Holiday weekend over

Nothing like a holiday weekend to relax and recharge.

Spent some time on Saturday with Girlzoot doing the shopping thing. Not much luck on the shopping front, but always good to catch up. I love Meiningers and the TC, just didn't find anything I couldn't live without. Although there is a really spiffy pen at Meiningers, a Cross Townsend with sparkles on it (looks like the night sky). But truthfully I have many many pens, even a large selection I don't use, tho I love each and every one.

Later, after more cleaning (I had something like 15 phone books in various parts of my house!), I spent some time with Mom. We went to the early show of Indy 4 and then caught Iron Man. Actiony goodness!

All in all, good weekend, if too short (as always).

Street Kings & New Jeans

Friday night, after getting my new bowling ball (13# purple with sparkles) set up for drilling, Glender and I went to see Street Kings with Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, and Hugh Laurie. Ooh, it was good; violence, corruption, and betrayal. Good stuff.

Went bowling Saturday morning, had fun with the cosmic, black light, flashing lights, and music bowling. My 12# ball glows in the black light, which was fun, didn't bowl particularly well, good practice tho.

After bowling and a quick trip to Chick-fil-a, we parted ways and I did some shopping. I found some jeans at Target (shock of shocks) and they fit! Surprisingly enough, they were even smaller than I expected. Love that.

Serenity Meme

Ok, feeling a bit under the bright sunny weather outside. Took this fun little quiz.

Your results:
You are Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)

Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 85%

You are good at fixing things. You are usually cheerful. You appreciate being treated with delicacy and specialness.

Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz

Dream Script

I had a surreal dream this morning. I was watching a rough cut of a movie with my favorite actor and we were going to edit the film. He starred in the film as well. (Pretty sure this doesn't happen stretched out on the carpet in front of an old tv from the 80's with knobs and a VHS machine, but hey, dream rules). We talked about one of the scenes, which was dialogue heavy and a bit awkward.

GirlZoot showed up (but had always been there, dream rules again) with the script and I looked at the opening sequence of images, which had explanations in the script. The entire opening sequence suddenly made sense and I wasn't sure if that was a film thing or a me thing. I suddenly had a burning question. "Is there a final version of the script that matches what the final edited version of the film is?" Never got an answer. I was thinking there's always the deleted or extended scenes, they're part of the original script. Do they stay part of the script or are they marked or removed from the 'final' version? It's different from books, where the final version is it; a screenplay isn't necessarily the last word, editing and at times ad lib play such a big role. (Thank you GirlZoot and Shaych for your film commune / school rubbing off on me).

Around this time, his girlfriend showed up (but had always been there) and the four of us began discussing the film and current events and such. She had an accent, French I think, and was very sweet. They started horsing around together, doing this one leg wrapping thing that I'm pretty sure is physically impossible. They were so cute and madly happy together, my tiny pang of jealousy seemed petty. There was a bit more talking about the script but no more movie watching, just hanging out and enjoying it.

So can anyone tell me, is there a final version of the script that matches the edited film? Is it always that way? Does it depend on the screenwriter? My curiosity is piqued.

Benjamin Franklin

Don't worry, John. The history books will clean it up.

Well, it doesn't matter. I'll not appear in the history books, anyway. Only you. Franklin did this and Franklin did that... and Franklin did some other damn thing. Franklin smote the ground and out sprang... George Washington... fully grown and on his horse. Franklin then electrified him with his miraculous lightining rod... then the three of them-- Franklin, Washington and the horse-- conducted the entire revolution all by themselves.

I like it.

Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin
William Daniels as John Adams
1776

Writing Quote

No thinking - that comes later. You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is... to write, not to think!

-- Finding Forester

Tagged Again

1. The last movie you saw in a theater, and current-release movie you still want to see:
Saw Cars at the dollar movie – I loved it!

Little Miss Sunshine

2. The last movie you rented/purchased for home viewing:

The Constant Gardner – Very good

3. A movie that made you laugh out loud:

Dogma

4. A movie that made you cry:

Big Fish

5. A movie that was a darling of the critics, but you think didn't live up to the hype:
um I don’t generally keep up with the critics,
6. A movie you thought was better than the critics:
see above

7. Favorite animated movie:
Mulan

8. Favorite Disney villain:
Ursula

9. Favorite movie musical:
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

10. Favorite movies of all time (up to 5):
Princess Bride

To Kill a Mockingbird

Casablanca

It’s a Wonderful Life

Labyrinth

Day out and about

This morning Mom called and we decided to visit the wee one, now that she and her parents had a week to get used to the full body cast she is in after surgery to correct her hip displaysia. Happily, the surgery was a success, now the next several weeks in the cast must be endured to let it heal.

We had a quick bite at the local fast food joint, and drove across town. My aunt and uncle (Grandma and Grandpa) were babysitting (Mom and Dad at work). We spent a couple hours with the family, as the cast of characters changed (Grandma leaving, Mom arriving). Playing Magna-Doodle, watching PBS Kids Sprout and trying to understand sweet little words spoken around her favorite binky comprised some of the exciting activities. It was good to see everyone, and spend time with the wee one, even a sometimes cranky wee one.

After our visit, Mom and I went to the dollar movie (not quite as good as the fifty cent movie from bygone days - I'll see anything for fifty cents!) and saw Cars. Mom had seen it before, and allowed that she would see it again. I really enjoyed the movie. It was much more geared for adults than I expected, and I even cried a little (*sniff*).

After the movie and a relatively slow dinner, we adjourned to the house to make orange mini muffins (yum!) for Mom's church function in the morning. Nothing like orange mini muffins baking to fill the kitchen with tasty scents and feelings of home.

Weekend over

The weekend has officially ended, and on a good note.

Friday evening, I had a good time at my nephew's birthday party. He looked very happy and had a good time with family and friends. We all whipped out our cell phones and called his new phone so he could add the numbers in his address book.

Saturday was extremely quiet, I did a lot of stuff around the house, projects I needed to start or finish, stuff like that. Both kitties enjoyed me being home, and I spent time playing with or petting on them on and off. Watched Labyrinth and Arabian Nights in the background.

Sunday, quiet again, until I got myself going around 2. Made my way to Mom's, where we ended up playing cribbage and watching part of Meet the Fockers (which was much funnier than I expected, all the hype notwithstanding).

After the movie watching, I went over to GirlZoot's and got my game fix for a couple days. We played a quick and dirty hand of Magic, then 3 rounds of Mexican Dominoes (also called Train Dominoes among others). The Boy joined us and we had a rousing time of wit and banter as well as game-y goodness. Three hands of Hearts followed where I got to take the Queen at least once (after I gave it away no less). I always enjoy playing games at GirlZoot's or my kitchen table. I think it's my turn next (whenever they can make it up in my neighborhood).

Today (well, yesterday now) I did some more around the house, with the added benefit of a partner in crime. We managed two meals out, the laundry, the bills, the sheets, and the carpets. Whew!

Overall, a very relaxing weekend, with lots of down time (which I needed more than I realized). I may have to take another day off sometime this month (before my weeklong vacation in October for which I will need to be forgiven). And next weekend, we're off to see the wee one for a few hours at least. We didn't make it to see her this weekend, but since she just got home Friday, I'm sure her parents are looking forward to having some time to adjust.

See you in the world.

Eternal Sunshine...

Can I borrow a piece of your chicken?

And then you just took it, without waiting for an answer. It was so intimate, like we were already lovers.

Clementine / Joel - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Jimmy Stewart is cool

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Dallas TX

I just got back to Colorado after a week training on our new platform's accounting system. While I was there, I saw my best friend from high school and college, who I haven't seen in over 2 years since she moved to Texas. Instead of boring and long evenings at the hotel, I was treated to her charming company and whisked away from the mundane every evening.

My favorite evening was Wednesday night we saw Star Wars Episode III. We sat in the air-conditioned silence of a mostly empty theatre as the epic drew itself to a close and whispered back and forth about plot and our thoughts. Afterwards, we even talked about it over dinner at Firewater, a bar and grill close by. While we were eating possibly the worst meal ever (definitely the worst on the trip) some music came on over in the bar area. We finished what we could of the meal (and sent back the bad, colored vodka disguised as a Cosmo) and went to check out the music and discovered it was a live band playing.

Outside there was a large porch area with a bar and a bandstand. Bad Karma, a four (sometimes five) man band from Ft Worth, was belting out covers to songs from the 80s to today that sounded as good as the originals, with great flair and gusto. We stayed to the end of the second of three sets and ended up on stage dancing and singing to Mustang Sally with the band. That was fun.

Afterward, during the set break, I asked the bassist if they had any cds - he said no, they mostly did covers, and I told him that they sounded really good, just like the originals they were emulating. (besides Mustang Sally, my favorite was The Georgia Satalites Keep Your Hands to Yourself). He got us cards and said to check out the website (which we were already planning on doing). Before we left, he came back and said they were playing Friday night in Ft Worth. Which was a real bummer, seeing as my plane ticket was for Friday afternoon. Altia was all ready to follow them the next night, damn our current plans.

The next time I'm in Dallas, I'm definitely checking out Bad Karma's schedule... it was a lot of fun (and did I mention that the lead singer was hot? Altia said that she thought that he would be more Girlzoot's type... he reminded me vaguely of BNL's Steven Page.) I think I'll forgo local offerings for a chain that night... just to be safe.

So the training was ok; I did learn some things. The company, however, was stellar. I had such a good time, getting back to the hotel progressively later (oooh, the last night was after midnight - ok after 1 am... hehe) The one thing I regret was we didn't get a picture together of us. I forgot my camera every night except the last and it just didn't work out... But I have lovely memories :) And a small Texas State flag blowing in the imaginary Texas wind.