I derived these definitions from scanning multiple definitions offered by the internet.
demi- vierge
Encountered in Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
definition: a female (girl or woman) who acts in a sexually provocative way without giving up her virginity. A demi-virgin, if you will.
manumission
Encountered in some text I was reading
definition: a slaveowner freeing his slaves
palimpsest
Encountered in the documentary Spellbound!, about the Scripps National Spelling Bee
definition: manuscript or writing material that has had its original writing erased so it can be used again
saccadic
Encountered in this article by noted film critic Roger Ebert.
definition: something to do with eye movements compensating when it comes to evaluating the size of objects?
sesquipedalian
Encountered on some random site I forgot to write down
definition: having many syllables
Wednesday, November 30
Tuesday, November 29
Batman vs. Sherlock Holmes
Who would win?
Batman/Bruce Wayne and Sherlock Holmes have much in common: they are both incredibly smart, athletic, and charming men who solve and fight crime. To me it's interesting to note that in the latest movie adaptations of these characters, the former is an American comic book character played by Britain-born Christian Bale, and the latter is the second-most famous male British character (after Harry Potter, duh*) and played by the American Robert Downey Jr. Both are my heroes, and I'm not the first person to compare and contrast them. The following is just my own take on the debate, based on several categories:
In terms of physicality the characters are very well matched. Had he so desired, Sherlock could've become a boxer and made a career out of it. He's 6' 0" and has the capacity to be very energetic and athletic, but he has the proclivity-- and capacity-- to solve crimes without ever leaving the comforts of home at 221B Baker Street. Batman, on the other hand, is always on call and, uh, gets into lots of fights with criminals. He actively fights them in addition to solving and preventing past and future crime. Due to the nature of Bruce Wayne's daily (or should I say nightly?) life, I think he'd be the one in better shape and more likely to win if pitted against Sherlock.
When it comes to a battle of wits: never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line!
I kid. I think neither men are even remotely Sicilian anyway. But I'd put money on Sherlock winning this round. Batman is smart but he gets a lot of help thanks to the technology and information he has at his fingertips. But Sherlock's brain is like a computer, and there's no wasted space in there because every iota of information stored is useful and important. He's literally written the book on hundreds of types of cigar and pipe ash so that one may be able to figure out crucial information about the person who smoked and left the ash behind. Sherlock's mind is purely logical and sharp as a tack, capable of deducing in the blink of an eye what Bruce Wayne's computers would take a few seconds to figure out.
Okay, so both have brains-- good brains. But what good are brains if you can't get women? I kid. But that conveniently brings me to the matter of their skillz with the ladiez. In this category the win goes to Bruce Wayne. Sherlock is good looking and knows how to turn on the charm when it comes to women-- in The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton he woos a maid and proposes to her within a week of meeting each other and she accepts him. But he only wooed her in order to get information about the man she works for and the layout of his mansion. If he wanted to, he could get a wife, but women don't interest him. He's heterosexual, but only slight; he's mostly asexual and uninterested in the female sex and domestic life as it was in his time. He seems to have had a complicated relationship with Irene Adler, who is the one woman named as a former love interest, but she seems to be mentioned only to prove that Sherlock is human. Irene Adler was kind of like his Catwoman, except more mysterious and less tortured.
Batman/Bruce Wayne: 2
Sherlock Holmes: 1
But this is only beginning...
*I don't have any research to back this up, but I think that the boy wizard has eclipsed the singular detective.
 |
| image source |
In terms of physicality the characters are very well matched. Had he so desired, Sherlock could've become a boxer and made a career out of it. He's 6' 0" and has the capacity to be very energetic and athletic, but he has the proclivity-- and capacity-- to solve crimes without ever leaving the comforts of home at 221B Baker Street. Batman, on the other hand, is always on call and, uh, gets into lots of fights with criminals. He actively fights them in addition to solving and preventing past and future crime. Due to the nature of Bruce Wayne's daily (or should I say nightly?) life, I think he'd be the one in better shape and more likely to win if pitted against Sherlock.
When it comes to a battle of wits: never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line!
I kid. I think neither men are even remotely Sicilian anyway. But I'd put money on Sherlock winning this round. Batman is smart but he gets a lot of help thanks to the technology and information he has at his fingertips. But Sherlock's brain is like a computer, and there's no wasted space in there because every iota of information stored is useful and important. He's literally written the book on hundreds of types of cigar and pipe ash so that one may be able to figure out crucial information about the person who smoked and left the ash behind. Sherlock's mind is purely logical and sharp as a tack, capable of deducing in the blink of an eye what Bruce Wayne's computers would take a few seconds to figure out.
Okay, so both have brains-- good brains. But what good are brains if you can't get women? I kid. But that conveniently brings me to the matter of their skillz with the ladiez. In this category the win goes to Bruce Wayne. Sherlock is good looking and knows how to turn on the charm when it comes to women-- in The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton he woos a maid and proposes to her within a week of meeting each other and she accepts him. But he only wooed her in order to get information about the man she works for and the layout of his mansion. If he wanted to, he could get a wife, but women don't interest him. He's heterosexual, but only slight; he's mostly asexual and uninterested in the female sex and domestic life as it was in his time. He seems to have had a complicated relationship with Irene Adler, who is the one woman named as a former love interest, but she seems to be mentioned only to prove that Sherlock is human. Irene Adler was kind of like his Catwoman, except more mysterious and less tortured.
Batman/Bruce Wayne: 2
Sherlock Holmes: 1
But this is only beginning...
*I don't have any research to back this up, but I think that the boy wizard has eclipsed the singular detective.
Monday, November 28
Cake in a cup
I think I've said it before but I'll say it again: I'm against cupcakes. They're too cutesy and trendy.
Today I perfected a recipe for a single-serve cake in a cup-- NOT a cupcake. This was one of those microwave-in-a-mug cake recipes that are bountiful on the interweb, but it was the first time I made one that was satisfactory to me. The ones I made in the past were too spongy, not well-baked or well-mixed. I tweaked the recipe from Instructables.com to suit my taste and my microwave (1250W).
Ingredients:
The dry
scant 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
2.5 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder
The wet
3 tablespoons milk (any kind)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter(*preferrable)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional, but highly encouraged
one heaping tablespoon of chocolate chips, preferrably the small kind for mixing in pancake/waffle batter
Directions:
1. In a big microwave-safe mug, combine dry ingredients until homogenous
2. Push the ingredients to the bottom and the sides to form a well
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the well
4. Stir a few times to get it mostly combined
5. Add chocolate chips and stir a little more until everything looks combined--don't overmix!
6. Place mug in the microwave, set it to medium-high heat for 132 seconds.
7. Wait 15 seconds to let it cool down, then dig in straight from the mug! If you so desire, you can gently go around the edge with a spoon to coax the cake out and then turn it over on a plate and drizzle some chocolate syrup or accompany the cakelet with some vanilla ice cream.
This will never taste like an ordinary cake, made the conventional way in a conventional oven. It will have a spongy texture. But by adding a combination of brown and white sugars and not adding an egg, the cake has a fudgier taste and texture, and therefore is much more satisfying for me.
original Instructables recipe
Today I perfected a recipe for a single-serve cake in a cup-- NOT a cupcake. This was one of those microwave-in-a-mug cake recipes that are bountiful on the interweb, but it was the first time I made one that was satisfactory to me. The ones I made in the past were too spongy, not well-baked or well-mixed. I tweaked the recipe from Instructables.com to suit my taste and my microwave (1250W).
Ingredients:
The dry
scant 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
2.5 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder
The wet
3 tablespoons milk (any kind)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter(*preferrable)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional, but highly encouraged
one heaping tablespoon of chocolate chips, preferrably the small kind for mixing in pancake/waffle batter
Directions:
1. In a big microwave-safe mug, combine dry ingredients until homogenous
2. Push the ingredients to the bottom and the sides to form a well
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the well
4. Stir a few times to get it mostly combined
5. Add chocolate chips and stir a little more until everything looks combined--don't overmix!
6. Place mug in the microwave, set it to medium-high heat for 132 seconds.
7. Wait 15 seconds to let it cool down, then dig in straight from the mug! If you so desire, you can gently go around the edge with a spoon to coax the cake out and then turn it over on a plate and drizzle some chocolate syrup or accompany the cakelet with some vanilla ice cream.
This will never taste like an ordinary cake, made the conventional way in a conventional oven. It will have a spongy texture. But by adding a combination of brown and white sugars and not adding an egg, the cake has a fudgier taste and texture, and therefore is much more satisfying for me.
original Instructables recipe
Sunday, November 27
Reverse wish list
This is my wish list of things that I would like to give to some of my family and friends this year:
- The Body Back Buddy
To me this looks like a Seussian cane or a blue plastic tapeworm with goiters. It's received many positive reviews on Amazon and I hope the recipient of this gift will find it useful at working out knots and sore muscles.
- Blue Man Group tickets
I've seen the show twice at the same location but I wouldn't mind going a third time if it's with someone who's never gone before. Even though they do the same things, it's a different audience every time and the experience can be enhanced depending on seating and the person(s) I'm with for the show.
- Scarves/pashminas
Can't go wrong with this gift. Scarves are practical, fashionable, and not terribly expensive-- especially if you knit one yourself. Ah, if only I could knit faster and more consistently.
- Head lamp
I think that gifts should be useful and something that the recipient wouldn't think to buy for her/himself. A head lamp falls under this category: unless you're a hiker or a spelunker (God, I love that word!) you might not think to buy one of these. It's easier to just buy a plain ol' flashlight. A head lamp is just a nice thing to have, an unnecessarily convenience.
- Cookies
I'm going to try to make these green tea shortbread cookies this year. I've never made them but they look so nice and festive and the recipe isn't anything complicated or demanding.
- The Body Back Buddy
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| image source |
- Blue Man Group tickets
 |
| image source |
- Scarves/pashminas
Can't go wrong with this gift. Scarves are practical, fashionable, and not terribly expensive-- especially if you knit one yourself. Ah, if only I could knit faster and more consistently.
- Head lamp
 |
| image source |
- Cookies
 |
| image & recipe source |
Saturday, November 26
Character sketch: My bully
Let's call her...Tabitha, because I don't personally know anyone by that name. I met Tabitha in the third grade, and she was my foil, my opposite. I am short, rather stocky, quiet and introverted but in classroom settings I am eager bordering on obsequious. Tabitha was always the tallest girl in the class, with the slender but powerful muscles of a basketball player. In class she was shy and always smiled and laughed nervously when called on to answer a question, save for (surprise!) gym class, in which she put down everyone with her athletic prowess. I danced for a while but when it came to sports I always seemed to have two left feet and little to no hand-eye coordination.
On one hand, this sounds like it could be the classic case of BFFs who are complete opposites in that Abbott and Costello opposites attract kind of way. But there was no way that we could ever be friends, as our interest were so completely divergent, and I was such a prime target for taunting. She could've easily hurt me physically but instead, as is common with females, she verbally berated me when the teacher's attention was elsewhere and I was too much of a coward to stand up for myself or tattle. And what would I be able to tattle her for? It wasn't what she said but the way she said stuff to me, the way she made me doubt myself even when I knew I was right. And that mocking tone she used when she'd ask, "Are you crying?"
It didn't take too long for me to understand why she acted this way. She was the youngest child of her family, with at least one older brother and sister, and her brother acted exactly the same way, with that pompous sneering attitude prevalent among tween boys. She wasn't that bright, nor pretty or sociable enough to charm her way through life, so instead she exploited the weak in various ways through the years. Although I understand on a very basic level why she acted out, I have to admit that I cannot entirely forgive her and let it go. In high school she seemed to have toned it down a lot but in the few instances I was in a class with her I could still see her viciousness surface--toward other people, lucky for me. I'd love to just forgive and forget, but I can still readily recall how hurt my little third grade self felt, and the face of the girl Tabitha who inflicted that hurt on me.
On one hand, this sounds like it could be the classic case of BFFs who are complete opposites in that Abbott and Costello opposites attract kind of way. But there was no way that we could ever be friends, as our interest were so completely divergent, and I was such a prime target for taunting. She could've easily hurt me physically but instead, as is common with females, she verbally berated me when the teacher's attention was elsewhere and I was too much of a coward to stand up for myself or tattle. And what would I be able to tattle her for? It wasn't what she said but the way she said stuff to me, the way she made me doubt myself even when I knew I was right. And that mocking tone she used when she'd ask, "Are you crying?"
It didn't take too long for me to understand why she acted this way. She was the youngest child of her family, with at least one older brother and sister, and her brother acted exactly the same way, with that pompous sneering attitude prevalent among tween boys. She wasn't that bright, nor pretty or sociable enough to charm her way through life, so instead she exploited the weak in various ways through the years. Although I understand on a very basic level why she acted out, I have to admit that I cannot entirely forgive her and let it go. In high school she seemed to have toned it down a lot but in the few instances I was in a class with her I could still see her viciousness surface--toward other people, lucky for me. I'd love to just forgive and forget, but I can still readily recall how hurt my little third grade self felt, and the face of the girl Tabitha who inflicted that hurt on me.
Friday, November 25
One month, one BINGO
I finally got a BINGO! Second-to-last row, thanks to having seen a school group on a field trip.
Happened once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
Five times
Six or more times
Time for a new BINGO sheet, I suppose.
Happened once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
Five times
Six or more times
B
Be my friend?
| I
Icky habits
| N
Normal, not atypical people
| G
Go.
| O
Oh the things you can hear!
|
Man wearing a kilt
|
Person sitting next to you reeks
|
Tourist couple
|
Delay due to inclement weather
|
Stranger attempts to engage you in a serious
conversation
|
Someone reading a book on an esoteric topic
|
Someone
eats something smelly
|
Woman applying makeup
|
Delay due to police action
|
Uncomfortably loud and personal conversation
takes place
|
Person with dog too big to sit in lap
|
Nose-picking
| Free
Space!
|
Unexplained delay
|
Loud baby
|
Musician carrying an instrument
|
An uncovered sneeze
|
Field trip school group
|
Someone almost falls due to sudden jerking movement of vehicle
|
Can hear every word of the song someone’s listening to on headphones
|
Someone who has almost completed the daily crossword
|
Someone who leaves trash behind
|
Man in business suit and sneakers
|
People cluster around exits rather than moving all the way into the vehicle
|
A mumbling vehicle operator
|
Time for a new BINGO sheet, I suppose.
Thursday, November 24
What I've read so far this year
Children's/Young Adult books
Balliett, Blue Chasing Vermeer
The Wright 3
Chbosky, Stephen The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Collins, Suzanne The Hunger Games trilogy
Creech, Sharon Replay
Lowry, Lois The Giver
The Willoughbys
Riordan, Rick The Red Pyramid
Smith, Roland I, Q: Independence Hall
Zusak, Markus The Book Thief
(total: 12)
Graphic novels
Satrapi, Marjane Embroideries
Persepolis 2
Mignola, Mike Hellboy series: Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil, and Darkness Calls
Miller, Frank 300
Moore, Alan and Dave Gibbons Watchmen
(total: 7)
Plays
Auburn, David Proof
Henley, Beth Crimes of the Heart
Miller, Arthur Death of a Salesman
(total: 3)
Non-fiction
Sedaris, David Me Talk Pretty One Day
Prejean, Helen Dead Man Walking
Woolf, Virginia A Room of One's Own
(total: 3)
Fiction
Atwood, Margaret The Penelopiad
Brontë, Charlotte Jane Eyre
Brontë. Emily Wuthering Heights
Brown, Dan The Lost Symbol
Butler, Octavia Kindred
Christie, Agatha Evil Under the Sun
Murder on the Orient Express
Dumas, Alexandre The Three Musketeers
Jong, Erica Fear of Flying
Larson, Stieg The Millenium Trilogy
LeCarre, John The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
McCarthy, Cormac The Road
Nabokov, Vladimir Lolita
Valdes-Rodriguez, Alisa The Dirty Girls Social Club
Woodrell, Daniel Winter's Bone
Yamanaka, Lois-Ann Heads by Harry
(total: 19)
Total from this entire list that have been or will be made into films: 18
Balliett, Blue Chasing Vermeer
The Wright 3
Chbosky, Stephen The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Collins, Suzanne The Hunger Games trilogy
Creech, Sharon Replay
Lowry, Lois The Giver
The Willoughbys
Riordan, Rick The Red Pyramid
Smith, Roland I, Q: Independence Hall
Zusak, Markus The Book Thief
(total: 12)
Graphic novels
Satrapi, Marjane Embroideries
Persepolis 2
Mignola, Mike Hellboy series: Seed of Destruction, Wake the Devil, and Darkness Calls
Miller, Frank 300
Moore, Alan and Dave Gibbons Watchmen
(total: 7)
Plays
Auburn, David Proof
Henley, Beth Crimes of the Heart
Miller, Arthur Death of a Salesman
(total: 3)
Non-fiction
Sedaris, David Me Talk Pretty One Day
Prejean, Helen Dead Man Walking
Woolf, Virginia A Room of One's Own
(total: 3)
Fiction
Atwood, Margaret The Penelopiad
Brontë, Charlotte Jane Eyre
Brontë. Emily Wuthering Heights
Brown, Dan The Lost Symbol
Butler, Octavia Kindred
Christie, Agatha Evil Under the Sun
Murder on the Orient Express
Dumas, Alexandre The Three Musketeers
Jong, Erica Fear of Flying
Larson, Stieg The Millenium Trilogy
LeCarre, John The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
McCarthy, Cormac The Road
Nabokov, Vladimir Lolita
Valdes-Rodriguez, Alisa The Dirty Girls Social Club
Woodrell, Daniel Winter's Bone
Yamanaka, Lois-Ann Heads by Harry
(total: 19)
Total from this entire list that have been or will be made into films: 18
Wednesday, November 23
Asterisks
There are so many ways to read a sentence that sometimes it's nice to write select words in italics, just like this, to indicate what's important or what should be stressed. But sometimes I can't write in italics because that option is not available. The tacit understanding is to use asterisks to denote stress, but I dislike this pratice. I feel that it turns the word or words into overzealous, pom-pow wielding cheerleaders. Look at *this*. It looks ridiculous. It's not that I am against cheerleaders but rather that I resent making my words resemble them. Using italics makes me feel so much more refined and elegant. I'd rather use asterisks singly, as an alternative to using parenthesis*.
*except for when I would like to interrupt my writing with the neat curves of a parenthetical thought.
*except for when I would like to interrupt my writing with the neat curves of a parenthetical thought.
Tuesday, November 22
Busking/getting ahead of myself
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| image source |
I think that the recollection of this scene, as sparked by my video hunt of the Academy Award acceptance speech given by its two main characters, and having seen a few buskers recently has motivated me to take it up myself. There are 40 days left in the year, and 40 posts left in this project/experiment and I am ready to be done with it. Next year, I've decided, I'll busk as my New Year's resolution. I've already looked up information regarding permits and performing in subway stations and used that as my benchmark. Where I live, I have to fill out a bunch of papers and write a check for $25 in order to secure a permit to play in designated areas in public transportation stations, so I'll stop making myself busk when I've made $25.01. I have no idea how long it'll take me to make that money playing my poor little violin, but I think 12 months should be enough time. I think.
Monday, November 21
Some cool award acceptance speeches
I came across this acceptance speech when looking for some Ken Jeong stand up for yesterdays video:
This is one of my favorite award acceptance speeches because it suits the MTV movie awards: it's profane but turns out very serious in the end.. There's nothing like an honest, hilarious, and heartfelt display of emotion (bonus point to me for using three adjectives that start with the letter h!)
Another one I like: Lin Manuel Miranda's for the Tony Awards, for In the Heights.
My favorite part is when he flashes the Puerto Rican flag.
Aaaan lastly is the first bit that pops in my mind when I hear the phrase "classy, humble acceptance speech"
embed disabled. video available here: http://youtu.be/qx8yLvb0gZM
I can't say enough good things about this movie and its soundtrack. Listen to it. Love it. Share it. If anything, give it a try because the musicians who are behind it are so genuinely talented. Make art!
This is one of my favorite award acceptance speeches because it suits the MTV movie awards: it's profane but turns out very serious in the end.. There's nothing like an honest, hilarious, and heartfelt display of emotion (bonus point to me for using three adjectives that start with the letter h!)
Another one I like: Lin Manuel Miranda's for the Tony Awards, for In the Heights.
My favorite part is when he flashes the Puerto Rican flag.
Aaaan lastly is the first bit that pops in my mind when I hear the phrase "classy, humble acceptance speech"
embed disabled. video available here: http://youtu.be/qx8yLvb0gZM
I can't say enough good things about this movie and its soundtrack. Listen to it. Love it. Share it. If anything, give it a try because the musicians who are behind it are so genuinely talented. Make art!
Sunday, November 20
Briefly: Thoughts on the Korean language
As I'm sure I've written before, Korean was probably the first language I learned growing up. I was born and raised here in the States, in Massachusetts, and watched a lot of PBS as a baby, but I also watched some Korean children's shows and my parents spoke to me in a pretty even combination of Korean and English. When someone asked what my name was I'd reply that I was 지원 (G1), which is actually my legal middle name; I didn't consistently identify myself with my first name until I started going to school. My mastery of Korean has stayed at about that level, so I sound like an Americanized five-year-old when I speak it.
The Korean language is mostly foreign to me, but at the same time it's comforting to hear it, to listen to it. It's music to my ears. I don't always know what is being said when it is spoken but I can identify the tone. To me its the prettiest sounding Asian language, but of course I'm completely biased. Then again, it can also be the scariest, because it's the language that's used on me and my siblings when we get in trouble...and Ken Jeong seems to agree at the intensity of the Korean language:
Still, I can't get out of my head this memory from childhood, of waking up on Sunday morning and just lying in bed, listening to my parents talk to each other in Korean, speaking very lovingly toward each other, undisturbed (for the time being) by us kids. I hope to have that kind of facility with the Korean language, but I'm closer to being fluent in Spanish; it'd be awesome to be able to say that I'm trilingual but for now I'm aiming to be bilingual in English and Spanish.
The Korean language is mostly foreign to me, but at the same time it's comforting to hear it, to listen to it. It's music to my ears. I don't always know what is being said when it is spoken but I can identify the tone. To me its the prettiest sounding Asian language, but of course I'm completely biased. Then again, it can also be the scariest, because it's the language that's used on me and my siblings when we get in trouble...and Ken Jeong seems to agree at the intensity of the Korean language:
Still, I can't get out of my head this memory from childhood, of waking up on Sunday morning and just lying in bed, listening to my parents talk to each other in Korean, speaking very lovingly toward each other, undisturbed (for the time being) by us kids. I hope to have that kind of facility with the Korean language, but I'm closer to being fluent in Spanish; it'd be awesome to be able to say that I'm trilingual but for now I'm aiming to be bilingual in English and Spanish.
Saturday, November 19
FINALLY
The musical adaptation of the movie-musical Newsies is coming to Broadway! Finally!
It premiered earlier this year in a theater in New Jersey and according to this article it'll be on Broadway starting in March. Newsies is one of my all-time favorite films, and the first that I ever went fan-crazy for. I watched it for the first time in the summer before my junior year of high school and I would watch this movie every day-- or, at least, watch all the musical numbers. For "fun" I wrote an essay on why this should be made into a live-action stage version, and it's almost as if all the chanting and spells worked! (Just kidding.) But seriously, this news is the best birthday/Christmas present I could get.
It premiered earlier this year in a theater in New Jersey and according to this article it'll be on Broadway starting in March. Newsies is one of my all-time favorite films, and the first that I ever went fan-crazy for. I watched it for the first time in the summer before my junior year of high school and I would watch this movie every day-- or, at least, watch all the musical numbers. For "fun" I wrote an essay on why this should be made into a live-action stage version, and it's almost as if all the chanting and spells worked! (Just kidding.) But seriously, this news is the best birthday/Christmas present I could get.
Friday, November 18
Thursday, November 17
BINGO week three
Oops. I haven't been paying attention as much while riding the train or the bus. But it reflects how invested I've become in my reading.
Happened once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
Five times
Six or more times
I thought I'd have a BINGO by now. Actually, I would've if I had arranged the squares differently. STill, I'm surpised that I have yet to spot a man in a business suit and sneakers, as well as an uncomfortably loud and personal conversation.
Happened once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
Five times
Six or more times
B
Be my friend?
| I
Icky habits
| N
Normal, not atypical people
| G
Go.
| O
Oh the things you can hear!
|
Man wearing a kilt
|
Person sitting next to you reeks
|
Tourist couple
|
Delay due to inclement weather
|
Stranger attempts to engage you in a serious
conversation
|
Someone reading a book on an esoteric topic
|
Someone
eats something smelly
|
Woman applying makeup
|
Delay due to police action
|
Uncomfortably loud and personal conversation
takes place
|
Person with dog too big to sit in lap
|
Nose-picking
| Free
Space!
|
Unexplained delay
|
Loud baby
|
Musician carrying an instrument
|
An uncovered sneeze
|
Field trip school group
|
Someone almost falls due to sudden jerking movement of vehicle
|
Can hear every word of the song someone’s listening to on headphones
|
Someone who has almost completed the daily crossword
|
Someone who leaves trash behind
|
Man in business suit and sneakers
|
People cluster around exits rather than moving all the way into the vehicle
|
A mumbling vehicle operator
|
I thought I'd have a BINGO by now. Actually, I would've if I had arranged the squares differently. STill, I'm surpised that I have yet to spot a man in a business suit and sneakers, as well as an uncomfortably loud and personal conversation.
Wednesday, November 16
Offbeat princesses
Within the week, not one, not two, but THREE movie trailers have come out that feature princess protagonists: Snow White and the Huntsman, Mirror Mirror (the kid-friendly version of Snow White, apparently), and now Brave, with Pixar's first female main character. So far it looks like Kristen Stewart's princess, in SWatH, seems the closest to a "warrior princess" type, but all three heroines are shown wielding a weapon (double-bladed sword, epee or foil, and bow and arrow, respectively).
Out of the three I'm the most excited for Pixar's movie-- and how could I not be? They don't just make films, they craft them. And I'm pretty sure this is the first time seeing a main character who is a ginger and has massive amounts of enviably voluminous and curly hair. I don't know if the source material has the character thus coiffed, but it's kinda gutsy that they didn't just go with the typical long and flowy route with this princess. I can't think of a single Disney princess with curly hair (The Princess and the Frog's Maddie sorta had some texture in her hair but she's a frog for half the movie, so I'm not counting her). I can only imagine how difficult it was to animate Merida's hair. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about this movie for a lot of reasons, but...hair! My goodness! So cool.
Anyway some other recent examples of offbeat princesses:
- Hanna (2011). Okay, so the titular character is not a real princess, has no royal blood, but this film is very much a fairy tale, complete with mystical powers, a bloodthirsty witch, betrayal...it's like Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz, and even makes overt references to the brothers Grimm. Hanna has the "skin as white as snow" part down, and maybe even a vengeful mother...
- Tangled (2010?) I haven't seen this, but I know it's a Rapunzel story and that the princess wields a mighty frying pan as her weapon. Definitely offbeat.
- Black Swan (2010). Okay, "offbeat" isn't the optimal word to describe Natalie Portman's character; "tortured" would be closer. One could say that she's sheltered and coddle in the way that a little princess might be, the way that Disney's Princess Jasmine was (minus the pet tiger, bumbling father, lecherous vizier, etc.)
I'm of two minds about this phenomenon, regarding the three movies from the beginning of this post. On the one hand, these girls are all white/European and based off western European tales, and they're all, well, princesses. There are equally interesting and filmable stories about women and girls in non-European folk and fairy tales who are not born of royal blood. But on the other hand, these are all princesses who fight, who aren't just dainty damsels in distress, and they challenge gender expectations as royalty and as young women. And I'm a sucker for this kind of story, and genuinely look forward to watching all three movies.
Out of the three I'm the most excited for Pixar's movie-- and how could I not be? They don't just make films, they craft them. And I'm pretty sure this is the first time seeing a main character who is a ginger and has massive amounts of enviably voluminous and curly hair. I don't know if the source material has the character thus coiffed, but it's kinda gutsy that they didn't just go with the typical long and flowy route with this princess. I can't think of a single Disney princess with curly hair (The Princess and the Frog's Maddie sorta had some texture in her hair but she's a frog for half the movie, so I'm not counting her). I can only imagine how difficult it was to animate Merida's hair. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about this movie for a lot of reasons, but...hair! My goodness! So cool.
Anyway some other recent examples of offbeat princesses:
- Hanna (2011). Okay, so the titular character is not a real princess, has no royal blood, but this film is very much a fairy tale, complete with mystical powers, a bloodthirsty witch, betrayal...it's like Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz, and even makes overt references to the brothers Grimm. Hanna has the "skin as white as snow" part down, and maybe even a vengeful mother...
- Tangled (2010?) I haven't seen this, but I know it's a Rapunzel story and that the princess wields a mighty frying pan as her weapon. Definitely offbeat.
- Black Swan (2010). Okay, "offbeat" isn't the optimal word to describe Natalie Portman's character; "tortured" would be closer. One could say that she's sheltered and coddle in the way that a little princess might be, the way that Disney's Princess Jasmine was (minus the pet tiger, bumbling father, lecherous vizier, etc.)
I'm of two minds about this phenomenon, regarding the three movies from the beginning of this post. On the one hand, these girls are all white/European and based off western European tales, and they're all, well, princesses. There are equally interesting and filmable stories about women and girls in non-European folk and fairy tales who are not born of royal blood. But on the other hand, these are all princesses who fight, who aren't just dainty damsels in distress, and they challenge gender expectations as royalty and as young women. And I'm a sucker for this kind of story, and genuinely look forward to watching all three movies.
Tuesday, November 15
My Batman t-shirt
When I wear my Batman t-shirt I don't expect it to imbue me with any special powers; indeed, Batman isn't even a superhero because he does not have any superhuman powers, unless wealth and bad-boy charisma count. It's not a lucky t-shirt or an article of clothing I reserve for special occasions, but a few times I have intentionally worn it as a sort of wearable security blanket. It's black but faded, and some of the screenprinted yellow from the symbol as come off. It's a child XL size, so it's a bit long, boxy, and the shoulder seam comes off my actual shoulders, giving me a very flat and wide appearance. But I don't wear it as a fashion statement or as a sign of my wannabe geekiness, I wear it because it's comfortable and makes me feel irreverant, less anxious, and more cool in an aloof way. If I'm reading a book I might catch a bit of it in my peripheral vision-- yellow against a black background is very striking, duh-- and I feel a bit more at ease. I know that Batman cannot and will not appear by my side if I am in danger, but subconsciously I feel comforted, protected by the fact that my wearing the t-shirt helps me to fit in and stand out.
Monday, November 14
Beginnings and adaptations
It's strange to think that about a year ago I was mourning the beginning of the end of one beloved book-to-movie adaptation (the imminent release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I), and today I am looking forward to the beginning of the beginning of another one, as the Hunger Games trailer was officially released today.
A year ago I was in a tizzy about HP7.1 and avidly watching any and all retrospective video clips of the series as a whole. My favorite is this one, with Tom Felton waxing nostalgic over past props:
I think I reread the book, or at least revisited my favorite scenes and prayed that they'd be faithfully reinterpreted and edited to be properly cinematic and dramatic. And the movie did not disappoint.
This trailer has me excited, as it hits all the right notes and right scenes. There is a palpable ease between Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss and Liam Hemsworth's Gale, as there should be because in the book they are very close friends. It was a solid trailer but only one moment made me almost choke on my yogurt, and that was the very last clip with all the kids rushing towards something (the Cornucopia). There's still about five months before the movie hits theaters, and I remain optimistic about it.
A year ago I was in a tizzy about HP7.1 and avidly watching any and all retrospective video clips of the series as a whole. My favorite is this one, with Tom Felton waxing nostalgic over past props:
I think I reread the book, or at least revisited my favorite scenes and prayed that they'd be faithfully reinterpreted and edited to be properly cinematic and dramatic. And the movie did not disappoint.
This trailer has me excited, as it hits all the right notes and right scenes. There is a palpable ease between Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss and Liam Hemsworth's Gale, as there should be because in the book they are very close friends. It was a solid trailer but only one moment made me almost choke on my yogurt, and that was the very last clip with all the kids rushing towards something (the Cornucopia). There's still about five months before the movie hits theaters, and I remain optimistic about it.
Sunday, November 13
This one time during a show...
There is no such thing as a perfect show. Whether the oops happens on stage, behind it, or in the pit, it just happens. Such is life.
One time, in the sixth show of a ten-show run, one of the stage hands or stage managers was absent, and the conductor told us in the pit orchestra that one of the transitions might take some extra time and that we'd have to repeat short scene change music. So, when the time came, we all repeated the sequence. After playing it twice the conductor made small circles in the air with his hand to indicated to keep playing. And so we did. For maybe 2 minutes, repeating the scene change music about 20 times.
This scene change music was obnoxiously cheery, and at first I couldn't stop giggling at the fact that we were playing it over and over again. Eventually my midsection was sore from trying to stifle myself and I started to get concerned: what was happening backstage that was causing this delay? The audience, luckily, overcame its initial confusion and started to clap along to the music as it continued on and on...and when the lights finally were raised to reveal the new set, they applauded and cheered (with joy? with relief?). The actor who walked onto that scene ad libbed the line, "It's funny, I've had this song stuck in my head...". I don't know whose burst of laughter was greater, the audience's or the pit orchestra's. It made us feel relieved and gave us a chance to make some audible noise that came from ourselves and not our instruments.
We learned during intermission that, in addition to being a man down, a piece of the scenery got stuck or hooked to one of the fly's that was being lifted up, and the delay was mostly due to trying not to have one or the other fly come crashing down onto the stage. Eventually gravity helped to wiggle the stuck piece off and bring down the correct scenery for the next scene.
Most of the time the mistake comes in the form of a missed cue or forgotten line or mic issue, and these mistakes happen so frequently as to be almost unremarkable, forgettable. But this is one instance I will never forget.
One time, in the sixth show of a ten-show run, one of the stage hands or stage managers was absent, and the conductor told us in the pit orchestra that one of the transitions might take some extra time and that we'd have to repeat short scene change music. So, when the time came, we all repeated the sequence. After playing it twice the conductor made small circles in the air with his hand to indicated to keep playing. And so we did. For maybe 2 minutes, repeating the scene change music about 20 times.
This scene change music was obnoxiously cheery, and at first I couldn't stop giggling at the fact that we were playing it over and over again. Eventually my midsection was sore from trying to stifle myself and I started to get concerned: what was happening backstage that was causing this delay? The audience, luckily, overcame its initial confusion and started to clap along to the music as it continued on and on...and when the lights finally were raised to reveal the new set, they applauded and cheered (with joy? with relief?). The actor who walked onto that scene ad libbed the line, "It's funny, I've had this song stuck in my head...". I don't know whose burst of laughter was greater, the audience's or the pit orchestra's. It made us feel relieved and gave us a chance to make some audible noise that came from ourselves and not our instruments.
We learned during intermission that, in addition to being a man down, a piece of the scenery got stuck or hooked to one of the fly's that was being lifted up, and the delay was mostly due to trying not to have one or the other fly come crashing down onto the stage. Eventually gravity helped to wiggle the stuck piece off and bring down the correct scenery for the next scene.
Most of the time the mistake comes in the form of a missed cue or forgotten line or mic issue, and these mistakes happen so frequently as to be almost unremarkable, forgettable. But this is one instance I will never forget.
Saturday, November 12
I'm probably reading too deeply into this...
It's startling to see what kids are reading and watching these days, but even more startling to look back at what books and movies children of previous generations were exposed to. I think that kids picture books today are a lot more diverse and open-minded, generally speaking. In the past month I have frequented a few yard sales and browsed through children's books from the 60s and 70s and I have been amused and discomforted by what I found. Part of that discomfort is due to the fact that I, as a sort-of adult, see certain symbolism and themes that just go right over the heads of the kids who read them.
I'm thinking specifically about this book, which I bought at a yard sale today.
Pretzel is a male dog, a dachshund-- the longest one in the world, one who has won a dog show and is lauded for his longness. In the book he courts Greta, who doesn't really care for him or care about his extraordinary physicality. But (spoiler alert!) when she is in peril he saves her and she agrees to marry him-- not for his length but for the fact that he saved her.
While I flipping through this book I thought the drawings were cute; the authors are the same ones who wrote the Curious George series. But as I sat and read the book cover to cover I couldn't help but read more deeply into this children's book. I doubt that there was any ulterior intention behind the story of the book yet I can't help connect some dots that may just be freckles/random spots: Pretzel is male, he is proud of how long he is but Greta the girl dog is not interested; because Pretzel plays the prince Greta decides not to be single any more and their story concludes with the birth of their five children/puppies.
But, as indicated in the title, I'm probably reading too deeply into this...
I'm thinking specifically about this book, which I bought at a yard sale today.
 |
| image source |
While I flipping through this book I thought the drawings were cute; the authors are the same ones who wrote the Curious George series. But as I sat and read the book cover to cover I couldn't help but read more deeply into this children's book. I doubt that there was any ulterior intention behind the story of the book yet I can't help connect some dots that may just be freckles/random spots: Pretzel is male, he is proud of how long he is but Greta the girl dog is not interested; because Pretzel plays the prince Greta decides not to be single any more and their story concludes with the birth of their five children/puppies.
But, as indicated in the title, I'm probably reading too deeply into this...
Friday, November 11
Nihilo sanctum estne?
Is nothing sacred?
I think of that line, from the movie Rushmore when thinking about holidays. I wonder, is Veteran's Day the only pure American holiday? I mean, sure, other countries have their own version of a Remembrance Day that's set apart to reflect on and honor those who died in wars. And Veteran's Day, like all other holidays, has become an excuse to have a sale, to have a day off or get paid time and half.
Lemme 'splain.
- Christmas. Oh, it's only the most conflated capitalist holiday of the year. You don't even have to be Christian to celebrate it. And Jesus wasn't even born in December.
- Thanksgiving. Once it was my favorite holiday of the year. But what does it really celebrate? Genocide, or the start of the exploitation and marginalization of the people native to the Americas.
- Fourth of July. See: above.
- Memorial Day/Labor Day: The former comes close to Veteran's day but it's overshadowed by the fact that it's become the unofficial start of summer; the latter it's counterpart, the end of summer.
Veteran's day was once Armistice Day, the day that WWI ended, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Obviously this year was much more special because it's the eleventh year of the new milleneum and omg-the-ultimate-day-to-make-a-wish-blah-blah-blah. So, in that sense, the 'true meaning of Veteran's day' was overshadowed. But I still maintain that this day is still sacred. But at the same time it's nice that this day was a nice day, that thousands died so that we could take freedom for granted. So I suppose I am still of two minds about this topic...
I think of that line, from the movie Rushmore when thinking about holidays. I wonder, is Veteran's Day the only pure American holiday? I mean, sure, other countries have their own version of a Remembrance Day that's set apart to reflect on and honor those who died in wars. And Veteran's Day, like all other holidays, has become an excuse to have a sale, to have a day off or get paid time and half.
Lemme 'splain.
- Christmas. Oh, it's only the most conflated capitalist holiday of the year. You don't even have to be Christian to celebrate it. And Jesus wasn't even born in December.
- Thanksgiving. Once it was my favorite holiday of the year. But what does it really celebrate? Genocide, or the start of the exploitation and marginalization of the people native to the Americas.
- Fourth of July. See: above.
- Memorial Day/Labor Day: The former comes close to Veteran's day but it's overshadowed by the fact that it's become the unofficial start of summer; the latter it's counterpart, the end of summer.
Veteran's day was once Armistice Day, the day that WWI ended, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Obviously this year was much more special because it's the eleventh year of the new milleneum and omg-the-ultimate-day-to-make-a-wish-blah-blah-blah. So, in that sense, the 'true meaning of Veteran's day' was overshadowed. But I still maintain that this day is still sacred. But at the same time it's nice that this day was a nice day, that thousands died so that we could take freedom for granted. So I suppose I am still of two minds about this topic...
Thursday, November 10
BINGO week two
My BINGO chart, as of tonight:
Happened once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
Five times
Six or more times
I think I should've added "accidental eye contact with a stranger" on here. I daydream a lot, and tend to let my eyes rest slightly to the left of whatever is in front of me, and its not unusual to unintentionally stare at the person seated opposite me. When I wear contact lenses, as I did today, I fear that I have an especially intense glare. I have to work on that.
Happened once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
Five times
Six or more times
B
Be my friend?
| I
Icky habits
| N
Normal, not atypical people
| G
Go.
| O
Oh the things you can hear!
|
Man wearing a kilt
|
Person sitting next to you reeks
|
Tourist couple
|
Delay due to inclement weather
|
Stranger attempts to engage you in a serious
conversation
|
Someone reading a book on an esoteric topic
|
Someone
eats something smelly
|
Woman applying makeup
|
Delay due to police action
|
Uncomfortably loud and personal conversation
takes place
|
Person with dog too big to sit in lap
|
Nose-picking
| Free
Space!
|
Unexplained delay
|
Loud baby
|
Musician carrying an instrument
|
An uncovered sneeze
|
Field trip school group
|
Someone almost falls due to sudden jerking movement of vehicle
|
Can hear every word of the song someone’s listening to on headphones
|
Someone who has almost completed the daily crossword
|
Someone who leaves trash behind
|
Man in business suit and sneakers
|
People cluster around exits rather than moving all the way into the vehicle
|
A mumbling vehicle operator
|
I think I should've added "accidental eye contact with a stranger" on here. I daydream a lot, and tend to let my eyes rest slightly to the left of whatever is in front of me, and its not unusual to unintentionally stare at the person seated opposite me. When I wear contact lenses, as I did today, I fear that I have an especially intense glare. I have to work on that.
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