More from the you got science in my poetry collection --
impossible mystery
eyes can never see
space outside the universe
time before the beginning
magic deeper still
sing the silent song
breathe the endless void
float, fall, fly, sans gravity
grab handfuls of nothingness
that came before existence
kiss the quickening cosmos
as she spins, ripples, stretches
ever expanding 'verses
dancing far beyond
imagination
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Something about crisis and opportunity
I promised to offer "tips" for living life chronically ill without losing (too much) of your mind. As previously stated, I do not claim any particular expertise. Just want to share some ideas, habits I've found helpful in my own life. "Tips" seems the shortest, simplest way to label that (and I will now leave off with the basically unnecessary quotation marks as I am beginning to annoy even myself.) So here's one for starters -- take your bad days and find a way to use them to your advantage. This way, even a bad day doesn't seem like a total loss. I hate when a day feels completely wasted. And there is sometimes a hidden upside to what can otherwise be difficult just to get through. For example...
A day when I feel so sick or am in so much pain that I cannot get out of bed is not a good thing. I think most people would agree with this feeling. However, I have learned (through some amount of practice) that these days are a great opportunity to watch a foreign film. If all I'm good for is staring at the TV screen, that means I can easily keep up with subtitles, free of distraction. And there's a lot of great movies that I might never have seen without this extra nudge. Such as "Timecrimes," a perfect little puzzle of a time-travel murder mystery. In fact, after watching this once, I immediately watched it over again to see how the pieces fall together. Truly ingenious.
Or, how about a day when I just can't get out of the house? Perfect chance for all those things I've been going to, you know, get around to. Like cleaning out my closet and finding all the clothes that should really be given away. Or getting my books/CDs/DVDs/sock drawer better organized. (To be fair, I do kinda love reorganizing stuff...) Or maybe it's even a good time to write a blog post, since I was going to do such a good job at keeping up on that. Maybe.
Look, y'all, I'm not saying that every cloud has a silver lining. But trying to find them sure does make life a little better, and at least passes some time.
A day when I feel so sick or am in so much pain that I cannot get out of bed is not a good thing. I think most people would agree with this feeling. However, I have learned (through some amount of practice) that these days are a great opportunity to watch a foreign film. If all I'm good for is staring at the TV screen, that means I can easily keep up with subtitles, free of distraction. And there's a lot of great movies that I might never have seen without this extra nudge. Such as "Timecrimes," a perfect little puzzle of a time-travel murder mystery. In fact, after watching this once, I immediately watched it over again to see how the pieces fall together. Truly ingenious.
Or, how about a day when I just can't get out of the house? Perfect chance for all those things I've been going to, you know, get around to. Like cleaning out my closet and finding all the clothes that should really be given away. Or getting my books/CDs/DVDs/sock drawer better organized. (To be fair, I do kinda love reorganizing stuff...) Or maybe it's even a good time to write a blog post, since I was going to do such a good job at keeping up on that. Maybe.
Look, y'all, I'm not saying that every cloud has a silver lining. But trying to find them sure does make life a little better, and at least passes some time.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Ancient Japanese poetry + too much Science Channel
The Science Channel is a remarkable source of inspiration for poetry. I didn't even set out to write these sorts of poems, it just happened. Have you seen "Through the Wormhole"? I don't know how to process such truly wild, mind blowing knowledge and information. It all winds up just dancing around in my head and I want to put it down somehow, even if I can't possibly understand all of the technicalities. Some of these poems are also partially products of my current sci-fi kick (e.g."Sunshine," "Doctor Who") and whatever genre you want to call "Tree of Life." So here is a first selection of my science series of tanka poems with more to come, I'm sure. To think, hundreds of years ago, artists and samurai used this same form to speak of cherry blossoms...
Created in destruction
Now unbonded particles
Returned to stardust
Free from gravity
Swimming in expansive space
Singularity
Forever balanced
On the event horizon
The inexplicable edge
Of precarious knowledge
Intelligence created
Out of primordial ooze
Such simple-minded beings
I hear God laughing --
Darwin wasn't wrong
Created in destruction
Now unbonded particles
Returned to stardust
Free from gravity
Swimming in expansive space
Singularity
Forever balanced
On the event horizon
The inexplicable edge
Of precarious knowledge
Intelligence created
Out of primordial ooze
Such simple-minded beings
I hear God laughing --
Darwin wasn't wrong
Monday, July 23, 2012
Nora Ephron
"She could peel an apple in one long curly strip..."
When I was a kid, the local library let you check out videos for free. And not just educational movies, but popular theatrical movie-movies too. "Sleepless in Seattle" was one of the first grown-up (non-animated or musical) movies I watched and really liked. I don't know what drew me to this particular film in the first place, but I checked it out of the library over and over again until I had it pretty much memorized. Sure, some of the jokes were a little over my head, but I didn't care. And as time went on, I started to get more of them and the movie just got better. Even this past week, I discovered a new level to one of said memorized jokes --
Now, tiramisu is, in fact, an Italian dessert so... funny. The extra layer that was lost on me until recently is that "tiramisu" literally means "pick me up." That is something a woman may want you to do to her (one way or another.) Ha! Bonus humor finally dawning on you over a decade after first viewing -- I'll credit that to a good writer. Which Nora Ephron certainly was. Thanks for a very worthwhile introduction to movies, Ms. Ephron, for proving repeatedly that romantic comedies don't have to be junk, and that a good script is essential.
When I was a kid, the local library let you check out videos for free. And not just educational movies, but popular theatrical movie-movies too. "Sleepless in Seattle" was one of the first grown-up (non-animated or musical) movies I watched and really liked. I don't know what drew me to this particular film in the first place, but I checked it out of the library over and over again until I had it pretty much memorized. Sure, some of the jokes were a little over my head, but I didn't care. And as time went on, I started to get more of them and the movie just got better. Even this past week, I discovered a new level to one of said memorized jokes --
Sam (on returning to the dating scene): "What is tiramisu? ... Some woman is gonna want me to do it to her and I'm not gonna know what it is!"
Now, tiramisu is, in fact, an Italian dessert so... funny. The extra layer that was lost on me until recently is that "tiramisu" literally means "pick me up." That is something a woman may want you to do to her (one way or another.) Ha! Bonus humor finally dawning on you over a decade after first viewing -- I'll credit that to a good writer. Which Nora Ephron certainly was. Thanks for a very worthwhile introduction to movies, Ms. Ephron, for proving repeatedly that romantic comedies don't have to be junk, and that a good script is essential.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Where to begin (again)
"...To people living with, living with, living with not dying from disease..." ~ RENT
I have learned some things since the last time I posted here. I am amazed at how many other people are also dealing with some sort of chronic health problems in their own lives -- chronic fatigue syndrome and migraines like me, or fibromyalgia, or lupus, or MS, or a thousand other things I'm sure I've never heard of and could never spell. What is really important here is how much it seems that we all have in common. Living with these kinds of problems is not easy, yet it seems whenever I meet somebody either they or someone close to them can very easily connect to my experiences with chronic illness.
(By the way, I'm not a big fan of the word "sick" or "ill" or "disabled" for that matter. Not that they're not true, just wish there was a better option. Any suggestions? Perhaps I have just grown tired of these terms after wearing them for about half my life, but I digress...)
So, the point of all this is that maybe there are things I've learned that can be helpful to others. I profess no special skills or training, just too much time on my hands and a desire to pass along something useful. Maybe even entertaining! Despite the title of my blog, I can promise no comedy (per se), just a positive outlook on life in general. I will also promise a concerted effort to post on a regular basis, to share a mix of "tips" and other things I've discovered through my time in the trenches as well as poems, film commentary, my attempts at cooking, etc. With apologies to my English teachers, I can also feel fairly confident in promising an overuse of these () these -- and these ...
Now, let's call that a mission statement and I would just like to take a moment to mention one other thing, dear reader. Yes, I just called you dear reader and I think I shall continue doing so in future or if I'm feeling exceptionally optimistic, perhaps -- y'all. What I'm saying is that I plan on talking to you and would very much like it if you talked back. There's a comment button. Use it. To anyone who is still reading this blog after 4 years without a post, I say, I'm flattered and a little perplexed, but thanks! If you're out there dear readers, talk back.
I have learned some things since the last time I posted here. I am amazed at how many other people are also dealing with some sort of chronic health problems in their own lives -- chronic fatigue syndrome and migraines like me, or fibromyalgia, or lupus, or MS, or a thousand other things I'm sure I've never heard of and could never spell. What is really important here is how much it seems that we all have in common. Living with these kinds of problems is not easy, yet it seems whenever I meet somebody either they or someone close to them can very easily connect to my experiences with chronic illness.
(By the way, I'm not a big fan of the word "sick" or "ill" or "disabled" for that matter. Not that they're not true, just wish there was a better option. Any suggestions? Perhaps I have just grown tired of these terms after wearing them for about half my life, but I digress...)
So, the point of all this is that maybe there are things I've learned that can be helpful to others. I profess no special skills or training, just too much time on my hands and a desire to pass along something useful. Maybe even entertaining! Despite the title of my blog, I can promise no comedy (per se), just a positive outlook on life in general. I will also promise a concerted effort to post on a regular basis, to share a mix of "tips" and other things I've discovered through my time in the trenches as well as poems, film commentary, my attempts at cooking, etc. With apologies to my English teachers, I can also feel fairly confident in promising an overuse of these () these -- and these ...
Now, let's call that a mission statement and I would just like to take a moment to mention one other thing, dear reader. Yes, I just called you dear reader and I think I shall continue doing so in future or if I'm feeling exceptionally optimistic, perhaps -- y'all. What I'm saying is that I plan on talking to you and would very much like it if you talked back. There's a comment button. Use it. To anyone who is still reading this blog after 4 years without a post, I say, I'm flattered and a little perplexed, but thanks! If you're out there dear readers, talk back.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Calypso feathers
Some of you may remember from an earlier entry that our family has a cockatiel named Squeaker. We also had a lovebird named Calypso. Or perhaps I should say my mother had a lovebird, who was kind enough to share himself with me. He was such a mama's boy! Well, Calypso died in February at the ripe old age of 12. (I understand the 8 - 10 is good for a lovebird.)
You've seen some of Squeaker's antics, so let me tell you a bit about Calypso. First, he was green. His favorite pastimes included baths, chewing things, and heckling Squeaker. He was just a little bird, but apparently no one told him that. He was unafraid of pretty much anything, had a never-ending supply of energy, and a peep that could be heard for miles around. He didn't talk -- the only human sound he imitated was a kissy noise, which was completely endearing. We always said that if he were to pick up something else it would probably be a belch or a swear word. He was just that perverse, yet the ultimate charmer.
We buried Calypso on Easter among the spring flowers, sent off with these two poems I wrote --
Calypso feathers
Cannot contain his ego
Unaware of height
A tiny frame taking flight
Peeps mightily in God's ear
Proclaiming green-ness,
Pointy beaked upside down-ness.
For the love of noise,
Sheer joy of being alive --
I peep because I'm happy!
And I think that's pretty much Calypso in a nutshell. I don't want to get too sentimental, but if I ever needed a lesson in joie de vivre, I need look no further than the tiny green person who would drink water from my fingers and let me scratch his head.
You've seen some of Squeaker's antics, so let me tell you a bit about Calypso. First, he was green. His favorite pastimes included baths, chewing things, and heckling Squeaker. He was just a little bird, but apparently no one told him that. He was unafraid of pretty much anything, had a never-ending supply of energy, and a peep that could be heard for miles around. He didn't talk -- the only human sound he imitated was a kissy noise, which was completely endearing. We always said that if he were to pick up something else it would probably be a belch or a swear word. He was just that perverse, yet the ultimate charmer.
We buried Calypso on Easter among the spring flowers, sent off with these two poems I wrote --
Calypso feathers
Cannot contain his ego
Unaware of height
A tiny frame taking flight
Peeps mightily in God's ear
Proclaiming green-ness,
Pointy beaked upside down-ness.
For the love of noise,
Sheer joy of being alive --
I peep because I'm happy!
And I think that's pretty much Calypso in a nutshell. I don't want to get too sentimental, but if I ever needed a lesson in joie de vivre, I need look no further than the tiny green person who would drink water from my fingers and let me scratch his head.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
My tenth annual Academy Awards
Well, it may be a bit delayed, but here's my Oscar entry --
I can tell you the exact date my love of film began -- December 19, 1997. The night I first saw Titanic. Now, I think it would sound cooler to say my interest in movies had been sparked by something like Pulp Fiction or Casablanca or El Mariachi, but the truth is it was in fact the highest grossing film of all time that caught my attention. Ah, well. So much for my indie cred.
So, here's the story from the beginning -- My best friends and I went to see Titanic on opening night and stumbled out of the theater three and a half hours later arm in arm crying our eyes out. I think we scared the people waiting to go in for the next showing. Over the next few months, everyone went back to see it again and again. I began to feel a bit like Charlie Bucket only opening two Wonka bars, since I only saw it two or three times -- I knew girls who saw it over ten times! (no wonder it made over a billion dollars) But I watched all the behind-the-scenes specials and interviews I could find. These opened up a whole new world to me. I had seen movies before, but I never really thought much about how they were made. This was back in the days before DVDs (gasp!) with special features. Suddenly I was interested not only in Leo and Kate, but also in James Cameron's other projects. And knowing that the hand seen drawing Rose in the movie is in fact Cameron's and other such fascinating tidbits.
My love of Titanic naturally led me to the 1998 Oscars. Billy Crystal hosted and I still remember parts of his opening songs about the Best Picture nominees ("It's Gilligan, the Skipper too, the propeller guy and the ice!"). I learned something important that first year -- you need to have someone to root for. Of course in 1998 it was Titanic all the way for me and I felt personally slighted by any losses. Then the following year, the Academy really sealed the deal and made me a viewer for life by making my pick, the underdog Shakespeare in Love, Best Picture over favorite Saving Private Ryan. I realize I may get hate mail for saying this, but that win made me so happy, I literally got up and jumped up and down during the acceptance speech.
So, in subsequent years I have generally tried my best to cram for the Oscars by watching as many nominated films as possible. This has been somewhat hampered the past three years since I've had to rely on DVDs alone, and unfortunately am not eligible for Academy screeners. So, my big Oscar pick for 2008 was Once, which was only nominated for Best Original Song. It won (yay!) so I consider the show a success, especially since Jon Stewart brought star Marketa Irglova back out on stage to give her part of the acceptance speech after she and Glen Hansard were played off. I also learned, from the helpful montage, that I have seen 29 of the 80 Best Picture winners including every one from Titanic through The Departed. I guess I just need to get caught up on those older films!
I can tell you the exact date my love of film began -- December 19, 1997. The night I first saw Titanic. Now, I think it would sound cooler to say my interest in movies had been sparked by something like Pulp Fiction or Casablanca or El Mariachi, but the truth is it was in fact the highest grossing film of all time that caught my attention. Ah, well. So much for my indie cred.
So, here's the story from the beginning -- My best friends and I went to see Titanic on opening night and stumbled out of the theater three and a half hours later arm in arm crying our eyes out. I think we scared the people waiting to go in for the next showing. Over the next few months, everyone went back to see it again and again. I began to feel a bit like Charlie Bucket only opening two Wonka bars, since I only saw it two or three times -- I knew girls who saw it over ten times! (no wonder it made over a billion dollars) But I watched all the behind-the-scenes specials and interviews I could find. These opened up a whole new world to me. I had seen movies before, but I never really thought much about how they were made. This was back in the days before DVDs (gasp!) with special features. Suddenly I was interested not only in Leo and Kate, but also in James Cameron's other projects. And knowing that the hand seen drawing Rose in the movie is in fact Cameron's and other such fascinating tidbits.
My love of Titanic naturally led me to the 1998 Oscars. Billy Crystal hosted and I still remember parts of his opening songs about the Best Picture nominees ("It's Gilligan, the Skipper too, the propeller guy and the ice!"). I learned something important that first year -- you need to have someone to root for. Of course in 1998 it was Titanic all the way for me and I felt personally slighted by any losses. Then the following year, the Academy really sealed the deal and made me a viewer for life by making my pick, the underdog Shakespeare in Love, Best Picture over favorite Saving Private Ryan. I realize I may get hate mail for saying this, but that win made me so happy, I literally got up and jumped up and down during the acceptance speech.
So, in subsequent years I have generally tried my best to cram for the Oscars by watching as many nominated films as possible. This has been somewhat hampered the past three years since I've had to rely on DVDs alone, and unfortunately am not eligible for Academy screeners. So, my big Oscar pick for 2008 was Once, which was only nominated for Best Original Song. It won (yay!) so I consider the show a success, especially since Jon Stewart brought star Marketa Irglova back out on stage to give her part of the acceptance speech after she and Glen Hansard were played off. I also learned, from the helpful montage, that I have seen 29 of the 80 Best Picture winners including every one from Titanic through The Departed. I guess I just need to get caught up on those older films!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Comments on comments
I've gotten a few questions recently from people who had difficulty leaving comments on my blog entries. So, I changed the settings and would like to invite everyone to give it another shot, even if you had trouble posting in the past. If it still doesn't work, let me know (my email is kay_sarahh@yahoo.com) and I'll find someone who understands all this technological nonsense to help me fix whatever's going on.
Also, just want to leave a quick message to let everyone know, I may be posting less frequently for a while. I'm adjusting some headache meds and the new dosage seems to be turning my brain into oatmeal. So while I do plan on talking Oscar (even tho apparently only twelve other people watched, according to the ratings) it'll have to wait until I can form more coherent sentences. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this recommendation -- watch Once! It makes me so happy.
Also, just want to leave a quick message to let everyone know, I may be posting less frequently for a while. I'm adjusting some headache meds and the new dosage seems to be turning my brain into oatmeal. So while I do plan on talking Oscar (even tho apparently only twelve other people watched, according to the ratings) it'll have to wait until I can form more coherent sentences. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this recommendation -- watch Once! It makes me so happy.
Monday, February 18, 2008
". . . whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitave that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea"
After my first top ten list, Donna made the suggestion that I make a list of my favorite top ten books published before 1975. Well, being generally perverse and relishing a challenge, I decided to first attempt a list of books from after 1975. I thought it might be hard to even think of ten things I've read that were that contemporary, let alone that I could really call "favorites." Mostly I read stuff from before 1900. Also, a series definitely only qualifies as one entry, so I can't just fill the list with Harry Potter. Well, I've been working on this list for a while now and come up with what I think are some interesting and diverse books (in no particular order) --
1. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
4. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
7. The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein
8. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
9. The Harper Hall trilogy by Anne McCaffrey
10. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
Here are a few comments on my choices --
1 & 2. Yes, both by the same author, but extremely different books and both exceptionally good. I may have Bean Trees memorized by now.
3. Pick a favorite? Maybe Prisoner of Azkaban or Half-Blood Prince.
7. If nothing else, all high school students should receive the "No-Holds Bard: A Glossary of Sexual Slang." Trust me, they'd enjoy those plays a lot more.
9. Dragonsong and Dragonsinger were staples for me growing up and still favorites today.
10. Like "Futurama"? Read this book! The blog entry title is a quote from book one. Other highlights -- "Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it." and "Who - the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?"
1. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
4. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
7. The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein
8. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
9. The Harper Hall trilogy by Anne McCaffrey
10. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
Here are a few comments on my choices --
1 & 2. Yes, both by the same author, but extremely different books and both exceptionally good. I may have Bean Trees memorized by now.
3. Pick a favorite? Maybe Prisoner of Azkaban or Half-Blood Prince.
7. If nothing else, all high school students should receive the "No-Holds Bard: A Glossary of Sexual Slang." Trust me, they'd enjoy those plays a lot more.
9. Dragonsong and Dragonsinger were staples for me growing up and still favorites today.
10. Like "Futurama"? Read this book! The blog entry title is a quote from book one. Other highlights -- "Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it." and "Who - the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?"
Sunday, February 10, 2008
"I got ashes on my forehead"
Well, I had ashes on my forehead on Wednesday, but I suppose in some sense I still do. The big news here of course is that for the first time in three years, I received those ashes at church. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, for the first (and second) time I have left the house and rejoined society. Allow me to explain . . .
On Saturday, Feb. 2, I went to the coffeehouse held after our church's Saturday night service. This marked the first time I had gone anywhere other than a hospital or doctor's office since I had surgery in January of 2005. I stayed a little less than an hour and heard a few different people sing. In fact when I walked in, Shoof was playing, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone . . ." which seems eerily appropriate. Anyway I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in forever. Kinda weird actually, to be back out in the world, but good weird.
Since Saturday's excursion went well, I decided to attend the Ash Wednesday service at Hope as well. This was a bit more taxing, but I'm glad I went. Lent is my favorite season of the church year anyway, and it felt really good to be back in a proper sanctuary, singing hymns, and being with all the other church folks. I don't think I realized how much I had missed it until I got back to it.
This finally brings me to what was intended to be the point all along -- Lent. I mentioned already that it was my favorite season, and I think that's because it's very introspective. I know a lot of people give something up for Lent, but I never really have. I guess I just never felt that forgoing chocolate would bring me closer to God. Well, this year I would like to take a Lenten journey, although it's not exactly giving something up. I would like to find the quiet. I'm not sure where it's gone. My TiVo and my iPod seem to fill in all the gaps nowadays and without the silence, I think I'm forgetting how to listen. So, for the next forty days, I'm going to spend less time with tv and music running for background noise as I usually do. I'm afraid all this multi-tasking may be killing my creativity. I hope to spend some time communing with my new blank book, and maybe even hearing God . . . in the quiet.
"And I will follow out of love
'cause there is nothing I can earn
I got ashes on my forehead
and I'm trying hard to learn"
~Jonathan Rundman, "Ashes"
On Saturday, Feb. 2, I went to the coffeehouse held after our church's Saturday night service. This marked the first time I had gone anywhere other than a hospital or doctor's office since I had surgery in January of 2005. I stayed a little less than an hour and heard a few different people sing. In fact when I walked in, Shoof was playing, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone . . ." which seems eerily appropriate. Anyway I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in forever. Kinda weird actually, to be back out in the world, but good weird.
Since Saturday's excursion went well, I decided to attend the Ash Wednesday service at Hope as well. This was a bit more taxing, but I'm glad I went. Lent is my favorite season of the church year anyway, and it felt really good to be back in a proper sanctuary, singing hymns, and being with all the other church folks. I don't think I realized how much I had missed it until I got back to it.
This finally brings me to what was intended to be the point all along -- Lent. I mentioned already that it was my favorite season, and I think that's because it's very introspective. I know a lot of people give something up for Lent, but I never really have. I guess I just never felt that forgoing chocolate would bring me closer to God. Well, this year I would like to take a Lenten journey, although it's not exactly giving something up. I would like to find the quiet. I'm not sure where it's gone. My TiVo and my iPod seem to fill in all the gaps nowadays and without the silence, I think I'm forgetting how to listen. So, for the next forty days, I'm going to spend less time with tv and music running for background noise as I usually do. I'm afraid all this multi-tasking may be killing my creativity. I hope to spend some time communing with my new blank book, and maybe even hearing God . . . in the quiet.
"And I will follow out of love
'cause there is nothing I can earn
I got ashes on my forehead
and I'm trying hard to learn"
~Jonathan Rundman, "Ashes"
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Someone else's funny story
Well. . . it's too late to start writing my own blog entry tonight, but you should all check this out -- made me laugh! More from me personally soon.
Monday, January 28, 2008
"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
The writer's strike drags on. The good news is, contrary to popular belief, not all reality tv is bad. So here's a list (in more or less descending order) of my top ten favorite reality shows --
1. Project Runway
2. So You Think You Can Dance
3. Top Chef
4. MythBusters
5. Amazing Race
6. Survivorman
7. Dirty Jobs
8. 30 Days
9. America's Next Top Model
10. Survivor
Now, after my usual fashion, a little explanation. Some of these shows actually count as educational while some are more in the guilty pleasures category. Here are a few specific comments --
1. I've watched religiously since day one. I want Jay McCarroll's Chrysler building dress and I want it now!
2. More people watch American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, but this show is so much better! Just watch any routine choreographed by Mia Michaels.
4. "I reject your reality . . ." is a quote from Adam Savage, MythBuster. Nobody has more fun at work than these guys.
6. I believe Les Stroud is mildly insane, but in a very cool, laid back way.
7. Why watch a show about cleaning septic tanks, exterminating roaches, and gutting fish? Mike Rowe, that's why. (and did you know he's from Baltimore?)
10. Well, I quit watching after season two, but I'm afraid I've gotten sucked back in. . .
1. Project Runway
2. So You Think You Can Dance
3. Top Chef
4. MythBusters
5. Amazing Race
6. Survivorman
7. Dirty Jobs
8. 30 Days
9. America's Next Top Model
10. Survivor
Now, after my usual fashion, a little explanation. Some of these shows actually count as educational while some are more in the guilty pleasures category. Here are a few specific comments --
1. I've watched religiously since day one. I want Jay McCarroll's Chrysler building dress and I want it now!
2. More people watch American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, but this show is so much better! Just watch any routine choreographed by Mia Michaels.
4. "I reject your reality . . ." is a quote from Adam Savage, MythBuster. Nobody has more fun at work than these guys.
6. I believe Les Stroud is mildly insane, but in a very cool, laid back way.
7. Why watch a show about cleaning septic tanks, exterminating roaches, and gutting fish? Mike Rowe, that's why. (and did you know he's from Baltimore?)
10. Well, I quit watching after season two, but I'm afraid I've gotten sucked back in. . .
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Goodbye too soon, Heath Ledger
As I'm sure most of you have already heard, actor Heath Ledger died on Tuesday. He was 28 years old. I have been a big fan of his for many years and am sorry to think there will be no more movies from him after The Dark Knight. But most of all, I would like to send my love and prayers to his daughter, Matilda. I could write an entry (as I'm sure many of my peers will) about how sad and confused I am to lose someone who is really a contemporary of mine. Instead, I'd rather thank Heath Ledger for being a part of a major cultural awakening in my own life.
Back in 1999, I saw Heath Ledger for the first time in a movie called 10 Things I Hate About You, which is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. I love this movie. I've seen it more times than I care to count -- it's a great one to watch if I'm ever having a bad day. My sister and I quote lines from it all the time like, "I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed? [reply:] I think you can in Europe." Anyway, after seeing 10 Things in the theater, I went home and read Taming of the Shrew before going back to see the movie again. It was really that film in combination with Shakespeare in Love, which came out in 1998, that opened my eyes to the joys of Shakespeare. I've been reading the plays, seeing the movies, and best of all seeing live productions whenever possible ever since. So, Heath Ledger, wherever you are, thank you for introducing me to the bard. I've never been the same since.
"There's a divinity that shapes our ends"
~Hamlet, V.2.10
Back in 1999, I saw Heath Ledger for the first time in a movie called 10 Things I Hate About You, which is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. I love this movie. I've seen it more times than I care to count -- it's a great one to watch if I'm ever having a bad day. My sister and I quote lines from it all the time like, "I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed? [reply:] I think you can in Europe." Anyway, after seeing 10 Things in the theater, I went home and read Taming of the Shrew before going back to see the movie again. It was really that film in combination with Shakespeare in Love, which came out in 1998, that opened my eyes to the joys of Shakespeare. I've been reading the plays, seeing the movies, and best of all seeing live productions whenever possible ever since. So, Heath Ledger, wherever you are, thank you for introducing me to the bard. I've never been the same since.
"There's a divinity that shapes our ends"
~Hamlet, V.2.10
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Watch the birdie
My sister, Joanna, and I recorded our cockatiel, Squeaker, doing one of his favorite things -- talking to a Kleenex. Don't ask me why he does this, but it's seriously cute. You can check it out here, if you're interested.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Tanka poetry
I may not be making blog entries as frequently as I'd like to, but I have been writing. Poetry mostly. My favorite kind to write is tanka poetry, which I recently discovered is not exactly what I always thought it was. . .
I started writing tanka poetry in about 10th grade as a requirement. Our textbooks taught us that tanka is an ancient style of Japanese poetry, similar to haiku, but having 31 syllables instead of just 17. This appealed to me, as I tend to be verbose. So, a tanka poem would have five lines -- two lines of 5 syllables each and three lines of 7 syllables each which could be placed in any order, according to said textbook. Well, I recently Googled tanka poetry when a friend asked me about it, and learned that in fact, there is a preferred pattern -- the lines are traditionally arranged 5-7-5-7-7.
Ack! Does this mean all the poems I've been writing all these years are wrong? Well, once I thought about it a bit I realized, no. That would be silly. For starters, to be a true tanka, it should be written in Japanese so the rules have already been bent. And the 5-7-5-7-7 thing is only customary -- from what I read, there aren't too many hard-and-fast type rules for tanka in English, especially nowadays. Besides, it's supposed to be art, emotion.
Now, mostly I write poetry for myself and don't tend to share it with too many people. But, since it's a new year, I thought maybe I'd step outside my comfort zone a bit and share a few tanka with you all. I looked through my archives and found this poem I wrote years ago that just happens to follow the official pattern:
Dandelion seeds
Drifting away on a breeze
Like so many dreams
You never dared to follow
Dancing just beyond your reach
And here's one from a few days ago that doesn't:
Pyromaniac's delight
Fire destroys to create
Scorched edges, ashes falling
Find what's left behind -
Beauty in relief
So I choose to keep writing with the guidelines I remember from my high school textbook -- each poem should express a single thought or emotion and use nature imagery -- and I'll let the 5 or 7 syllables fall where they may. I find the writing very therapeutic and I would encourage anyone else who's interested to give it a try. Click if you'd like to learn more about tanka
I started writing tanka poetry in about 10th grade as a requirement. Our textbooks taught us that tanka is an ancient style of Japanese poetry, similar to haiku, but having 31 syllables instead of just 17. This appealed to me, as I tend to be verbose. So, a tanka poem would have five lines -- two lines of 5 syllables each and three lines of 7 syllables each which could be placed in any order, according to said textbook. Well, I recently Googled tanka poetry when a friend asked me about it, and learned that in fact, there is a preferred pattern -- the lines are traditionally arranged 5-7-5-7-7.
Ack! Does this mean all the poems I've been writing all these years are wrong? Well, once I thought about it a bit I realized, no. That would be silly. For starters, to be a true tanka, it should be written in Japanese so the rules have already been bent. And the 5-7-5-7-7 thing is only customary -- from what I read, there aren't too many hard-and-fast type rules for tanka in English, especially nowadays. Besides, it's supposed to be art, emotion.
Now, mostly I write poetry for myself and don't tend to share it with too many people. But, since it's a new year, I thought maybe I'd step outside my comfort zone a bit and share a few tanka with you all. I looked through my archives and found this poem I wrote years ago that just happens to follow the official pattern:
Dandelion seeds
Drifting away on a breeze
Like so many dreams
You never dared to follow
Dancing just beyond your reach
And here's one from a few days ago that doesn't:
Pyromaniac's delight
Fire destroys to create
Scorched edges, ashes falling
Find what's left behind -
Beauty in relief
So I choose to keep writing with the guidelines I remember from my high school textbook -- each poem should express a single thought or emotion and use nature imagery -- and I'll let the 5 or 7 syllables fall where they may. I find the writing very therapeutic and I would encourage anyone else who's interested to give it a try. Click if you'd like to learn more about tanka
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The best time at Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you've all had a nice holiday season so far. I know I have. For the first time in three years, my mom, dad, sister, and I were able to have our family opening of presents time out in the living room around the Christmas tree instead of all crowded into my bedroom. That was probably the best gift of all this year, for me -- to be out of bed like a "normal" person. This is also partly why it's been so long since my last post -- I've been busy doing things and spending quality time with my sister, Joanna, who's home for the holidays.
It seems like on every talk show I see, someone gets asked about their best Christmas memories, so I thought I might tell you about my favorite part of Christmas growing up. . . Early on Christmas morning, usually before sunup, Joanna and I would get up very quietly and head downstairs to find our stockings and see if Santa and the reindeer had eaten what we left for them. We would turn on the Christmas tree lights and spread out on the living room floor. Then we'd take turns pulling one item out of our stockings to check out and show each other. When the stockings were empty of goodies, we'd start reading the Christmas picture books like The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Christmas Mouse (which tells the story of how a mouse helped write "Silent Night"). It was so quiet. No tv, no phone, no computer, no parents, not even pets. Just the two of us -- wrapped in blankets, on the floor, before the sun came up, discovering the treasures in our stockings and reading the books we read every year.
I'm afraid that, like the people in Polar Express, we may have lost of a little of that Christmas magic; but we still hear a little of the sleigh bell's jingle when we see what's in our stockings each Christmas. Just the two of us . . . sometime after noon.
It seems like on every talk show I see, someone gets asked about their best Christmas memories, so I thought I might tell you about my favorite part of Christmas growing up. . . Early on Christmas morning, usually before sunup, Joanna and I would get up very quietly and head downstairs to find our stockings and see if Santa and the reindeer had eaten what we left for them. We would turn on the Christmas tree lights and spread out on the living room floor. Then we'd take turns pulling one item out of our stockings to check out and show each other. When the stockings were empty of goodies, we'd start reading the Christmas picture books like The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Christmas Mouse (which tells the story of how a mouse helped write "Silent Night"). It was so quiet. No tv, no phone, no computer, no parents, not even pets. Just the two of us -- wrapped in blankets, on the floor, before the sun came up, discovering the treasures in our stockings and reading the books we read every year.
I'm afraid that, like the people in Polar Express, we may have lost of a little of that Christmas magic; but we still hear a little of the sleigh bell's jingle when we see what's in our stockings each Christmas. Just the two of us . . . sometime after noon.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Desert Island Records
Well, I figure it's better to write something than nothing at all. Since I don't have much on my mind at the moment, here's my answer to one of those classic questions: what music would you want to have with you if you were all alone on a desert island? Maybe it's archaic to even make such a list when all I really need would be a 30 GB iPod and a solar charger, but here (in no particular order) are my top ten must have albums if I were ever stranded --
1) Rent, Original Broadway Cast
2) Something, Lost And Found
3) Sound Theology, Jonathan Rundman
4) Spirit, Jewel
5) Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers
6) Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette
7) Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Original Cast Recording
8) The White Album, The Beatles
9) Grace, Jeff Buckley
10) Hymns, Various Artists (compiled by Youth Encounter)
Now, a little explanation. The one ground rule I set for myself was to only bring one album per artist. (Don't ask me why, it made sense at the time.) And here's a few thoughts on some of the specific choices --
1) Rent - there must be broadway, and this is my favorite, hands-down.
2) Something - picking one L & F album was tricky, but this is the one I listen to the most
3) Sound Theology - one song for each week of the church year. and I do get to take the liner notes, right?
5) Californication - for me, this is the peak (and my first RHCP)
10) Hymns - yes, I am that much of a church nerd.
So, that's what I have to say tonight. Please post or email me any comments as I'll probably do more top tens in the future. This was kinda fun!
1) Rent, Original Broadway Cast
2) Something, Lost And Found
3) Sound Theology, Jonathan Rundman
4) Spirit, Jewel
5) Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers
6) Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette
7) Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Original Cast Recording
8) The White Album, The Beatles
9) Grace, Jeff Buckley
10) Hymns, Various Artists (compiled by Youth Encounter)
Now, a little explanation. The one ground rule I set for myself was to only bring one album per artist. (Don't ask me why, it made sense at the time.) And here's a few thoughts on some of the specific choices --
1) Rent - there must be broadway, and this is my favorite, hands-down.
2) Something - picking one L & F album was tricky, but this is the one I listen to the most
3) Sound Theology - one song for each week of the church year. and I do get to take the liner notes, right?
5) Californication - for me, this is the peak (and my first RHCP)
10) Hymns - yes, I am that much of a church nerd.
So, that's what I have to say tonight. Please post or email me any comments as I'll probably do more top tens in the future. This was kinda fun!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Snow!
It's snowing, huzzah! It seems somehow appropriate for the first December blog to be about snow, though in the Baltimore area, you often have to wait much longer for something worthy of the name. We've actually gotten a few inches on the ground way before Christmas, which makes me happy. I actually got out of bed first thing this morning (and by morning I mean almost noon) and ran outside to catch a few flakes and throw a few snowballs. I'm glad to be living out in the country a bit where the snow actually stays white. White snow was sort of a revelation for me when I moved at the age of seven from inner city Baltimore to rural Gettysburg. Now we're back in Baltimore county which is nice because we can go to the theatre and get good Greek food, but there are trees and the snow stays white. I just wish we got more of it. But then again, I never have to worry about driving in it . . .
Goodbye good tv
Let me start by saying, I watch a lot of tv. And it's looking like the best shows will be slowly disappearing from the airwaves while this writer's strike continues. I'm no expert on the ins and outs of this whole thing, so this is in no way a breaking-news blog. But from what I've read about the negotiations, it sounds to me like the writers have totally legitimate complaints and I support their right to strike -- I'm just really gonna miss their work.
Firstly, there has been no "Daily Show," for five weeks now so if I want to know what's going on in the real world, I have to watch the actual news or look stuff up online.
Monday was the fall finale of "Heroes," which will now, it appears, be gone until further notice. I do know the intended fill-in show, "Heroes: Origins," has been put on the back burner. Too bad -- I thought getting to see some new characters would be fun. Plus, writer/director Kevin Smith was supposed to do an episode, which would have been awesome! They are making a bunch of online content and putting out a "Heroes" book, but (call me old-fashioned) I like my tv on tv, I guess.
Another show I'm worried about is "Scrubs." This was supposed to be its final season, so will the strike mean fewer episodes? Or will the season run later than usual after everything is resolved? Anyway, I'm really hoping both sides will be able to figure this thing out before too much longer because I don't want to get cheated out of the last episodes of one of my favorite sitcoms!
Then there will be some shows returning in January like "Lost," "Psych," and "The Tudors," all of which I'm really looking forward to. Also returning in January is the final season of "The Wire," which is really must see tv. Season four just came out on dvd and for anyone who's interested in a truly great crime show set right here in Baltimore it's really worth catching up on those back seasons. It's intense and complicated, but really pays off.
Also, there's always reality tv, which is another can of worms entirely. I'm really glad "Project Runway" is back for one. And I suppose we'll be seeing more and more reality shows in the weeks to come. Like "Farmer Wants a Wife." (I'm not kidding -- that's a real show)
Firstly, there has been no "Daily Show," for five weeks now so if I want to know what's going on in the real world, I have to watch the actual news or look stuff up online.
Monday was the fall finale of "Heroes," which will now, it appears, be gone until further notice. I do know the intended fill-in show, "Heroes: Origins," has been put on the back burner. Too bad -- I thought getting to see some new characters would be fun. Plus, writer/director Kevin Smith was supposed to do an episode, which would have been awesome! They are making a bunch of online content and putting out a "Heroes" book, but (call me old-fashioned) I like my tv on tv, I guess.
Another show I'm worried about is "Scrubs." This was supposed to be its final season, so will the strike mean fewer episodes? Or will the season run later than usual after everything is resolved? Anyway, I'm really hoping both sides will be able to figure this thing out before too much longer because I don't want to get cheated out of the last episodes of one of my favorite sitcoms!
Then there will be some shows returning in January like "Lost," "Psych," and "The Tudors," all of which I'm really looking forward to. Also returning in January is the final season of "The Wire," which is really must see tv. Season four just came out on dvd and for anyone who's interested in a truly great crime show set right here in Baltimore it's really worth catching up on those back seasons. It's intense and complicated, but really pays off.
Also, there's always reality tv, which is another can of worms entirely. I'm really glad "Project Runway" is back for one. And I suppose we'll be seeing more and more reality shows in the weeks to come. Like "Farmer Wants a Wife." (I'm not kidding -- that's a real show)
Friday, November 30, 2007
Cause I am so analog
You are reading the blog of a person who doesn't read blogs. Or have a cell phone. Or use MySpace. I've only seen like five YouTube videos in my whole life. I'm kind of ambivalent about technology in general. Sometimes I feel like I could be perfectly happy spending my time reading my 19th century literature and playing the piano and generally living "the simple life." (And I don't mean like Paris Hilton) But then I look at my TiVo menu or my iPod or feel the need to look something up on the Internet Movie Database and I think, maybe this 21st century is not so bad after all.
Ironically, one thing I always preferred doing the old fashioned way is writing. While I have gotten used to emailing, I still like to do my creative writing with pencil and paper. I don't really know why this is, I just feel more artistic. Also, I think I find a blank notebook page inviting and a blank computer screen intimidating. This is one I'm really trying to get over.
One thing that helps is seeing what other people are up to -- I'm enjoying reading a blog now by one of my favorite singers, Jonathan Rundman. (check it out) I got to hang out with him for a while after he performed at our church recently. I've admired Jonathan's work for a while and it's always great to find a kindred spirit! I had the best time, and he gave me the necessary shove in the right direction to enter the digital age and start blogging myself.
"All our feelings and thoughts
Expressed in one and oughts
In endless spiraling chains
You can't decode or explain
Cause you are so analog. . . "
~ Random Number Generation from Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Ironically, one thing I always preferred doing the old fashioned way is writing. While I have gotten used to emailing, I still like to do my creative writing with pencil and paper. I don't really know why this is, I just feel more artistic. Also, I think I find a blank notebook page inviting and a blank computer screen intimidating. This is one I'm really trying to get over.
One thing that helps is seeing what other people are up to -- I'm enjoying reading a blog now by one of my favorite singers, Jonathan Rundman. (check it out) I got to hang out with him for a while after he performed at our church recently. I've admired Jonathan's work for a while and it's always great to find a kindred spirit! I had the best time, and he gave me the necessary shove in the right direction to enter the digital age and start blogging myself.
"All our feelings and thoughts
Expressed in one and oughts
In endless spiraling chains
You can't decode or explain
Cause you are so analog. . . "
~ Random Number Generation from Hedwig and the Angry Inch
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