Last weekend I went over to Heidi’s house to help her with a fun project. She has an iPod and I offered to bring over my CD’s to see if there was anything she might want. I only brought half of my stuff over for this first trip. We settled in for the night with pizza and drinks and got started. Or at least we tried to get started. It always seems like anytime I have to get near her computer, there is always something going on that slows it way down. This time it seemed to be updating some of her virus software. Then it was a new update to iTunes, and then it was God only knows what.
I went through her programs and started interrogating her on what she used some of them for and if she wanted to keep them. Sounds like a lot of fun, right? I think we finally got started on the CD’s right before 11. It was going to be a long night. Still, we were both excited for different reasons for sticking to the plan. Heidi wanted more music for her library and I love sharing music. So there you go. We started with “A” and kept going.
We had a lot of fun. We also discovered how much we don’t have in common in terms of music. She likes Hip Hop and Rap (among lots of other things, of course) and I seem to have a rather extensive collection of Folk artists. I realize there is an age gap between us, but sometimes I think it is less about what is popular on the radio and more about what you are exposed to by your parents and friends. For example, I grew up listening to the Beatles, the Mamas and Papas, the Seekers, and so forth. I was surprised when Heidi went for Sam Cooke, Al Green and Marvin Gaye. Not because they are older artists, but more because I found out more about her and what she was exposed to growing up. My biggest surprise is that she is an Air Supply fan. AIR SUPPLY. Wow. (Of course I had one of their CD's which is how I found out.)
Then again, there were moments when I really just had to shake my head at the whole thing. She isn’t a Beatles fan. Fine, no problem. I know plenty of people who respect the accomplishments without being a fan of the music itself. I have a number of Beatles CD’s and she got to Sgt. Pepper and was surprised that it was the Beatles. Huh? Who did she think it was? Anyway, she decided to take some songs from that CD. When she put the CD in and looked at the song list, she asked me which songs I thought were good. I’m sure I had that same puzzled look on my face.
One running joke we seemed to latch on to was regarding my Folk artist CDs. We got to Jim Croce and she had no idea who he was. Okay…..from that point I decided to spare both of us the agony. So each time we came to an artist she didn’t recognize I just told her it was a folk artist and we kept going. The night wore on and we finally wrapped up around 4:30 am. Once we got to a George Harrison CD and she asked me if he was some “folk guy”, I knew I was done for the night. She just stared in amazement at the pages of Indigo Girls CDs.
To be fair, she took the opportunity to play me some of her music. She played some old R&B artists for me. Other than Bobby Brown, a couple of the songs sounded vaguely familiar, but I knew that it wasn’t anything I had ever really paid that much attention to growing up. I’m sure I showed as much appreciation as she did for Folk. Luckily there are enough artists out there for both us. We decided to wait a couple of weeks before starting the second half. She is really looking forward to getting to all my 80’s CD’s.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Loving the Alien
The last couple of days I have been watching all of the Alien movies. I already owned the fourth movie and I recently bought the other three. I don’t care much for horror movies in general, but for some reason I really like these. I think it stems more from really liking Sigourney Weaver’s character in all of them.
I was talking with a friend of mine about the movies and he offered the observation that the first 2 movies in the series were the only ones worth mentioning. Granted, the third movie which takes place in a prison isn’t the greatest in terms of plot, but I still think it turned out ok. This is the movie where she finds out that she has an alien inside of her. Of course, with her death at the end, it would make sense that it would be the end of the series. HA! It’s the beauty (and the beast) of Sci-Fi, I suppose. You can make up any type of outrageous scenario you want. Death of the main character? No problem. Let’s just re-grow her in a Petri dish.
For me, the fourth movie is probably the one I find the most disturbing. Some may say it is easily the weakest in the series (and no I’m not counting that stupid Alien vs. Predator movie) but I think it is one of Sigourney’s more interesting performances. The story takes place 200 years after she dies in the 3rd movie. The scientists basically combine her DNA with an alien and use her as a host to make an alien queen. They had to make 7 of her before they finally got it right with number 8.
There is a scene where she comes across the first 7 versions of herself and it is a really unsettling scene. The other scene in the movie which I find particular mesmerizing as well as emotional is when the final alien hybrid is killed. Ripley (Sigourney’s character) is essentially killing her own child. The look on this thing’s face as it is dying is just awful to watch. The writer for this one (Joss Whedon, who I think wrote the Buffy series) did a really good job with the script. That last scene is easily the one that is burned in my mind whenever I think about this entire series.
Interestingly enough, these movies don’t give me nightmares. Maybe it’s all the special effects and the fact that its pure fantasy has something to do with it. I feel the same way about the Nightmare on Elm Street movies and the Hellraiser series. No, the horror movies that really freak me out are a lot more psychological in nature. The Silence of the Lambs, The Ring, and The Sixth Sense scared the crap out of me. Those are the ones that cause me to lose sleep at night. In general, I avoid most of those types of horror movies.
As a side note, my title is in reference to a song (of course) by David Bowie. I don’t know why I even remember this song. I think I may have seen the video once or twice. I remember looking for a copy of the song and I could never seem to find it. I haven’t looked for it on iTunes in some time, so maybe I’ll give it another search the next time I am out there. It lives on a short list of “songs I can’t find.” ThreeL- maybe you have this one on your hard drive you mentioned? You seem to have everything else!
I was talking with a friend of mine about the movies and he offered the observation that the first 2 movies in the series were the only ones worth mentioning. Granted, the third movie which takes place in a prison isn’t the greatest in terms of plot, but I still think it turned out ok. This is the movie where she finds out that she has an alien inside of her. Of course, with her death at the end, it would make sense that it would be the end of the series. HA! It’s the beauty (and the beast) of Sci-Fi, I suppose. You can make up any type of outrageous scenario you want. Death of the main character? No problem. Let’s just re-grow her in a Petri dish.
For me, the fourth movie is probably the one I find the most disturbing. Some may say it is easily the weakest in the series (and no I’m not counting that stupid Alien vs. Predator movie) but I think it is one of Sigourney’s more interesting performances. The story takes place 200 years after she dies in the 3rd movie. The scientists basically combine her DNA with an alien and use her as a host to make an alien queen. They had to make 7 of her before they finally got it right with number 8.
There is a scene where she comes across the first 7 versions of herself and it is a really unsettling scene. The other scene in the movie which I find particular mesmerizing as well as emotional is when the final alien hybrid is killed. Ripley (Sigourney’s character) is essentially killing her own child. The look on this thing’s face as it is dying is just awful to watch. The writer for this one (Joss Whedon, who I think wrote the Buffy series) did a really good job with the script. That last scene is easily the one that is burned in my mind whenever I think about this entire series.
Interestingly enough, these movies don’t give me nightmares. Maybe it’s all the special effects and the fact that its pure fantasy has something to do with it. I feel the same way about the Nightmare on Elm Street movies and the Hellraiser series. No, the horror movies that really freak me out are a lot more psychological in nature. The Silence of the Lambs, The Ring, and The Sixth Sense scared the crap out of me. Those are the ones that cause me to lose sleep at night. In general, I avoid most of those types of horror movies.
As a side note, my title is in reference to a song (of course) by David Bowie. I don’t know why I even remember this song. I think I may have seen the video once or twice. I remember looking for a copy of the song and I could never seem to find it. I haven’t looked for it on iTunes in some time, so maybe I’ll give it another search the next time I am out there. It lives on a short list of “songs I can’t find.” ThreeL- maybe you have this one on your hard drive you mentioned? You seem to have everything else!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Creepy Preparations??
So here is an uncomfortable topic for you: eulogies. Why in the world would I bring this up? Hmm. Well, I suppose it’s time for another glimpse into something I don’t talk much about. Every once in a while I think about what it would be like to have to deliver a eulogy for someone I know. Before you get all freaked out on me (or put your request in), let me remind you of a few things about me.
I like to be prepared. Granted, unless someone is suffering from some sort of long term illness, I doubt most of us are at all prepared to lose someone. That being said, remember not so long ago when I was going on and on about Wills and Estate Planning? Well, I suppose this is an extension of where some of my thoughts were running at the time. As a matter of fact, I saw an article today on MSN which was appropriately titled, “How to Give a Eulogy.” Perhaps you saw it and decided it was something you didn’t want to think about, let alone read. Perhaps you saw it and thought it was a creepy topic, and yet curiosity overrode your sense of discomfort and you read it anyway. Or, like me, you read it, printed it, and stuck it on the bookshelf with your books on Estate Planning and your Will kit as a reference “just in case.”
Writing helps me express things not easily spoken. You may have noticed that there are some topics I have written about here that I am guessing you and I have never had a conversation about, right? I think that most of us have found that writing offers the opportunity to express your thoughts in a different way than speaking. Mostly from an editing perspective, I would imagine. When I write these entries, I always do drafts first. The times when I have just typed the entry in directly are the ones I would probably say I am most dissatisfied with when I see the published version.
It makes sense to me then to want to write out whatever I happened to be feeling at the time of loss. It really has less to do with having to deliver it to an audience than just releasing it out of my head and on to paper. Another reason for printing the article today was because I found it to be somewhat comforting to have some guidance at a time when my thoughts and feelings were most likely to be in a jumble. Plus, if I felt the need to stand up and say something, it would make me feel better having some helpful advice rather than just stand there and drone on about every moment I spent with that person.
Celebrate Good Times, Come On! In many instances it seems that coming together for a funeral or memorial service is more about celebrating the life that has passed rather than mourning it. Yes, there is grieving and sadness, but there is also an opportunity to hear and share fond memories with others who are going through this time with you. Chances are you each knew the person in a unique way. Maybe you want to share and maybe you don’t, but I personally wouldn’t like to hear a eulogy that was just a recitation of that person’s resume. I would like to be able to express why that person was special to me and maybe some memories that made a particular impression.
This may sound like a bizarre comparison, but I keep thinking about toasts made at weddings. (maybe it's the paragraph title that gets over-played at wedding receptions.) I just keep thinking about similarities in some of the things that get mentioned. You hear toasts that include how they grew up, the course their lives took to get them to that particular moment, humorous anecdotes about all kinds of things, and again, a celebration of a life. Granted, it is meant to celebrate a beginning rather than an end, but you get my meaning.
So there you go. I saw the article, it was on my mind, and now it’s out in the open.
I like to be prepared. Granted, unless someone is suffering from some sort of long term illness, I doubt most of us are at all prepared to lose someone. That being said, remember not so long ago when I was going on and on about Wills and Estate Planning? Well, I suppose this is an extension of where some of my thoughts were running at the time. As a matter of fact, I saw an article today on MSN which was appropriately titled, “How to Give a Eulogy.” Perhaps you saw it and decided it was something you didn’t want to think about, let alone read. Perhaps you saw it and thought it was a creepy topic, and yet curiosity overrode your sense of discomfort and you read it anyway. Or, like me, you read it, printed it, and stuck it on the bookshelf with your books on Estate Planning and your Will kit as a reference “just in case.”
Writing helps me express things not easily spoken. You may have noticed that there are some topics I have written about here that I am guessing you and I have never had a conversation about, right? I think that most of us have found that writing offers the opportunity to express your thoughts in a different way than speaking. Mostly from an editing perspective, I would imagine. When I write these entries, I always do drafts first. The times when I have just typed the entry in directly are the ones I would probably say I am most dissatisfied with when I see the published version.
It makes sense to me then to want to write out whatever I happened to be feeling at the time of loss. It really has less to do with having to deliver it to an audience than just releasing it out of my head and on to paper. Another reason for printing the article today was because I found it to be somewhat comforting to have some guidance at a time when my thoughts and feelings were most likely to be in a jumble. Plus, if I felt the need to stand up and say something, it would make me feel better having some helpful advice rather than just stand there and drone on about every moment I spent with that person.
Celebrate Good Times, Come On! In many instances it seems that coming together for a funeral or memorial service is more about celebrating the life that has passed rather than mourning it. Yes, there is grieving and sadness, but there is also an opportunity to hear and share fond memories with others who are going through this time with you. Chances are you each knew the person in a unique way. Maybe you want to share and maybe you don’t, but I personally wouldn’t like to hear a eulogy that was just a recitation of that person’s resume. I would like to be able to express why that person was special to me and maybe some memories that made a particular impression.
This may sound like a bizarre comparison, but I keep thinking about toasts made at weddings. (maybe it's the paragraph title that gets over-played at wedding receptions.) I just keep thinking about similarities in some of the things that get mentioned. You hear toasts that include how they grew up, the course their lives took to get them to that particular moment, humorous anecdotes about all kinds of things, and again, a celebration of a life. Granted, it is meant to celebrate a beginning rather than an end, but you get my meaning.
So there you go. I saw the article, it was on my mind, and now it’s out in the open.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Hunting for Dragons
As we finally reach the end of summer, it’s time to start getting serious about Christmas. I think I have already mentioned what my theme is this year for my tree, but in case I haven’t, I am going with an Asian theme.
I picked up a number of books last year on origami Christmas ornaments. After trying a few, I decided it was a go and haven’t touched them since. It’s time for me to get back on some sort of schedule now to make all my ornaments by Thanksgiving. The other details I have been trying to figure out have to do with the tree topper for this year. I have decided on a Chinese dragon.
My first thought was that I could locate some sort of paper dragon, maybe as a piñata or a mask or something that wouldn’t be too heavy at the top of the tree. Then I even looked into paper Mache to see if it was something I could try to create on my own. My searches didn’t find anything remotely useful, so I turned to kites.
Today I hit pay dirt. On eBay I was able to locate an authentic hand made Chinese dragon kite. It’s even being shipped to me from China. Hopefully, I have judged the size I need correctly and it won’t completely swallow the tree. The tail on this thing is 25 feet long, which should make for a good start on the garland. The best news of course was the price. I was able to buy this thing for under $20. Yeah, the shipping was almost as much, but comparatively speaking it was extremely cheap compared to some of the kite sites I looked at during my search. Some of these kites can run into hundreds of dollars (for a KITE!). I thought I found a pretty good deal.
I am also hoping a trip to the craft store will yield some good results on some red cord for my paper ornaments as well as keeping my fingers crossed at finding some small Chinese lantern ornaments. I may even try to find some Japanese ornaments too, just to round out the Asian theme. If I could find some fish or maybe even geisha girls I would consider it a huge success.
I may also look into what I can find regarding cherry blossoms. I have to have some sort of cherries on the tree, right? There is a very large Chinatown shopping area here in Las Vegas. So far, I haven’t ventured over there, but I may decide to give it a shot sometime soon. Plus, where else am I likely to find fortune cookies I can buy in bulk? I bet I could probably find some fans too. I used to have a collection of them, but as I sit here thinking about it, I think I may have gotten rid of them all in the Possession Purge of ’06.
Anyway, my head is back in the game. Now that I have found my dragon, I’m ready for the rest. Bring on Christmas!
I picked up a number of books last year on origami Christmas ornaments. After trying a few, I decided it was a go and haven’t touched them since. It’s time for me to get back on some sort of schedule now to make all my ornaments by Thanksgiving. The other details I have been trying to figure out have to do with the tree topper for this year. I have decided on a Chinese dragon.
My first thought was that I could locate some sort of paper dragon, maybe as a piñata or a mask or something that wouldn’t be too heavy at the top of the tree. Then I even looked into paper Mache to see if it was something I could try to create on my own. My searches didn’t find anything remotely useful, so I turned to kites.
Today I hit pay dirt. On eBay I was able to locate an authentic hand made Chinese dragon kite. It’s even being shipped to me from China. Hopefully, I have judged the size I need correctly and it won’t completely swallow the tree. The tail on this thing is 25 feet long, which should make for a good start on the garland. The best news of course was the price. I was able to buy this thing for under $20. Yeah, the shipping was almost as much, but comparatively speaking it was extremely cheap compared to some of the kite sites I looked at during my search. Some of these kites can run into hundreds of dollars (for a KITE!). I thought I found a pretty good deal.
I am also hoping a trip to the craft store will yield some good results on some red cord for my paper ornaments as well as keeping my fingers crossed at finding some small Chinese lantern ornaments. I may even try to find some Japanese ornaments too, just to round out the Asian theme. If I could find some fish or maybe even geisha girls I would consider it a huge success.
I may also look into what I can find regarding cherry blossoms. I have to have some sort of cherries on the tree, right? There is a very large Chinatown shopping area here in Las Vegas. So far, I haven’t ventured over there, but I may decide to give it a shot sometime soon. Plus, where else am I likely to find fortune cookies I can buy in bulk? I bet I could probably find some fans too. I used to have a collection of them, but as I sit here thinking about it, I think I may have gotten rid of them all in the Possession Purge of ’06.
Anyway, my head is back in the game. Now that I have found my dragon, I’m ready for the rest. Bring on Christmas!
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