Christmas is now behind us for another year. I managed a quick visit up with my parents and with my brothers. I saw all of the nieces and nephews, who really are quite a charming lot. One of my nephews, who is five, received a Love 'n' Licks Puppy for Christmas, and was so incredibly overjoyed by it with it's wet lickin' love that the poor thing is going to look like it's got mange from being scratched and petted so much. I don't think he put it down for more than five minutes the whole time, apart from dinner.
Upon my return home, I was off to see Wicked in Toronto. I'd seen it last year when the tour came through and it was just as fantastic this time around. Thanks, Jackie!
Since then, I've pretty much played hooky from the work that needs to be done. Sleeping in? Worth it completely. After New Year's, I'll get back to the real world.
In completely different news, I watched THX 1138 for the other day for the first time in a hundred years and what I'm about to say is nothing new, but it bears reiterating. George Lucas needs to let things go. The movie's not for everyone, but I quite like it. That's not my problem. My problem is that it's the "Director's Cut" which means he's gone back and not just reedited it, which wouldn't bother me too much, but he's decided to beef up things with CGI effects yet again. Nowhere does it actually indicate that things have been added, but it's pretty darn obvious when you're watching a movie made in 1971 and you suddenly think, "My goodness. That looked like CGI." It DRIVES ME NUTS. (Problem #1: You know they didn't have CGI effects before TRON, and so it seems misplaced. Problem #2: CGI shouldn't look like CGI anyway, so it looks misplaced.) Accept the fact that you made the movie as you were able to make the movie given the fact that it was NINETEEN SEVENTY-ONE! This site has a blow-by-blow of the changes made, if you're interested. The monkey things at the end are of particular irritation, since they look so stupid, poorly integrated, and out-of-place in the whole movie. If nothing else, I wish that old Georgie would put both versions on the DVD so one can choose whether to watch the original or his souped-up versions.
Wow. That was more of a rant than I intended.
Happy New Year to whoever's left reading.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Critical Thinking, Random
Okay, so I've been the most prodigal of writers as of late. Deal. I have.
I don't have much to say, other than the holiday rush is clearly upon me and I'll just scramble between now and the weekend and whatever's done by then is done and what isn't will just have to wait.
In the meantime, have you ever noticed that the same people who will drink nothing but bottled water at a restaurant (disdaining the tap water) don't seem to carry through their water-elitism in other areas? They may drink the soft-drinks the syrups of which are undoubtedly being mixed with that self-same tap water. They order the pasta which has been boiled in the tap water. They'll drink juices which have been packaged after being reconstituted from concentrate. (Who knows what water that is? I certainly don't know.) I'm not anti-bottled water, but I don't delude myself into thinking that it goes beyond that bottle.
Then there's the whole "straws wrapped in paper" thing. We know nothing of the environment in which they're wrapped. For all we know, they were dropped on the floor on the way to the wrapping machine by a sniffling, sneezing worker with open sores, but it makes us feel better knowing that at least that kid behind the counter didn't touch the thing! (Of course, the cups and the lids don't say "sterile" anyway, so what does it matter, anyway?)
My point? Beats the heck out of me.
I don't have much to say, other than the holiday rush is clearly upon me and I'll just scramble between now and the weekend and whatever's done by then is done and what isn't will just have to wait.
In the meantime, have you ever noticed that the same people who will drink nothing but bottled water at a restaurant (disdaining the tap water) don't seem to carry through their water-elitism in other areas? They may drink the soft-drinks the syrups of which are undoubtedly being mixed with that self-same tap water. They order the pasta which has been boiled in the tap water. They'll drink juices which have been packaged after being reconstituted from concentrate. (Who knows what water that is? I certainly don't know.) I'm not anti-bottled water, but I don't delude myself into thinking that it goes beyond that bottle.
Then there's the whole "straws wrapped in paper" thing. We know nothing of the environment in which they're wrapped. For all we know, they were dropped on the floor on the way to the wrapping machine by a sniffling, sneezing worker with open sores, but it makes us feel better knowing that at least that kid behind the counter didn't touch the thing! (Of course, the cups and the lids don't say "sterile" anyway, so what does it matter, anyway?)
My point? Beats the heck out of me.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Hygenic Deadlines
My soap has an expiry date.
Soap. Expiry date.
I picked the bottle up and, for reasons I would be hard-pressed to articulate,
turned it over and looked at the bottom and saw an expiry date. On my
soap.
Yes, I've got to finish using my Bath
and Bodyworks handsoap before July of 2008. What will become
of the soap at that time, I don't know nor do I intend to risk finding
out. Curiosity drove me to check the other two bottles in my cupboard,
finding that they, though purchased at the same time, have rather
different expiry dates. September 2007 and June 2009, to be precise. I
wonder what makes the difference?
Jackie was the one who originally got me using these soaps (which may, to some, seem girlie, but I figure any guy can stink like Irish Spring, but isn't a
moisturizing and antibacterial handsoap more appealing, especially since
I'm always falling down in my duties to moisturize my hands the three
times a day I'm supposed to do it?) They're also pleasant since,
although they smell pleasant -- and sometimes tasty -- while handwashing, they don't leave a terribly strong after-odour.
I'm sure you wanted to know this much about my soap.
Suffice it to say that my soap has an expiry date. Seriously.
[Okay. See the crazy and annoying spacing / line returns in this post? I did NOT put them there. It just did them automatically, but I refuse to fix them all again.]
Soap. Expiry date.
I picked the bottle up and, for reasons I would be hard-pressed to articulate,
turned it over and looked at the bottom and saw an expiry date. On my
soap.
Yes, I've got to finish using my Bath
and Bodyworks handsoap before July of 2008. What will become
of the soap at that time, I don't know nor do I intend to risk finding
out. Curiosity drove me to check the other two bottles in my cupboard,
finding that they, though purchased at the same time, have rather
different expiry dates. September 2007 and June 2009, to be precise. I
wonder what makes the difference?
Jackie was the one who originally got me using these soaps (which may, to some, seem girlie, but I figure any guy can stink like Irish Spring, but isn't a
moisturizing and antibacterial handsoap more appealing, especially since
I'm always falling down in my duties to moisturize my hands the three
times a day I'm supposed to do it?) They're also pleasant since,
although they smell pleasant -- and sometimes tasty -- while handwashing, they don't leave a terribly strong after-odour.
I'm sure you wanted to know this much about my soap.
Suffice it to say that my soap has an expiry date. Seriously.
[Okay. See the crazy and annoying spacing / line returns in this post? I did NOT put them there. It just did them automatically, but I refuse to fix them all again.]
Monday, December 04, 2006
Warm Chocolatey Goodness , Guilt-Free
Aaahhhhh! Sitting here with a warm cup of Cocoa Camino hot chocolate and listening to weird jazz from Iain Ballamy is nice indeed. If only I had a warm, crackling fire (in a fireplace, not in a kitchen or on my body, this time). If only it were the holidays already and I knew that I could sleep in as late as I wanted. If only, if only...
Still, here I am and the hot chocolate's swell!
I went out today to pick up some things, including a scant few Christmas gifts. I was surprisingly well-behaved at a book sale and spent less than expected, for a change. (I did, however, pick up a little item of oddity to send to someone whose name starts with "K" and rhymes with "Eltie".)
Back at home, I worked on getting some Christmas cards written and addressed (which proves less than simple each year. Mr. Shannon, I need your address; send it to me) and I'm about a third of the way done.
I also watched Heroes which is proving to hold my interest, as you know. Apparently it's gearing up for it's "Fall Season Finale", which is a new term I'm hearing more and more these days. Remember those days when a show seemed to run from September to May with new episodes nearly every week? When re-runs were the occasional interruption rather than occasionally interrupted by new episodes?
In other news, I'm off to see CATS at Theatre Aquarius tomorrow. I've heard it's a great production and fully expect it to be so. They're a fine establishment for your theatre-viewing needs. When in Hamilton, be sure to ... well, you get it.
And now, with that, I'm going to go and actually read a chapter or two of Seeker, the first book in a new trilogy by
William Nicholson, author of The Wind Singer, a book I highly recommend.
Banana floats!
Still, here I am and the hot chocolate's swell!
I went out today to pick up some things, including a scant few Christmas gifts. I was surprisingly well-behaved at a book sale and spent less than expected, for a change. (I did, however, pick up a little item of oddity to send to someone whose name starts with "K" and rhymes with "Eltie".)
Back at home, I worked on getting some Christmas cards written and addressed (which proves less than simple each year. Mr. Shannon, I need your address; send it to me) and I'm about a third of the way done.
I also watched Heroes which is proving to hold my interest, as you know. Apparently it's gearing up for it's "Fall Season Finale", which is a new term I'm hearing more and more these days. Remember those days when a show seemed to run from September to May with new episodes nearly every week? When re-runs were the occasional interruption rather than occasionally interrupted by new episodes?
In other news, I'm off to see CATS at Theatre Aquarius tomorrow. I've heard it's a great production and fully expect it to be so. They're a fine establishment for your theatre-viewing needs. When in Hamilton, be sure to ... well, you get it.
And now, with that, I'm going to go and actually read a chapter or two of Seeker, the first book in a new trilogy by
William Nicholson, author of The Wind Singer, a book I highly recommend.
Banana floats!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
It's a Wrap
Today was the final performance of Chicago which was, of course, bittersweet. It's been great fun to do the show, and the audience responses have been great. Although I was scattered throughout the show dancing and singing here and there, one of the most fun things was playing the Jury in the courtroom. The director gave me a very long leash and set me off to create the characters from scratch. In the end, I think we figured I played eight different people if you count "just me" at the beginning. And, as always, it's always tough leaving the cast and crew, some of whom I've spent almost every night with for the past five weeks or so. Of course, crazy little me has already signed on for Rocky Horror, so I'll be back again soon (with Melanie, my Razzle Dazzle dance partner, too) in the thick of things.
On the flip side, of course, it'll be nice to have time to get some things accomplished. I haven't even started Christmas shopping, apart from a few scattered gifts picked up here adn there, so I've really got to get that going. Work will just be gearing up madly from here to Christmas, too, so my focus will be pulled in there.
Finally, and on an unrelated note, I must reiterate how much I'm loving Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I'm terribly disappointed that it is apparently on the verge of cancellation when it's such a smartly-written and well-performed show. Yeesh. Just like the smoked ricotta ravioli at Lina Linguini's, so much of what I love seems to disappear before its time.
On the flip side, of course, it'll be nice to have time to get some things accomplished. I haven't even started Christmas shopping, apart from a few scattered gifts picked up here adn there, so I've really got to get that going. Work will just be gearing up madly from here to Christmas, too, so my focus will be pulled in there.
Finally, and on an unrelated note, I must reiterate how much I'm loving Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I'm terribly disappointed that it is apparently on the verge of cancellation when it's such a smartly-written and well-performed show. Yeesh. Just like the smoked ricotta ravioli at Lina Linguini's, so much of what I love seems to disappear before its time.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Good Goaty Heaven
Time for an update.
I'm still under the weather (and the weather ain't great) but so far I've managed to get through two more shows while hitting the high notes despite the hoarse voice. Two more to go...
After tonight's show a chunk of the cast and crew headed out to the usual after-show spot, a fine restaurant around the corner where a few of us split a popular meze platter. Although I won't go near the hummus (yack) or the avacado dip (yick), I'm all in for the red pepper and feta dip, the artichoke asiago dip, and the (fanfare, please) herbed goat's cheese. It was my friend, Jackie, who got me going on the latter. Sarah insists it tastes like a wet goat, but given my lack of experience with such a taste, I cannot say whether she's right or wrong, but simply state that wet goats must be delicious if that is the case.
But now it's off to bed, to rest my weary body and voice.
I'm still under the weather (and the weather ain't great) but so far I've managed to get through two more shows while hitting the high notes despite the hoarse voice. Two more to go...
After tonight's show a chunk of the cast and crew headed out to the usual after-show spot, a fine restaurant around the corner where a few of us split a popular meze platter. Although I won't go near the hummus (yack) or the avacado dip (yick), I'm all in for the red pepper and feta dip, the artichoke asiago dip, and the (fanfare, please) herbed goat's cheese. It was my friend, Jackie, who got me going on the latter. Sarah insists it tastes like a wet goat, but given my lack of experience with such a taste, I cannot say whether she's right or wrong, but simply state that wet goats must be delicious if that is the case.
But now it's off to bed, to rest my weary body and voice.
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