These are some of the movies I've seen in theaters by myself:
3:10 to Yuma
Atonement
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Inception
Rango
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few examples...in any case, these are the ones that came readily to mind and they are listed in the order in which I saw them.
What kind of loser goes to the movies alone?
Me! I do!
Why?
Two reasons:
1) Impulsivity. In the case of the first three and Rango, I happened to have some time at my disposal and saw them on a whim. I had wanted to go see all these movies and I just happened to be near a theater and have enough time to sit down and watch something before going somewhere else. With the exception of Forgetting Sarah Marshall I saw all the movies in almost-empty theaters, which was really nice in that I didn’t worry so much about annoying movie patrons (e.g. people who have side conversations throughout the movie, or text constantly, or make loud crunching noises, etc.)
2) Impatience. I really would’ve liked to see Inception and the last Harry Potter film with a group of friends, but it just didn’t work out logistically. Determined to watch it before accidentally getting it spoiled for me by happening upon something about the plot on a website I frequent, I chose to watch the film by myself at time that was convenient for me on the day that it came out.
I don't regret watching any of these movies by myself, but it would've been nice to get to discuss it with a friend immediately afterward. I still go to the movies with a friend or two and enjoy that experience as well. But there's something really satisfying-- maybe selfishly so-- to just sitting down by myself without having to find a seat for my companion(s) or talk to anyone else or wonder what anyone else is thinking. If I'm by myself I might feel less inhibited to cry during the movie, and more likely to laugh aloud at things that are only hilarious to me.
When I see a trailer or read about a movie I don't automatically think "A-ha! That's a movie I want to see by myself!" Going solo to the theater just happens sometimes, and while I don't actively seek out that experience I still relish it and look forward to it.
Sunday, July 31
Saturday, July 30
Not another food post!
On this day last year I had one of the most memorable food experiences of my life. But that day I was sleep deprived, dehydrated and jet-lagged. I need to explain-->
Last year I went to Nicaragua for the third time for another week-long short-term mission with members of my church. No, I didn't do traditional/(stereo)typical mission work like the kind that's been satirized by the multiple Tony Award-winning musical Book of Mormon. No, most Nicaraguans are Christians-- Catholic, in fact-- and our aim was not to convert. But I digress.
The flight I had to take left at 5-something a.m, so I had to meet the others at the airport by 3 a.m, so I had to leave my house by 2:30 a.m., so I basically got very little sleep. Luckily there I slept a little on the plane but not until I got my complimentary beverage (Mr. T's Bloody Mary mix, I think). Landed in Miami International Airport for a second hobbit breakfast before catching the connecting flight to Nicaragua (we ate some egg salad sandwiches and clementines while waiting to board the first flight). Slept a little on that second flight but again I was determined to stay awake to get my second beverage (Dr. Pepper) and unfortunately the combination of caffeine, nervousness, and sunlight streaming in from the window made it hard to get some shut-eye.
Finally we arrived in Managua, the country's capital, at noon their time (making up for our Daylight Savings Time). Lord, I was hungry. And confused. Going through immigrations and customs was a pretty simple, straightforward process, except I was tired and hungry and my brain was not functioning at it's Typical Performance Level. Somehow I got separated from the group for a few minutes, and in that time I started to panic slightly. But it worked out in the end, and before I was fully aware what was happening we were in our missionary-coordinated pastor's van and headed to what is probably the only Korean restaurant in Nicaragua.
And the food! Best Korean food I've ever had! I ordered kimchi jjihgae, which is this stew that has kimichi n it-- spicy, fermented, pickled cabbage, aka Korea's national dish (and rumored reason why the SARS epidemic never touched that peninsula). It looked like the only vegetarian thing on the menu, and I knew I'd like it, so I that's why I ordered it. Oh, but the menu...so confusing...it was in Korean and Spanish. Mind you, I am only fluent in English and prefer to use it to speak. Ah, but my poor little brain was still recovering from all the events of the previous 12 hours, and while I could read and understand the menu I was starving to read and hear some English. I know, I sound like a crass, typical Stupid Ugly American who Wants E'r'one Ta Speak English, Ya Hear?! Eh, but consider the fact that I had been drifting in and out of sleep and had little to eat at that point. It wasn't that I was upset about the fact that the menu had not been in English, but that I was too exhausted and wanted everything to be a simple as possible until I had recovered. Man, but the food was just what I needed. It was warm and filling and woke me up (and made my nose run like the river Nile). Oh and also...it had meat in it. Darn! I suspect that the soup was cooked with that beef, and so I was partially drinking beef broth, and had inadvertently veered off from even my own rather liberal take on vegetarianism...but it tasted good. And I needed food. And that was the best choice I could've gone with. And I know I will never have a more satisfying food experience that was so appropriate, so just-what-I-needed-at-the-moment meal, never again in my life. So I choose to savor it, despite all these factors that indicate that it probably was special only due to the extraordinary circumstances.
Oh, also: best iced coffee I've ever had. I usually like mine with lots of cream and just enough sugar for it to be just a little more sweet than bitter. But this coffee was cooler than cool (ice cold!) and very sweet but not so sweet as to create that feeling that I simultaneously killed my pancreas and gave myself a few cavities. When I (finally) read Watchmen this year and read the description of how the Silk Spectre/Laura or Laurie something likes her coffee (something like, "Black as the night and twice as sweet!"), I thought about this magic coffee from this Korean restaurant in Managua, Nicaragua.
Last year I went to Nicaragua for the third time for another week-long short-term mission with members of my church. No, I didn't do traditional/(stereo)typical mission work like the kind that's been satirized by the multiple Tony Award-winning musical Book of Mormon. No, most Nicaraguans are Christians-- Catholic, in fact-- and our aim was not to convert. But I digress.
The flight I had to take left at 5-something a.m, so I had to meet the others at the airport by 3 a.m, so I had to leave my house by 2:30 a.m., so I basically got very little sleep. Luckily there I slept a little on the plane but not until I got my complimentary beverage (Mr. T's Bloody Mary mix, I think). Landed in Miami International Airport for a second hobbit breakfast before catching the connecting flight to Nicaragua (we ate some egg salad sandwiches and clementines while waiting to board the first flight). Slept a little on that second flight but again I was determined to stay awake to get my second beverage (Dr. Pepper) and unfortunately the combination of caffeine, nervousness, and sunlight streaming in from the window made it hard to get some shut-eye.
Finally we arrived in Managua, the country's capital, at noon their time (making up for our Daylight Savings Time). Lord, I was hungry. And confused. Going through immigrations and customs was a pretty simple, straightforward process, except I was tired and hungry and my brain was not functioning at it's Typical Performance Level. Somehow I got separated from the group for a few minutes, and in that time I started to panic slightly. But it worked out in the end, and before I was fully aware what was happening we were in our missionary-coordinated pastor's van and headed to what is probably the only Korean restaurant in Nicaragua.
And the food! Best Korean food I've ever had! I ordered kimchi jjihgae, which is this stew that has kimichi n it-- spicy, fermented, pickled cabbage, aka Korea's national dish (and rumored reason why the SARS epidemic never touched that peninsula). It looked like the only vegetarian thing on the menu, and I knew I'd like it, so I that's why I ordered it. Oh, but the menu...so confusing...it was in Korean and Spanish. Mind you, I am only fluent in English and prefer to use it to speak. Ah, but my poor little brain was still recovering from all the events of the previous 12 hours, and while I could read and understand the menu I was starving to read and hear some English. I know, I sound like a crass, typical Stupid Ugly American who Wants E'r'one Ta Speak English, Ya Hear?! Eh, but consider the fact that I had been drifting in and out of sleep and had little to eat at that point. It wasn't that I was upset about the fact that the menu had not been in English, but that I was too exhausted and wanted everything to be a simple as possible until I had recovered. Man, but the food was just what I needed. It was warm and filling and woke me up (and made my nose run like the river Nile). Oh and also...it had meat in it. Darn! I suspect that the soup was cooked with that beef, and so I was partially drinking beef broth, and had inadvertently veered off from even my own rather liberal take on vegetarianism...but it tasted good. And I needed food. And that was the best choice I could've gone with. And I know I will never have a more satisfying food experience that was so appropriate, so just-what-I-needed-at-the-moment meal, never again in my life. So I choose to savor it, despite all these factors that indicate that it probably was special only due to the extraordinary circumstances.
Oh, also: best iced coffee I've ever had. I usually like mine with lots of cream and just enough sugar for it to be just a little more sweet than bitter. But this coffee was cooler than cool (ice cold!) and very sweet but not so sweet as to create that feeling that I simultaneously killed my pancreas and gave myself a few cavities. When I (finally) read Watchmen this year and read the description of how the Silk Spectre/Laura or Laurie something likes her coffee (something like, "Black as the night and twice as sweet!"), I thought about this magic coffee from this Korean restaurant in Managua, Nicaragua.
Friday, July 29
Even more commercials?
I was watching "Toddlers & Tiaras" the other day and took copious notes on everything what I saw in that one episode. The one I watched focused on three girls (ages three, seven, and seven) as they prepared for and performed in a $10,000 cash prize beauty pageant. There's a lot of ridiculousness that happens in the episode, but I was actually surprised by the commercials: by the types and number of commercials that ran.
I saw 41 commercials. That's practically one for every minute of show (most hour-long shows last 42-47 minutes). Ugh, I feel so dirty. I mean, I've seen all those statistics on how many commercials the average American sees on a daily basis and read reports on how damaging it is for children to see all those ads, but it's really sobering to have sat and kept track of all those commercials.
I sometimes enjoy commercials. Sometimes I really enjoy commercials, to the point where (if I feel like wasting time) I track them down on YouTube and rewatch them. It's like the shortest mini-narrative, a really short, expensive, informative film. Of course, most of them are...insipid, and I flip to another channel or find some other means of entertaining myself until the featured program returns.
I saw 41 commercials. That's practically one for every minute of show (most hour-long shows last 42-47 minutes). Ugh, I feel so dirty. I mean, I've seen all those statistics on how many commercials the average American sees on a daily basis and read reports on how damaging it is for children to see all those ads, but it's really sobering to have sat and kept track of all those commercials.
I sometimes enjoy commercials. Sometimes I really enjoy commercials, to the point where (if I feel like wasting time) I track them down on YouTube and rewatch them. It's like the shortest mini-narrative, a really short, expensive, informative film. Of course, most of them are...insipid, and I flip to another channel or find some other means of entertaining myself until the featured program returns.
Thursday, July 28
Small Happinesses
I watched the documentary "Small Happiness" in an anthropology class; it delved into the lives of some women living in post-Communist Revolution China, including marriage customs, the role of the wife/mother, and attitudes toward pregnancy. The title refers to the way the birth of a baby girl is viewed: a boy is a big/large happiness (because he has more value) and a girl is a small happiness (because when she grows up and marries she will go away and belong to someone else's family). I think all babies are small happinesses because they are small and bring a lot of happiness (when they're not pooping or crying).
For me, a small happiness is an experience that is not life-changing or spectacular yet makes me feel a little happier. Things like
- finishing a crossword/sudoku
- paying exact change (in cash and coins)
- helping tourists find their way
- giving my seat up for someone more deserving (usually ends up being a parent and child)
- introducing a friend to a new and pleasurable experience
I think it's Eleanor Roosevelt who said, "Do one thing every day that scares you." Sometimes I accomplish this, but more often than not I hope to do one thing that gives me small happiness. I welcome big happiness any day, but every day can't be special. If every day is special then every day is the same. Just like how I am unique, just like everyone else.
For me, a small happiness is an experience that is not life-changing or spectacular yet makes me feel a little happier. Things like
- finishing a crossword/sudoku
- paying exact change (in cash and coins)
- helping tourists find their way
- giving my seat up for someone more deserving (usually ends up being a parent and child)
- introducing a friend to a new and pleasurable experience
I think it's Eleanor Roosevelt who said, "Do one thing every day that scares you." Sometimes I accomplish this, but more often than not I hope to do one thing that gives me small happiness. I welcome big happiness any day, but every day can't be special. If every day is special then every day is the same. Just like how I am unique, just like everyone else.
Wednesday, July 27
Poetry for dudes
I just read this article on the book "Broetry" by Brian McGakin.
The poem on the front takes cues from this William Carlos Williams poem (taken from this site):
This Is Just To Say
I like poetry, but it can be so pretentious, so snooty. (Snooty? Snotty). I remember the part in Obama's inauguration when a poet read the poem that she had written for that occasion. I remember looking around at the random people with whom I was watching the ceremony with, and I could tell that while they were jazzed about this new president they were kinda meh about the poetry reading. But really if you think about it, poetry is just song lyrics without the song. But some songs sound stupid when you read them... Anyway, poetry has a certain stigma. I wonder how much this book will get rid of it.
Of course the title of this book bothers me, and of course I know it's meant in a tongue-in-cheek way, because poetry isn't really a manly or masculine thing and this book aims to make it more palatable. It doesn't mean that females aren't allowed to read it or enjoy it. The article includes a handful of poems, and I found these amusing...except for the middle poem in the Mama Celeste triptych. I get it: haha, you call your mom a whore and then you apologize cuz you miss her home cookin'. I'm sure lots of bros will get it and empathize. I just wish it weren't that way.
The poem on the front takes cues from this William Carlos Williams poem (taken from this site):
This Is Just To Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
I like poetry, but it can be so pretentious, so snooty. (Snooty? Snotty). I remember the part in Obama's inauguration when a poet read the poem that she had written for that occasion. I remember looking around at the random people with whom I was watching the ceremony with, and I could tell that while they were jazzed about this new president they were kinda meh about the poetry reading. But really if you think about it, poetry is just song lyrics without the song. But some songs sound stupid when you read them... Anyway, poetry has a certain stigma. I wonder how much this book will get rid of it.
Of course the title of this book bothers me, and of course I know it's meant in a tongue-in-cheek way, because poetry isn't really a manly or masculine thing and this book aims to make it more palatable. It doesn't mean that females aren't allowed to read it or enjoy it. The article includes a handful of poems, and I found these amusing...except for the middle poem in the Mama Celeste triptych. I get it: haha, you call your mom a whore and then you apologize cuz you miss her home cookin'. I'm sure lots of bros will get it and empathize. I just wish it weren't that way.
Tuesday, July 26
Thoughts on...deodorant, scent
I collect deodorant. Currently I am in possesion of three different kinds:
- Secret pH balanced unscented
- Dove Original Clean invisible solid
- Degree Men Cool Rush invisible stick (travel size)
In other words:
- one marketed toward women with no scent
- one marketed toward women with a scent similar to the brand's soap
- one marketed toward men with a spicy-clean scent
Why do I collect deodorant?
- because I want to
- because I can
- it's a cheap thrill
- I have more options, can wear a different stick depending on my mood
Once, as a joke gift, I bought my (female) friend a stick of Axe deodorant. I spent maybe 15 minutes in the deodorant section of the local pharmacy, trying to find the one I liked the most. I didn't really know how my friend would react; she actually really appreciated the present and told me that she had used and liked men's deodorant before. And, as silly as it may sound, that's when I realized that I didn't have to limit myself to wearing scented anti-perspirant deodorants that were marketed to women.
I'm picky with scent. I don't like anything powdery, and while I like fruit I don't necessarily want to smell like it. I won't tolerated floral scents like rose or freesia, it makes my nose itch, but I love lavender. I think musk smells gross.
I can't help but reminded of that line from the movie Mean Girls: "You smell like a baby prostitute." But this is in reference to a perfume or body spray, not an anti-perspirant/deodorant.
- Secret pH balanced unscented
- Dove Original Clean invisible solid
- Degree Men Cool Rush invisible stick (travel size)
In other words:
- one marketed toward women with no scent
- one marketed toward women with a scent similar to the brand's soap
- one marketed toward men with a spicy-clean scent
Why do I collect deodorant?
- because I want to
- because I can
- it's a cheap thrill
- I have more options, can wear a different stick depending on my mood
Once, as a joke gift, I bought my (female) friend a stick of Axe deodorant. I spent maybe 15 minutes in the deodorant section of the local pharmacy, trying to find the one I liked the most. I didn't really know how my friend would react; she actually really appreciated the present and told me that she had used and liked men's deodorant before. And, as silly as it may sound, that's when I realized that I didn't have to limit myself to wearing scented anti-perspirant deodorants that were marketed to women.
I'm picky with scent. I don't like anything powdery, and while I like fruit I don't necessarily want to smell like it. I won't tolerated floral scents like rose or freesia, it makes my nose itch, but I love lavender. I think musk smells gross.
I can't help but reminded of that line from the movie Mean Girls: "You smell like a baby prostitute." But this is in reference to a perfume or body spray, not an anti-perspirant/deodorant.
Monday, July 25
Trivial facts, off the top of my head
Longest palindrome sentence in the English language (same letters backward & forward, just rearrange the spaces):
Go hang a salami! I'm a lasagna hog
"Eleven plus two" is an anagram of "twelve plus one"
Butterflies taste with their feet.
Beethoven started to lose his hearing as he got older and there are teeth marks on the piano he used because he bit down to better feel the vibrations.
Native Americans and Asians have a higher than average production of earwax.
Go hang a salami! I'm a lasagna hog
"Eleven plus two" is an anagram of "twelve plus one"
Butterflies taste with their feet.
Beethoven started to lose his hearing as he got older and there are teeth marks on the piano he used because he bit down to better feel the vibrations.
Native Americans and Asians have a higher than average production of earwax.
Sunday, July 24
The hairdryer you never knew you needed
The Darth Hairdryer: perfect for the Star Wars fan who's always craving the perfect blowout. So... anyone with a Slave Leia costume.
I kid! Sort of. My reactions to finding out about this product where as follows:
1. Ah, so cool-- a hairdryer shaped like the mouth part of Darth Vader's mask!
2. I want one!
3. No I don't, I never use a hairdryer.
4. Who on Earth (or in a galaxy far, far away) would want to buy this? In a Venn diagram with one circle representing "People who use a hairdryer on a regular basis" and "People who collect Star Wars-inspired products", there would be, like, four people in the intersecting section.
5. ...well, except for Star Wars cosplayers, particularly women since they are more likely than men to use such a hair care product.
6. ... well, just because it's inspired by Darth Vader doesn't mean that non-Star Wars fans won't buy it. No need to be so cynical about a hairdryer.
I kid! Sort of. My reactions to finding out about this product where as follows:
1. Ah, so cool-- a hairdryer shaped like the mouth part of Darth Vader's mask!
2. I want one!
3. No I don't, I never use a hairdryer.
4. Who on Earth (or in a galaxy far, far away) would want to buy this? In a Venn diagram with one circle representing "People who use a hairdryer on a regular basis" and "People who collect Star Wars-inspired products", there would be, like, four people in the intersecting section.
5. ...well, except for Star Wars cosplayers, particularly women since they are more likely than men to use such a hair care product.
6. ... well, just because it's inspired by Darth Vader doesn't mean that non-Star Wars fans won't buy it. No need to be so cynical about a hairdryer.
Saturday, July 23
My fantasy cookie shop
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Cookies
Apple cheddar (applesauce cookie w/ shredded cheddar on top)
Carrot cake sandwich (with cream cheese filling)
Chocolate chip (original; doughy and nutty)
Orange chocolate chip (puffy and fragrant)
Oatmeal chocolate chip (crunchy and dense)
Pecan butter (like a peanut butter cookie, with with pecan butter, and a pecan half on top)
Peanut butter (classic)
Russian tea /Mexican wedding cake (aka snowballs because they're coated with powdered sugar)
Shortbread sugar (like a regular sugar cookie, but more buttery)
Citrus Sugar (regular sugar cookie with a hint of lemon or lime, I can't decide which)
Ugly (my own combination of a compost cookie and one of the Sneaky Chef cookie. Includes chocolate chips, shredded carrot, potato chips, dried cranberries, pecans, oatmeal and pureed zucchini.)
Bars
Brownies (original)
Brownies (spicy)
Conga bar
Lemon bar
Pastries
Eclair (original)
Eclair (inside-out)
Sandwiches
Fried cheese sandwich
Tomato and mayo sandwich (only during summer)
Eh, the rest is a work in progress. I'd like to put up a vegan and gluten-free list, as well as an experimental/try-outs list that I'd put up to test new cookies or recipes and decide if they're good enough to become regular options.
One thing: I refuse to sell cupcakes. I'll sell cakes in small and large sizes, but no cupcakes-- or cake pops for that matter. I like pie, but I think it'd be too much to make it on top of all the other offerings. Above all, I want to be known for my cookies, which is why that list is so extensive. I've only actually made about half of the items on this menu. I'd like to try to, though, someday.
Friday, July 22
Hair, part II
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Not because I want to look less traditionally feminine (although it has that effect).
Not because I think looks nice (it doesn't).
Not because I'm a swimmer or biker (ha!) waiting to de-fuzz until just before a big race.
But because I want to.
Because it's practical (it saves me time and money)
Because I'm curious to see how long it can get.
Because I'm lazy, and can't be bothered to buy razors and shave my legs
Because I wonder how many people will notice (although I have no sure-fire way of knowing).
Because I can, I am growing out the hair on my legs.
Thursday, July 21
Hair, part I
http://www.nataliedee.com/
I will grow out the hair on my head.
Not because I think that having longer hair will make me look more traditionally feminine (which it will).
Not because I think it'll look nice (it won't).
Not because I think it's practical (especially during the summer, in the middle of a heat wave).
But because I want to.
Because I'm curious to see how long I can stand my hair to be before I go crazy.
Because my hair has never grown much past my shoulders.
Because I want to test my patience.
Because I will be able to style it in more and different ways.
Because I can, I will grow out the hair on my head.
Wednesday, July 20
Attention men: Gerard Butler doesn't want your skin to look tired
Commercials: they take you away from the TV show you're watching, but they're the reason the TV show is able to exist. But sometimes they can be entertaining and are worthy of as much analysis as a well-produced drama. I'm guessing that this commercial airs in the UK and wonder if they'd market and tailor the same product in the U.S.
Without further ado:
Thoughts:
1) It's great that now women aren't the only ones who have to worry about having tired-looking skin
2) Gerard Butler's a fun choice for this kind of ad, because he can be all Manly and use his natural Scottish accent in the voiceover and do things like play rugby and poker, aggressively go in for a kiss with a woman, jump off a fire escape ladder, drive a Sexy Sportscar and, most importantly, FIGHT 5 SIGNS OF FATIGUE with a swipe of his hand (and, presumably, a squirt of that lotion on his face)
3) That moisturiser is a pretty blue color
4) Funny that most face/body care products aimed at men feature the same colors: charcoal grey/black, silver, bright orange and electric blue. That goes for most products target at the male demographic, actually.
5) Mr. Butler is so commanding and in control of everything he does. He makes Decisions and Takes Action, he Gets Stuff Done. I know, this really should be categorized as an extension of point number 2 but I feel it bears special recognition. Despite having portrayed the titular character in "Phantom of the Opera" and the deceased lover of the weepy movie "P.S. I Love You", he is (in this commercial, made to look and act like) the Ultimate Man's Man.
6) I like the way it ends with Mr. Butler speaking three short, direct sentences. "Look Sharp. Not Tired. Enough Said." Men, it's important that your skin can keep up with you, and Mr. Butler has presented his arguments in concise and persuasive terms. He does not need to spend more time to convince you of the products properties. Just get on with it-- go out and buy L'Oreal Paris Men Expert's new Hydra Energetic Anti-Fatigue Moisturiser. Now.
Without further ado:
Thoughts:
1) It's great that now women aren't the only ones who have to worry about having tired-looking skin
2) Gerard Butler's a fun choice for this kind of ad, because he can be all Manly and use his natural Scottish accent in the voiceover and do things like play rugby and poker, aggressively go in for a kiss with a woman, jump off a fire escape ladder, drive a Sexy Sportscar and, most importantly, FIGHT 5 SIGNS OF FATIGUE with a swipe of his hand (and, presumably, a squirt of that lotion on his face)
3) That moisturiser is a pretty blue color
4) Funny that most face/body care products aimed at men feature the same colors: charcoal grey/black, silver, bright orange and electric blue. That goes for most products target at the male demographic, actually.
5) Mr. Butler is so commanding and in control of everything he does. He makes Decisions and Takes Action, he Gets Stuff Done. I know, this really should be categorized as an extension of point number 2 but I feel it bears special recognition. Despite having portrayed the titular character in "Phantom of the Opera" and the deceased lover of the weepy movie "P.S. I Love You", he is (in this commercial, made to look and act like) the Ultimate Man's Man.
6) I like the way it ends with Mr. Butler speaking three short, direct sentences. "Look Sharp. Not Tired. Enough Said." Men, it's important that your skin can keep up with you, and Mr. Butler has presented his arguments in concise and persuasive terms. He does not need to spend more time to convince you of the products properties. Just get on with it-- go out and buy L'Oreal Paris Men Expert's new Hydra Energetic Anti-Fatigue Moisturiser. Now.
Tuesday, July 19
Diet
I like to say that as a child I lived off Kraft mac and cheese and Disney movies. All things considered, I think I turned out all right.
Food:
I still like macaroni and cheese-- all kinds, but I still like the instant kind with the overly-yellow cheese blend powder and the pasta that tastes a little cardboard-y. But I'm vegetarian now, and I'm better about making sure I get all the right nutrients every day. I still have a sweet tooth and love chocolate but I'm much better at restraining myself.
Movies:
I wouldn't call myself a cinephile, but I am very passionate about movies. There's a long list of movies that I haven't seen, movies that are classics or modern classics or ones that have a cult following and elicit a what do you mean you've never seen any of the Terminator movies? reaction. Disney was a big part of my life, but as someone who is old enough to be considered an adult I know enough to be cynical about the messages in those movies, especially the princess mentality that Everything Will Be Better Once I Find My Prince. I'm a feminist now... but I'm still fascinated by fairy tales and folk stories and why they've managed to last so long. I enjoy a good story and good storytelling, whether in the form of a painting, motion picture, dance, music, food, etc.
My diet now? Vegetarian food, pop culture (incl. books, movies, TV), and other people-- in that I watch and interact with them, NOT that I eat them.
Food:
I still like macaroni and cheese-- all kinds, but I still like the instant kind with the overly-yellow cheese blend powder and the pasta that tastes a little cardboard-y. But I'm vegetarian now, and I'm better about making sure I get all the right nutrients every day. I still have a sweet tooth and love chocolate but I'm much better at restraining myself.
Movies:
I wouldn't call myself a cinephile, but I am very passionate about movies. There's a long list of movies that I haven't seen, movies that are classics or modern classics or ones that have a cult following and elicit a what do you mean you've never seen any of the Terminator movies? reaction. Disney was a big part of my life, but as someone who is old enough to be considered an adult I know enough to be cynical about the messages in those movies, especially the princess mentality that Everything Will Be Better Once I Find My Prince. I'm a feminist now... but I'm still fascinated by fairy tales and folk stories and why they've managed to last so long. I enjoy a good story and good storytelling, whether in the form of a painting, motion picture, dance, music, food, etc.
My diet now? Vegetarian food, pop culture (incl. books, movies, TV), and other people-- in that I watch and interact with them, NOT that I eat them.
Monday, July 18
Singing vs. dancing
To me, singing is more embarassing than dancing. I'm clumsy and generally uncoordinated but I know how to move in time with the music and I know the limits of my gross motor skills. I can deal. But I just don't have a nice singing voice; I can sing in tune and maybe with some (intensive) training I could become a passable singer.
But which of the two is more embarassing? On the one hand there dance clubs in which the house lights are low and different colored lights and strobes go off to create a cool effect and make your dance moves look electric, no matter how much you're actually moving. And there's alcohol to drink, and probably some other drugs that can be obtained to create a more heightened experience of dance. On the other hand, karaoke bars are also wildly popular and feature lights and alcohol so that people are less inhibited to potentially make fools of themselves. Both require a certain amount of familiarity with music and how it is structured.
You don't have to have a particular body shape to dance well, but you have to know how to move yourself in a way that is visually striking and not too strenuous. If you put a lot of time into dancing and choreographing routines you burn a lot of calories and it's likely that your body will become more toned and muscular. Dancing isn't something that is usually taught at school; physical education focuses on strength and athleticism, which can definitely help to make one a better dancer but to dance you have to learn the moves.
Music, on the other hand, is pretty much mandatory at school. Few can actually sing it well but we all learn how to sing the national anthem in school and have to take music classes. In high school there was an arts requirement and many students who weren't really into fine arts opted for the mixed chorus, which had no audition requirement. It's really easy to fake singing when in a chorus; if you dance in a group, though, you really have to know your stuff because it's blatantly obvious if you don't.
I think I just convinced myself that dance is generally more embarassing. But personally, if it were a matter of life or death to either sing or dance I'd chose the latter. Would I live? Maybe.
Sunday, July 17
Instruments and the people who play them, part II
click here for part I
Trumpet/cornet players
Not a shy bunch are these musicians. This isn't to say that they're all in-your-face extroverts, but generally trumpet players don't have a problem speaking their minds and making themselves heard. The brass section is usually pretty male-dominated with a few females sprinkled here and there.
Trombone players
In my experience, trombone players have the best sense of humor out of all the brass players. Trombones always go in front in parades because having them follow any section would be hazardous, to say the least (the slide part extends preeetty far out). To me the trombone is sort of the odd man in the brass section because there are no valves to press down and it takes a certain kind of person and precision to differentiate between the positions for notes.
French horn players
I think that at one point in time French horn players were considered unreliable, but all the ones I've met are very reliable and intelligent. Definitely some of the smartest people I knew in high school were French horn players. I've been told that the instrument has the smallest mouthpiece and therefore is the most difficult brass instrument to play-- it's hard to get a really good sound out of it. Also, it seems that French horn players are constantly transposing ("translating" from the key of one instrument to another). The French horn is unique in that it has an ambient sound that emanates in all directions, whereas most brass instruments just project wherever the bell part is focused.
Baritone/tuba players
Unfortunately I lump these two different instrument groups together because I just have not met enough of either type of musician to make a fair stereotype out of them. They are an eclectic bunch and defy definition. There's a sterotype that tuba players are large men who are about the same size as their instrument, but the ones I've met are all on the slim side. I think baritone horn players are slightly more goofy/ humourous than tuba players, but I find most brass players to be pretty good-natured and relaxed in comparison to other instrumentalists.
Trumpet/cornet players
Not a shy bunch are these musicians. This isn't to say that they're all in-your-face extroverts, but generally trumpet players don't have a problem speaking their minds and making themselves heard. The brass section is usually pretty male-dominated with a few females sprinkled here and there.
Trombone players
In my experience, trombone players have the best sense of humor out of all the brass players. Trombones always go in front in parades because having them follow any section would be hazardous, to say the least (the slide part extends preeetty far out). To me the trombone is sort of the odd man in the brass section because there are no valves to press down and it takes a certain kind of person and precision to differentiate between the positions for notes.
French horn players
I think that at one point in time French horn players were considered unreliable, but all the ones I've met are very reliable and intelligent. Definitely some of the smartest people I knew in high school were French horn players. I've been told that the instrument has the smallest mouthpiece and therefore is the most difficult brass instrument to play-- it's hard to get a really good sound out of it. Also, it seems that French horn players are constantly transposing ("translating" from the key of one instrument to another). The French horn is unique in that it has an ambient sound that emanates in all directions, whereas most brass instruments just project wherever the bell part is focused.
Baritone/tuba players
Unfortunately I lump these two different instrument groups together because I just have not met enough of either type of musician to make a fair stereotype out of them. They are an eclectic bunch and defy definition. There's a sterotype that tuba players are large men who are about the same size as their instrument, but the ones I've met are all on the slim side. I think baritone horn players are slightly more goofy/ humourous than tuba players, but I find most brass players to be pretty good-natured and relaxed in comparison to other instrumentalists.
Saturday, July 16
Rank
Pit orchestra is so much fun! I may sit down the whole time but I still feel like I get a really good workout, especially for my arms and hands. I'm fresh out of a show and the left hand fingertips are a bit sore as I type this; they're sore and a bit harder and calloused from lots of action on the violin.
The music is fun to play and all the other musicians are good-natured and working hard to get the right performance out of their instrument, and in the process work up quite a sweat. Tonight this fact was particularly obvious. The pit in which I played tonight is rather cavern-like, so it's not ventilated well and traps heat easily. By the end of Act I there were some pretty funky smells wafting about the place and we unanimously decided not to linger there during intermission but to leave the pit and air our bodies out a little. In Act II some of the musicians in front of me checked their armpits after a show-stopping, high energy number; it was played to comic effect but they were serious about making sure that they weren't rank, that they weren't the ones responsible for making the pit odorific.
I have to do a good job apply deodorant for the next show.
The music is fun to play and all the other musicians are good-natured and working hard to get the right performance out of their instrument, and in the process work up quite a sweat. Tonight this fact was particularly obvious. The pit in which I played tonight is rather cavern-like, so it's not ventilated well and traps heat easily. By the end of Act I there were some pretty funky smells wafting about the place and we unanimously decided not to linger there during intermission but to leave the pit and air our bodies out a little. In Act II some of the musicians in front of me checked their armpits after a show-stopping, high energy number; it was played to comic effect but they were serious about making sure that they weren't rank, that they weren't the ones responsible for making the pit odorific.
I have to do a good job apply deodorant for the next show.
Friday, July 15
Not the end
 |
| image taken from here |
No, the US release of the final film of the Harry Potter is not The End. The end of the story, yes, but it's not the end of Harry Potter. No, there will be no more big honkin' releases where we get to see the whole cast in Muggle clothing. Actually I sort of take that back, because when the DVD gets released (in November, I'm guessing, so just in time to be added to someone's Christmas list) the actors and producers might get back together for the DVD launch. And then maybe that could be the end, because then the movie is legally available to all. Also, maybe nine or ten years from now there will be a commemorative event for the film, the way that there are big anniversary releases for 'nouveau classic films' like the Back to the Future series and all the Brat Pack movies.
Okay, maybe this is a bit of denial. I'm open to have my attitude interpreted as such. But really, there's no need for additional drama around this movie. It's already been filmed and everyone involved has said many goodbyes to the experience, and now the world gets to witness it. The final book was released four years ago and some of the tension of wondering what will transpire is taken away. I know who dies, who lives, what happens in the end and it's just a matter of seeing how it gets interpreted from page to celluloid. I go back to what I said earlier, about how the DVD release is the actual end. But it will be a beginning as well, because we, the public, will be able to legally have the entire series on DVD or Blu-ray or on a file on a computer, and be able to have it for our own to pause and replay and skip over scenes as we please. Maybe it's not an end, but like a slight twist of one part of a strip of paper that gets taped to the other side of the paper, and becomes a Mobius strip. It's closed off, and it has only one side that can be traced endlessly...eh, I think I've become even less coherent and sensible than I started off. It makes sense to me. I'll probably put my foot in my mouth and melt out of embarassment if I ever deign to reread this post...
Thursday, July 14
Character sketch: Doppelganger
Twice, I was mistaken for someone named Simone. Both times it was dark out and I was walking alone across campus. The same guy (I think he might've been Chinese) called out "Simone!" or "Hey Simone" or "How's it going Simone?". I'd slow down a bit and as he got closer he'd realize his mistake and apologize. Did I mention that this happened twice?
Usually I'm mistaken for someone I know-- a Korean friend or blood relative. I wonder how closely I resemble this Simone and if she's ever been mistaken for me. I wonder what we have in common beyond having vaguely the same appearance from afar. I imagine that Simone is something like this:
Simone is bilingual-- she can speak English and Mandarin fluently. She did some field hockey in high school but wasn't a particularly notable or crucial member of the team. She's a foodie and spends a good deal of her free time hunting down the newest great hole-in-the wall restaraunt to champion and recommend to her friends. Her "notes" section in her planner is dedicated to memorable dishes and quick reviews of the places she's been. She works out at least two times a week, thrice if you count shopping on the weekends. She can never have enough pairs of jeans. Simone doesn't ever leave the house without wearing mascara and lipgloss. She prefers cats to dogs despite owning one French terrier. On quiet weekends she likes to paint her toenails while watching reruns of "Sex and the City" or "I Dream of Jeannie" or "Bewitched". Her childhood dream was to grow up to be a veterinarian or marine biologist. Simone recently left her job as a urine technician for a drug rehab clinic and is now working as a pharmacy technician and loving it. She's secretly afraid of growing old.
Usually I'm mistaken for someone I know-- a Korean friend or blood relative. I wonder how closely I resemble this Simone and if she's ever been mistaken for me. I wonder what we have in common beyond having vaguely the same appearance from afar. I imagine that Simone is something like this:
Simone is bilingual-- she can speak English and Mandarin fluently. She did some field hockey in high school but wasn't a particularly notable or crucial member of the team. She's a foodie and spends a good deal of her free time hunting down the newest great hole-in-the wall restaraunt to champion and recommend to her friends. Her "notes" section in her planner is dedicated to memorable dishes and quick reviews of the places she's been. She works out at least two times a week, thrice if you count shopping on the weekends. She can never have enough pairs of jeans. Simone doesn't ever leave the house without wearing mascara and lipgloss. She prefers cats to dogs despite owning one French terrier. On quiet weekends she likes to paint her toenails while watching reruns of "Sex and the City" or "I Dream of Jeannie" or "Bewitched". Her childhood dream was to grow up to be a veterinarian or marine biologist. Simone recently left her job as a urine technician for a drug rehab clinic and is now working as a pharmacy technician and loving it. She's secretly afraid of growing old.
Wednesday, July 13
Go ahead and cry! (Or not)
None of the Harry Potter books or movies have moved me to tears the first time around. I have been deeply affected by the series but it wasn’t until my paternal grandfather passed away that our resilient protagonist’s journey really struck me as poignant. When I reread the books after that I couldn’t help but cry because painful feelings resurfaced and I felt more empathetic toward how the characters felt and behaved. It all really hit home for me and I could better appreciate how Rowling shaped the stories and her characters.
I’m pretty sure I’ve cried during more movies than books. Off the top of my head, these are some of the books that have made me cry:
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (read it in 5th grade, always remember this as the first book to move me to tears)
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Movies that make/have made me teary:
Everything is Illuminated
Little Women (gets me practically every time)
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (don’t judge me! I liked it and even read the whole series)
Pocahontas
Titanic
Up
Finding Nemo
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Atonement
Good Will Hunting
(I’m sure there are more)
I’m curious to see if I’ll have cried by the time I see the end credits roll for the last Harry Potter film. Out of all the films this one has the highest chance of bringing up that kind of emotion in me. I have high hopes for this film and feel confident that I’ll like it—I might even love it or consider it my favorite of the bunch. I’ll have to wait and see, of course, but all this is how I anticipate feeling. And of course there’s a bittersweet note in that this is the last film in this series. I think it’s too late to decide to attend a midnight screening but definitely sometime this weekend I’ll see it.
I’m pretty sure I’ve cried during more movies than books. Off the top of my head, these are some of the books that have made me cry:
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (read it in 5th grade, always remember this as the first book to move me to tears)
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Movies that make/have made me teary:
Everything is Illuminated
Little Women (gets me practically every time)
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (don’t judge me! I liked it and even read the whole series)
Pocahontas
Titanic
Up
Finding Nemo
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Atonement
Good Will Hunting
(I’m sure there are more)
I’m curious to see if I’ll have cried by the time I see the end credits roll for the last Harry Potter film. Out of all the films this one has the highest chance of bringing up that kind of emotion in me. I have high hopes for this film and feel confident that I’ll like it—I might even love it or consider it my favorite of the bunch. I’ll have to wait and see, of course, but all this is how I anticipate feeling. And of course there’s a bittersweet note in that this is the last film in this series. I think it’s too late to decide to attend a midnight screening but definitely sometime this weekend I’ll see it.
Tuesday, July 12
Sousa!
Oh, John Philip Sousa, thank you for your many contributions. Namely:
1. The Washington Post march
2. Stars and Stripes Forever. So much fun to play, every time I play it, regardless of what instrument I'm playing it on and if I have the melody or tons of offbeats. Great crowd-pleaser, great way to end a concert.
3. The Sousaphone. It's so much fun to say, and even more fun to watch in action. You know what a Sousaphone is: it's a tuba that wraps around the musician's body, with the bell part flaring out above his/her head. It must be heavy and it takes a certain kind of person to have the stamina and musicianship to pull it off.
4. The short story/novel The Fifth String. Granted, I haven't actually read past the first few pages, but the mere fact that it exists-- that this composer not only wrote music but a work of prose-- really tickles me. I don't think it's in print because I can only find it in an online/e-book format, and this has really been the main factor in my reluctance to keep reading it. Someday, I promise, I'll get around to finishing it. The title itself is fun; it's the equivalent of baseball narrative titled "The Tenth Inning".
1. The Washington Post march
2. Stars and Stripes Forever. So much fun to play, every time I play it, regardless of what instrument I'm playing it on and if I have the melody or tons of offbeats. Great crowd-pleaser, great way to end a concert.
3. The Sousaphone. It's so much fun to say, and even more fun to watch in action. You know what a Sousaphone is: it's a tuba that wraps around the musician's body, with the bell part flaring out above his/her head. It must be heavy and it takes a certain kind of person to have the stamina and musicianship to pull it off.
4. The short story/novel The Fifth String. Granted, I haven't actually read past the first few pages, but the mere fact that it exists-- that this composer not only wrote music but a work of prose-- really tickles me. I don't think it's in print because I can only find it in an online/e-book format, and this has really been the main factor in my reluctance to keep reading it. Someday, I promise, I'll get around to finishing it. The title itself is fun; it's the equivalent of baseball narrative titled "The Tenth Inning".
Monday, July 11
Lame-o
Food adjectives that can also be used to describe people:
- sweet
- salty
- sour
- crunchy/granola
- flaky
- soft:
- hard
- toasted/baked
- cheesy
- corny
- burnt
- gritty
- blanched
- dyed
- frosted/frosty
- dry
- oily
- hot
- warm
- cool/cold
If I were a dessert I would be a conga bar.
- sweet
- salty
- sour
- crunchy/granola
- flaky
- soft:
- hard
- toasted/baked
- cheesy
- corny
- burnt
- gritty
- blanched
- dyed
- frosted/frosty
- dry
- oily
- hot
- warm
- cool/cold
If I were a dessert I would be a conga bar.
Sunday, July 10
My ten commandments of riding public transportation
I. Thou shall have money ready before the vehicle approaches
II. Thou shall stand to the side of the door to allow passenger to exit prior to boarding
III. Thou shall move into the vehicle as far in as possible
IV. Thou shall not clip toenails, or engage in any similar behavior that is typically performed in a bathroom
V. If seated, thou shall offer to give up the seat if approached by an elderly person, or someone who is traveling with a child/children, or someone who is carrying multiple and/or large bags. If standing, thou shall grab the nearest pole in a way that allows others to grab onto it as well
VI. Thou shall keep phone conversations to a minimum and speak using an indoor voice
VII. Thou shall not leave trash behind.
VIII. Thou shall not eat anything pungent, messy, or apt to flake or crumble easily
IX. Thou shall not shove others when exiting but shall still leave as quickly as possible
X. Thou shall not complain about riding public transportation
II. Thou shall stand to the side of the door to allow passenger to exit prior to boarding
III. Thou shall move into the vehicle as far in as possible
IV. Thou shall not clip toenails, or engage in any similar behavior that is typically performed in a bathroom
V. If seated, thou shall offer to give up the seat if approached by an elderly person, or someone who is traveling with a child/children, or someone who is carrying multiple and/or large bags. If standing, thou shall grab the nearest pole in a way that allows others to grab onto it as well
VI. Thou shall keep phone conversations to a minimum and speak using an indoor voice
VII. Thou shall not leave trash behind.
VIII. Thou shall not eat anything pungent, messy, or apt to flake or crumble easily
IX. Thou shall not shove others when exiting but shall still leave as quickly as possible
X. Thou shall not complain about riding public transportation
Saturday, July 9
Misleading names/titles
1. The Turtles vs. The Artists
What do you think about when you hear the names Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo? In the book Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the protagonist names his chickens after the middle two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in that list, and a museum curator mistakes the protagonist for an art aficionado upon learning the names of the chickens. I'm sure that somewhere out there someone has compiled a list of the ways the Turtles reflect the habits and characteristics of their namesakes; since they're all Italian it's safe to assume that their love of pizza has been accurately portrayed in the Turtles' shows and movies, right? (Just kidding).
2. ...what book?
I recently took out a book about librarians for my mother. The other day she asked me to return this book, it's overdue. I thought to myself, whaaaaaat? It can't be overdue, ever since my massive $40 fine I've been very careful to return all library items on time, I could've sworn it wasn't due for at least another week...Well, I was right. It wasn't overdue, in a manner of speaking. The book's title is This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, by Marily Johnson. I had merely misheard my mother, who had simply asked me to return that specific book and therefore told me the title.
3. ...what album?
This happened to my friend.
Friend: I want that Nirvana album for my birthday
Mother: Okay (goes on with chores or something)
A few days before the birthday...
Mother: What Nirvana album did you want for your birthday, dear?
Friend: "Nevermind"
Mother: Oh, alright
Day of the birthday
Friend: Thanks for the present, but I thought I said I wanted that Nirvana CD for my birthday?
Mother: But I thought you said you changed your mind
Friend: No, "Nevermind". The name of the album is "Nevermind"
Mother. Oooh.
I'm sure that my friend isn't the only person to whom this mix-up has occurred.
What do you think about when you hear the names Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo? In the book Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the protagonist names his chickens after the middle two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in that list, and a museum curator mistakes the protagonist for an art aficionado upon learning the names of the chickens. I'm sure that somewhere out there someone has compiled a list of the ways the Turtles reflect the habits and characteristics of their namesakes; since they're all Italian it's safe to assume that their love of pizza has been accurately portrayed in the Turtles' shows and movies, right? (Just kidding).
2. ...what book?
I recently took out a book about librarians for my mother. The other day she asked me to return this book, it's overdue. I thought to myself, whaaaaaat? It can't be overdue, ever since my massive $40 fine I've been very careful to return all library items on time, I could've sworn it wasn't due for at least another week...Well, I was right. It wasn't overdue, in a manner of speaking. The book's title is This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, by Marily Johnson. I had merely misheard my mother, who had simply asked me to return that specific book and therefore told me the title.
3. ...what album?
This happened to my friend.
Friend: I want that Nirvana album for my birthday
Mother: Okay (goes on with chores or something)
A few days before the birthday...
Mother: What Nirvana album did you want for your birthday, dear?
Friend: "Nevermind"
Mother: Oh, alright
Day of the birthday
Friend: Thanks for the present, but I thought I said I wanted that Nirvana CD for my birthday?
Mother: But I thought you said you changed your mind
Friend: No, "Nevermind". The name of the album is "Nevermind"
Mother. Oooh.
I'm sure that my friend isn't the only person to whom this mix-up has occurred.
Friday, July 8
Thursday, July 7
Julian Matthias and I: Withdrawal?
I've come fresh out of a dress rehearsal but I'm already thinking about withdrawal. It's not that I want to withdraw from the show, but that I'm preemptively feeling for the actors and the production people involved. I don't know how long they've been working on this production-- for weeks at least, maybe a month or two. This week has probably been the most joyous and stressful, since this Friday marks the very first show. All that hard work and rehearsing will be on display and it's showtime, quite literally. And before we all know it we'll be performing the last show, and then it'll be over. There will be no more "next rehearsal" or "next show" to make it better or amend mistakes or relive the thrill of receiving applause after that particularly exhausting yet thrilling show-stopping number. It's a relief once it's all over, but then immediately there's also a feeling of nostalgia and mourning, almost, that it's all over and it's gone, it will never happen quite that way again.
I know "nostalgia" is usually used in reference to childhood memories; I don't know what the prefix "nost-" means, but "-algia" refers to pain-- think myalgia (pain in muscles) or neuralgia (nerve pain). Nostalgia means "to look back with pain", and I think that it's very fitting for the feeling of After The Show's Over. Withdrawal, too, feels like an apt description, as theatre is like a drug: there are very high ephemeral highs, and there are very stressful, dark lows when everything is going wrong and it doesn't seem like there's a chance that the show will go on or be presentable in any way. There's a lot of sturm and drang that goes into putting on a show, but the people involved think that it's all worth it in the end, that all the energy and money and emotion that goes into it is of value, just as a junkie will sell everything s/he owns to get just one more hit.
Ach, I didn't intend for this post to be so depressing! It's just that I'm anticipating this feeling for others. As a pit orchestra musician I have probably the least amount of involvement for someone involved in the production. I just have to show up and play, and it's someone else's problem if the sound doesn't work or the music cues don't match up. I'm heard but not seen, and I like it that way. But I've been on the other side of the stage, I've been a performer on stage in a theatrical production before, and I wish nothing but the best for everyone else who's worked literally day and night on this production. The dress rehearsal was fraught with technical difficulties, but I stand by the superstition that if a dress rehearsal goes badly the actual run of the show will go well.
I know "nostalgia" is usually used in reference to childhood memories; I don't know what the prefix "nost-" means, but "-algia" refers to pain-- think myalgia (pain in muscles) or neuralgia (nerve pain). Nostalgia means "to look back with pain", and I think that it's very fitting for the feeling of After The Show's Over. Withdrawal, too, feels like an apt description, as theatre is like a drug: there are very high ephemeral highs, and there are very stressful, dark lows when everything is going wrong and it doesn't seem like there's a chance that the show will go on or be presentable in any way. There's a lot of sturm and drang that goes into putting on a show, but the people involved think that it's all worth it in the end, that all the energy and money and emotion that goes into it is of value, just as a junkie will sell everything s/he owns to get just one more hit.
Ach, I didn't intend for this post to be so depressing! It's just that I'm anticipating this feeling for others. As a pit orchestra musician I have probably the least amount of involvement for someone involved in the production. I just have to show up and play, and it's someone else's problem if the sound doesn't work or the music cues don't match up. I'm heard but not seen, and I like it that way. But I've been on the other side of the stage, I've been a performer on stage in a theatrical production before, and I wish nothing but the best for everyone else who's worked literally day and night on this production. The dress rehearsal was fraught with technical difficulties, but I stand by the superstition that if a dress rehearsal goes badly the actual run of the show will go well.
Wednesday, July 6
My "Where's Waldo?"
I'm one of those people who likes to sit and watch the entire movie credits at the end of a film. My reason for this is probably different than many other peoples.
Why would people want to stay for the credits?
1. To watch the bloopers
Examples include: many Jackie Chan movies (Supercop, the Rush Hour movies), some Pixar films (the first two Toy Story films, A Bug's Life as well, I think). I'm sure there are more movies that fit in all the categories I list here but they don't readily come to my mind
2. To look out for a bonus/epilogue scene that may tie into a sequel
The Pirates of the Caribbean series and any film connected to the behemoth Avengers film has done this. Captain America: The First Avenger hasn't come out yet, and I haven't seen the entirety of either Iron Man film but I know that all these films have a tag/tie-in scene after the main plot of the film has officially ended.
Why would people want to stay for the credits?
1. To watch the bloopers
Examples include: many Jackie Chan movies (Supercop, the Rush Hour movies), some Pixar films (the first two Toy Story films, A Bug's Life as well, I think). I'm sure there are more movies that fit in all the categories I list here but they don't readily come to my mind
2. To look out for a bonus/epilogue scene that may tie into a sequel
The Pirates of the Caribbean series and any film connected to the behemoth Avengers film has done this. Captain America: The First Avenger hasn't come out yet, and I haven't seen the entirety of either Iron Man film but I know that all these films have a tag/tie-in scene after the main plot of the film has officially ended.
Tuesday, July 5
Character sketch: Sean
More than anything I remember his voice and the back of his head. But of course I did, since I spent an entire semester staring at his uneven hairline and its various permutations as the weather changed. I got the impression that he shaved his own hair because whenever he came in with it shorn it was sort of patchy. Oftentimes he wore a baseball cap that covered most of it BUT not his scraggly hairline. Oh, the many times I wished I could ask him if I could shave it to make his scalp and neck more distinguishable.
I guess you could say that his voice was similarly scraggly. I don't think he was a regular smoker but I had never seen him refuse a cigarette if one was offered, and you could really tell if you listened to him. His voice was full of uncertainty, very tentative, and cracked a lot. I don't mean to say that he was going through puberty but that he sounded like he rarely spoke-- which was true. Whenever he did speak it sounded like he had just woken up and hadn't had a chance to have a proper cough to clear his throat and chest. He wasn't shy or unintelligent, he just seemed to have a "speak softly and carry a big stick" way about him. His voice was crackly like static on kiddie walkie talkies, like the stiff groan of the binding and the paper when turning the page of a new book, like Pop Rocks with none of the sugar (or high fructose corn syrup, whatever they use to make it sweet).
The rest of him is pretty nondescript: he was probably average height, 5' 6" or 7", a little on the lean side, maybe 150, 160 lbs., brown hair, brown eyes (I think), some Irish-Italian-American mix.
I guess you could say that his voice was similarly scraggly. I don't think he was a regular smoker but I had never seen him refuse a cigarette if one was offered, and you could really tell if you listened to him. His voice was full of uncertainty, very tentative, and cracked a lot. I don't mean to say that he was going through puberty but that he sounded like he rarely spoke-- which was true. Whenever he did speak it sounded like he had just woken up and hadn't had a chance to have a proper cough to clear his throat and chest. He wasn't shy or unintelligent, he just seemed to have a "speak softly and carry a big stick" way about him. His voice was crackly like static on kiddie walkie talkies, like the stiff groan of the binding and the paper when turning the page of a new book, like Pop Rocks with none of the sugar (or high fructose corn syrup, whatever they use to make it sweet).
The rest of him is pretty nondescript: he was probably average height, 5' 6" or 7", a little on the lean side, maybe 150, 160 lbs., brown hair, brown eyes (I think), some Irish-Italian-American mix.
Monday, July 4
July the Fourth be with you
I wonder how the rest of the world feels about America and its/our Independence day (or "independence" day) celebrations. Probably something like this?
It's so easy to be cynical about the state of the union nowadays, isn't it? But it doesn't hurt to spend just one day of the year to appreciate the positive positive aspects of this country. God bless America indeed.
It's so easy to be cynical about the state of the union nowadays, isn't it? But it doesn't hurt to spend just one day of the year to appreciate the positive positive aspects of this country. God bless America indeed.
Sunday, July 3
Types of fortunes
I started collecting the fortunes from fortune cookies in 9th grade. I still collect them but lost most of the original collection. The sayings can be categorized into 4 groups:
Life advice/ wise sayings:
- Prudence keeps life safe, but does not often make it happy
- A merry heart does good like a medicine
- Calamity and prosperity are the touchstones of integrity
- When you gather all your resources together, goals are accomplished
- If you want to add value to your life, take care of every moment
- A wise man knows everything, a shrewd one, everybody
Benedictions/warnings:
- A pleasant experience is ahead; don't pass it by
- You will receive a surprising gift very soon
- Today is a day to focus on one thing from beginning to finish
- Good health will be yours for a long time
- You will achieve success this year
Metaphors
- A rolling stone gathers no moss...but it obtains a certain polish!
- One must know that there is a path at the end of the road
Compliments
- You always know the right times to be assertive or to simply wait
- You are a wise and handsome gentleman!
- You are surrounded by true friends
I know, the first and third categories could be grouped together, but to me they warrant separate groupings, as the former is much more explicit and straightforward and the latter is figurative.
Life advice/ wise sayings:
- Prudence keeps life safe, but does not often make it happy
- A merry heart does good like a medicine
- Calamity and prosperity are the touchstones of integrity
- When you gather all your resources together, goals are accomplished
- If you want to add value to your life, take care of every moment
- A wise man knows everything, a shrewd one, everybody
Benedictions/warnings:
- A pleasant experience is ahead; don't pass it by
- You will receive a surprising gift very soon
- Today is a day to focus on one thing from beginning to finish
- Good health will be yours for a long time
- You will achieve success this year
Metaphors
- A rolling stone gathers no moss...but it obtains a certain polish!
- One must know that there is a path at the end of the road
Compliments
- You always know the right times to be assertive or to simply wait
- You are a wise and handsome gentleman!
- You are surrounded by true friends
I know, the first and third categories could be grouped together, but to me they warrant separate groupings, as the former is much more explicit and straightforward and the latter is figurative.
Saturday, July 2
Nail polish redux
13 I Shall Paint My Nails Red
Because a bit of colour is a public service.
Because I am proud of my hands.
Because it will remind me I'm a woman.
Because I will look like a survivor.
Because I can admire them in traffic jams.
Because my daughter will say ugh.
Because my lover will be surprised.
Because it is quicker than dyeing my hair.
Because it is a ten-minute moratorium
Because it is reversible.
- Carole Satyamurti
Fact: If I've ever thought something to myself, someone else out there has probably said it before and in more succinct words than I could come up with. I don't have a daughter or a lover but I can still empathize with everything that the poet describes, especially the second line, the fifth line, and the last line--these are the main reasons why I paint my nails.
"Because I am proud of my hands"
I have rather small hands, even for my short stature. My thumbs are rectangular and squat, and can extend (bend) very far, as if I were born to be a hitchhiker. My fingernails are usually clipped short. The pads of the fingers on my left hand are ever so slightly calloused from violin and guitar playing. I like my hands (most of the time).
"Because I can admire them in traffic jams"
Sometimes when I'm bored I like to look at my nails and just consider them, evaluate the way the color compares to my skin tone and how it looks different depending on the light. Nail polish is a kind of make-up that I enjoy, something that is purely self-indulgent. Face make-up is admired by other people, and if I wear it I can only appreciate it if I look in a mirror. On the other hand, I notice my nail polish more than others do. My favorite nail polish color is called "OPI and Apple Pie" (the brand name is OPI); it's not a typical nail polish color-- a orangey- caramel color-- and it's kind of ugly and unusual. This is why I like it though, because it's weird and kind of looks like wood varnish gone wrong. It's like an inside joke with myself, because I really like it and I don't care what other people think, I'll go one admiring my nails when covered up with that absurd lacquer.
"Because it is reversible"
The nail polish might start to chip in a week, but by then I'll probably be sick of that color and decide to switch it up. I might paint a few nails a certain color and almost immediately be bored or annoyed that it comes out differently than it looks in the bottle, but it's no big deal because I can easily rub it off with nail polish remover. Not all mistakes in life are reversible, so it's nice to be able to undo one even on the very small scale of stripping the polish of my fingernails.
* * * * *
Because a bit of colour is a public service.
Because I am proud of my hands.
Because it will remind me I'm a woman.
Because I will look like a survivor.
Because I can admire them in traffic jams.
Because my daughter will say ugh.
Because my lover will be surprised.
Because it is quicker than dyeing my hair.
Because it is a ten-minute moratorium
Because it is reversible.
- Carole Satyamurti
Fact: If I've ever thought something to myself, someone else out there has probably said it before and in more succinct words than I could come up with. I don't have a daughter or a lover but I can still empathize with everything that the poet describes, especially the second line, the fifth line, and the last line--these are the main reasons why I paint my nails.
"Because I am proud of my hands"
I have rather small hands, even for my short stature. My thumbs are rectangular and squat, and can extend (bend) very far, as if I were born to be a hitchhiker. My fingernails are usually clipped short. The pads of the fingers on my left hand are ever so slightly calloused from violin and guitar playing. I like my hands (most of the time).
"Because I can admire them in traffic jams"
Sometimes when I'm bored I like to look at my nails and just consider them, evaluate the way the color compares to my skin tone and how it looks different depending on the light. Nail polish is a kind of make-up that I enjoy, something that is purely self-indulgent. Face make-up is admired by other people, and if I wear it I can only appreciate it if I look in a mirror. On the other hand, I notice my nail polish more than others do. My favorite nail polish color is called "OPI and Apple Pie" (the brand name is OPI); it's not a typical nail polish color-- a orangey- caramel color-- and it's kind of ugly and unusual. This is why I like it though, because it's weird and kind of looks like wood varnish gone wrong. It's like an inside joke with myself, because I really like it and I don't care what other people think, I'll go one admiring my nails when covered up with that absurd lacquer.
"Because it is reversible"
The nail polish might start to chip in a week, but by then I'll probably be sick of that color and decide to switch it up. I might paint a few nails a certain color and almost immediately be bored or annoyed that it comes out differently than it looks in the bottle, but it's no big deal because I can easily rub it off with nail polish remover. Not all mistakes in life are reversible, so it's nice to be able to undo one even on the very small scale of stripping the polish of my fingernails.
* * * * *
Satyamurti, Carole. Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal times. By Neil Astley. NY, NY: Hyperion, 2002. Print.
Friday, July 1
I Heart Carbs
http://www.nataliedee.com/
Twice or thrice I've given up bread for Lent (going with the whole "man does not live on bread alone" thing). I allowed myself crackers, pita wraps and lavash rolls; I disallowed anything else leavened, in the Jewish Passover sense. On top of this I am vegetarian, and what got me the most was having to give up pizza and sandwiches. But I survived.
Today I visited my local megamarket and I feel like I melted as I approached the bakery section and got a whiff of some of the paper bagged-breads. Oh, carbohydratey goodness! Why did I ever forsake thee? The smell of baked goods is more tantalizing to me than any other food; it's a scent of home, of safety, of warmth and love. If I had to choose between cooking and baking I'd choose the latter, not because I'm better at baking but that it evokes in me a greater sense of heartiness and, well, magic. When cooking on a stove the food changes right before my eyes, but when it comes to baking I put in a pale and tentative-looking object into the oven and it emerges as a golden-brown and delicious product. There are few things as satisfying as the pow of hot, scented air that hits my face when I pry open the oven door for a peek at how the food's progressing.
Baking is slightly less satisfying during the summer, when so many different attempts are made at keeping the house cool. I've heard good things about grilled pizza and hope to try that out soon-- maybe this weekend. But I'm definitely going to continue baking throughout the year; maybe I'll get daring enough to make my own baked good recipe.
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Twice or thrice I've given up bread for Lent (going with the whole "man does not live on bread alone" thing). I allowed myself crackers, pita wraps and lavash rolls; I disallowed anything else leavened, in the Jewish Passover sense. On top of this I am vegetarian, and what got me the most was having to give up pizza and sandwiches. But I survived.
Today I visited my local megamarket and I feel like I melted as I approached the bakery section and got a whiff of some of the paper bagged-breads. Oh, carbohydratey goodness! Why did I ever forsake thee? The smell of baked goods is more tantalizing to me than any other food; it's a scent of home, of safety, of warmth and love. If I had to choose between cooking and baking I'd choose the latter, not because I'm better at baking but that it evokes in me a greater sense of heartiness and, well, magic. When cooking on a stove the food changes right before my eyes, but when it comes to baking I put in a pale and tentative-looking object into the oven and it emerges as a golden-brown and delicious product. There are few things as satisfying as the pow of hot, scented air that hits my face when I pry open the oven door for a peek at how the food's progressing.
Baking is slightly less satisfying during the summer, when so many different attempts are made at keeping the house cool. I've heard good things about grilled pizza and hope to try that out soon-- maybe this weekend. But I'm definitely going to continue baking throughout the year; maybe I'll get daring enough to make my own baked good recipe.
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