Monday, August 16, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
That's Entertainment!
Film
Mr. Fixit and I watched “Avatar” yesterday. I was a bit surprised. We both liked it. Mr. Fixit usually hates fantasy, but he enjoyed this one. I thought I would have the same reaction to this one as I had to “E.T.” when it was in theaters years ago. Everyone thought it was W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L. I thought of it as a nice little Disney type film. I’m afraid that I have a new phobia besides my fear of heights. Every time someone lay in the pods, I became a little nauseated when they closed the top. I probably only actually watch 60% of the movie because of the flying and the running in the trees at great heights.
I also watched “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” using the Netflix “Watch Now” feature on the computer. I don’t usually watch movies streamed on the computer because the film always stops several times for buffering which is so aggravating. This was the first time I had been able to sit through a foreign language film with subtitles. It was very interesting, but there were several graphic, disturbing scenes. There was an unexpected ending; at least for me, it was unexpected. I still haven’t decided to read the book. Sometimes it seems to me that books that have been translated from their original language could have been changed from what the author was trying to say. I know, it’s goofy of me, but I always wonder if the translation carries the same emotion as the original. Is Shakespeare in Japanese the same as it is in English?
Books
I read 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly. I wasn’t sure I would like this one, but as usual, Mr. Connelly nailed it. I do think that his main character Harry Bosch is getting to be a little long in the tooth. The character talks about being in Hong Kong 40 years ago on R & R when he was serving in Viet Nam. He's still able to shoot, fight, run, jump, climb and raise a 13-year-old daughter. Is that an agist thing to say?
Radio
Today I visited several old time radio sites to download a few old radio shows. I included several episodes of “Phillip Marlowe,” “Nero Wolfe,”, “Nick Carter,” “Barry Craig,” and “The Falcon.” I then put them on the MP3 player to listen to in the car or at night. There is an unexpected benefit from listening to these old shows at night, in bed, in the dark. Perhaps because even though I am hearing about murder, crime, and mayhem, it takes me back to a more innocent time, and I sleep the sleep of the innocents. That is to say, sometimes I fall asleep five minutes after the beginning of the show and remain asleep for as long as the shows are on. I always wake up when the list is exhausted and music starts to play. It a nice cure for my insomnia. I have been sleeping as long as two hours at the time. I have been feeling so much better.
I was a little busy today getting Mr. Fixit ready to go on vacation. He’s leaving tomorrow. He’s going to meet some of his family in Connecticut. I didn’t realize flying had become so complicated and expensive. There are extra fees for luggage (he’s only taking a backpack), he had to get his boarding pass himself online, and, of course, there are rules about what you may carry. I liked it better when you could go to your travel agent and let them handle everything, and no cared if you checked bags or if you carried a bottle of shampoo.
After I take him to the airport tomorrow, I'm going to stop at the library so I'll have something to do while he's gone. I'm also going to watch movies, do a little needlework, and continue working on my yard sale stuff. And that's my vacation.
Mr. Fixit and I watched “Avatar” yesterday. I was a bit surprised. We both liked it. Mr. Fixit usually hates fantasy, but he enjoyed this one. I thought I would have the same reaction to this one as I had to “E.T.” when it was in theaters years ago. Everyone thought it was W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L. I thought of it as a nice little Disney type film. I’m afraid that I have a new phobia besides my fear of heights. Every time someone lay in the pods, I became a little nauseated when they closed the top. I probably only actually watch 60% of the movie because of the flying and the running in the trees at great heights.
I also watched “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” using the Netflix “Watch Now” feature on the computer. I don’t usually watch movies streamed on the computer because the film always stops several times for buffering which is so aggravating. This was the first time I had been able to sit through a foreign language film with subtitles. It was very interesting, but there were several graphic, disturbing scenes. There was an unexpected ending; at least for me, it was unexpected. I still haven’t decided to read the book. Sometimes it seems to me that books that have been translated from their original language could have been changed from what the author was trying to say. I know, it’s goofy of me, but I always wonder if the translation carries the same emotion as the original. Is Shakespeare in Japanese the same as it is in English?
Books
I read 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly. I wasn’t sure I would like this one, but as usual, Mr. Connelly nailed it. I do think that his main character Harry Bosch is getting to be a little long in the tooth. The character talks about being in Hong Kong 40 years ago on R & R when he was serving in Viet Nam. He's still able to shoot, fight, run, jump, climb and raise a 13-year-old daughter. Is that an agist thing to say?
Radio
Today I visited several old time radio sites to download a few old radio shows. I included several episodes of “Phillip Marlowe,” “Nero Wolfe,”, “Nick Carter,” “Barry Craig,” and “The Falcon.” I then put them on the MP3 player to listen to in the car or at night. There is an unexpected benefit from listening to these old shows at night, in bed, in the dark. Perhaps because even though I am hearing about murder, crime, and mayhem, it takes me back to a more innocent time, and I sleep the sleep of the innocents. That is to say, sometimes I fall asleep five minutes after the beginning of the show and remain asleep for as long as the shows are on. I always wake up when the list is exhausted and music starts to play. It a nice cure for my insomnia. I have been sleeping as long as two hours at the time. I have been feeling so much better.
I was a little busy today getting Mr. Fixit ready to go on vacation. He’s leaving tomorrow. He’s going to meet some of his family in Connecticut. I didn’t realize flying had become so complicated and expensive. There are extra fees for luggage (he’s only taking a backpack), he had to get his boarding pass himself online, and, of course, there are rules about what you may carry. I liked it better when you could go to your travel agent and let them handle everything, and no cared if you checked bags or if you carried a bottle of shampoo.
After I take him to the airport tomorrow, I'm going to stop at the library so I'll have something to do while he's gone. I'm also going to watch movies, do a little needlework, and continue working on my yard sale stuff. And that's my vacation.
Monday, August 9, 2010
See, I Told You!
According to Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times a 58-year-old woman riding a three wheeled motorcycle became the 5th traffic fatality this year on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Boone, NC.
I had reason to be scared spitless (See July 18, 2010, post).
I had reason to be scared spitless (See July 18, 2010, post).
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Weekend
It’s Saturday, and Mr. Fixit is gone so that means I don’t have to cook or feel guilty if I want to sit and watch a movie or two.
Ben and his family invited Mr. Fixit to go to a Bluegrass thing in Georgia. I’m a little surprised that Ben would enjoy Bluegrass music; he’s more of a heavy medal, hip-hop guy.
It’s going to be very hot again today, but I’m sure Mr. Fixit will have a good time enjoying the music and the family.
Ben and his family invited Mr. Fixit to go to a Bluegrass thing in Georgia. I’m a little surprised that Ben would enjoy Bluegrass music; he’s more of a heavy medal, hip-hop guy.
It’s going to be very hot again today, but I’m sure Mr. Fixit will have a good time enjoying the music and the family.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Is It Kudzu or Muscadine?
The house next door is empty and has been since the students moved out last month. The house has been rented to lots of different people over the last ten years or so. The owner has had people working on it almost every day since the tenants left. I don’t know whether the house will be for sale or if it will be for rent.
Our house and that one are separated by a natural fence of muscadine vines. The vines must be related to the dreaded kudzu vines. They cover anything that is near killing whatever plants, trees, or shrubs that they decide to climb and cover.
The young man working on the yard simply cut the vines climbing the tree without pulling them down. This is the result. Not aesthetically pleasing, but if something wasn’t done, the tree could have died.
While I had the camera, I took a couple of pics of our cats. The white one is Big Boy and the black and white one is Little Boy. Mother wasn’t around for the photo op. She only shows up to eat. Our indoor one is Little Girl. It’s not that I used no imagination when I named them; I thought if I didn’t give them names I wouldn’t become too attached. Yeah, that worked just great!
Note: When I typed “muscadine” Works Word indicated that the word was spelled wrong. It suggested that I use Muscatine or mescaline. I know no one in Muscatine and I have never had the occasion or the inclination to try mescaline. I think Mr. Microsoft needs to update his dictionary. According to Mr. Encarta, I spelled “muscadine” correctly. So there!
Our house and that one are separated by a natural fence of muscadine vines. The vines must be related to the dreaded kudzu vines. They cover anything that is near killing whatever plants, trees, or shrubs that they decide to climb and cover.
The young man working on the yard simply cut the vines climbing the tree without pulling them down. This is the result. Not aesthetically pleasing, but if something wasn’t done, the tree could have died.
While I had the camera, I took a couple of pics of our cats. The white one is Big Boy and the black and white one is Little Boy. Mother wasn’t around for the photo op. She only shows up to eat. Our indoor one is Little Girl. It’s not that I used no imagination when I named them; I thought if I didn’t give them names I wouldn’t become too attached. Yeah, that worked just great!
Look Close to see B\W one or click for
detail
Note: When I typed “muscadine” Works Word indicated that the word was spelled wrong. It suggested that I use Muscatine or mescaline. I know no one in Muscatine and I have never had the occasion or the inclination to try mescaline. I think Mr. Microsoft needs to update his dictionary. According to Mr. Encarta, I spelled “muscadine” correctly. So there!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Result of Catsitting
Jason and Alisa offered to catsit for some friends who were going out of town. When they dropped off the cat, the friends warned them that the cat had been known to scratch or nip a little on occasion. They are picking up the cat today.
Jason and Noah are playing bachelors this weekend while Alisa and Owen made a trip to see her dad. They must have a lot of time on their hands. This is how Jason and Noah will look when the friends come to pick up the “naughty” cat indicating a few scratches and nips they received.
Actually the cat was a little sweetie. This is an example of Jason’s sense of humor. I wonder where he gets it.
(Click on pic for detail)
Jason and Noah are playing bachelors this weekend while Alisa and Owen made a trip to see her dad. They must have a lot of time on their hands. This is how Jason and Noah will look when the friends come to pick up the “naughty” cat indicating a few scratches and nips they received.
(Click on pic for detail)
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