I guess they will. I only hope that the work of the women in the early parts of the 20th century were enough to override the more pernicious aspects of the Co’D. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. And teach them that yes, babies are cute, but only one or two at a time. And if you’re going to go against your upbringing…get a tattoo or something, don’t go towards a whacko religious movement/cult.
- I came across this on the NPR website, it’s a list of the 100 top musical works of the 20th century, originally broadcast in the year 2000 . I like lists like this. I like going through them and seeing which I’ve heard (hopefully a lot) and which I haven’t but really should, and which I just don’t understand how they got on the list. It’s like the AFI movie lists. Looks like I’ll have to set up an Excel list for music now…
06 April 2009
Musings, Part G
- In times gone by, I actually wasn’t too enamored of the idea of going to a rock concert. I’m not quite sure why, maybe because I always appreciated the CD more or the cleaner sound on a recording. Concerts to me were supposed to be serious things, classical things. And part of me still feels that way. However, now that I have taken the opportunity to go hear one of my favorite artists live here in DC and am doing so again in May, I understand the appeal. Granted, in October there were people in a box down the way from me that were awfully loud and really shouldn’t have been drinking but otherwise, the crowd sort of added to the experience, also the slight changes in how the songs were performed were also welcome. I probably am annoyed at them more because I’ve been taught, my entire life, that you don’t make a scene in a concert. You are quiet; you enjoy the music but do so silently. Probably should stop thinking that way. Anyway, the concert I attended and am attending are in relatively low key venues, the DAR Constitution Hall which is no Verizon Center, which is for the bigger (more bombastic acts, like the recent Britney Spears [bleck, I can’t believe I’m typing her name] offering). Even though I’ve had no problems and have made sure to keep my ticket within reason (under $70 in each case for a seat on the box level) I understand the plight of those in the recent NY Times article In Online Era, Fans Need Digital Smarts to Get Concert Tickets. My mom and sister are lucky enough to get to go to Coldplay later this year in a rather large venue. Their tickets were a couple hundred. DC may not get the really popular shows but at least you can find reasonable tickets for the good stuff.
- Even after walking through jello at my fifth grade fun day/class send off and subsequently swearing it off for, well, years this article makes me hungry for orange jello…maybe in the shape of a castle? Their T-Square Is the Jelly Mold.
- Yay Disney!: A Museum to Show Walt Disney’s Human Side. Yes, I grew up in Orlando and yes we went to Disney World several times a year. It is the happiest place on Earth, after all. I like the spirit of the parks, of the company, of the films. In my leadership class in middle school, I even chose good old Walt as my leader of choice to do a project on. So some stuff may be shady, gives him color. Just look at what the guy created and inspired to be created. Good for you, Mrs. Miller, definitely a museum I’d visit. And if I get to California sometime soon (even if it’s not soon) I totally will.
- Another human portrait of a big historical figure can be found in the op-ed The Origin of Darwin. Three cheers for Darwin. Happy birthday. Well, belated.
- The strange: R. Crumb Zaps the Bible. Genesis via comic strips? Hmm…wonder if he’ll try to make it funny.
- What is wrong with the electorate that we keep having these problems: Ruling Favors Franken in Minnesota Senate Contest I’m all for Franken getting seated in the Senate, I think it’d be great. Well, only because I know he is seriously interested and involved in politics. But seriously, get it over with one way or another people, geez. I apologize for Florida, I have before and can continue to do so, we started this whole mess back in 2000 but that doesn’t mean you should follow our example. It means you really, really shouldn’t. Get it together people, seriously.
- Even after walking through jello at my fifth grade fun day/class send off and subsequently swearing it off for, well, years this article makes me hungry for orange jello…maybe in the shape of a castle? Their T-Square Is the Jelly Mold.
- Yay Disney!: A Museum to Show Walt Disney’s Human Side. Yes, I grew up in Orlando and yes we went to Disney World several times a year. It is the happiest place on Earth, after all. I like the spirit of the parks, of the company, of the films. In my leadership class in middle school, I even chose good old Walt as my leader of choice to do a project on. So some stuff may be shady, gives him color. Just look at what the guy created and inspired to be created. Good for you, Mrs. Miller, definitely a museum I’d visit. And if I get to California sometime soon (even if it’s not soon) I totally will.
- Another human portrait of a big historical figure can be found in the op-ed The Origin of Darwin. Three cheers for Darwin. Happy birthday. Well, belated.
- The strange: R. Crumb Zaps the Bible. Genesis via comic strips? Hmm…wonder if he’ll try to make it funny.
- What is wrong with the electorate that we keep having these problems: Ruling Favors Franken in Minnesota Senate Contest I’m all for Franken getting seated in the Senate, I think it’d be great. Well, only because I know he is seriously interested and involved in politics. But seriously, get it over with one way or another people, geez. I apologize for Florida, I have before and can continue to do so, we started this whole mess back in 2000 but that doesn’t mean you should follow our example. It means you really, really shouldn’t. Get it together people, seriously.
03 April 2009
Musings, Part F
- I rambled on a couple entries back about Pride and Prejudice and how I feel about re-imaginings. I think for this ramble I’ll turn to Star Trek, mostly because of the article ‘Star Trek’ Sequel Is Coming (Wrath to Be Determined). A) Pretty gutsy of Paramount to already greenlight a sequel when they were so wishy-washy with the actual series and the later TNG (The Next Generation) movies. That being said, kudos to holding onto the franchise. B) I am not an Original Series (TOS) fan. Don’t get me wrong, I respect the every series’ canon and Spock is awesome but I like the movies more than the series itself for Kirk and the gang. Granted, I haven’t watched much but I’m going with the gut reaction on this one. Since I’m not a fan of TOS I’m not dreading what they do to the characters. By going back to the beginning with Enterprise they already mucked about with ST canon so no, I don’t care if Spock and Kirk never met in the Academy. Like with Watchmen (which I watched for the story and revisionist history as opposed to the violence and sex, which didn’t throw me like it did some but only because I have the graphic novel and I know Moore’s style) I’m watching for the world created and because well, it’s Star Trek and the trailers look awesome. Though I’m still perplexed about the whole classic car over the cliff thing but I was also upset with Casino Royale for destroying part of Venice (and the wrecking of JB in the most recent movies shall come later in this entry) so…it’ll just be a small mark against it. Besides the movie looking cool I think we could use some hopeful visions of the future right about now. Because that’s what Star Trek does well, it is a hopeful future. Yes, I imagine this movie will make things a little darker, as is the style of re-imaginings of late (see Batman and Battlestar Galactica [2003] for reference) but they can’t muck with the core of the franchise: different beings and backgrounds coming together for a common goal, and Earth becomes a paradise. Just look at what they did from TOS to TNG, they turned the Klingons, the enemies and Big Bad of TOS and most of its movies (perhaps all, it’s been a while since I’ve seen them, and Voyage Home with the whales? Totally the best one) into allies and part of the Federation, mostly through Worf but once DS9 came around the head of the Klingon Empire was best buds with most of the series’ regulars. I suppose there’s also an argument to be made about the changing nature of diplomacy and politics in there too but that’s cool with Star Trek, there’s plenty to grab from and it’ll probably be relevant to today’s world no matter where you stick it.
- So, James Bond. I’ve seen every one of your films (except that random Sean Connery one that isn’t in the official canon of films). I even watched them, up until the last 3 or so, in chronological order the summer after high school. While I dislike how women are treated in the first several films I understand they are a product of their time and of the novels themselves (and yes, I have read Casino Royale and will be reading the others as they come available/I get my hands on them). I even like the two Timothy Dalton contributions because I see that as the major turning point in how the women are treated. However, I can’t really bring myself to completely get behind the latest two Daniel Craig offerings. It’s not the violence (I don’t think I needed that torture scene in Casino Royale) and it’s not that he’s blond, which is a whatever thing, it’s the lack of quintessential Bond elements. The lines, mainly. “Bond. James Bond” and “Shaken, not stirred.” And of course the lack of Q. How can you not have Q? If you have Brosnan’s M, which I think they intimated was the first female M of the agency, then how can you dump Q? Yeah, yeah, going back to the beginning, blah blah blah. Q is Bond. What happened to the spy gear that made the other movies so awesome? So it’s over the top, all of Bond is over the top. Villains giving long monologues detailing their plans while setting up an elaborate method of killing Bond that of course he’ll get out of…this doesn’t happen in the real world. Real world is more like Indiana Jones facing the whip guy and just shooting him. Bond is cool gadgets, whacko villains, and quips. I miss Q. I want him back. Bring back some levity. Bond also, though it’s not a trait that should be copied by others nonetheless defines his character, doesn’t hold on to women. This whole still ticked off about a betrayal in the next movie thing? So not Bond. Get over it already. Yeah yeah, just starting out, whatever. And you don’t repeat a stunt like they did in Quantum of Solace with the girl covered in oil. Seriously? That was an iconic image from Goldfinger and probably the one thing most people remember and has certainly hammered home the idea that you leave space for the skin to breathe if you’re going to go for the whole body paint thing. You don’t repeat methods of killing people in Bond. Creativity, people, creativity. And with that creativity, get better opening credits. There’s another hallmark of Bond films, great credits. Casino Royale’s were okay, with the card suits and such but the dunes in Quantum? Lame. And it was a bad theme song. Okay, ish, on it’s own but tied into the credits just bad. There’s another missing element, truly great theme songs. My favorite will always be Goldeneye from Tina Turner (which is also my favorite Bond film) but those that came before were also quite good. So, to sum: put back in the classic lines (they’re classic for a reason, put Q back in, make Bond himself again, fix the opening credits, and get a good theme song(s). We’ll have to see what they do (if they do one) to the next one. Better fix stuff though. And don’t destroy part of Venice again.
- So, Jesuits. Pretty cool people usually. Within the myriad Catholic religious orders, they’re the most famously academic. If you see ‘Jesuit’ attached to the name of a college, you know it’s going to be a good one. Most are more than just a priest, they’re encouraged to be in the world and keep going in whatever profession they came into the order with, which was usually something academic. Here’s another reason they’re cool, a sense of humor: God to Man: Get Over Yourself.
- So, James Bond. I’ve seen every one of your films (except that random Sean Connery one that isn’t in the official canon of films). I even watched them, up until the last 3 or so, in chronological order the summer after high school. While I dislike how women are treated in the first several films I understand they are a product of their time and of the novels themselves (and yes, I have read Casino Royale and will be reading the others as they come available/I get my hands on them). I even like the two Timothy Dalton contributions because I see that as the major turning point in how the women are treated. However, I can’t really bring myself to completely get behind the latest two Daniel Craig offerings. It’s not the violence (I don’t think I needed that torture scene in Casino Royale) and it’s not that he’s blond, which is a whatever thing, it’s the lack of quintessential Bond elements. The lines, mainly. “Bond. James Bond” and “Shaken, not stirred.” And of course the lack of Q. How can you not have Q? If you have Brosnan’s M, which I think they intimated was the first female M of the agency, then how can you dump Q? Yeah, yeah, going back to the beginning, blah blah blah. Q is Bond. What happened to the spy gear that made the other movies so awesome? So it’s over the top, all of Bond is over the top. Villains giving long monologues detailing their plans while setting up an elaborate method of killing Bond that of course he’ll get out of…this doesn’t happen in the real world. Real world is more like Indiana Jones facing the whip guy and just shooting him. Bond is cool gadgets, whacko villains, and quips. I miss Q. I want him back. Bring back some levity. Bond also, though it’s not a trait that should be copied by others nonetheless defines his character, doesn’t hold on to women. This whole still ticked off about a betrayal in the next movie thing? So not Bond. Get over it already. Yeah yeah, just starting out, whatever. And you don’t repeat a stunt like they did in Quantum of Solace with the girl covered in oil. Seriously? That was an iconic image from Goldfinger and probably the one thing most people remember and has certainly hammered home the idea that you leave space for the skin to breathe if you’re going to go for the whole body paint thing. You don’t repeat methods of killing people in Bond. Creativity, people, creativity. And with that creativity, get better opening credits. There’s another hallmark of Bond films, great credits. Casino Royale’s were okay, with the card suits and such but the dunes in Quantum? Lame. And it was a bad theme song. Okay, ish, on it’s own but tied into the credits just bad. There’s another missing element, truly great theme songs. My favorite will always be Goldeneye from Tina Turner (which is also my favorite Bond film) but those that came before were also quite good. So, to sum: put back in the classic lines (they’re classic for a reason, put Q back in, make Bond himself again, fix the opening credits, and get a good theme song(s). We’ll have to see what they do (if they do one) to the next one. Better fix stuff though. And don’t destroy part of Venice again.
- So, Jesuits. Pretty cool people usually. Within the myriad Catholic religious orders, they’re the most famously academic. If you see ‘Jesuit’ attached to the name of a college, you know it’s going to be a good one. Most are more than just a priest, they’re encouraged to be in the world and keep going in whatever profession they came into the order with, which was usually something academic. Here’s another reason they’re cool, a sense of humor: God to Man: Get Over Yourself.
02 April 2009
Musings, Part E
- I am not one of these girls or women: Are We Turning Our Tweens Into ‘Generation Diva’?. I wear Burt’s Bees lip balm, if it’s a special occasion I might venture into lip gloss but I own no makeup and honestly don’t really even know how to put it on. I do own lotion but most of that was given to me. The amount of well…crap people put on their faces is astonishing and quite frankly, scary. If I ever have a daughter, or daughters as the case may be, I won’t let them go down this road. You get what you get and it’s better to be happy with yourself than try to force yourself into something that won’t make you happy and takes too much work to maintain. Though I wouldn’t mind that pill in the Doctor Who episode “Partners in Crime” because at least then the fat is being used for something, creating adorable little creatures. It’s kinda gross but they’re quite cute…
- I am continually amazed we’re still having the whole Scopes debate (Hitchens: Why Texas Is Right on Teaching Evolution). Maybe it’s because I’m not an evangelical Christian and am uncomfortable with evangelization in general (I never was very comfortable with selling anything, not even Girl Scout cookies). Maybe because I just don’t understand how you can reject science. I’m not even very good at it, it never was my favorite subject like history was, but I still value it and regard those who are good at it as heroes among us other types. If the Pope is able to say evolution is possible, after our much publicized rejection of Galileo which we have since corrected, then why, why do evangelicals still push for “Intelligent Design”? To get on the bandwagon for a moment, how long is a day to God anyway? Couldn’t it be a couple million years or so? And really, with some of the stuff? Not that intelligent of a design. Could have thought it through a bit more. Maybe just a few hundred years but still, a bit more. Yes, I am a proud owner of a Darwin fish button. It’s cute. And when I finally get a car of my own? I’m putting one on there too. If I’m feeling especially confrontational, maybe a Coexist sticker.
- I’m quite amused by this bit of news: Space Module Colbert: Democracy in Orbit. I can totally see NASA’s point, Serenity would have been cool. It’s the name of the ship in Firefly, I wonder if the Browncoats organized something for that?, and it’s all, spacy. Like Mare Serenitatis or Mare Tranquillitatis…granted both in Latin but that just makes Sea of Serenity and Sea of Tranquility sound all science-y. At the same time, everyone knows of Colbert’s glee in getting things named after him. The eagle, that one team that had a jersey for him, randomly running for president from South Carolina…did they expect him to pass up the opportunity to get something in space named after him? How cool would that be, to get something named after you that’ll be up there, with any luck, for a few decades? Did they learn nothing from the bridge in Hungary thing? I mean, if he found that, he can find a well publicized campaign right here at home.
- A word or five in defense of puns. I recently read an op-ed about puns, Pun for the Ages that seems to be both praising them and denouncing them like so many do. To be honest, though they make you groan once you finally get them and seem more like a bad joke, I don’t mind puns. Sure, they can be used as quips and digs at people, smack talk if you will, or whatever kids are calling it these days (it seems to change every year) but they can also be pretty funny. Of course, I liken puns and wordplay of the sort to the kind of humor or jokes my dad makes…bad jokes, all of them and yet he persists (but he wouldn’t be Dad if he didn’t so keep going, Dad) so maybe they’re not as interesting as they could be. Still, they’re clever when done well and if you like, we can call it wordplay when they’re done well and puns when done poorly. So as not to offend the “puns are the lowest form of humor” folks out there, you know who you are.
- Oh, NPR. Never change. Considering that this is from before I was born and some of the same people are still on…it probably never will. NPR: Murdoch to Buy NPR?!? Happy belated April Fool’s.
- I am continually amazed we’re still having the whole Scopes debate (Hitchens: Why Texas Is Right on Teaching Evolution). Maybe it’s because I’m not an evangelical Christian and am uncomfortable with evangelization in general (I never was very comfortable with selling anything, not even Girl Scout cookies). Maybe because I just don’t understand how you can reject science. I’m not even very good at it, it never was my favorite subject like history was, but I still value it and regard those who are good at it as heroes among us other types. If the Pope is able to say evolution is possible, after our much publicized rejection of Galileo which we have since corrected, then why, why do evangelicals still push for “Intelligent Design”? To get on the bandwagon for a moment, how long is a day to God anyway? Couldn’t it be a couple million years or so? And really, with some of the stuff? Not that intelligent of a design. Could have thought it through a bit more. Maybe just a few hundred years but still, a bit more. Yes, I am a proud owner of a Darwin fish button. It’s cute. And when I finally get a car of my own? I’m putting one on there too. If I’m feeling especially confrontational, maybe a Coexist sticker.
- I’m quite amused by this bit of news: Space Module Colbert: Democracy in Orbit. I can totally see NASA’s point, Serenity would have been cool. It’s the name of the ship in Firefly, I wonder if the Browncoats organized something for that?, and it’s all, spacy. Like Mare Serenitatis or Mare Tranquillitatis…granted both in Latin but that just makes Sea of Serenity and Sea of Tranquility sound all science-y. At the same time, everyone knows of Colbert’s glee in getting things named after him. The eagle, that one team that had a jersey for him, randomly running for president from South Carolina…did they expect him to pass up the opportunity to get something in space named after him? How cool would that be, to get something named after you that’ll be up there, with any luck, for a few decades? Did they learn nothing from the bridge in Hungary thing? I mean, if he found that, he can find a well publicized campaign right here at home.
- A word or five in defense of puns. I recently read an op-ed about puns, Pun for the Ages that seems to be both praising them and denouncing them like so many do. To be honest, though they make you groan once you finally get them and seem more like a bad joke, I don’t mind puns. Sure, they can be used as quips and digs at people, smack talk if you will, or whatever kids are calling it these days (it seems to change every year) but they can also be pretty funny. Of course, I liken puns and wordplay of the sort to the kind of humor or jokes my dad makes…bad jokes, all of them and yet he persists (but he wouldn’t be Dad if he didn’t so keep going, Dad) so maybe they’re not as interesting as they could be. Still, they’re clever when done well and if you like, we can call it wordplay when they’re done well and puns when done poorly. So as not to offend the “puns are the lowest form of humor” folks out there, you know who you are.
- Oh, NPR. Never change. Considering that this is from before I was born and some of the same people are still on…it probably never will. NPR: Murdoch to Buy NPR?!? Happy belated April Fool’s.
01 April 2009
Musings, Part D
- I adore Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book in the whole wide world. I read it several, well….just many times a year and usually that’s the whole thing, not just a good parts version which I admit I do with the BBC adaptation because while I can read Lydia, she’s just annoying on the screen so the second disc really comprises my “good parts” version when I watch it. I’ve read all of Austen’s novels, even Persuasion which I once vowed never to read because I heard it was her worst…funny, I know, considering the topic of the book (Northanger Abbey is now on the outs with me and Persuasion is as beloved as Mansfield Park with Emma close behind). I’ve been to the Jane Austen Center in Bath, I’ve walked up to the Royal Crescent where they filmed part of the 1995 version of Persuasion, I’m even a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Too bad there’s no membership card because that would be awesome. I’ve read the re-imaginings of the books, mostly the ones from the male lead’s perspective and seek out those re-imaginings online because really, some of them are quite good. Like I just finished an updated version of Persuasion where the guy writes about the end of their relationship and his current feelings towards his ex in a daily column in the Chicago Tribune and the girl is just as confused as Anne because his writings and actions don’t match up. It was great. I have the offshoots too: the Annotated Pride and Prejudice, The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen, a guide to regency life through her books, and others are on various to get lists. I have the movie versions and the soundtracks. I write all this to give background when I say that I’m quite excited to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I heard about it a while back and now that it’s finally coming out and getting attention I really can’t wait. He made Elizabeth even more awesome by having her fight zombies? Where’s the nearest bookstore? I might even see the Pride and Predator when it comes out though, aliens? Really? It’s probably strange that I’m more tolerant of the addition of sci-fi elements rather than some of the sequels that mess with the characters. Most of the sequels I won’t read. If you’re going to mess with the characters, do so inside the story itself don’t muck about with them after the fact. Don’t add more scandal that’s rather unnecessary as Austen has one rake per book, don’t make a nice guy into one too. For further stuff on the zombie book and the various re-imaginings/mucking abouts see Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies, Oh My!. And the mystery series? Sounds awesome. I bet they’d be like Nick and Nora…
- By the way, for those of you curious about the Pride and Predator thing, check this out: In New Movie, Alien Attacks Austen-Era Britain.
- I agree with this entry’s title wholeheartedly, ‘ER’: No, It’s Still on TV. And Has Been Since Man Discovered Fire. Except the blogger forgot Law and Order in the list of long running shows. Because it? Really has been on for freaking forever. And the only version I like? Just started in the UK. Hey, they wear wigs and Lee from BSG’s in it. Thus, I watch. Besides, it’s a fascinating look at the British legal system. And it makes me pine for London.
- Thank goodness: Facebook Backpedals As An Angry Mob Waves Pitchforks. I have always been proud of Facebook for not being MySpace, I didn’t want it to be Twitter. I wonder if they still have the pirate language feature…
- April Fool’s happenings: CADIE. Pretty sure it’s an April Fool’s Joke, if only because it was posted at 11:59:59 on March 31…and of course I had to Google it and it is:
Google’s April Fools’ Prank Tradition Continues with CADIE; NPR: No Lions And Orioles And Bears? Oh My!. This one’s truly scary: Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink. Apparently the Brits really embrace April Fool’s: Martin Wainwright on some of the silliest April Fools tricks . I really like the one about the M25 and I think it could be adopted for DC’s Beltway or I-4 in Orlando.
- By the way, for those of you curious about the Pride and Predator thing, check this out: In New Movie, Alien Attacks Austen-Era Britain.
- I agree with this entry’s title wholeheartedly, ‘ER’: No, It’s Still on TV. And Has Been Since Man Discovered Fire. Except the blogger forgot Law and Order in the list of long running shows. Because it? Really has been on for freaking forever. And the only version I like? Just started in the UK. Hey, they wear wigs and Lee from BSG’s in it. Thus, I watch. Besides, it’s a fascinating look at the British legal system. And it makes me pine for London.
- Thank goodness: Facebook Backpedals As An Angry Mob Waves Pitchforks. I have always been proud of Facebook for not being MySpace, I didn’t want it to be Twitter. I wonder if they still have the pirate language feature…
- April Fool’s happenings: CADIE. Pretty sure it’s an April Fool’s Joke, if only because it was posted at 11:59:59 on March 31…and of course I had to Google it and it is:
Google’s April Fools’ Prank Tradition Continues with CADIE; NPR: No Lions And Orioles And Bears? Oh My!. This one’s truly scary: Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink. Apparently the Brits really embrace April Fool’s: Martin Wainwright on some of the silliest April Fools tricks . I really like the one about the M25 and I think it could be adopted for DC’s Beltway or I-4 in Orlando.
Ramble: My After Work, Downtown DC Wandering Adventure
Yesterday afternoon I had some time to kill before my usual Tuesday night out for dinner so I decided to take in the city in a way I hadn’t done in the almost six months previously, when I had more time but no job so it was all about the conserving. That and it was cold(er) and the cherry blossoms weren’t blossoming. But oh were they blossoming yesterday. If you’ve never seen them, a cherry blossom tree is covered in small white/pinkish/pink flowers that bloom, peak, and give way to leaves all the space of a few weeks. We’ve got a lot here in DC and the main place to see them is around the Tidal Basin. Quite picturesque, all of it. You can get great pictures of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial with/through the trees. I’ll try to post some if they’re decent enough (though my camera decided to be low on battery, probably should’ve charged it). The Cherry Blossom Festival is always a big draw for tourists and the Post has reported quite good crowds this year, probably because it’s free and something to do with the family. There seemed to be a good mix of tourists and locals yesterday, the day before the peak but as today is all rainy yesterday was a good day to go. The locals you can pick out because, like me, they look like they’ve come from work. I didn’t even bring other shoes like so many women do, probably because I don’t wear insane heels and prefer comfortable, low heeled, if slightly clunky, dress shoes or low heeled boots. Anyway, my feet held up fine.
Not to romanticize it or anything, though I know I am, I really felt part of the city yesterday, even though I was all on my own and listening to my iPod most of the time (which I credit to my generation, at least I was enjoying nature, not all of us do). I was really just in the middle part, Tidal Basin through Gallery Place, but I still felt part of the fabric of the city and the country. It’s a slightly odd feeling. I could feel slightly superior when overhearing conversations from tourists about things to do or which tours to go on, someone actually thought they could get on a White House tour at 5 in the afternoon, as if. I belonged in DC and as long as these tourists respected my city, they were welcome to wander around it. I could pop into a museum for one exhibit because I’d seen the rest and was visiting close to closing and didn’t need to rush to see everything because I had a schedule to keep to. I could just wander if I wanted or sit and watch people.
But back to the wandering. I went up to the Washington Monument, deciding to take that route as opposed to a less scenic, more car filled one (and was reminded, yet again, why it’s stupid and slightly mentally unbalanced to try to drive in downtown DC, especially with so many tour buses around). I actually got the closest I’ve ever been to it, actually touched it. Never did that before. I should really go up it one of these days but they give out the tickets so early. I hereby vow that sometime this summer, I will go up the monument. There. Anyway, it’s really tall, especially if you’re standing right up against it and looking up. Just tall.
After that I walked over towards the American History museum side of the Mall. Decided I had time so I popped into the museum for the Lincoln exhibit. I went last fall when they reopened the museum (finally, that thing was closed forever but at least you can tell they did a lot of work, looks quite new in the main section) and the exhibit was slated to open sometime this year (or last, I don’t really remember). Anyway, it was a good exhibit. They have his top hat, which he wore to Ford’s, and lots of other stuff that’s spread out throughout panels on his life and a big one on the conspiracy. They even have a couple casts that were done during his life, of his face and hands. The latter weren’t really all that big, by the way. Good exhibit. Yay Lincoln.
After that I wandered along the agency/department side of the museums, EPA seemed to be having some sort of shindig, along to the National Archives. I bypassed the Charters Hall because, well, I’ve done it before and there were plenty of people there half an hour before closing (yay for later summer hours) and headed up to the Big exhibit. All sorts of large stuff. Like the Articles of Confederation, coming in at over 13 feet long. All that paper and yet, so ineffective. Setting the groundwork for some of our laws now, I guess. But the Articles were important, without that the Constitution wouldn’t have happened. I wrote one of my best AP history essays on the failings of the Articles. I was also pretty good at the Enlightenment later in AU Euro, lotsa deism. Probably what led to me classifying myself as a kind of Catholic deist for a while (if such a thing exists and you can make the two systems co-exist). Anyway, the exhibit also has a replica of Taft’s bathtub, one of Shaq’s shoes, a big globe, and other stuff. Happy 75th National Archives.
After the Archives I wandered over to the Mall to read some before going off to dinner. If you get sappy/sentimental about patriotic stuff or feel like you’re part of something at the monuments, the Mall is a great place to go to feel all warm and fuzzy. Though I was kinda chilled because it was windy and my coat wasn’t warm enough but that’s a story for catch-22. Saw an ultimate Frisbee game, far too many people jogging in shorts (they are insane) and others just walking as the sun began to set. It was a good time and nice way to end the wandering. Though, one last note, since when does the Sculpture Garden close?
Now back to the regularly scheduled musings.
Not to romanticize it or anything, though I know I am, I really felt part of the city yesterday, even though I was all on my own and listening to my iPod most of the time (which I credit to my generation, at least I was enjoying nature, not all of us do). I was really just in the middle part, Tidal Basin through Gallery Place, but I still felt part of the fabric of the city and the country. It’s a slightly odd feeling. I could feel slightly superior when overhearing conversations from tourists about things to do or which tours to go on, someone actually thought they could get on a White House tour at 5 in the afternoon, as if. I belonged in DC and as long as these tourists respected my city, they were welcome to wander around it. I could pop into a museum for one exhibit because I’d seen the rest and was visiting close to closing and didn’t need to rush to see everything because I had a schedule to keep to. I could just wander if I wanted or sit and watch people.
But back to the wandering. I went up to the Washington Monument, deciding to take that route as opposed to a less scenic, more car filled one (and was reminded, yet again, why it’s stupid and slightly mentally unbalanced to try to drive in downtown DC, especially with so many tour buses around). I actually got the closest I’ve ever been to it, actually touched it. Never did that before. I should really go up it one of these days but they give out the tickets so early. I hereby vow that sometime this summer, I will go up the monument. There. Anyway, it’s really tall, especially if you’re standing right up against it and looking up. Just tall.
After that I walked over towards the American History museum side of the Mall. Decided I had time so I popped into the museum for the Lincoln exhibit. I went last fall when they reopened the museum (finally, that thing was closed forever but at least you can tell they did a lot of work, looks quite new in the main section) and the exhibit was slated to open sometime this year (or last, I don’t really remember). Anyway, it was a good exhibit. They have his top hat, which he wore to Ford’s, and lots of other stuff that’s spread out throughout panels on his life and a big one on the conspiracy. They even have a couple casts that were done during his life, of his face and hands. The latter weren’t really all that big, by the way. Good exhibit. Yay Lincoln.
After that I wandered along the agency/department side of the museums, EPA seemed to be having some sort of shindig, along to the National Archives. I bypassed the Charters Hall because, well, I’ve done it before and there were plenty of people there half an hour before closing (yay for later summer hours) and headed up to the Big exhibit. All sorts of large stuff. Like the Articles of Confederation, coming in at over 13 feet long. All that paper and yet, so ineffective. Setting the groundwork for some of our laws now, I guess. But the Articles were important, without that the Constitution wouldn’t have happened. I wrote one of my best AP history essays on the failings of the Articles. I was also pretty good at the Enlightenment later in AU Euro, lotsa deism. Probably what led to me classifying myself as a kind of Catholic deist for a while (if such a thing exists and you can make the two systems co-exist). Anyway, the exhibit also has a replica of Taft’s bathtub, one of Shaq’s shoes, a big globe, and other stuff. Happy 75th National Archives.
After the Archives I wandered over to the Mall to read some before going off to dinner. If you get sappy/sentimental about patriotic stuff or feel like you’re part of something at the monuments, the Mall is a great place to go to feel all warm and fuzzy. Though I was kinda chilled because it was windy and my coat wasn’t warm enough but that’s a story for catch-22. Saw an ultimate Frisbee game, far too many people jogging in shorts (they are insane) and others just walking as the sun began to set. It was a good time and nice way to end the wandering. Though, one last note, since when does the Sculpture Garden close?
Now back to the regularly scheduled musings.
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