do you mux?

My little brother showed me this very simple yet very cool site where you can make your own mix tape. You upload up to 12 songs, each having to be 10 MB or less. Then you have your own playlist from anywhere and the interface is so effective. While my brother's is funky and probably has taste, mine is soundtrack based. One of the best parts is to discover what others are listening to and maybe find a new favorite. Loads of fun and just so simple.

Hisaishi

I am a huge Joe Hisaishi film score fan. I love his work on Miyasaki and Kitano films. My Mononoke Hime album is definitely in my top five favorite film scores. So imagine my disappointment some months ago to find that most the albums in my collection were bootlegs. You can not imagine the lengths some people go to make it look like the CD you are buying is legitimate. If not for the missing serial number on the back of the disc and several sites devoted to the subject, I would never have known. Thankfully, there are reputable sellers out there and after some contemplation, I decided to replace them with the real deals. Using a Japanese site which exports to the states, I now have honor in my beloved collection.

bluebonnets

By far, my favorite season is winter. I love the cold and the snow. And there is no comparison to fall in the northeast with its colorful leaves. I always enjoyed spring, too, in North Carolina with the wildflowers that bloomed among the highways. Well, there is no winter in Texas and fall is just a immeasurable time between summer and the cooler climates. Spring, though, is definitely growing on me. The weather is still slightly cool and the humidity not quite reaching summer highs. The winds pick up and I can open my windows to catch the breeze though I think I am finally developing those 'Texas allergies'. Add to that the bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas. Their seeds were spread along the highways of Texas by Ladybird Johnson in the mid 1960's and have since returned every spring. They start as little bits of violet in the grass and then become a blanket of blue. Here is one picture along the drive I make to work everyday.

The Inheritance ... cycle?

I enjoyed Eragon. Paolini's world was full and fun with lots of action and meaningful characters. Eldest was not as good. The story slowed and had too much drama. Only in the end did I feel any kinship with the first novel. Now Paolini decides to break his trilogy into four books because he felt some morality portion needed more exposition. This does not bode well for my taste. Brisingr is set for a 20 September 2008 release in the states. If you go onto the amazon site you can find a statement by the author defending his decision. I will read Brisingr and hope I am pleasantly surprised.

once, the movie

Of late, my Netflix choices have been bitter disappointments. So I moved a few of the higher rated ones to the top and was pleasantly surprised by this amazingly beautiful and simple film. A musical, technically and in the truest sense, it revolves around an Irish street musician who meets, writes, plays, and records with a Czech immigrant street urchin. The songs were written by the actors who had collaborated briefly before the film. The scenes are long and shot without cuts and the one song where she (the characters are unnamed) just walks home singing her lyrics to his music was beyond perfect. There is nothing more brilliant that being surprised by a movie. because it happens so little these days. I have since bought both the DVD and the soundtrack. Make sure it is added to your list.

avatar's end title music

Whenever I catch "Avatar: The Last Airbender" on television, I watch all the way until the end. Nickelodeon is good at playing the credits without voice overlay and you can hear the end title music in all its glory. I got tired of waiting for them to show the latest episodes so after downloading I was ecstatic to hear that very music in the newest Avatar episode. Aang learns about firebending and that theme plays a major role in the episode. This show just gets better and better. Hurry up already with the new episodes!

en français

I am starting the fifth Harry Potter book in French this week. What a joy to read these in a different language, especially one that takes great care and pride in translation. I am reading it with my professor who is a long time fan of the books and a new reader. It is like reading them for the first time all over again. First, because the names are structured from the meaning of the English original and I have to learn so much vocabulary just to get through a page. Second, because the new reader does not know nor want to know anything. It is so difficult for me to keep my mouth shut but so fun to think of all the clues we pick up on as we read. It is amazing that these books still give me so much pleasure.

The final book was just released in French and I have yet to buy it because of the expense. I can only imagine waiting that long to read it in your own language.

more anime

I wanted a few more words about some anime I caught recently. By the way, I updated my anime list link to my public link on anime news network. It is easier to keep up to date.

Naruto (post Sasuke's traitorous exit but prior to Shippūden)
After episode 135 (wow that's a lot of episodes), the Naruto anime moves into filler episodes which are created separately from the manga. They still follow the search for Sasuke but team up different members of the Leaf Village in that search. They are less than steller, animation and plot wise relying on silly jokes and leaving little action that is not new or different. I watch them because I do not get enough from my limited Shippūden exposure. I do enjoy seeing characters, though, that you would normally not see.

Air
I took advantage of netflix's 'instant watching' to take an anime off my want to see list. Air was beautiful and extremely funny. The story of a boy and a girl, one searching for an angel, the other slowly fading into that girl. A terribly melancholy story but between the drama is exciting writing, flowing music, and again beautiful animation. It is something that I would watch again because it was short and concise. I have the movie version on my list and I hope it lives up.

Basilisk
I just started this anime but do not look forward to watching it. A Romeo and Juliet story filled with death. Still the ninja and sword fighting pull me like no other. It deserves a chance.

Chevalier D'Eon
This is on Anime Network on my Time Warner Cutting Edge on demand channel. Another really beautiful anime set in the period of the French Revolution. It is loosely based on the real D'Eon de Beaumont with a fantasy flair. The action leaves little to be desired and I am actually not a fan of any of the characters or the plot. But I watch it still to find out how it ends.

Noein
I love a good dimension travel story. This one is a fabulous run on SciFi channel's Animonday. It is fabulous because they are not afraid to kill characters and still retain dignified grief. I love the main guy, very powerful and the guardian of Haruka, the only one able to see the other dimensions. I am about halfway through and only get annoyed at the fact that the children can wonder around so freely. I enjoy everything else about it and will continue to watch enamored.

Oh, Ichigo

"Bleach" is back and my favorite episode aired on adult swim last Saturday. Ichigo appears in all his glory to save Rukia only to have the one of the best face offs in any anime with the ever stoic Byakuya Kuchiki. Oh, and they play the song. Ichigo is so bad ass in these next few episodes having attained bankai , his unforeseen cape bilowing and weilding his zanpakutō over head like a toy. I am eager to watch them again with English dub to revel in the beautiful animation and fantastic twists.

While "Bleach" was off screen, I caught two other animes on adult swim. "Blood+ "has almost finished its run. I was intrigued by the buffy-like premise, a girl using her blood sword to kill these monsters. But the action is few and far between replaced by drawn out family drama. I do enjoy the characters, when they are not whining, and the various groups surrounding the monsters' creation. The best part of this anime is the music, composed by Mark Mancina released on two albums. The second anime was "Death Note." This horror and psychological anime has excellent animation. I am only half way through but not enjoying a teenage boy using a notebook to kill people just because he can. Still, I can not stop without knowing the end so I will continue to watch.

here comes the sun

Well it happened. Summer has hit Texas. Today reached 95 degrees and I managed to resist turning on the AC. I am making note of the date so come October I can tell you how long summer really was.

12 Angry Men

I came home, exhausted from sickness and playing catch up all week to find a classic on Turner Classic Movies. 12 Angry Men was on my must see movie list and now that I have finally watched it I find it difficult to explain my amazed impression. A clean, simple, black and white film centering on 12 men in a room debating the innocence or guilt of one boy. The performances were natural, each man getting up and moving around, the nervous energy waifing off the screen. Fonda used his steely eyed grace to try and convince the men but only convinced me that there was no one better chosen for the role. The weather was its own character moving from sweaty tension to a release of rain. They say they don't make them like they used to and this is the one that fits that rule. A character piece, and simple plot, and yet a winner in every respect. Thank goodness I can scratch it off my list but it is a proud moment that I have.

cloning in 3D

Speaking of Star Wars, the 3D CGI animated series "Clone Wars" is scheduled to premiere at the end of 2008 after a feature film lead in on August 15. The trailer peaks my interest with its action sequences and gritty characters. This is not the sleek and shiny animated shorts that kept me entertained between sagas but has more weight, more depth. Not much is known about the film release but the series has a pretty good trailer.

http://www.starwars.com/video/view/000478.html

The Adventures of Lego Indy

Whoever said Legos are for children never played Lego Star Wars. The game, while just plain fun, is also clever and durable as there are tons of secrets to unlock and achieve. The tongue in cheek details to every character makes me laugh out loud every time. So when I read more Lego games were coming, my expectation and anticipation went sky high. Lego Batman and Lego Indiana Jones are in the making and looking at the video, it looks to be a blast.

a strike of luck

I watch too much TV. I know it. So when the Writer's Guild of America went on strike, I actually cheered. In a month where I am usually glued to my beautiful set and dependent on that lovely DVR for extreme sweep action, I actually finished a book and did my taxes early. Even with the strike, though, my appetite for television has become downright particular. I do not do the reality thing nor do I put much into sitcoms. My taste for the legal drama is dry and the teen drama, acidic. I tend to veer toward high production dramas with either witty writing or appealing relationships. And, of course, scifi and anime which consume more than most. Now that the strike is over and Spring TV starts to unveil, my DVR will fill again. No worries, though. There is nothing better than stepping into someone else's shoes for a long while.

still alive

My new favorite song on repeat these days is "Still Alive" by Jonathon Coulton. It is the title song, or portal song as they call it, to Half-Life 2, the popular console and PC game. It is a tongue in cheek blast at the research facility that turns normal people into crazed zombies. The lyrics make the song.

la bruyère

In the two years or so since I have been taking French at the Alliançe Française d'Austin, my name has been the cause for discussion several times. Heather is not a French name nor does it have an equivalent. However, la bruyère, which is the French word for the flower, is very common in French culture. Last evening, my French teacher and friend, gave me a lovely potted Heather because we discuss it so much. Heathers are found throughout Western Europe and in parts of northeastern North America and Siberia but are native to Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia, Russia, and northern North America. Their colors are usually pink or mauve in nature but can range from white through pink and purple and even into shades of red. They typically bloom in late summer but blooms spread from July to November. Though their flowers may turn brown in winter, they are an evergreen branching shrub. They need acidic soil and are a traditional remedy used in Swedish herbal medicine. The word, Heather, is of Scottish origin, presumably derived from the Scots word Haeddre. But what is in a name, anyway?

Updated with a picture for my brother

My Neighbor

Sure it is in Japanese but who does not love Totoro. I love the fact that someone loved him enough to erect his statue.

http://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp/kiji/20080116/10.shtml

Persepolis (2007)

I do not know Marhane Satrapi, the Iranian born, French educated graphic novelist and children's author. Her work looks amazing though and this film has already won several film awards including being nominated for the Golden Palm at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. It opened Christmas day in the US with limited screenings. So far, I have not heard whether it will expand but it is on my Netflix list already. Make sure you at least watch the trailer.

imdb link

get lost

The TV show, "Lost", is a piece of work, both artistically and literally. The amount of detail and information in the show is not lost (ha!) on the audience either. The current publicity stunt uses something called a viral technique. Advertisements are placed on buses, billboards, and even commercials which look real but, in fact, represent fake products and services. For example, Oceanic, the airline in which the survivors of flight 815 crashed onto the island, has several commercials and billboards over the US. In fact, they have a website which has been apparently hacked by another fabricated character, Sam. You should visit http://www.flyoceanicair.com/ and then follow the hackers site to continue the game. It leads to some interesting information about season four, which premieres the first of its only eight episodes January 31, 2008. I enjoy the connections and things that people figure out as well as the beautiful images and music that make this show so special. Have fun digging.

quarterly search

I have a few sentimental possessions. I listed a few of them in my horcrux list. Another which fast moves up the list is my state quarters collection. 2008 is the last year for the state quarter releases which started ten years ago. I have been collecting both mints since then. Yesterday I received a quarter (thank you Chipotle) which reduced my number of missing quarters to six not counting the ten for 2008. Collecting them has been a blast because my mother and I would trade every time we traveled to see one another. Also, friends I did not know collected them would vie for the quarters when we paid cash at dinner or the movies. I have a list of missing quarters in my wallet in case one pops up in the grocery. I am currently missing:

• 2005 West Virginia (Philidelphia Mint)
• 2006 South Dakota (Philadelphia Mint)
• 2007 Washington (Philadelphia and Denver Mint)
• 2007 Utah (Philadelphia and Denver Mint)

If any one has one of these and can spare the $0.66 (a quarter plus the $0.41 stamp), I would be most appreciative to complete my collection.