So I was in the kitchen, cooking Carla's dinner and she comes in and asks me, "Mommy, what channel is the weather channel? I want to see if  it is going to rain." So, I say, "Channel 38. Have fun."

A few minutes later, she comes back in the kitchen and says, "Mommy, the weather channel is NOT boring! It's like if you had bought me a puppy! There's going to be a tornado somewhere and it's going to rain all over the world! And I think there's going to be a tornado here, but I REALLY have to go to the bathroom and I'll probably miss it."

Then later, I tell her to come and eat, and since it's just the two of us, we sit at the little table. And do you know what she asks? If we can watch the weather channel. 

yeah.

 

minor friends-cut. mostly people who haven't updated in forever. if the last thing you posted was from Christmas of 07, then I probably don't even know who you are.

Bought: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien; and Atonement by whoever wrote it. Ian somebody. McEwan? I'm reading TTTC first.

bored.

Do you think people who don't know the difference between "your" and "you're" should be strung up by their gonads? You do? Then you should visit GrammarBlog.

For a laugh, go to English Fail and check out the Top Funny Posts (right-hand sidebar). Warning: some are NSFW and some are just not that funny.

For some interesting word and phrase origins, or for ever-exciting dictionary talk, visit Word Origins.

Interested in a little lexpionage to enliven your day? Pop over to Wordspy.

And the ever-popular and politically incorrect engrish.com

That's all I've got.

It's time for bed. right?

Oft him anhaga are gebideð,
metudes miltse, þeah þe he modcearig
geond lagulade longe sceolde
hreran mid hondum hrimcealde sæ
wadan wræclastas. Wyrd bið ful aræd!


Swa cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig,
wraþra wælsleahta, winemæga hryre:


Oft ic sceolde ana uhtna gehwylce
mine ceare cwiþan. Nis nu cwicra nan
þe ic him modsefan minne durre
sweotule asecgan. Ic to soþe wat
þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þeaw,
þæt he his ferðlocan fæste binde,
healde his hordcofan, hycge swa he wille.
Ne mæg werig mod wyrde wiðstondan,
ne se hreo hyge helpe gefremman.
Forðon domgeorne dreorigne oft
in hyra breostcofan bindað fæste;
swa ic modsefan minne sceolde,
oft earmcearig, eðle bidæled,
freomægum feor feterum sælan,
siþþan geara iu goldwine minne
hrusan heolstre biwrah, ond ic hean þonan
wod wintercearig ofer waþema gebind,
sohte seledreorig sinces bryttan,
hwær ic feor oþþe neah findan meahte
þone þe in meoduhealle mine wisse,
oþþe mec freondleasne frefran wolde,
wenian mid wynnum. Wat se þe cunnað
hu sliþen bið sorg to geferan
þam þe him lyt hafað leofra geholena:
warað hine wræclast, nales wunden gold,
ferðloca freorig, nalæs foldan blæd.
Gemon he selesecgas ond sincþege,
hu hine on geoguðe his goldwine
wenede to wiste. Wyn eal gedreas! (lines 1-36)

Then, lines 92-110:

Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?
Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? Hwær sindon seledreamas?
Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga!
Eala þeodnes þrym! Hu seo þrag gewat,
genap under nihthelm, swa heo no wære.
Stondeð nu on laste leofre duguþe
weal wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah.
Eorlas fornoman asca þryþe,
wæpen wælgifru, wyrd seo mære,
ond þas stanhleoþu stormas cnyssað,
hrið hreosende hrusan bindeð,
wintres woma, þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua, norþan onsendeð
hreo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.
Eall is earfoðlic eorþan rice,
onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum.
Her bið feoh læne, her bið freond læne,
her bið mon læne, her bið mæg læne,
eal þis eorþan gesteal idel weorþeð!


The funny thing with Anglo-Saxon is that to a person unfamiliar with the language, it frequently looks like gibberish. But when they hear it pronounced, they're surprised at how many words they can pick out.

I think I'm at my geek limit for the day.

BTW, the second segment I posted is the influence for the song Aragorn sings in LotR:tTT "Where now the horse and rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?" Nice, huh?

Remember the Power Team? If you're not from the US, or are from certain north-eastern and/or western areas of the US, you may not know what the Power Team is.

AND I PITY YOU.

I really do.

I remember being in highschool, cramming into a church somewhere in Auburn with a bunch of my fellow youth group members, watching Spectacle for God in its truest form. The Power Team.

( Behold )

And then I find out that the Power Team is even responsible for God's greatest wonder (second only to JesusChrist himself) and Power for Good and the Republican Party, devotee of Logan's Steakhouse*, Chuck Norris! And I quote: "CHUCK NORRIS and his entire family now follow Christ after seeing a Power Team crusade."

Can you believe it???

And you can even buy "Power Apparel for the Power Believer" on their website (www.thepowerteam.com).

*Chucky recently visited the city I live in campaigning for the local republican candidate for who knows what, and my co-worker saw him eating at Logan's Steakhouse. I guess things haven't gone so well for the Chuckmeister since "Walker, Texas Ranger" was wrongly yanked from the airwaves and forced into endless syndication.

I'm sure there are some missing. Warning: it's long.

( To-Read Booklist 2008 )

I might be missing a few, but OH WELL. I'm working from memory. My knuckles are swollen from the heat and the typing. And perhaps from the lack of water and sleep. Anywho. I'm going to see my bestest lapsus_lingue at her potential new pad!

So that I can find it later because Carla wants one:

http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Lore-1010-Butterfly-Garden/dp/B00000ISC5

First, with the movies. There are spoilers under the cuts.

I had no idea that there was yet another Highlander movie. I was a fan of the show, but not a fanatic...I think I mainly watched it on reruns on USA or some channel similar, several years ago when it was on TV still in sindication. I was never a huge fan of the movies, mostly because I don't really like Christopher Lambert. I did watch the last Highlander movie (4, I think Endgame, but mainly because it featured Adrian Paul, who is HOT). So when I was at Movie Gallery over Memorial Day weekend, and I saw the case for Highlander: The Source, I picked it up. My mom and my sister are both fans of the movies, so I figured it would be a good movie for them (We always get several movies, each chosen for a particular family member. My dad gets action movies or thrillers--his movie was Untraceable. I'll get to that one in a minute).

( I had no idea what I was getting into )

( Untraceable--big spoiler for the ending under here )


( The Golden Compass--slight spoilers, but if you've read the books you're safe )

( Stephen King's The Mist )

I'm going to have to cut this short. I've spent all DAY writing this, and I still haven't gotten to the books or LOST!!!! last night. So I'll probably post something else later.

( pigture )

it's the little things that bring me pleasure.

You would not believe how many pigtures I took last night, by the way.

courtesy of lapsus_lingue

e.l.f. makeup has been recently bought by Nordstrom's, who is going to repackage their cosmetics and sell it under Nordstrom's brand. As a result, they are selling all the makeup with the e.l.f. label for just a $1 each. PLUS enter the coupon code CAROLINA and get 7.50 off your first $15. You'll still have to pay shipping, but it's just $6.95 for standard. Which, and thank you lapsus_lingue for the math, works out to free shipping for 15 items. YAY! Good, cheap makeup FTW.

I don't know what I am going to do with so much lip gloss, but I will be happy figuring it out.

So I made it to my goal--I made it a few weeks ago in fact. I'm at 67 going on 68, soon to be 69 then 70 (as soon as I finish all the Narnia books, which shouldn't be long). So here they are, rated and everything.

The rating system: By all means, these ratings are subjective. More than anything they evaluated my enjoyment of a book. I took different things into account for rating the books, so if you have any questions about any of the particulars, just let me know.
It was on a scale of 0-5, but nothing is so bad as to deserve a zero (or, at least, I didn't read it this year). For the math geniuses out there, 2.5 is average, 3 is good, 4 is great and five is excellent.

( Books I've Read 2007 )

Why doesn't the NintenDogs game come with a warning label that it might break the hearts of young children?

Carla has three puppies on her nintendogs game (which we bought because we live in an apartment and therefore cannot have a dog). She accidentally sold one of them back to the pet store in the game--and once you've done that you can't get them back again. This is the second time she's done this since she got the game last year, and both times she wept uncontrollably.

I can still hear her now, emitting a wild squeak every few minutes (she's in my sister's room, which is where she sleeps when we're at my parents' house).

She's also wearing pink footie pajamas. She'll be okay.

Thanksgiving was good--fried chicken (we don't do turkey), honey-baked ham, dressing, momma's potato salad (my favorite!) and two roasted hens. plus other stuff. it was just us--momma, daddy, linde (my sister), Charlie (my husband) and carla. so there will be left-overs for weeks, which is what's supposed to happen, after all. We went shopping today to pick up some stuff for Carla--her birthday is two weeks before christmas, then you've got christmas, then two weeks after christmas you've got Los Reyes (more presents). So we're stockpiling.

I also bought $50 of scrapbooking stickers and papers and rub-ons and CRAP for $25 at Hobby Lobby today. Who feels accomplished? I do. Who's only completed one physical scrapbook page in her entire life? Why, that would be me as well. Let me tell you, when I go for something, I go hardcore. And did you know that Hobby Lobby pretty much has at least half of their store on sale at 50% off all the time? The departments vary, but dang. That's a lot of sales merchandise. Like today, all of their scrapbooks and scrapbooking supplies were 50% off.

Tomorrow? We're driving to Columbus, GA, to go shopping because it's the Iron Bowl in Auburn tomorrow and, even though Auburn is closer, it's not worth the hassle. And Columbus has a toys R us. and a Michael's.

Maybe I can be good and complete my Carla shopping this weekend. Then i just have to worry about the rest of my family (which is considerably more difficult)  

Currently Reading:
Marked by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
The Magician's Nephew CS Lewis (Book one of The Chronicles of Narnia)
How to Be Lost by Amande Eyre Ward

Plus I have pillaged my sister's books yet again. Mostly cheap palate cleansers, if you know what i mean. 

More later, with feeling. And pictures.

I forgot to mention yesterday that we watched Volver, directed by Almodovar and starring Penelope Cruz--we've had it for a while, but for some reason just never got around to watching it.  I love, love, love Todo Sobre Mi Madre and I am quite a fan of Spanish cinema in general. Hable con ella  though, I wasn't sure about. I still haven't seen it. I love Pedro Almodovar's work--I love the literariness (is that a word?) of his work.  Todo Sobre Mi Madre was heavily influenced by both All about Eve and Streetcar Named Desire. Plus, who couldn't like a movie about an HIV positive nun, pregnant by a trans-sexual? I mean come on! I love that his casts are mostly all female, and that they are strong characters. Oddly enough (or maybe not oddly, since Almodovar likes to work with Cruz) Penelope Cruz is also in Todo Sobre Mi Madre and she is the dicho monja (i don't want to spoil it for everyone). I still want to see Mar Adentro, too.

My Top 10 Spanish Language Movies (in no particular order)

1. Espinazo del diablo (Devil's Backbone)--this film is from 2001 and directed by Guillermo del Toro and produced by Almodovar. While the director is Mexican, the film is set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. It is a wonderful scary movie, by the way.

2. Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother)--1999. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 99.

3. Siete Reinas (Seven Queens)--this is an Arentine film from 2000, written and directed by Fabién Belinsky. It's a great Caper movie--think Ocean's 11, but nothing to do with robbing a cruise ship (or whatever they did in that movie).

4. Azucar Amarga (Bitter Sugar)--1996, written and directed by Leon Ichaso, a Cuban refugee who escaped Cuba when he was 14. The film is about Cuba during the revolution that put Castro in power; while mainly filmed in Santo Domingo (i mean, come on, do you think Castro would let them film in Cuba?), the substitution is done so well that one doesn't notice that it's the Dominican Republic and not Havana. It's filmed in Black and White and that lends a great documentary feel to it. Supposedly inspired by actual events, and when it's over you'll probably still be angry.

5. Laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth)--2006, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. He has said that this film is somewhat of a spiritual sequel to Espinazo del diablo. I don't really have to tell you all about this one, do I? It really got robbed at the Academy Awards, in my opinion.

6. Volver--2006 Almodovar film. See above. Volver means "to return" in Spanish (or "to come back" so you could say volverá to mean "I will come back" or "I will return." It has the sense of meaning to return to a particular place, not like returning a book to the library). It's not just an interesting film (which even kept Charlie engaged--and he is NOT a person to enjoy an artsy movie), but it's also beautiful. His use of color in the film is gorgeous.

7. La Historia Oficial (The Official Story)--1985, Argentinian by Luis Puenzo. released as the Official Version in the UK. About a woman who discovers more than she wanted to know about her family as they are connected to Los Desaparacidos, that is those Argentines who disappeared during the Dirty War of the 1970s.

8. Cria Cuervos--1976 Spanish film directed by Carlos Saura. If these 10 movies were in order, I would most definitely put this one first. It not only has a song that will invade your head (for. the. rest. of. your. life), but it's got one of those surreal, quirky plots. Set in Spain, during Franco's regime. Excellent, excellent movie. Released as Cria! in the US, and Raise Crows in the UK (which is the literal translation of the title). The title in Spanish comes from the proverb in Spanish "Cría cuervos y te arrancarán los ojos" ("raise crows and they will peck your eyes out."

9. Soy Cuba ("I am Cuba")--1964 in Russia and Cuba, and 1995 in the US. This film is a little hard to explain...it is most definitely a russian communist propaganda film, made during the cold war and set in Cuba. The director was Russian, but most of the actors were Cuban. It consists of tfour separate stories that sort of minimally overlap, but are meant to portray the proud, staunchly communist Cubans, who were so badly treated by the evil capitalist American pigs, and their reactions to their own deep suffering. The glory of this movie is mainly for the cinephile. The stories told within the movie are interesting, and are good for analization (if that's your thing), but the cinematography in this movie is simply amazing. The movie was not well received by either the Russians or the Cubans, and so it was lost for about 30 years, until Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola co-released the film for American audiences in 1995. The original film is somewhat hard to follow--there's Spanish dialogue, with Russian dubbing overlapping it, and English subtitles. In 2005 when they re-released it again without the Russian dubbing. Here's why people crow about this movie: (the opening shot) "Initially a three minute aerial shot of rural tropical landscape is disrupted by an infamous jumpcut to the top of a hotel building where a beauty contest is going on accompanied by raucous pop music. The camera, using a wide angle lens moves among the contestants, goes out of the building, moves downwards for two stories into a club then circles around the bartenders. It then enters the pool and actually goes underwater, where the shot ends." Maybe that doesn't sound impressive, but believe me, it is on film. And that's just the opening shot.

10. La Muralla Verde (The Green Wall)--1970 by Armando Robles Godoy. Peruvian. It's really hard to just settle on one, when there are so many others out there. But I think this is a beautiful portrait of bureaucracy that is so evident in many Latin American countries. As the viewer, you feel absolutely helpless and frustrated. It's a terrifying feeling really.

Okay, so that's my top ten. But if you really want to get into some more movies in Spanish, then here are some others that are good:

--Profundo Carmesi (Deep Crimson) 1996 dir by Arturo Ripstein--a fascinating character study of two deeply disturbed individuals. Based on the true story of the Lonely Hearts Killers.
--Flamenco by Carlos Saura, 1995, a dance movie (not as in dirty dancing, but as in, truly a movie about dance)
--Bodas de Sangre, 1981, Carlos Saura, as well as the 1938 by Lorca. Based on a play by Lorca. The Saura, as best as I can remember, had no dialogue. At all. Another movie about dance. If you truly love the form of the human body as it dances, then you'll like this movie. If you think ballet is boring, then this will put you to sleep.
--Los Olvidados (The Forgotten Ones) Luis Buñuel, 1950.
--Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate)--1992, based on the book by Laura Esquivel and dir by Alfonso Arau. It's a sentimental favorite. The book (in spanish) is wonderful. The English translation is crap though, so pass that one by.
--Todos Somos Estrellas (1993) Peru, Felipe Degregori.
--Caballos Salvajes (1995) Argentina
--El Abuelo (1998) Spain, Jose Luis Garci dir.
--La Ultima Cena (1976) Cuba, Tomas Gutierrez Alea; great movie, about colonization, religion, slavery. excellent. Would have been in my top ten in place of Soy Cuba, but Soy Cuba edges it out because of amazing cinematography.
--Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (women on the verge of a nervous breakdown) 1988, Almodovar
--Fresa y Chocolate (strawberry and chocolate) 1994, Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Cuba/Mexico/Spain, set in Cuba during Castro's rule, a young, intelligent homosexual falls in love with a heterosexual communist with something to prove.
--Celos (Jealousy)-- 1999, Vicente Aranda, Spain
--Antes que anochezca (Before Night Falls) 2000, dir Julian Schnabel. USA, in English and Spanish (with subtitles in English), about a Cuban poet before, during and after the Castro's revolution. Excellent movie.

These are the movies that I want to see, but haven't had the chance yet.
--Abre Los Ojos
--Hable con ella
--Atame!
--La Mala Educacion
--Diarios de Motocicleta (Motorcycle Diaries)
--El Crimen de Padre Amaro
--Amores Perros (I can't believe I haven't seen this!)
--Y Tu Mama Tambien

I finally got around to reading Kushiel's Scion--i had been dreading it because I really didn't want to continue on in that universe without Phedre and Joceline.  But my mom bought the book, and I never have been able to say "no" to free books.



After I finished Kushiel's Scion I moved on to Jim Butcher's Book one of the Dresden Files entitled Storm Front.

And now? You ask? I'm reading Pride and Prejudice (for real). I really want to read Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair, but I'm not going to sink 14.00 on a book that I'm not sure I'll like. Anywho, I'm not sure who or what caused me to start thinking of P&P,
So, have you a suggestion on a movie version. Or a suggestion on where the heck I go from here?

I'm hella sleepy all of a sudden.

Every time i say her name, or write it, i think of pessary. I don't know why.

Anywho, I've been putting off writing this review, primarily because this book is so difficult to explain or analyze. It's like a rollercoaster that seems to take forever to get to the top, and the first plunge isn't exactly that breathtaking, and neither is the second or the third, and you're thinking, "while not exactly exhilerating, it certainly is better than standing on the ground." Then, out of nowhere, there's a heart-arresting free fall where you believe the car has actually come unhinged from the tracks. Then you're safely at the bottom again, but perplexed--did the ride malfunction? or was it supposed to be like that.

I can definitely tell you who wouldn't like this book. If you don't like excessive verbosity, if prolixity in prose is one of your turn offs, then you will hate this book. If elliptical endings that don't tie up all loose ends and deposit you neat and tidy at the ride platform drive you crazy, you won't like it. If you don't like excessive intertextuality, then don't read it. If you like your heroines strong and loud-mouthed and fearless, then perhaps another book would be better. If long-winded isn't you, then this book isn't either. She says in 20 pages what some can say in one or two. And the book was pretty much eviscerated by the critics because of all of the previous qualities I mentioned.

But I read it anyone, tempted by the title alone. I started it with much trepidation, and it ended a week and a half later, but much too soon (I read fairly quickly--a paperback will last me a day, if I am left alone to read it). This book crosses the finish line at a hefty 514 pages. If left to another author, the book may have come in around half that. But I don't believe the story, or the characters, would have been well-served by that.

From the dust jacket:

Blue van Meer: a brainy, deadpan, and preternaturally erudite girl who, after traveling from one remote academic outpost to another with her professor father (see "Gareth van Meer"), has a head crammed full of literary, philosophical, and scientific knowledge. (She is also a film buff and can recite pi out to sixty five decimal places.) When she is sixteen, due to certain nuclear events, her previously dull life is forever transformed.

The Flying Demoiselle: an archaic means of hanging someone, popular in the American South between 1829-1860. It is also, in all likelihood, how Hannah Schneider died.

Gareth van Meer: a handsome yet maddening man, prone to aphorisms, meteoric affairs, (see "June Bugs"), and high-end bourbon.

June Bugs: single women, aged 35-45 who, for reasons unclear to Blue, cling to her father like lint balls to wool pants.

Lion Sex: something that happens in Room 222 of the Dynasty Motel.

Valerio: a clue.

( Special Topics in Calamity Physics )

So, all in all, I would put this one in the Top 20 of my books read so far this year. Maybe even the Top Ten (it does, of course, depend on the day).

Reading: Right now I am reading Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. Initially I was discouraged by the reviews i'd read, but so far, I've been enjoying it. The book is crammed with literary allusions, oddball metaphors and similes, literary trivia and humorous parenthetical citations. The reviewers disliked this, calling it a pompous and show-offy (my word, not theirs. go figure). But I don't think so. I think she sounds just like the character should sound, and if she's pompous and show-offy, then it's because that's how she's been raised. I'm only about 75-100 pages into the book, and it's pretty long, but i've gotten more than a few chuckles out of it, and they were smart jokes. I started A Clockwork Orange before I started this book, but i couldn't focus on what was going on for trying to understand the slang. It didn't take long once I'd started, but as soon as I got interrupted the first time, i forgot the little dictionary i had mapped out in my head. That was less than a chapter into the book.

Wearing: It's Casual Friday, as usual, and here where I work, when they say casual, they mean casual. Jeans, tennyshoes, reddish tshirt thing under a black fleece pullover. No jewelry.

Planning: I'm planning on leaving at 3:00 going home, throwing all the rest of our stuff in the suitcase, and hitting the road going to my parents' house. I can't believe that October is almost over and done with. We might throw a Halloween costume together for Carla while we're there--she's going as a fairy, and I have wings (purple and neon green) and these awesome fake eyelashes that are the same color, and hair stuff to turn her hair purple, but i don't have the actual clothes that she can wear. It'll be a bit too chilly to go in the buff.

That's it for me! What about you guys?