Remember me when

I love "Veronica Mars". The teenager, would-be private investigator has some of the wittiest writing on television today. The latest episode, "Lord of the Pi's", was a prime example of the all out, laughing on the floor, pop culture reference comments that the petite blond sprays at her friends and cohorts. I am so glad they had some father-daughter action because that was the highlight of the season. Tops the fake rape storyline by far. The only question I had was why did they dandilate the Dandy Warhols song, a favorite of mine before it was the show's opening song?

Tony: Something Special

Not much surprises me on TV anymore. Production values for television shows are so high these days that we sort of take quality for granted. However NBC premiered "Tony Bennett: An American Classic" to my great astonishment. Although it is not hard to make Tony sound good, I mean come on, Tony is something special, but the visual impact of this show blew me away. Directed by Rob Marshall, of Chicago fame, this Target sponsored show was soft when it needed to be and sophisticated at all times, the epitome of class. I was happy with the narratives and learned that Percy Faith, a closet idol of mine, was Tony's arranger. Tony represents my favorite time in jazz, the time when melodies ruled and creativity abounded. With concentration on pure instrumentalists and less on electronics, how can one not get up and swing around to Tony's syncopated voice sounding as fantastic as ever? If you missed this one, you missed out.

some Order, please.

Not released until July 2007, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix teaser trailer makes its debut on the web today, in high definition. My least favorite of the books and yet still a page turning, all out laughing read, I am still excited about the movie. A basically unknown director and composer leading a highly familiar story and musical series. What could be more news worthy?

I have to say, I am not very happy with the clean cut Harry Potter. His hair is too short for the unruly mess that Rowling describes in her books. But if Harry can have blue eyes instead of green, I guess we live with his portrayal.

HP OOTP trailer in high def

The Buckeyes and The Blue

In school, we read The Lantern, our school newspaper. During my first two years the paper would publish quotes and their source in the top right of the front page. My freshman year I remember distinctly seeing this:

"Go Bucks!" - too many to name

Ah the memories. Go Bucks, beat the blue.

Texas landscape

I miss the mountains. Every time I would visit my brother in Tennessee I would feel this rush of pleasure at the Smokies. As I would drive, the road was bordered by large forests of pine trees keeping secret the lives on the other side. In Texas, at least in the part that I live, there are no mountains. The scape is flat, teasing with its expanse. Along the road, the earth is spotted with single trees. It is beginning to grow on me, the romantic horizon along the road. But Texas will never fill this void I have for the grandeur of mountains.

Dancing away

My best friend, Diane was married to Todd last weekend. Along with the gorgeous colors and cold weather, the day was savored by friends and family alike. May they have happiness forever.

How many of me?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 7 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Welcome back, Appa

Yes, Appa is back. Appa is a six legged, 102 year old flying bison on the animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Avatar is a charming show with fully developed characters, intriguing plot, and witty writing. It combines, like many series involving magic, the four powers of earth, air, water, and fire. Aang, the main character and best friend of Appa, is the avatar, the one person who has the ability to control all four. Of coures, he only knows air, water, and now a little earth bending. The fire bending nation, is the enemy and Zuko, the prince of the nation is now an outsider and coming to life as his own person. It is fun to watch. My favorite, along with Appa, is Sokka, who has no powers. He is the life of the party, always after the girls, and continues to make me laugh. This show and W.I.T.C.H., another show about the four powers, are some of the best animated television currently airing in the United States. I am baffled by the amount of animated shows I watch compared with live action TV. It has to be thirty percent. Who knew?

Final Mystery Project Update

It's finished. I can not believe it is finished. For eight months I have been working diligently for this present. I have to say, the final product is gorgeous. The yarn was amazing to work with and the pattern intricately beautiful. The only thing I have left is to put my tag on it and wrap it. There is only one problem with blogging and that is you can not touch anything. There are no words to describe the weight or softness of this bridal gift. It is a thing to cherish. One of my best efforts by far.

Halloween Galactica

I am not a fan of Halloween. It is way too difficult to figure out what to dress as and me and candy are a dangerous combination. Plus the TV becomes swamped with horror flicks, most of them so stupid that it is better just to turn off the tube for a while. So, glad it's over this year. But while I do not enjoy pictures of those dreadful pumpkin carvings or kids/adults in costumes, this toon is all it took to wash it all away. If you are not a Battlestar Galactica fan, become one. And if you are, this one will keep you laughing for at least a day.

Ben Folds at Stubb's BBQ

Only Austin would provide live entertainment at a BBQ joint. Truly, though, Stubb's is a major venue for bands, rock and indie alike. Ben makes an appearance this Friday. I am a huge fan of the pianist. He, in fact, makes my heart melt although I blissfully ignore the fact that he is from North Carolina. I have never seen him in concert but I am not a big fan of concerts in the first place. While thinking about booking tickets, the price made me frown. With fees I just was not willing to fork over the money for it. It's too bad, I was looking forward to hearing Ben sing to me.

Creative Meetings - Hollywood Style

While skimming my RSS feeds today, I came across this little gem about the minds behind The Lord of the Rings franchise, namely Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, in their first meeting with Miramax and the Weinstein brothers. We've got to kill a hobbit. You pick one

It was then I thought to myself what idiots Hollywood people can be because "the number cruncher" Bob Weinstein made a huge mistake in letting that thing go. The Lord of the Rings grossed almost $3 billion internationally and had about an 800% return (source).

Disclaimer: No hobbits were killed during the making of this film.

Fire breathing beautiful

You know how I said Eragon was going to be big. Well, I think I underestimated its grandeur. From the looks of this amazing trailer, which is very impressive dialog-free piece of art, Eragon is going to hit the ground running. Eragon, himself, does not impress me but Saphira looks amazing. I hope they keep the spirit of the book. Saphira has a good sense of humor and the camaraderie, even familiar emotions, between her and Eragon are very moving. Do not miss its debut in the theaters on December 15.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/eragon/traileri/

On a different note (hee hee ... pun), I am excited about Patrick Doyle's score to this film. His work on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was exceptional given that franchise's history. It will be interesting to hear his dramatic and action sequences for a different kind of dragon.

Wings on our heels

Chariots of Fire is the winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Original Score.

It surprises me that the big beach scene with the big Vangelis music did not come until the end and only as a part of the credits. More surprising was the role of Gilbert and Sullivan as opposed to the Vangelis score I know well. I was able to watch this movie in HD this past weekend and not having seen it before did not know what to expect. But I had some suspect that 'the scene' of the runners on the beach was part of a training montage. I was disappointed in that aspect but pleasantly surprised in the impressive acting and genuine story telling of this movie. A must see for movie buffs like myself.

my little brother, the artist

Whenever I talk about Erich (yes there is supposed to be an h at the end), I always call him 'the artist'. I do not have titles for my other siblings but maybe because the rest of us are more average type people. Anyway, Erich has a lovely flash site which always amazes me. Check out some of his work and tell your friends.

http://www.tasteslikeburningdesign.com/

100th post about... the weather

Yesterday, I walked out of the building in which I work and caught my breath on 90 degree October. The humidity had caused condensation on the inside of the windows. Then, last evening a storm hit. The wind blustered through my chimney (do not get me started on why there are chimneys in Texas) and rain pelted the windows. My apartment creaked and swayed with the force of it. As I walked out this morning, the coolest breeze I have ever felt swept my hair in all directions and I broke into a smile. This is it. Fall has finally breached the long hot summer and believe me, it was very long and very hot. While Spring tends to bring people out of the winter's cages, fall gives me energy. I am now hopping for outdoor activities and anything to enjoy the weather. Only four months until summer starts :)

Memories of Nobody

Due December 16, 2006 in Japan which means that next week for fan sub version. Very exciting for this immaculate anime series.

Added some pictures

I added a link to some pictures on my "other" google page. Seriously, I am a google fanatic these days. Anyway, I am very proud of the projects album which contains several of my last knitting and crocheting projects. It does not seem like a lot because there are projects that are not included here. I need to hunt up those so I can really see how far I have come. Enjoy.

http://picasaweb.google.com/h.lazar

An unfortunate series ends

If you have had the unfortunate fortune to read Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, then you have experienced a story which is bittersweet, a word here which means that the story is neither completely bitter nor completely sweet. It tells the tale of three young orphans who have continuous run ins with a terrible foe named Count Olaf. Throughout their unfortunate experiences, they find out many things about themselves, their unfortunate dead parents, and the mysteries which surround the terrible things in the world. However, in the telling of this tale, these three young orphans, the Baudelaires, are some of the wittiest, a word here which means extremely funny at some of the most inappropriate times, children in such a story. Every book made me laugh out loud at their remarks. That along with Olaf's blatant naiveté and utter evilness makes for one heck of a yarn (see chapter 8 of The End for the two definitions of this word). The end of this series comes slowly and not altogether complete as the end of the end is supposed to be a beginning though not a bad a beginning as the series begins, namely The Bad Beginning. But as a lot of people say, it is the journey that is important. In The End, the children discover themselves and close their grief. I have since acquired the entire unfortunate series in a lovely box set. This is also something attractive about the series in that the books are hardbound with lovely illustrations of each of the 170 unfortunate chapters, as stated by Mr. Snicket, himself. Mr. Snicket also states that no one should read this unfortunate series but despite those words, I think I will read them all over again.

Hiro the hero, Egan the earnest

Fall TV has begun and two new shows have stood up as winners. The first is Heroes. Along with previous years' favorites, this is my most looked forward to show of the season. Heroes combines the ordinary lives of several people when they become extraordinary. The powers among them: flight, regeneration, premonition, teleportation, telepathy, and a few others we have not figured out yet, are going to come together to save the world. The first question that pops into my head is where did these powers come from and why? Why them? And of course, in any serial drama, what happens next? Well the audience is aware of the bad guy and aware that at some point they are going to meet. This makes it all the more exciting and all the more eager for it to happen. These people are now just figuring out something is different (conveniently all at the same time) so we need to give them time to do so. But, in the only quirk I have with the show, I want it to happen more quickly. I need to see the relationships between these people. I am impatient. That's the story and characters, let's talk production value. I am watching in HD so it looks amazing. I would like to see a bit more flash and more risk taking with the editing and direction. It helps that the main focal point is New York, a city born and bred for cinematography. Back to the characters, my favorite has to be Hiro. How can you not like this guy? He takes on his power by storm and has this optimistic view of everything, even with his shift into a nuclear future. He has become the poster child for this show and beckons all to come and watch.

Egan is the lonely insurance salesman on the show, The Nine. I did not think I would like this show because it was completely about a horrible 52 hours as a bank hostage. However, the characters captivated me at once. Again, this show is about relationships and how they have grown out of these strangers. I like how any one of the the nine (really it is eight survivors) can call on another one of the nine for a favor. They are all gathered in their complicated lives trying to survive yet again through something more tragic than anyone knows. It is moving, truly. Underscoring their lives is the past, this huge elephant bleeding on the floor of a bank and the knowledge that something happened in there the audience has yet to determine. We learned one such thing this past episode. The youngest, the child of the bank manger, called 911, a catalyst for the standoff. This horrible realization comes booming down on the girl who could not remember anything of those days and it literally floors her. That was a dreadful moment and I felt that poor girl's pain. The editing of this show is very good. The flashes of 'bank time' are grainy and occur frequently to all the characters not only giving the audience clues to its mystery but indicating that these people are still there, still living through it. In this tragedy of a story, Egan stands out as a hero and a person with a second chance on life. He is the movement of the story, the true life of these people. I love his little jump for joy in the courtyard after he is fired from his job. I love to watch him interviewed as a hero and comforted by his fellow victims. His character makes the show watchable and the pain bearable.

Disney's Second Golden Age

With the re-release (or is that re-re-release) of The Little Mermaid, I thought back to what I consider Disney's second golden age. Of course, its first golden age was that of the 30's-50's when Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty hit the big screen. So incredibly beautiful with simple songs of white knights and prince charmings. It is not to say that there have not been incredible Disney animated and live action films since these times but these were the start of big Disney, golden Disney, royal Disney. The Little Mermaid arose as a quietus. The animation was novel and extensive, the story engaging yet simple, and the music was above much that had been composed prior and at the helm were Alan Menken and Howard Ashmen. The score, in fact, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1990. I popped this CD into my car yesterday after picking up the DVD up from my local Target. I had forgotten how impressive was the music to this movie. Both the melodies and the lyrics were exciting and poignant. I smiled as I sung along wisping through the memories that the music evoked. To say they do not make them like they used to is not correct. This was how it used to be. And Disney, despite its heavy handed commercial dominance, created several pieces of art thereafter including Beauty and Beast, which to me, is superior in art and music. After listening to the mermaid, I was set to put in beast but frowned as I found my disc missing. Time to convert these thoughts to actions and go out to purchase another one.

Rest in peace, Howard Ashman

'Cause how you get there is the worthier part.

Kaywinnit Lee "Kaylee" Frye: So, um, how come you don't care where you're going?
Book: 'Cause how you get there is the worthier part.

That's right, Firefly is back and in high definition on the Universal HD channel. Despite having been four years since this show aired, I can watch it again and again, and I have. I remember watching the first episode on my mom's 32" TV and struggling with heartbreak when the show aired its last episode on my little 27 incher. Now that I have my lovely plasma widescreen with HDMI, I can enjoy in luxury what is probably the best series ever to grace the 'tube'.

Mystery Project Update: International Knit Kit

I have been working on this project for several months now and this stuff has traveled through Texas and even internationally. My homemade large print pattern and scratches for easy "where am I now" reading have been the biggest gem along with my little purple markers made from old yarn. I just had to capture it for memory so that ages from now I can come back and say, "Oh yeah. That was what I was doing the summer of 2006."

 

SoundtrackNet News The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings to be released on Novemvber 7, 2006

You know, I have had several major things happen in my life lately, the least of which was Ohio State kicking the crap out of a certain school located in the city in which I live (we do not say its name - Volde...). However, the thing that finally got me to get back to blogging was this:

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings to be released on November 7, 2006

November 7 can not come soon enough. Not available for preorder yet.

SST

I love acronyms.

That aside, SST stands for http://www.streamingsoundtracks.com/ , an audio stream to which I constantly listen. They just revamped their site so it loads much faster now and the javascript never gives me an error anymore. As I was listening today, one of the tracks from "Lost" played, entitled 'Charlie hangs around'. Being a huge fan of the show, I am always astounded by the beautiful melody that Giacchino created. When you hear the theme played throughout the album and you finally come to 'Parting Words' which is the theme posed as a question stated by the piano with a lovely violin answer. At this point I am in tears. Thank goodness that there is music such as this to fill my life with wonder.

"Lost" is composed by Michael Giacchino and is available on Varese Sarabande Records, copyright 2004.

Dallas/Fort Worth data. Well, except for the 7th of this month, we have been hovering above 100 degrees high temp. Note the 105 a few days ago and the trend upward. Just thought everyone would like to know.

Mystery Project Update

I never understood blocking until now because this project desperately needs it. I am fortunate to have a bar over my kitchen sink which fits each section perfectly. This is the third section I have finished and displays the wrong side (so the person receiving this can not tell what it is!). One more and it will be time to put it all together. I am looking forward to the end product.

Somebody kill me, please!

Are you kidding me?

What a piece of work.

Clarett

The BSO does Star Wars, sort of

A combination of Star Wars music, legos, and the Dark Lord of the Sith with a red lightsaber. Could there be anything more perfect? Note the Empire logo on the curtains, what a nice touch.

What is it with Irons and dragons?

Eragon (2006)

Eragon is a fantasy children's novel written by a teenager about a dragon and the boy who finds and learns to ride him. I enjoyed the novel and am in the process of reading the second in its series. The hype of the movie, however, far outweighs its foundational novel. Stars abound in this movie including Jeremy Irons, who has a thing with dragons I think. Djimon Hounsou and John Malkovich. Watch out for its premiere in the coming holidays.

A big night of an ending

I love Big Night. Between the Italian cooking and the lovely directing, this movie screams class. So when I found that filmcritic.com had ranked the ending of Big Night on their top 50 Greatest Movie Endings, I was ecstatic. Not only was it ranked, it was number eight, my favorite number and in the top ten! Here is what they had to say:

8. Big Night (1996) - The old term "silence is golden" has never seemed so appropriate. After a grand night of arguments, fantastic food, and a no-show crooner, the two idealistic opposites (art vs. commerce) sit down to a simple omelet with their waiter, knowing their lives will go separate ways (and bankruptcy is a near certainty) but not needing to talk about it. Soulful, delicate, and bypassing tearjerk-o-rama, directors Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott create a sincere goodbye to their lovely, little film. -CC

Primo and Secondo would be happy.

You think you know Darth?

Pretty darn funny!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-439789897140820194

Viva Italia

What a game... Fast paced, actual scores, but an unwanted determination from penalty kicks (and a horrible Red Card for Zidane). Still, the Cup was so fantastic this year. I watched most games in HD and despite the horrendous commentators of ABC and ESPN , the coverage was beautiful. From the beginning, the spirit was palpable. Congratulations, Italy. And to both teams, a well played match. Bring on UEFA Euro Cup 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

Don't let it be over...

World Cup 2006. France v. Italy. Isn't that funny that I will be in those two countries in one week. Vive la France mais l'Italie est mon pays de mère. Quel choix.

H

Revenge of the Brick

Every once in a while, something comes along to renew my passion for Star Wars. Legos and Star Wars have had a long standing relationship. With video games now emulating legos, it is no wonder we have these little gems.

Revenge of the Brick

USA is out!

No, the whole country is not coming out. But, we did have a lousy showing at the World Cup. I thought Croatia looked good too but they do not move to next round. Brazil kicks ass, as expected, but let us hope someone makes this a true match!

The world in a cup

The Fèdèration Internationale de Football World Cup is one of my all time favorite things in the world. To me, soccer (football to the rest of the world) is the most athletic and true sportsman game of all games. Two halves of 45 nonstop minutes, running up and down 100 yards in order to put a little ball into a fairly large goal only to find it is not so easy. Oh yeah, and you can only use your feet. It takes coordination, endurance, and a great deal of effort. It is a truly inspiring event when this is done between professional teams. When it occurs between 32 different countries, it becomes a game of spirit and significance. It does not matter who wins, at least not to me, but it is the game that I enjoy and the international cooperation that I relish.

I do not really like the logo for 2006. Too cheery and that's saying something coming from me. However, to my pleasant surprise, google comes through again. I love that they celebrate international holidays and obscure personalities. That they honor the world cup makes me love them even more.

Let's talk finales

Well that time has come again. The end of the major TV season with cliffhanging finales and happy series endings.

First, 24. Not as splashy as I expected but a fitting ending to a wiener of a president. I am glad his wife was able to pull him down and Jack finally got the girl, if only for a few minutes (1.5 minutes to be exact). Anyway, now he is off to China with extreme torture in his future. What is his street value anyway? Beyond the unbelievable, it is the character moments that I love in this show. That and its amazing production value. How cool is it that we get to see a movie production every week for an hour and sometimes two?

Desperate Housewives. A little predictable what with the other son doing the killing and Susan's boyfriend getting the hit and run. I did not expect it to be the dentist though, definitely something he wanted covered up. The Solis' infidelity is very boring to me but I tend to like Gabrielle's character the most next to Brie. Golly, poor Brie has had some trauma about this year. I would like to see her calm her rententiveness next season. By the by, I just can not watch Susan without thinking of Penny Parker on MacGyver. I have watched Teri Hatcher multiple times in that show and she brings out Penny a lot in Housewives. Give 'em hell, Penny!

Lost. You would think with all the great minds writing this show, they would answer some of those damn questions. Sure, now we know why the plane crashed and that the Others are not what they seem but sheesh, a whole year and we still do not know anything about the polar bears or the crazy monsters or why Walt's thoughts seem to manifest. Still, just like 24 its all about the characters and production value. Add to that some witty writing and the impressive combination of past and present story lines and you have a show that I just can not avoid. I was glad to see Michael and his son ride off into the sunset and even more interested that Kate was looking to Jack when they were led off. I just know Hurley is going to come through and get Sayid to save those three. The episode was topped off with a lovely little kiss between Charlie and Claire and Locke admitting he was wrong. I think this goes along with the show's tagline: Everything happens for a reason. Please explain that next season.

Veronica Mars. There is no description for the joy I feel when I watch this show. While not as poignant as Buffy, VM has style all her own and tying this year's plot with last year's murder of Lily, the best friend and occasional bisexual (how funny was that?) was pure genius. Beaver's emotional outburst that his name was Cassidy and then Logan trying to get him down from the roof by using said name was probably the best part of the finale. That and VM finding out that Beaver raped her and killed her father. Anyway, it all ends up okay for the Mars family though we get a nice glimpse of next season. Cordelia Chase, ahem, Kendell Casablancas, ahem, Priscilla Banks seems to have fallen on to some money and some trouble. Also, we have to get Weevil out of jail so he can make his grandmother proud and walk during graduation. Looks like it will be a fun season on the new CW.

Alias. A tremendous wrap up to this series which had seen better days and worse for that matter. Even with all the Rambaldi nonsense and the immortality hocus pocus, it was a fun ride. I am happy to see most of the main characters survive, although I would have preferred Sloan to stay dead. Still I can be satisfied that he will live an eternal lifetime in a crazy man's tomb with not even his dead daughter with whom to talk. Poor Tom and Jack did not make it and even Irina fell to a horrible death. I was disappointed there were so many flashbacks and not one with Will. However, Francie was a pleasant surprise. The complex storylines made it hard to continue watching this show but I am glad I stuck it out. It was the action sequences and quirky assignments that made it enjoyable. Not to mention Michael Vartan with whom I am secretly in love. Arrivederci Phoenix, it was fun knowing you.

There were some other surprises. Grisom and Sara was not a twist I liked very much on C.S.I. The Without a Trace ending was nice although I wish they would play Eric Close more and not as a guy hooked on vicodin. Actually, the only character I do not really like on that show is Jack and that is because he is so inconsistent sometimes. Smallville was kind of fun, a nice round about way to bring in Zod but please get Lana out of the way because she is way over the top sometimes. ER also had that cliff hanger of an ending but I expected nothing less from this veteran show. I just hope they get back to the hospital drama and have less bedroom scenes. Get back to what made this show good, people. Finally, House. A kind of weird season to a show that gives me lots of weird feelings. I like that it is daring in that capacity but it is also something that tends to ward me away from it. You can not miss Hugh Laurie as House, though. A huge character that is almost underplayed by him. That and sometimes I wish he would bring in that British accent. The other characters on this show are also just a bit inconsistent with the exception of Cuddy, who I find kind of intriguing. I like that there is this strong female in the lead and that she is contemplating artificial insemination. It actually seems like something the character would do. The season ender was kind of strange but so was last season's ender. In fact, the last few episodes of this sophomore season were very tied together. I look forward to working with the M.D. again. Just please cut the C.S.I. computer generated bodily functions. It is starting to really get to me.

Well, with the fall-spring shows ending. The summer starts up. Monk, 4400, Dead Zone, the Stargates, and some new shows are popping up on several networks. It is not just reality this summer, much to my appreciation. It makes me want to turn on my tube which is actually a digitally created picture. But hey, that is just the geek talking.

When is a bed not just a bed?

When it is not delivered when it is supposed to be? When it one of your first major purchases? When it is part of a complete bedroom set? When you have been waiting eight weeks for it? How about all of the above. Why do I always have such bad luck?

Whithersoever they blow

Man of La Mancha lyrics aside, this Da Vinci Quest by google has actually been a little fun. Sure the questions are a pain and the puzzles not so tough but it gives me a five minute break every day. The symbol puzzles are the best, sort of a contorted sudoku puzzle. As I am reading Angels and Demons these days, there is also a connection. I am hoping for a big kicker of an ending to my quest.

"I'm and unholy mess of a girl"

The Philadelphia Story, 1940, starring Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and James Stewart. Nominated for four academy awards, this film won for Best Writing/Screenplay and Best Actor in a Leading Role giving Jimmy the first of his only two Oscar statues in his prestigious career.

This has to be my favorite quote of all time. The entire scene is fantastic and I find myself watching, captivated by Grant and Hepburn. Oh but Katherine, she steals the scene and Grant's timing is impeccable. For me, the epitome of classic film.

HEPBURN: "I'm such an unholy mess of a girl."
GRANT: "That's no good. That's not even conversation."

Use the force

Best home made lightsaber duel ever!

This is a very talented star wars fan movie which brings out the fangirl side of me!

Not a red or a blue state

USA National Gas Temperature Map

It seems that in this map, it is better to be a green state. Who knew there was a good thing about living in a state like Montana or Idaho. I am just glad that I am yellow and not in New York or California like some siblings I know.

Speaking of super heros

How much do I miss Teen Titans?

More than anyone knows.

Leaps for justice

I came into Justice League and Justice League Unlimited pretty late. Although, a fairly decent DC comics fan and a huge Batman: The Animated Series fanatic, I guess JL and JLU went over my head went it first appeared. Over the years, DVDs have been released with non sequential episodes but never has a full season been released until now. After watching an animated series from the beginning and in the order it was meant to be seen, I can not believe I missed this glorious series. Lovely animation with all that super hero goodness, not to mention the personal story lines and just plain fun dialog. It will never get old and I believe this series is a close second to Batman: The Animated Series. It was sad to hear that it is ending its six year run in three weeks.

Mystery Project Update 1

So I am making something for a friend of mine and I can not say much about it because she may or may not check this blog. Therefore, you have to bear with the cloak and dagger stuff. I am 1/5 the way through and right on schedule, if not a little ahead. The yarn is a gem, in fact it is Louet Gems and blocks wonderfully. The project itself is a blast, easy to carry around because it is done in parts, and just fun to knit because every row is different. The hard part is waiting to be able to finish. Back to it!

80% completed

AFI's 100 YEARS...100 MOVIES

Seeing AFI's top 100 movies is vital to keeping my movie buff title. After this past weekend, I have seen 80 of them. That is thirty classic movies since 2002 when I noticed I had already seen about half. With each film comes a renewed passion for the film industry, both past and present. It is amazing what leaders in the industry were able to accomplish back then and fun to see how far they have come today. Even with the rising costs, the pitiful attempts at epic art, and the horrendous junk that is produced these days, it still remains my favorite pastime. "Let's all go to the movies." ~Daddy Warbucks, Annie 1982

I want my CL2 now.

TechCrunch » Exclusive Screenshots: Google Calendar
Let's hope this comes out soon because it looks awesome.

Updated to note that Google loves to bring out software on April 1 (sort of an April Fool's joke but not). Anyway, here's hoping that CL2 is released in a few weeks!

A list as long as...

So I have a list of Anime that I have seen or want to see in my links section. I redid it last night using a better reference for links (animenewsnetwork.com has an impressive site, I think). After completing the revamp, I noticed that the anime I have seen list is longer than the anime I want to see. That is a first.

Fortune favors the brave

This week marks the end of two anime series on Cartoon Network in which I have been invested for a year; Full Metal Alchemist and Samurai Champloo. One is about two brothers struggling to put back part of their lives and literally part of their bodies. Following its mantra of equivalent exchange, this struggle comes at a huge price. The FMA story has become very complex and political but still retains its stamina. The characters leave me heartbroken but hopeful. The other's story does not live up to the hype of the crew's predecessor, Cowboy Bebop. Champloo is lacking in consistency and true character development. However, its art and action are one to behold and story paucity notwithstanding, I still am eager to learn its conclusion.

Holy smoke!

Goodness, Elizabeth is beautiful and even Paul brings tears to my eyes. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof steams with excellent acting and powerful stage direction. You would think it would be a boring tale of Southern familigia but somehow you are drawn to them and their pitiful lives and wives. I have never felt more adoration for these two young actors in their prime.

Parting is such sweet sorrow

I just finished the Soul Society arc of recent anime, Bleach, and I can safely say this is one of the best anime I have watched in a while. It has everything I love about anime, amazing talent, intriguing character backstory, a convoluted world, and action fights that so live up to the powers of its main character, Ichigo. Still, it was Renji who captured my devotion. And luckily he comes back after the arc finishes. Seriously, we finally are exposed to great animated art that is Bleach. Bring it on.

Those lovable grifters

Hustle

It seems like it has been done before but never quite as entertaining. Oh there have been movies about it. In fact, The Sting is referred to more than once. And sometimes the good guys end up playing a con or two in your favorite crime drama. So, I went in thinking it was just going to be a mediocre show and to tell you the truth, it is. But the characters draw you in and before you know it, you are rooting for them. BBC has brought more than one capable drama to the tele and I have to say, this one is a must see.

A comedic situation

I do not watch sitcoms anymore because they fail to make me laugh, and that is saying something. There are two exceptions to this. The first is Scrubs. It is so hard not to smile at the twisted humor and imaginary antics these characters play on each other, let alone hard to laugh at loud. Then they turn around and move you with their friendship and love. Even with their female names and quirky jokes, I keep coming back for more. Arrested Development is the other show that makes me laugh loudly. It is so off the wall. I await the next season on Netflix.

Composer, conductor, creator

A man among men, John Williams celebrates his 74th birthday this week. 2005 has seen three of his scores, two of which have been Oscar nominated and the other ending a thirty year epic. His music has changed how we have heard films and broken barriers that no one even imagined were there. Acclaimed and accredited, seventy years has nothing on this man.

In honor of Being Green

My Dad, being the nice guy that he is, sent me a book the other day entitled It Isn't Easy Being Green and other things to consider which is a collection of quotes and poems by Kermit, Jim Henson, and Friends. Now my dad is great. A smart and funny man, most of the time. In honor of his goodness and sense of humor, I submit this advice which is identical to some he has given me time and again, minus the pigs part.

"Here's some simple advice: Always be yourself. Never take yourself too seriously. And beware of advice from experts, pigs, and members of Parliament." ~ Kermit

Look what I did

Been wanting a small bag for a while and felting seemed to be the right thing. I have to admit it turned out well.

Glorious Kitano

I have been on a Japanese kick of late, watching three films this past weekend. Two were Kitano films and let me say, the man is glorious to watch. Both acting and directing, his films drive straight to the art of film and storytelling. Everyone should enjoy Kikujiro, a touching story with humor and depth.

Miyazaki san on TCM

Yeah, he has a bit of an ego but hey, the man can tell a story like no other. Turner Classic Movies shows a 9 movie fest of his top credits including the ever charming My Neighbor Totoro which is about to be released in the States with brand spankin' new dubs. His films are beautiful and have deep meaning. Hishasi also composes most of the scores and he never lets me down. I will probably catch all of them even though they already reside on my DVD shelf and memorized in my heart.

Miyazaki san directing and Hisaishi san composing:

• Jan 5: Spirited Away
• Jan 5: Princess Mononoke
• Jan 12: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds
  
• Jan 12: Castle in the Sky
• Jan 19: My Neighbor Totoro
• Jan 19: Porco Rosso

Studio Ghibli Films with Miyazaki San either producing or writing the screenplay

• Jan 19: Whisper of the Heart, directed by Yoshifumi Kondo, music by Yuji Nomi
• Jan 26: Only Yesterday, directed by sao Takahata, music by Katsu Hoshi
• Jan 26: Pom Poko, directed by Isao Takahata, no composercredited

The Buckeyes Tempt in Tempe

I have an affinity with my alma mater that I never thought I would. With my spankin' new TV and watching that game in HD, all I truly missed was script Ohio. Nothing beats the loyalty of OSU fans. Win or lose, Buckeye Pride is something I would stand in a crowd and proclaim to all. What a great season!

You Goony!!

Come on, man. You gotta love this. goonies.jpg

Movie buff is missing out.

Ebert gives his list of top ten movies of 2005 and I, a movie buff, have only seen #1 and #10? I need like a month to catch up on eveyrthing I have missed. Where are those dog days of summer anyway?
Ebert's Best 10 Movies of 2005

DaVinci's Cube?

For my brother, Erich, the artist. This was pretty neat.

Pocasting for knitters

Hopefully, I can redo my webpage to showcase some knitting projects. But alas someone has started a podcast. Another show I have to listen to once a week. Soon, I will have no time for work :)www.knittingnewscast.com

They always get their Thin Man

A comedic duo you will never top, The Thin Man movies have captured my funny bone. These two are fantastic.

My friend Christine excels at scrapping.

Check out my friend's scrapbooking canvas. Happenings

The most excellent before and after

It's amazing what a good job will get you. I bet you are wondering what I first watched on my new set. Since it took me longer than expected to set things up, I only sat down to watch some regular TV and then put in the pilot episode of LOST. Boy, does that plane crash look real. Finally, the Out of Gas episode of Firefly. A Lord of the Rings marathon is coming up this weekend.

BEFORE
AFTER

TECH TIME: 50 Coolest Websites

TECH TIME: 50 Coolest Websites: Complete List

moo.fx - the next small thing

moo.fx - the next small thing

Spread Firefox

Useful CSS Templates

intensivstation :: CSS Templates :: Templates

Passed! Phew...

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Ninjai hits the heart

A rather violent little online animated series but one with a lovely message and stunning visuals. You can't afford to miss it.

Miyazaki howls with beauty

Howl's Moving Castle bristles with beauty and enchanting characters. While the story is not as fully developed as his previous movies or than the book, in fact, there was not one character I did not like. The art of the locations and the castle itself were fantastic. Definately a must see on the big screen.

Deadwood is alive and kicking

I decided to netflix this series so I could watch the first few episodes of Season 1 and judge my liking. I found myself looking forward more and more to the next episodes. The characters are entrancing and the dialog is simply fascinating. I love when things are well written and even with the vulgarity, each word is essential to the entire line of the characters. I only wish I had HBO to catch up on season 2.

Firefly returns to TV on SciFi channel July 22.

the futon critic - the web's best primetime television resource: "FIREFLY (FOX) - The Sci Fi Channel has landed the repeat rights to all 15 hours of the short-lived FOX series (and basis of the upcoming 'Serenity' feature film). The network's July schedule lists the series as joining its Friday lineup on July 22 at 7:00/6:00c where it will precede original episodes of 'Stargate SG-1,' 'Stargate Atlantis' and 'Battlestar Galactica.'"

A sweet serenity

Serenity

As discussed before, this series was among the best scifi series on television. There was so much potential that it crushes my heart everytime I think it of being canceled. Thankfully, the creator and dialog genius, Joss Whedon, fought to get his vision on the big screen. The debut has been pushed back to September 30, 2005 but the trailer is available now. It is one heck of a trailer with such glorious production that I get goosebumps thinking about it. You have to see it!

Last Exile and the breathtaking art of flight

I finished Last Exile, a recent anime which is based on sort of turn of the century technology, with a little advanced stuff thrown in there. It was gorgeous and very sweet. There was a mix of standard and CGI animation that has topped all other anime I have seen and the characters were rich and moving. The ending was a little too confusing and could have been explained a little better but I loved almost every part of this series. Exciting stuff!!

Ages ago

I took a break after my thesis work that it took a while to get back into the swing. I went on a cruise to celebrate my big day and turning an appropriate but slightly large numerical age. I watched a ton of anime and read more Harry Potter. I joined Netflix and finished listening to my entire soundtrack/score collection consisting of over 250 CDs. It's been a big project getting away from my big project. Now I am back into the swing of things. Looking for full time employment and deciding what to do with the next few years of my life. No worries, the hard part has to be over.

For my purposes only a list of anime

Catching up on old Anime

So I finished Neon Genesis:Evangelion and though was disappointed with how the story ended, loved the images that flashed across the screen as it did. That sort of collage always plays well with me. Hopefully the movie will enlighten me a bit more on what exactly happened to Yugi.

Also watched the Truth and Betrayal Rorouni Kenshin Movie and was a flutter with samurais and romantic gestures. It truly was a masterpiece of anime.

Speaking of masterpieces, I watched Nausicaa again this past weekend in Japanese. It is growing on me but I still think Mononoke is better. I had to watch it again just to prove it too myself. I love the door opening scene and the scene where Ashitaka holds his sword in his mouth to shoot an arrow and the impending samuarais. God bless Miyazaki.

Lost in numbers

The repeating numbers

Just when the show, LOST, tends to be about the characters, mysteries abound around a set of numbers which could link everything. After reading numerous message boards about these numbers popping up everywhere from years on a job to rows on a connect four game, this show peaks my spidy skills once again to become my favorite of the season. So enchantingly produced and eerily connected, LOST sneaks its way to a season finale complete with birthing baby.

Firefox spreads

The browser of the week is Firefox (abbreviated Fx). With customization and fast loads, there is no comparison to IE. I will never go back.

On another note, I have been watching Neon Genesis: Evangelion with eyes of wonder and excitement. I know the series has an incomplete ending but still, this is anime to be reckoned with.

Three Ghibli releases next week

Don't forget to get your copies of these spectacular movies. Buena Vista has a deal where if you buy all three, you get one copy of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke or Laputa: Castle in the Sky free.

Yeah! for me

Its been six long years but I have passed my final oral examination in my Ph.D. program. A big thanks to all my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me throughout the years. I am glad it is over but I long for a time when things will not be so complicated. Anyways, a big woohoo!

Welcome back, Science Fiction

I can say with absolute certainty that the role of science fiction in my life just jumped about 10 notches. The Friday night lineup on the SciFi channel is some of the best television out there with production values through the roof and pretty actors galore. While I admit that Stargate: SG-1 has let me down with their stay-at-home storylines, the witty writing still keeps me involved. Stargate: Atlantis has greeeat potential (said with the voice of Thor) and Battlestar Galactica rivets my attention for every second. Too bad they ripped off Firefly's camera zooms in space but didn't keep the silence in space aspect which would have put it over the top. Thank God we scifi fans have something to scream about because it was getting bone dry.

On a related note, the Wednesday night lineup on ABC with J.J. Abrams' Lost followed by Alias is also ranked up there as top television. This night is my weekly fix for impressive action and intriguing drama. Nothing but 24 could push these two well suited shows off the top of my list.

Whoa - Talk about fingertips

Mozilla Firefox - Smart Keywords

So I use the keyboard more than the mouse and switching to Firefox has really made information more accessible to these overworked digits. Just right clicking in any search box can add a keyword search so that moving to the url box and typing a simple keyword followed by my inquiry brings the page right up. No clicking, just typing. All's good in Firefox these days.

Miyazaki DVD explodes

UltimateDisney Forum

Two excellent releases of Hayao Miyazaki films are being released February 22, 2005. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Porco Rosso, and a bonus is Studio Ghibli's The Cat Returns. Their menus are shown at the UltimateDisney.com forums. There is no end to this excitement and I eagerly away My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle.

Get a load of Alias...

In the words of Marshall, "We're back!" It was a perfect opener, a perfect setup for a great new season when finally the bru ha ha's of red tape don't weigh them down. I hope the action and drama continue.

Women in Engineering

The Google 2005 Anita Borg Scholarships

As a woman in the engineering field, it gladdens me that a large company with much influence in technology advertises something close to my heart. I only hope that more women are encouraged to pursue a vast and challenging career.

Happy New Year

Time for some great happenings on TV. Alias and 24 are back and both have the power to overwhelm. I am geared up and ready to go!

Give TV a chance

My most recent aquisitions include Sean Callery's 24 and Michael Giacchino's Alias 1 and 2 scores for some of the most impressive tv shows on the tube today. More impressive is the music to both of these shows. And finally the most impressive is that both 24 and Alias 2 are signed by their composers. A prized possesion indeed.

Browder jumps through a wormhole

Ben Browder joins Stargate SG-1

It couldn't happpen to a better guy. First he makes waves on a living ship called Moya and now he takes another sci-fi leap and joins the cast of SG-1 for their TENTH season. Let's hope he isn't a Daniel clone and tries to mix things up a bit.

Not terribly Wicked

I finally finished Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Macguire. While intriguing, the ending left me a bit cold and the characters not as engaging as I previously thought. Still it was an entertaining look at whether one is born into wickedness or how it develops in one's life.

I've been quoted

Additions and plugins for Google Deskbar

It seems I thought of something original or at least that someone else hadn't figured out yet. Nice of Chris to ask my permission and use my name when giving the tip for using the amperstand in Google Deskbar.

A Shore thing

Howard Shore, the master behind The Lord of the Rings score is featured in Music from the Movies, a monthly magazine released in the UK. Having had one exported here to the US, I finally finished it cover to cover. Reading the interviews, choral translations and photographs few have ever seen, I relish the time when Douglas Adams' book on the music from The Lord of the Rings is released along with the complete score sometime next year.

The end of all things

Return of the King Extended Edition DVD

Lord of the Rings is finally coming to an end when the Extended Edition of Return of the King DVD is released December 17. A six minute preview is available on the main site. It just reeks of excitement. The Saruman and the Palantir, Eowyn and Faramir, The Mouth of Sauron, I could go on. I can not express the gratitude I feel for the team who created this visionary and emotional masterpiece. I only sadden that there will be no other excitement to come next year.

Jeopardy is back on the table

Final Jeopardy loss

Finally, after too many months to count, Ken Jennings is off Jeopardy. Maybe now it will be fun to watch again.

Google bits

The magic that makes Google tick

Ever wonder how they do it? Google has some impressive numbers and hints about how the number one search engine gives you those results and fast.

Howl is coming

BBC: Global release for Japan hit film

Howl's Moving Castle is coming to 50 different countries. Please make it fast to the US.