A Litany of Adventures

Well it seems that if...

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:48:44 GMT

"Well it seems that if you have an iPhone and you have something on it called Jott, that you can download from the iTunes Store, you can post to LiveJournal from it, so that's what I am trying to do and we'll soon see if it worked or not and in the mean time, its time to drag my husband away from his guitar and make him take me out for dinner because I am starving! Okay. Bye."

listen:
http://www.jott.com/show.aspx?id=da16237a-cfbe-4820-85c2-8d47ad1f4daf
Powered by jott.com

EDIT: It worked! Hurrah for being able to make self-transcribed voice posts without having to pay the long distance charges to post through LJ Voice Post! Also, you don't have to have a paid account in order to post from Jott, I think.

EDIT 2: If you click on the link above, does it take you to my Jott page? And if so, does it show you my post, with a speaker icon? And if so, if you click on the icon, does it play the voice recording for you? I mean, if you're not me? Obviously, it works that way for me.

Book 23

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:35:11 GMT

Got a "wrong number" call on my iPhone today. Here's hoping that doesn't happen often. What a pointless interruption to my enjoyment of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. (It's free on the internet for a little while, available from the iTunes store for download, and is apparently coming on DVD soon.)

S and I went on a backstage tour at Bard on the Beach this morning, and that was really interesting. Saw all the green rooms and dressing rooms and spoke to the costume manager and one of the set designers and the artistic director. Was very cool. We're off to see King Lear tomorrow night, too. Big Shakespearey weekend for us.

On the way home we stopped at a camera shop to get a bag that will allow S to carry his digital SLR and all its accoutrements without breaking his shoulder. He got this Slingbag by Lowepro, which will also allow him to shoot without having to take the bag off, or requiring help from someone else to get at the other bits and pieces. Then we stopped at Mountain Equipment Co-Op and bought the wheeled backpack (in sand/breccia) we'd been looking at. Decided that we can use that and one suitcase we already own and be just fine.

Friday Meme

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:12:23 GMT

Hey, at least it's a harmless occupation. Especially since I cut.

Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things. Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same first initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Wendy
4 LETTER WORD: Wank
BOY NAME: Wesley (Princess Bride, not Crusher)
GIRL NAME: Winnifred
OCCUPATION: Worker bee
A COLOUR: Wed. Bwight wed.
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Shoes
BEVERAGE: Water
FOOD: White wine sauce. On Wavioli.
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Wet towels
PLACE: Wien
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Wasting time
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: What the...?!

In other news, I realized this morning that my iPhone is not enabled for international dialling or texting. Which would explain why none of our overseas rellies have replied to the text message I sent. Have been on hold for about an hour and a half, and am enjoying the Latino hold music.

Book 23

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:06:51 GMT

The lastest read in these parts was Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom

Short review: 5 stars, I loved it, everyone should read it. The full review isn't much longer - how much more could I add to what's already been said? - but you can click the pic to see it.

Next on the to-read list is one of Boss C's books: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. Started it last night and have barely scratched the surface. We're at the first daughter - the author's great-grandmother - who, being the second daughter of an undistinguished family, was known only as "Number Two Girl". Shaping up to be a really interesting read. (I seem to be on a non-fic kick at the mo', don't I?)

She's here!

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:28:02 GMT

UPS delivered her to the receiving department at about 9:30. They called me immediately, and since I cleverly brought my laptop in to work with me today, she's all set up, and I've just sent a text message to those of you whose mobile numbers I have!

I'm calling her "Lady Alice", after a character of mine who is also small and slim and smart.

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:24:38 GMT

Boss C is away at the moment - went on holidays, got sick, has been coughing up a lung since, so I'm glad she's home in bed. Of course when she's away, the odd ones turn up.

Today's odd one was actually two. Two Pilipina ladies, both in their late 30's/early 40's, who wanted to speak to Boss C about funding for their care facility. Which they are still in the very very very early steps of starting up. Which is to say, they've been to the bank, and are working with a realtor to look for sites. They're thinking of buying an existing house, and establishing a residential care facility (possibly assisted living, but they're flexible) of 7 or 8 beds in it.

They are both RN's, both working at a large private care home (not within our organization, nor contracted to it), and both want to be their own boss so they'll be able to spend more time with their kids. Their passion for their purpose is palpable, and their vision intriguing. They themselves are lovely people. But the depth of their ignorance and naïveté of the business aspect of their dream made me shake my head. I asked them if they had a business plan; they stared at me blankly. I told them they needed one; they asked if had a list of all the information they'd need to provide. I said I didn't, because we weren't in the business of doing business development, and suggested that any bank that was seriously considering backing them would probably be able to provide a template, and that they would likely expect it to contain every detail of the projected business, budgeted and extrapolated out for the next ten years.

I told them that the health authority would not be interested in providing capital funding to help them purchase, renovate, or build their facility. They might, perhaps be interested in contracting with them to provide services, with operational funding, when and if their facility is built and ready to go.

I asked if they had researched the market; they stared at me. I clarified, asking if they'd had discussions with the directors of any of the other residential facilities in our community; they didn't even know what the other facilities were called.

They mentioned that they were looking forward to being able to be their own boss, and spend more time with their kids. I asked if either of them had ever been self-employed, and said, sympathetically, that I thought they would soon find that it doesn't work that way, when you're starting up a business.

I told them, as gently as I possibly could, that they were in the very early stages of developing this business, and that they had a very long road ahead of them before they would need to be in contact with Boss C again. I gave them her business card; they had none to give me in exchange.

They went away filled with buoyant optimism. I wonder how long it will last.

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:23:30 GMT

Taken from cincan19:

Go to musicoutfitters.com
- Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year.
- Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline your favorites. Do nothing to the ones you don't remember/care about.

1. Shadow Dancing, Andy Gibb
2. Night Fever, Bee Gees
~~3. You Light Up My Life, Debby Boone~~ - if you don't also hate this, please defriend me immediately! (Okay, just kidding. Sort of.)
4. Stayin' Alive, Bee Gees
5. Kiss You All Over, Exile
6. How Deep Is Your Love, Bee Gees
7. Baby Come Back, Player
8. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Andy Gibb
9. Boogie Oogie Oogie, A Taste Of Honey
10. Three Times A Lady, Commodores
11. Grease, Frankie Valli
12. I Go Crazy, Paul Davis
13. You're The One That I Want, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John - oh, how I loved this movie!
14. Emotion, Samantha Sang
15. Lay Down Sally, Eric Clapton
16. Miss You, Rolling Stones
17. Just The Way You Are, Billy Joel - loved this whole album
18. With A Little Luck, Wings
19. If I Can't Have You, Yvonne Elliman
20. Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah), Chic
21. Feels So Good, Chuck Mangione
22. Hot Child In The City, Nick Gilder
23. Love Is Like Oxygen, Sweet
24. It's A Heartache, Bonnie Tyler
25. We Are The Champions/We Will Rock You, Queen
26. Baker Street, Gerry Rafferty
~~27. Can't Smile Without You, Barry Manilow~~ - except in "Four Weddings and Funeral"
28. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
29. Dance With Me, Peter Brown
30. Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad, Meat Loaf - I loved this whole album
31. Jack And Jill, Raydio
32. Take A Chance On Me, Abba
33. Sometimes When We Touch, Dan Hill
34. Last Dance, Donna Summer
35. Hopelessly Devoted To You, Olivia Newton-John
36. Hot Blooded, Foreigner
~~37. You're In My Heart, Rod Stewart~~ - I just can't bear his voice anymore
38. The Closer I Get To You, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
39. Dust In The Wind, Kansas
40. Magnet And Steel, Walter Egan
~~41. Short People, Randy Newman~~
42. Use Ta Be My Girl, O'Jays
43. Our Love, Natalie Cole
44. Love Will Find A Way, Pablo Cruise
45. An Everlasting Love, Andy Gibb
46. Love Is In The Air, John Paul Young
47. Goodbye Girl, David Gates
48. Slip Slidin' Away, Paul Simon
49. The Groove Line, Heatwave
50. Thunder Island, Jay Ferguson
51. Imaginary Lover, Atlanta Rhythm Section
52. Still The Same, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
53. My Angel Baby, Toby Beau
~~54. Disco Inferno, Trammps~~
55. On Broadway, George Benson
56. Come Sail Away, Styx
57. Back In Love Again, L.T.D.
58. This Time I'm In It For Love, Player
59. You Belong To Me, Carly Simon
60. Here You Come Again, Dolly Parton
61. Blue Bayou, Linda Ronstadt
62. Peg, Steely Dan
63. You Needed Me, Anne Murray
64. Shame, Evelyn "Champagne" King
65. Reminiscing, Little River Band
66. Count On Me, Jefferson Starship
67. Baby Hold On, Eddie Money
~~68. Hey Deanie, Shaun Cassidy~~
69. Summer Nights, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-john
70. What's Your Name, Lynyrd Skynyrd
71. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Crystal Gayle
72. Because The Night, Patti Smith
73. Every Kinda People, Robert Palmer
74. Copacabana, Barry Manilow
75. Always And Forever, Heatwave
76. You And I, Rick James
77. Serpentine Fire, Earth, Wind and Fire
78. Sentimental Lady, Bob Welch
79. Falling, LeBlanc and Carr
80. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, Santa Esmeralda
81. Bluer Than Blue, Michael Johnson
82. Running On Empty, Jackson Browne
83. Whenever I Call You "Friend", Kenny Loggins
84. Fool (If You Think It's Over), Chris Rea
85. Get Off, Foxy
86. Sweet Talking Woman, Electric Light Orchestra
87. Life's Been Good, Joe Walsh
88. I Love The Night Life, Alicia Bridges
89. You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On), High Inergy
90. It's So Easy, Linda Ronstadt
91. Native New Yorker, Odyssey
92. Flashlight, Parliament
93. Don't Look Back, Boston
94. Turn To Stone, Electric Light Orchestra
95. I Can't Stand The Rain, Eruption
96. Ebony Eyes, Bob Welch
97. The Name Of The Game, Abba
98. We're All Alone, Rita Coolidge
99. Hollywood Nights, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
100. Deacon Blues, Steely Dan

Wow, we Grads of 1978 had some rubbish music, didn't we? I remember most of these songs without any strong feeling either way, and unless I'm surrounded by my contemporaries, I always feel a little embarrassed at knowing all the words to songs like "Copacabana" and "How Deep is Your Love". But it was 1978! AM radio still dominated the airwaves, FM was so new they even made a movie about it, disco was at its peak, and in the summer of '78, John Travolta had two hit movies in theatres (one of which was all about disco), Billy Joel hit the big time with his album "The Stranger", and the public fell in love with Meat Loaf's concept album, "Bat out of Hell" while being less certain about Mr. Loaf himself. (At least, those were the highlights of my summer.) I think many of these songs must have come out after I finished high school, which might explain why I don't remember some of them (Rick James, Heatwave, and Odyssey, I'm lookin' at you). The songs from when I was in Grade 11 resonate a bit more with me.

Eighth Grade
Ninth Grade
Tenth Grade
Eleventh Grade

Book 22

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:44:10 GMT

Book 22 was this one. Click on the cover for the full review. In brief, a useful volume for those interested in the Regency period, and one that will quickly dispel any illusions you may have (as I used to have) that gentlewomen had relatively little to do with their time two hundred years ago, and must have been dreadfully bored much of the time.

The writing is verbose and convoluted, in the way that was common at the time, so is often anything but light reading, and the tone is often moralizing, which I think was unlikely to have endeared the author to her intended audience - young unmarried ladies - though it may have endeared her to their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers.

The recipes for health and beauty aids, at the end of the book, are an amusing combination of well-known botanicals, and now-obscure ingredients; when was the last time you had to purchase spermaceti, for example?

***

The next book waiting on my bedside table was Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, which I picked up for a buck. I think I read half of it before I tore myself away and went to sleep.

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:37:59 GMT

Just got an email from Rogers - my iPhone has shipped!

*spin*

Memeage

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:46:32 GMT

I'm whiling away the minutes remaining in this workday by doing memes. Not that I really needed to post my results; I could have just linked to the results on enjae's LJ - our results are eerily identical, as usual!

Your result for The Attachment Style Test...

The Free Agent

You like to be independent, to play by your own rules. You're not terribly interested in finding a partner and settling down, and it makes you nervous to imagine that someone might depend on you for anything. Were you to find the right partner--someone as independent as you, probably--you'd not be too put out about sharing your adventures with him/her.

Fictional characters with whom you might identify: Han Solo (Star Wars), Beatrice ("Much Ado About Nothing")

Other Attachment Types:
Secure:	The Unicorn	\|	The Cuddleslut	\|	The Free Agent
Preoccupied:	The Cling Wrap	\|	The Squid	\|	The Insect
Fearful:	The Doormat	\|	The Leper	\|	The Exile
Dismissing:	The Hermit	\|	The Stone	\|	The Player
Confused:	The Waffler

Take The Attachment Style Test at HelloQuizzy

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:26:58 GMT

Went into the Apple store downtown yesterday. I'ts so white, and square-cornery, and OMG packed with peeps!

They had a table to which at least eight new iPhones were security-cabled, so I got to hold one in my hot little hand and play with the buttons and like that.

In related news, they don't have any interesting cases for that phone yet. Later in the week, the fellow tells me, they will.

I shall return. When I have my phone in hand. :)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:33:05 GMT

Voting in the "name the meeting rooms" poll opened today. 90 minutes after the polling opened, there were already 56 votes, and 52% of them were for the theme I most favour - the names of the islands that make up our island community.

Also, surveymonkey is clever enough to know when you've voted, and it won't let you follow the link again. Hah-hah! \

Sweet! The Swishwash Room, it will be mine!

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:50:57 GMT

Does anyone else find hilarious irony in this post? Not in the cartoon, but in the line of text that follows?

Writer's Block: Earth Vacation

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:07:02 GMT

If you were an alien and came to Earth, what would you tell the folks back home about the planet, its people, etc?

Submitted by sweetinsanity90

View other answers

Earth:
Mostly harmless, with the exception of the dominant species, which is still in the throes of evolving. There are distinct races, and subcultures within those races, and on a large scale at least, the energies of any single group or sub sub sub group seem to be directed at achieving domination over at least one other group. They appear to have realized that they are destroying their planet, but their lives are so relatively short that they feel largely helpless to effect any change within their own lifetime, so are somewhat content to leave the solution - or the problem - to future generations. Recommend marking with a large "do not enter" sign for at least a million years, by which time the planet may have reclaimed itself from these careless tenants.

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:53:18 GMT

Happy Birthday, writer_lulu!

May your day be filled with everything and everyone you love!

(And actually, this is as good a time and place to ask as any... you know the Jane Austen things that were on Masterpiece Theatre? I still have them on my PVR, and although I can't burn them to DVD [the system is designed NOT to be able to do this, apparently], I could dump them to videotape. Would you care to see them on VHS? I'm happy to do that for you, but if you'd rather see them on DVD, I'll just can them.)

Writer's Block: Your Dream Dinner

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:17:44 GMT

If you could have dinner with anyone at all, dead or alive, famous or not, who would you go with? Out of anywhere in the world, where would you eat?

Submitted by nyclagirl123

View other answers

It might be a bit weird, but "my late brother" is always my answer to questions that provide me an opportunity to talk to him. I'd like it to just be the two of us - no spouses or parents invited - and we'd go wherever he wanted. Which would probably be "dim sum". Which is lunch, rather than dinner. But you know what I mean.

cries

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:05:01 GMT

I was on the phone to Rogers at 6:30 a.m. my time (9:30 a.m. their time; they're in Toronto). Got an automated attendant. Told it I wanted "Sales". The automated attendant says (as if this is brand new news) "We're happy to announce that Rogers has reached an agreement with Apple to make the iPhone available to Canadian customers. If you'd like to speak to someone about the iPhone, please press 1 now."

I press 1. The lovely lilting voice lady tells me someone will be with me soon.

Five minutes later, a real person answers the phone. I tell her I want to order an iPhone and sign up for a voice and data plan. She tells me she can't do that, "we have a special department activating the iPhone today. I'll put you through to that department." (I am thinking, wait, so that "please press 1" means nothing? Thanks a heap, Rogers.)

Five minutes later, the hold music abruptly gives way to "all circuits are busy. Please try your call again later."

So I waited half a breath and redialled. Pressed all the same buttons, blah de blah. Fifteen minutes later a guy answers the phone, and I tell him what I want, and as the conversation goes on I get the feeling he's fresh outta training and doesn't know some of the stuff he needs to know. And he can't get this up on the screen, so he gets the paper paperwork. And he has to ask the supervisor that question, etc. But I bear with him, even though he's insisted on doing a credit check on me to determine if I'm qualified to do this transaction (WTH?), and has by now asked for all my contact information and credit card information twice.

About 35 minutes into things, my (stupid piece of crap) phone died on me. And the dude didn't call me back.

So I came in to work. And he hadn't called. So I called back. And here I am, 2 hours later, still on hold.

ETA: Another 30 minutes later, and I'm speaking to a real human being again! Hurrah!

ETA: SCORE!!!
Should have my new preciousssss by next Friday. All foregoing aggravation is forgiven.

Also, when we were done with my phone transaction, the lovely Alessia agreed to me transferring her to La Signorina, who is now in the throes of her own transaction. Awresome.

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:57:12 GMT

From brightly_woven's pages. From Entertainment Weekly's top 100 movies of the last 25 years.
Bold = seen it
Underline = own it (or S does)
Italics = on my to-see list
* = not interested

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) *
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King(1994)
21. Schindler's List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998) - I am the only person I know who loathed this movie
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996) *
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999) *
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999) * (dear me, how did this one make the top 100???)

More about the iPhone

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:21:43 GMT

From today's Globe and Mail: Rogers caves to complaints, unveils new 3G data rates
La Signorina said that she heard that our organization has a corporate rate with Rogers, so we called, and confirmed that employees can qualify for this rate, even for a personal account. Yes, it will apply to the iPhone. And because the existing plan is a voice-only plan, the $30 6GB data plan mentioned in the article linked above will apply.

So, that's $18 a month for voice, $5 to make "evenings" start at 6 p.m. rather than 9 p.m. (what am I, a vampire?), and $30 for a squidload of data. $53, plus tax. (Text messaging will be extra; must remember to mention that.)

That's about $10 more than I pay a month on my current voice-and-text-only phone.

No contest.

Come on, Friday! (Warning: No work will be achieved on Friday until I've got my phone ordered. Thank goodness for wireless headsets.)

Book 20 and 21

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:36:10 GMT

Book 20 was "The Weight", by sadie6, who subbed it for crit by the psychocommagrlz in July. Review of that one posted (friends-locked) at the comm.

Book 21 was Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake, Book 1). I give it three stars for the writing and the worldbuilding and the characterization, but then have to knock off a star because vampire fiction (or really occult or paranormal fiction in general) is not my favourite genre. I won't be going back to this particular well. Anyone who'd like my copy of this volume is welcome to it.

I'm still reading "The Mirror of Graces" by "A Lady of Distinction", a Regency guide to etiquette published in 1811. I rather think that Caroline Bingley might have been issued a copy, while she was a student at the fashionable ladies' seminary she attended.

Movie: World's Fastest Indian

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:57:08 GMT

This one's been languishing on the coffee table for weeks - since June 16th or so. I put it on the list because I thought S would like it. And he did. When he saw it on an airplane, a few months back. Guh.

So anyway, he's away at the moment, so I watched it. And I know that people loved it and all, but me, I'm kind of "meh" on it. There was potential for really great story in there, and the character development at the beginning was pretty great. But as soon as Burt got to America, I kind of felt like most of the characters were straight from central casting - Mercenary Taxi Driver (subcategory: Hispanic); Hooker with a Heart of Gold (subcategory: black; subcategory: male; subcategory: transvestite); Sleazy Used Car Salesman (subcategory: surprisingly kind-hearted); Generous Lonely Widder (subcategory: good with machinery); Wise Native American (subcategory: southwestern); American Soldier on Leave from Vietnam (subcategory: earnest); Beer-Soaked Smoke-Wreathed Bar Patrons (various); and Uniformed Representatives of Various Levels of the Judicial and Government Systems (various). The trip from Los Angeles to Bonneville seemed to take a good deal longer than it ought to have done, and considering that once he hit the road, all the mishap he met with was that he lost a wheel on the trailer, the number and variety of people he met with seemed like an exercise in the Hero's Journey, somewhat overdone. I mean, did we really need the cops harassing him for sleeping in his car on the side of the road? Jeesh.

The tension cranked up once he actually got to Bonneville, mind, and even I who thought myself thoroughly jaded and put off by this point was glad I stuck with the movie through the slow bit in the middle, because (a) Bruce Greenwood sighting! and (b) it was pretty thrilling to see first his struggles and then his triumph. Well done, Burt.

My other major complaint has to do with Sir Tony (pictured). Yes, he's a fine actor. But he's not a Kiwi, and his accent wouldn't fool anyone who knew a real Kiwi accent for a second. All the other Kiwi characters sounded Kiwi, probably because they were played by Kiwis. But Sir Tony sounded like a Brit who moved around a lot: he was from the West Country one moment, the Midlands the next, and then Wales. It kind of took me out of the flick, to be honest.

Overall, I'll give it two stars. It was OK. Next!

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:42:26 GMT

Aaaaagh! I just got a past due notice for the speeding ticket I got in April! And which I could SWEAR I paid, within a week of getting the ticket, in order to get the $25 fine reduction!

PAST DUE! This gives me all kinds of good citizen anxiety and I have just gone through all the potentially relevant Visa statements and bank statements, and NOTHING! Which key did I not push???? What did I do with the original? Did I write a confirmation number on it? Where's the bloody PDF of the receipt on this computer? Aaaaagh!

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:37:23 GMT

This is bad. The internet is failing to enthrall me today. I'm desperately trying to stay awake (or at least alert), and there's not much actual work to do. So I check LJ and then email and then facebook and then I look at the DWG and read a few posted chapters and make comments and then email and LJ again, and then facebook to see if anyone's played their move in Scrabulous (they haven't) and it's the song that never ends.

I tried to do some real work, but that system is not working. Stupid thing.

Maybe I'll go do the mail. Yes.

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:33:23 GMT

Have been awake since about 3:30. Up since about 4:30. Oh joy.

In other news, I went shopping yesterday because I needed new (lighter weight) trousers for wearing during the summer. The first store had me depressed - apparently I've gone back up a size, and possibly more - but then I went to the Jones outlet store and all was right with the world again. I bought a linen/wool suit for $110 + tax that was originally priced at about $500 before tax (the trousers were $39.99, marked down from $230, and the jacket was $69.99, marked down from $270). Bragain, and it fits like a glove. I also bought two or three other pairs of trousers, and a few tops. Everything was at least 40% off the lowest marked price, most of it was 60% off, but that suit was an amazing deal.

I also bought four - count 'em, four - shirts in orange. So that I'll have something orange to wear to football games. No really, that's the only place these things will be worn, in all likelihood.

S is off to Edmonton today, back on Thursday. I was wondering what exciting thing to do first, but given how early I was awake today, "sleeping" is at the top of my list. But when I've done that, I MUST watch the latest movie I have from Zip. Also, grocery shopping. Gosh sakes, woman, come on!

We went to see Twelfth Night at Bard on the Beach on Saturday. What fun! I mean, it's my favourite play of Shakespeare's, but this was a really fun production. Sir Andrew Aguecheek was high-sterically funny, and Malvolio was ridiculous right up until the part where he's not anymore. Great stage presence with Malvolio. We've booked our tickets to the other three shows now. Yay. I've not seen any of them before - King Lear, Tempest, and Titus Andronicus. I love me some Shakespeare.

I discovered on the weekend that I could sync my iPod to my Address Book and iCal on my Mac. Which means that at least I can carry the info around with me, even if I can't change it on the fly (my iPod's not a Touch). I thought briefly that I didn't need an iPhone after all, but it turns out that I still do. (What a shame.)

Also, my hair dryer made a funny burning smell yesterday, and this morning it cacked on me. It's old - ten years old at least - and doesn't owe me anything, but only last weekend (when we were in Whistler, using the hairdryer in "our unit"), I thought how very much I like the three speeds on this one. And look where that got me. Sheesh.

Bookgasm

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:45:53 GMT

Ordered, and today received, the following from Amazon.com. Oh, I am susceptible to suggestions in marketing emails. Yes I am.

That last one is a big book, coffee table variety. Could do with more colour photos, but lines and shapes are just as important, and haven't been changed by the progress of time, and fashion.

Ah, research. How I enjoy it when it involves buying (and reading) books. :D

A Litany of Adventures

Well it seems that if...

Book 23

Friday Meme

Book 23

She's here!

Book 22

Memeage

The Free Agent

Writer's Block: Earth Vacation

Writer's Block: Your Dream Dinner

*cries*

More about the iPhone

Book 20 and 21

Movie: World's Fastest Indian

Bookgasm

cries