Holiday Cheer

According to Time Magazine, Austin is ranked number nine in their Top Ten Places to Find the Most Holiday Cheer. I was happy to see Mystic, Connecticut on the list as well as NYC. I actually stopped by 37th Street last night to see the beautiful yet very Austin ecclectic lights. I will not be able to get to Zilker for the Trail of Lights this year though. There is always next year.

a gamey Christmas

My life is fairly crazy right now, finishing up at work before the holidays and shopping for said holidays. But in all that craziness, I managed to feed my soundtrack habit. The game, Gears of War 2, just came out this year and on the weekend after Thanksgiving, Gamespot had a 2 for 1 sale so I picked up the original Gears of War. Man, is this game ever fun. Lots of shooter action, gore, and what is more genius than killing bugs, the bane of my existence. With the release of Gears of War 2 came the release of its score by one of my favorites, Steve Jablonsky. He came onto my scene with his score to Steamboy, a better than expected anime movie and score. He is recently known for his score to Transformers and is signed on for the sequel. I find it lovely when some of these composers delve into other mediums. Giacchino comes to mind scoring television, animated features, and games. Jablonsky's score to GOW2 is excellent but I also picked up the score to the original by Kevin Reipl and it also has some wonderful tracks, "Jacinto Prison" being one of them. I picked up a few other game scores, Too Human by Steve Henifin which is haunting and Mass Effect by Jack Wall and Sam Hulick. I hear Myst 3 in Wall's Mass Effect so it was worth it in my mind. It is going to be a good holiday.

a musical twelve days

Ha!

is anyone listening?

Um, Santa Claus? Gamespot giftcards welcome.

the pixar phenomenon

Every time a new Pixar film is released, I say to myself that it will not be as impressive and charming than that of the previous film. I said it at Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles and with each, I was pleasantily mistaken. Note that I did not mention Cars because I did not like it very much. Well, I did not even go see Wall-E in the theatre. It takes a force of nature to make me go to the theatre these days. So I was happy when it showed up in my mailbox the week it was released on DVD. Again, I am so glad I was mistaken. What an utterly enchanting film. I love how the first 20 minutes not a word was spoken (except in song of course). I fell in love with him and this simple yet effective film. Thank goodness I keep being wrong.

where is it?

Did you ever lose something and ask yourself, why can't I find it?  I was being a couch potato on my day off, crocheting a blanket for my friend who is having a baby.  It is due soon and I am seriously behind.  I finished a section and went to get a drink.  When I sat back down, I could not find the crochet hook.  I pulled up the couch pillows, looked under it, even went back to the kitchen to see if I left it there.  I could not find it.  I figured it would turn up, my apartment is not that big and there are not a lot of places it could have been.  After two days, each of which I pulled up the couch pillows again, I still could not find it.  Then I got really nasty.  I have been meaning to clean the slip covers on my couch so I pulled all of them up. The hook finally turned up but I lost two days and now have couch in disarray.  What a waste.

dealing the cards

Whoohoo!

a candle's fickle flame

This week's song on repeat is Cake's "Never There". The rhythm and lyrics of this song made me go out and purchase all their albums. They have been a favorite of mine for a while now. If you listen closely you can hear the beep beep of a phone being dialed during this song. So much fun.

a scarred prince

I love the Prince of Persia games.  I love the acrobatics of it all.  In its new revamped form, the Prince looks a little worn but all the more fun.

parade or bust

I have no idea why really but I love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Last year, I was actually at the parade as you can see from my Tom the Turkey picture. This year, I have a few friends running the 5 mile Turkey Trot here in Austin to benefit Caritas. Unfortunately this interferes with my parade schedule. I think I have it figured out where I can watch old Tom make his debut, head out to cheer my friends a few blocks away, then head back in to make sure I get a view of Santa Claus. It might just work out. Now if it only was not going to be a high of 81 degrees, my holiday would be perfect.

ma orchidée

Remember Elora? Well look at her now.

new xbox live experience

My xbox 360, and everyone else's of course, has gone through a significant upgrade in its operating system. The user interface has been revamped making themes more impressive, if I ever get one. The blades are gone but can be found in the easy xkey where you can easily get to your games, the main point of the console. The best thing about the revamp, streaming Netflix. With my upgraded Live Gold subscription (13 months for $39), I can watch anything Netflix streams with my unlimited account. I have begun 30 Rock season 2 and its streamed in beautiful HD. I guess it is safe to say, liking the new experience.

Legend of the Seeker

From the producers of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess", a new syndicated show premiered a few weeks ago.  "Legend of the Seeker" is a live action show based on the Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind.  I have read at least the first book of this series and enjoyed it but did not have time to continue.  The premiere was actually pretty good, keeping you involved while giving plenty of story exposition and introducing the world.  I like that it is not campy like Hercules and Xena and though the acting is not stellar, I have enjoyed the episodes so far.  It is nice to know that TV is still willing to risk syndication to tell a good story.

finally, a snowy one

From Finland.  Is it not the most gorgeous thing?

From postcards

i love this show

My proclamation once again for this amazing show. A Shikamaru centric episode which shows that Naruto: Shippūden can do both action and dramatic episodes with beauty and grace.

living in the city

Here is a list of things that I like about living in the city:

• halloween - I am not a big fan of this holiday but the city makes it worthwhile. The city shuts down Sixth St, the main drag. With Austin being a college town and having a stellar night life, the costumes come out in swarms. It was fun watching all of that on such a beautiful night. I am eager to experience Christmas in the city.
  
• festivals - There is always a festival or event. This weekend was the Day of the Dead festival, hosted by Mexic-Arte. The decor was awesome. Then there was the Texas Book Festival where authors and publishers host book signings, sales, and entertainment. I picked up a copy of the The Texas Hill Country: A Food and Wine Lover's Paradise who's author and photographer were very excited and signed my copy. More on my fascination with the Hill Country later. Sunday was the Race for the Cure and the route goes right by my building.
  
• walking - To the gym, to the grocery, to the library, and around Lady Bird Lake. I have been debating getting a bike but why when I can get most anywhere with my own two feet. With the nice weather these days, it is a shame to not spend as much time outdoors as possible.
• the capitol - Seriously one of my favorite buildings of all time. I get to see it every day, walking to the gym. This weekend, I took time from the book fair to sit and read under one of its beautiful trees.
  

just in time

Two days before I was going to chuck Time Warner, KXAN and my local NBC affiliate are back on the air.  Just in time for sweeps, though no new Chuck or Heroes this week, I now can watch in beautiful HD some of my favorites.  Too bad, I was looking forward to getting more preferred HD channels.  I guess I will wait and see if it is still worth it until the beginning of the year.

madison ave and her men

Last year, American Movie Classics (AMC) created a television show called "Mad Men".  From a third rate network, the show took the summer season by storm.  The second season ended this past Sunday. Almost every aspect of this show is impressive.  The production is at the top of the list, making perfect visualization of the early sixties culture.  The plot and premise center around an advertising agency on Madison Ave and highlight the social part of the business just as much if not more than the actual business itself.  And the characters.  You can almost feel each one slowly committing that opening song suicide with every drink, affair, and lie.  The show is a wonderful blend of amazing television.  That is why is so hard for me to say how much effort it takes for me to watch it.

Maybe it is the time period.  I did not grow up in the sixties and find it very difficult to even try to think they way they do.  In the show, Marilyn just died, the Cuban crisis is just warming, men are expected to look pretty and sleep around, and girls are meant to look pretty and say nothing.  The characters have a drink in their hands one out of every three scenes so it is amazing how they got anything done. That being said, the advertising part of the show really draws me.  Don, especially, makes it look all too easy but the rest  of the team's suave business savvy is outweighed by their closed minds.  The costumes are wonderful, gallant men wearing hats and most women sporting the Jackie look.  But it hurts to watch the women dressed in  stockings and heels all the time and showing their big hips.  And then there are the characters.  Not one of them connects with me.  It feels as if they are all living a lie and Don works on a slow spiral into nothing.  If I have one fault it is that I need a hero and there is not a character on the show which can be called a hero. 

So why the long commentary?  I just think it interesting that I continue to follow this show.  I know I do not like it but I also know that it is very good television.  I know that I will be depressed but I continue to get involved in its characters.  I believe that I have found its purpose, to experience a maddening time through the eyes of the men on Madison Ave.  And after the finale of the second season, I felt it a little more cohesive.  Finally some good decisions  were made rather than ones that helped Don get through the day.  The agency has taken center stage and Don has reconciled what he wants from his family. I can not believe that I wonder how things will change when all the lies come out.

bowl and cup

A friend at work is a thrower, that is she makes pottery. She is taking a class and I asked for a small bowl to eat my oatmeal at work. The amazing part of what she gave me is the shapes. They both also have some great colors, the deep royal blue. Thanks, Nicole.

my orchid

I do not have a very green thumb. And I typically stay away from caring for living things. However, when I lived in North Carolina someone gave me an orchid. And for some reason, or maybe because I left it alone, it flourished. For reasons I will not go into, I could not bring it to Texas but I told myself that I would get another one. I see them in the grocery stores but worry about investing.

Yesterday, I was at the Farmer's Market listening to the New Orleans Jazz Band of Austin and saw an orchid vendor. She told me that lack of water and non direct bright light is essential to keeping the orchid alive and well. She said that since I get direct morning sun, I could come home from work and put it outside. It would eat up all that light and I would only have to water it maybe once every two weeks. Well, the yellow green one drew me. It still needs a pot and a stand but for now Elora, as I have named it, has a new home.