Summer

I finally processed a bunch of my pictures from this summer and posted to my webpage. Pictures run the gamut, from Houston to Virginia's and my road trip, the family adventure aboard a gulet in Greece and Turkey, to a few recent ones of my nephew here in California. Go now, or you might end up in a fog, like Virginia....

Undisciplined

Here's what's going on in my life, for those who want to know...

No, I've not yet found a job. (I won't say "Not that you've asked, but..." because, yes, you have asked. I thank you for your concern and well wishes.) I have submitted resumes for various positions in the Bay Area for which I am eminently qualified. I've heard back from two, one before I left Houston (was very encouraging, then...nothing) and the other a standard "You're nice, but no thanks" reply. I need to work my contacts to get in with organizations. I'm not comfortable with schmoozing and working people, thus I am not a good networker, and I need to be. I always like having something to work on.

No, I've not yet finished resizing pics from my recent travels in order to post them here. Believe me, I am more sorry about this than you are. Must do, must do, must....

In the meantime, I have indulged in some delightful amusements which I would like to recommend.

• Little Children by Tom Perrotta is a riveting novel about life in suburbia among restless stay-at-home adults. It was turned into a movie last year, and I look forward to watching it, but I suspect book is better.
• On DVD now is the movie version of another book, this time a nonfiction piece about Northern California's own Zodiac killer. The movie Zodiac stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey, Jr., in a good dramatization of the seemingly random series of killings begun in 1968, as recounted by Robert Graysmith in his two books on the subject.
• If you've not yet seen The Bourne Supremacy, go to it. Yet another book based on movie, though I'd guess this is the loosest translation of the bunch. The movie is action packed and just suspenseful enough to keep you entertained throughout. Come on, do we ever think Jason Bourne is really in jeopardy? The Bourne movies are all about seeing how he will manage the latest onslaught of bad guys (he's extremely good at it). And no, you don't need to recall what happened in previous 2 films to understand this one.
• If you're in the mood for something more fantastical and sorta sweet, go see the movie Stardust, based on book by Neil Gaiman. It's a romantic fantasy that David described as incredibly cheesy, and yet he smiled all the way through it. Claire Danes' character is a tad grating, but the male lead is adorable and Michelle Pfeiffer plays wicked with glee. Memories of the goat guy still brings me a chuckle.
• Finally, in music I highly recommend The New Pornographers to alternative/indie pop music fans. Unfortunate name if you are a timid listener, but the music is definitely not from the adult film industry and it is often just heavenly. A former obsession of mine, alt country singer Neko Case, is one member of the oft-changing lineup of musicians associated with the band. TNP might be old news to many music fans, but I am slow to find new music these days and tend to fixate for a long while before seeking anything different. Anyway, I recommend their album Challengers. Naturally TNP will be playing in SF when I am in Houston. Virginia, you must keep me very entertained that evening so I will not think about it. (The perfect night to get started on your 30 Things to do list!)

I hope this note finds you well (body and soul), amused with your own entertainments (do share), and content with life (or doing something about it).

Discipline

More news about how overweight/obese we are (do you need to read it to know this is a problem?). Here's news, people: The only sure-fire way to lose weight is through an increase in calorie burning and/or a decrease in calorie consuming, ideally in fulfilling not destructive ways. Hmm, that's probably not news either. Okay, how about this: Some people will never have a weight problem no matter what they eat or do (get over it), and some people who think they have no health problem, in fact do. Your wellness is about more than just how much you weigh. I like the public health campaign that asks people to "know your numbers". Do you know your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and BMI? And how would you hold up under a stress test?

I wonder, if you or I had this guy as our doctor, would we be healthier (weigh less and exercise more on average)? Certainly my health is much more about what I do than what my doctor does, but I appreciated Dr. Lerner's comment on the role of the doctor in a patient's struggles with health, however futile they might seem given what we know or believe now about willpower, genetics, lifestyle changes. "Somehow it still seems to me that part of a doctor’s job is to push patients to try harder." Amen.

I could say lots more about this. About individual vs. shared responsibilities. About the time and place for economies of scale. About the need for--and benefits of--people learning to establish and maintain meaningful, honest, constructive relationships with family, friends, coworkers, doctors and so on. About why people make obviously dumb (aka unhealthy, unhappy) choices, every stinkin day of our lives. About the key role of self awareness and self acceptance in all of this. But I won't. Not today, anyhow.

Here's a good quote (among many) from 19th century philosopher William James:

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

Amen to that, too.

Community

Not that you asked but...
In real life I have friends, many people I stay in touch with, and I think I do a pretty good job of it. But in the virtual world of connections and links and "community" I am a total loser, capital L. I have accounts (or identities or whatever lingo label is applied to one's membership these days) on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn (see link over on the right there, below my profile), Netflix, Amazon (look further down below my profile for another link), and many more. Did you even know that? Apparently between 4 and 9 people know these things. Actually, let me correct that, between 1 and 5 people and 4 authors and bands know I exist in online communities. I even have, nominally, another blog. But that qualifier word in there, that's the trouble--my presence in these places tends to be nominal.

Even with Netflix, from whom I have rented nearly a thousand movies since the service began, I have a strictly business interaction. Nope, no movie reviews or comments from me, and merely one friend. ME, who loves to write reviews! Who loves to share opinions and recommendations for fabulous movies! So I'm going to launch a campaign to attract virtual friendships. Okay, virtual versions of my real friendships. I wouldn't want to go and branch out, meet new people (shivers). ;-)

I'll start with this: Are you a Netflix subscriber? Will you be my (and David's) Netflix friend?

Resignation

The architect/evil genius is leaving the White House. I'm sort of sad. [Don't worry my liberal friends, keep reading.] There's so little these days to get excited about in domestic politics. Yes, there's lots to be frustrated or sad or potentially hopeful about, but not much blood boiling excitement. Even Rove has been off his game lately, which has made politics a lot less, hmm, fun is not the word, but less stimulating certainly. Karl Rove and other great political strategists both impress (through their skills) and nauseate me; like 'em or not, they do tend to create some excitement in politics, definite stimulus for better or worse. So it's a bit of a sad day. I said a bit.

Not that you asked but...
Does anyone else sense that there is an informed apathy about our times? Maybe it's information overload, but that makes it no less distressing. We are bombarded daily with images from Iraq. People saw Hotel Rwanda and still hear this "genocide" bandied about, maybe you read that little snippet in the print news last week about how the latest civil war events in Sudan have hurt both sides. Or what about that little military prison we maintain down in Guantanamo, Cuba, anyone remember that place? [Just an aside that intrigues me: We apparently can't let some of the people we've warehoused there go, as they would be in more danger at home than in prison. Not that this is a new concept with prisons and parolees, and there's always a risk of letting "bad guys" go if nothing else, but it seems a tad ironic in this case.]

All of these unhappy, deadly, life- and dignity-affecting events bring about a moment's distress, an hour or two, maybe even an hour each week, when we actually pay enough attention to hear about it in the first place. But what do we do? We put a "Save Darfur" link on our facebook page (a marginally do-good thing for an obviously big problem) then electronically poke our friends (a mindless fun thing). We tune in for a few minutes to Live Earth (a marginally do-good thing) then complain about how hot/cold/rainy it is or how bad the traffic is while driving alone in our car and how expensive the gas while driving an overly large car or a poorly maintained one. [Just an aside: check out gas prices in Europe, where they're paying 2-3 Euros per liter. Do the math, 3.875 liters to 1 gallon.]

Don't get me wrong, I am not claiming all innocence. I do a bit to help the world, but probably far more that hurts. Maybe I should turn my attention inward rather than outward. In truth I usually do. [I am racked with guilt as a result. ;)] But that was not my point. Right, what was my point? Ah, yes, that apathy seems on the rise but in a new form. People seem to feel they are informed on various sad issues, sympathetic to them as well, but just as un/involved as ever. Being informed and doing nothing makes such a person's apathy more distressing. What does it mean when you willingly acknowledge things as bad and then let them continue? Ah, yes, accesory to the crime. Or maybe that's human. We can only do so much, after all. (This is a bitter pill which I refuse to swallow, but I pay it lip service from time to time.)

This brings me back to good old Mr. Rove and his fellow truth filterers. I think they are the granddaddies of this informed apathy as I will call it, or at least should be the honorary captains. These people have learned to accept that there is good and bad in the world and that the voting public doesn't always know what's good for them or care what's good for others, things I regretfully accept as true. Plus, they know that people take action when and if they feel compelled to do so, and external motivators can be so much more powerful than internal ones. Rove, Luntz, et al know people will generally do what seems the best choice among what also happens to be the easiest or most popular choice. So their work becomes the retitling, rebranding, renaming of distasteful choices into favorable sounding options (and yes, it's almost all in the point of view. Check out Frank Luntz's book Words That Work, subtitled "It's not what you say, it's what people hear"). So those in control present us with their slate of desirable choices that hint at doing good for the world over the terrible undesirable choices of "other people" (bad people, naughty people, those who disagree with us). What we get in the end are a bunch of one-sided political decisions made on our behalf without imparting the feeling that we participated in anything distasteful. After all, I was an American for freedom and justice and individual rights, etc. Who can argue with that?

In theory this is not a bad thing. It only becomes a problem when you turn over real control to those people and they use their powers for evil. Worse still, evil in the name of good. Alas, we tend to realize this kind of thing occurring only after the fact (um, can anyone name a few good examples in history?). I'd prefer not to get to that point in my own personal experience, and I prefer not to live in denial either.

All of this has evolved into one of my standard messages: Inform yourselves and get involved, people. Work for good, after having thought about what good is. And never count on someone else to do good for you. Now go read Bowling Alone.

Wow, a farewell comment to Karl Rove in the White House turned into a meandering rant about social engagement. My initial comment was wrong. It seems there's always something to get me excited about in politics. Soapbox done.

Fertile

It's late and this was a random thought; if I have missed anyone's cute offspring, I apologize in advance....

Apparently it is the year of the baby. Among those I know, six have had babies born in the past few months. Welcome to Maggie, Owen, Mia, Sienna, Harrison, and Chaya. Correction, seven. Welcome Avi! They join their fellow 5-and-unders born to my friends and family: Kyle, Victoria, Tobias, Tony, Riley, Frances, Gavin, Justin, William, Terrence, Kaylia, Olivia, Kiera, Kiera (or is it Keira?), and the most adorable nephew ever, Mikey.

Travels

Last published June 29?!?! Sorry. In my defense, I only just got regular access (in other words, more than two minutes at a time) to an Internet connection and working computer yesterday. Considering the number of job applications I have put out today before getting around to the blog, I am not going to feel guilty.

My countdown clock says it's been 20 days since I left for Greece. I'm glad someone is counting, because I could not tell you the day or date today. I know time in relative terms these days. It's been a little over a month since I left Texas, a little less than a month since I went to DC. As I now have no other date to attach meaning to, I will have to begin calculating time in terms of return from Greece. It is now 4 A.G.

I had planned to post pictures from my recent travels (four states, one district, two foreign countries, and counting), but the cables for my picture reader machine are currently MIA. I think I know where they are but am currently too lazy (and housebound-undermotivated) to find them. You'll just have to wait a day or two. In the meantime, here are a few passing memories or lessons from my travels.

Turkey is not a scary country to travel to for Americans, particularly when you stick to the Turkish coast in the height of summer vacation season. I say this for the benefit of those of you out there who think Turkey is a strange and exotic world where foreigners are the enemy (not true--they want your money the fair way, through capitalism), bombings are rampant (not true, though there have been incidents, the government publicly punishes any and all found threats), and that women must wear headscarves (only a few do, and almost none in western Turkey). Turkey is an interesting place and worth exploring. It's a rather large country with rugged, mountainous inland terrain, and lots and lots of coastline, both accessible and non. For the record, Turkiye is a Muslim country, though the vast majority of the population are secular and not particularly observant (again, especially in western Turkey), though mosques are certainly prevalent. It is vying for EU membership though it is (mostly) in Asia. Its membership application is stymied partially by the fact that Turkey is the Mexico of (almost-) Europe; its citizens form a goodly proportion of the cheap labor in Europe, especially Germany, including illegal immigrants and guest workers who are no longer treated as guests. If Turkey gains entry to the EU (against France's express wishes), it would be the first Muslim country to do so.

The Greek islands are full. If you wish to go there during the idyllic height of quiet summer sunshine and romance, find a time machine and go back about, oh, 25 years to the time of that Daryl Hannah movie. If you want nightclubs, swarms of fashionable (and smoking) people, and megayachts, go now. Right now. Nah, I mean nothing bad in my comments. I absolutely love the bustle of the Greek islands in summer, there is nothing like it in my experience. Fabulous people watching, great food (on local diet, not tourist diet--blech), amazing deep blue water. Sleepy islands, desolate, dull, and unfashionably damp or dry the rest of the year, come to life with out of towners in late July. Populations increase by a factor of 10 in some places. All of Greece and fair portions of Germany and England have relocated out to the islands for a few weeks of sun and fun. There is an entire industry catering to the 6 weeks out of the year when this happens. In the past I have seen the busiest and most popular of the Greek islands (the ones close to Athens, the far out ones with near-mythic reputations, like Mykonos and Santorini, the historic ones near Turkey, such as St. Paul's Patmos and crusaders' Rhodes). This time we went to one new island--Tilos. It has that pre-tourist explosion feel to it, where there's a single bus that makes the rounds of the island, goat trails that lead to isolated beaches for camping out (and whatnot), and very little to do other than walk/scooter around or lie on the beach. It was quiet, unassuming, slightly developed, a bit dull. When we hiked to the top of the town (Megalo Horio), a woman in the church asked where we were from. "We don't get many Americans here." She wanted us to come in and see her art exhibit. "You don't have to buy anything."

Everywhere we went, people spoke English or had information posted in English, both in Greece and in Turkey. In Greece this was just a matter of business. The Greek alphabet had been translated into Roman letters for purposes of commerce, primarily, because as I said, the Greek islands are the place to be in the summer, whether you speak Greek or not. In Turkey the use of English was a default second language. Many tourists there were from Russia, and the Turks did not speak Russian, so English it is. In one small town, three children followed David and I up a road. "Hello, how are you?" one asked quite formally and offered his hand to each of us. After he received David's response to "What is your name?" the boy repeated for his friends (many times) "My name is David." The kids were quite pleased to accompany us up the mountain and were more amused by our attempts at Turkish. When in town, especially Marmaris and Bodrum, it became a bit of an amusement when people thought we were something other than American. Never did we encounter any animosity, either personally for our behavior or for our homeland. David pointed out to others on our boat that Turkey likes the USA and the USA supports Turkey, so maybe it had little to do with us personally. Still, I like to think it was because we were well behaved tourists.

I feared that I might have missed out on what was going on in the rest of the world while I was gone. While on my boat adventure I found out two things from the local newspapers: the results for the Turkish election and the marriage status of an over-the-top Turkish transsexual tabloid star. Asked about the latest haps in the US of A upon my return, Ben informed me that Lindsay Lohan's career is over. I guess this means I did not miss much.

Moving

I got a whole lot of this going on lately...


Thanks to Brian for the from-the-Subaru view of I-10. :)

My blog, email, and other electronic communications will be slowed or halted over next 5 weeks as I am in transit and/or vacationing. In case you care and/or need to be in touch with me, I will be in Northern California and mostly reachable July 12-18.

Wanderlust

I'm sure there will be no shortage of people to oblige me...

Next time I decide to move--no, next time I decide to drag out moving over a matter of weeks and months, just kick me. Or shake me. Or take the keys out of my hand and drive the car to wherever it is next headed and get on the phone and cancel all services that keep me complacent.

I would feel a heck of lot better on this particular move if either David or I had paying jobs to look forward to when it ends. But no, we each have job searches and further housing decisions to make. And both of the cars have had lots of little things needing fixing, only reminding me of their mortality, which is not a good time paired with above reality. So the move is only part of larger issues. Ack!

My venting sounds worse than I actually feel (most of the time), but it has been a bad few weeks. I don't mean it to sound like I'm miserable--I'm a fundamentally happy creature. And I certainly am not any closer to hating moving. As David can attest, even with all the hiccups of our latest cross-country "relo" I do not swear off another major move. I will, however, admit that moving is very tiring and tedious and requires a lot more shedding and compartmentalizing of belongings in a timely manner than is my natural preference.

So, I am stressed and anxious. I desperately want more of a routine and predictable places to be and sleep. I want a functioning computer. I want to load my music onto my new iPod. I want a bathing suit that is not becoming see-through. I want the rest of my life to get going.

I'm going to take a nap now. :)

Dying young

News came recently that the Sci Fi channel's version of Battlestar Galactica, which at first I could have cared less about, may end after its next (fourth) season. Sad news now that I'm so into it, but better that it end early than late. I've long been upset that My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks and Arrested Development and countless other fabulous shows were cut off due to low ratings. But then, their early departure leaves them remembered in their prime. There is no keeping a show after it has faded into a shadow of its former self, no awkward aging among young casts, no cousin Oliver joining the family, no shark jumping, no finding out it was all a dream ending.

Carrie Bradshaw ended up with Mr. Big on Sex and the City. The MASH gang for better or worse went home. Aeryn Sun and John Crichton got together; granted their love was fulfilled, if you will, during a horrid Farscape follow up finale movie but still, it ended in the right place, the expected place, the fulfilled place. The Lost crew have called their own end date. I can appreciate that--know when to quit and how to get there. This is how endings are supposed to occur, no matter the twists and turns along the way.

I don't require perfect endings, but I admit it's tough to grieve for a show or cherish for eternity a movie that ends on an illogical low note, or which just sputters to a hasty conclusion of sorts. A tragic ending done right is a good thing and satisfies that part of me which acknowledges life is not all about happy endings. Closure is a good thing.

David and I used to watch The Sopranos. I'm somewhat thankful I have had only limited access this final season. The episodes I saw were too depressing, with too little (none?) of the occasionally silly, oft amusing tidbits thrown into dialogue and storylines that I so reveled in in the early seasons. Now after a depressing season, the finale is vague about Tony's future, doesn't create closure.

The nebulous closing out of The Sopranos works for me, primarily because it offers me the chance to hope. The show was based in a violent, sexist, vengeful, self destructive existence. Do I really want to see how a mob boss's life ends out, no matter how sympathetic a character he may be at times? Okay, it's better to leave Tony alive, ailing as he was at the start of the show, than to kill him off or imprison him and leave his family in limbo as reality might dictate. That would be too depressing. I couldn't easily watch reruns without thinking, "What's the point, he dies anyway?" But it doesn't leave you crying in your wineglass either, so I suppose on balance it actually ends on an up note, a hopeful note. (Clearly, I am in a glass-half-full kind of mood.)

Hmm, maybe I truly yearn for endings that are going to be overtly happy or at least let me live with delusions of happiness. Goodness, what an escapist sap I've become. :)

Snappy

I have not seen Pirates...At World's End because I inadvertently read the entire plot online and spoiled the story for myself. I am not a fan of knowing endings before the end. Hmph. Luckily there are other box office temptations to kick off my summer. Herein I offer reviews of two other likely-big summer movies. Enjoy.

Knocked Up
Judd Apatow is at it again, offering up a mix of semisweet storylines and clever adult humor that doesn't assume your funny bone is stuck in seventh grade. Knocked Up tells the story of the coupling of Alison (Katherine Heigl, aka Izzie), a reporter for E! entertainment news, and Ben (Seth Rogen), a man-child trying half heartedly to make a job of spotting nude scenes in movies. While the drunken-stranger-sex-leads-to-pregnancy plot is run of the mill, there are some hilarious moments and characters. David and I both enjoyed Ben and his friends (most are Apatow film/tv vets) busting on each other, and Alison's fantastically deadpan work competitor, Jill. I would happily watch this movie once more on DVD for the dialogue. Most of the characters are reasonably compelling and/or amusing, but the highlight here is Seth Rogen's Ben, who's insecure and cynical but good hearted. I don't agree with the critics who seem to want to have Apatow's baby for making Knocked Up, but it is certainly solid summer fare, an extension of those great 80's teen summer flicks. Knocked Up is recommended to those with a tolerance for crude humor seeking slightly grown up entertainment with no commitment.

Alison Scott: I'm pregnant.
Ben Stone: Pregnant... with emotion?

Ocean's Thirteen
Atrtactive from beginning to end, the latest in the casino heist movie chain is a visual feast. Should you care about the storyline, it might please you to know this one's much better than the last; it's also, I might add, prettier than the first. The entire male gang is back, from dishy smooth Danny Ocean (George Clooney) to the inventively troublemaking Malloy brothers (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan). This time the guys have taken it upon themselves to cheer their bedridden mentor, Reuben (Elliot Gould), by seeking revenge on his behalf. Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin join the cast (the latter as the only significant female in the story). Does anyone care why or how the story unfolds? There's a strong "What happens in Vegas..." feel to Ocean's Thirteen. The length, pace, and plausibility each have their decided ups and downs here; there are enough fun moments and Hollywood in jokes (Clooney tells Pitt to settle down and have a couple kids) to keep you chuckling. But it's the look of the movie that I enjoyed most--varied camera angles, striking colors, gorgeous actors. Not a bad thing to stand out, all in all.

[Virgil is attempting to hack into a computer system while Turk looks on]
Turk Malloy: Are you in yet?
Virgil Malloy: I hate that question.

Boston

Last week in Boston with the family (that's Ben, right, at pre-graduation dinner -- pondering future?) I picked up this magnet entitled "The tahp ten things to look out foha in Bahstun". I achieved two of them on this trip: #10 "Pahl Reveah's silvah at the Museum of Fine Ahts", and #5 "Fenway Pahk" (both self explanatory, I hope). I spent a fair amount of 1994 in "Summahvul" (part of #3, aka the city of Somerville) but in all my stays in Beantown I've missed out completely on #4, "Bahgins at Neiman Mahcus" (you'll have to figure that one out on your own). Anyway, if you'd like to see pictures from our recent jaunt to Boston, go to my picture pages.

The Big O

Thanks to Virginia and nostalgic vowel-buying amusements, I have a letter obligation to fulfill. She has challenged me with an "O" and I have to list ten items I love that begin with that letter. I could just as well tell you "O" things I do not love (onions, Oreo cookies), but that is not my task. Herein I present my "O" preferences, in no particular order...

1. The Office - Brilliant original comedy from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. I've loved how the American version was able to first copy then extend the British show and remain hilarious. Very excited that next season in US is to be super-sized.
   
2. Orange drinks - I couldn't drink the stuff all the time. I love it because it's a rare treat. The high brow version would be (San Pellegrino's) Aranciata or Orangina, but I could just as well savor an orange Fanta (especially the European recipe). Actually, this ought to be extended...
   
3. Orange foods - I love eating orange foods and drinks together. That sounds more than a tad odd. I did not just make this up, ask David. My favorite beverage with cheese is orange juice (yum). I can imagine little better as a guilty pleasure than a bit of boxed macaroni-and-cheese with a bit of sweet and tangy orange-colored beverage. Yes, very odd.
   
4. Outlander - this book and its sequels by Diana Gabaldon captured my (romantic) imagination a few years back and I've often found their characters in my thoughts since then. Though I have been frustrated by many of the events, and the basic premise is implausible (it involves time travel between 20th and 18th centuries), the story reads so very true and fascinating that it's hard to shake once you've entered the world. I suspect diehard fans of Harry Potter feel the same about Rowling's work.
5. The ocean - the sights, smells, feel. I love the water, especially from a coastline or on a boat. Relaxing in a row boat streaming my fingers in the water beneath, dipping my feet over the side of a sailboat as we heel, or sitting on a beach as gentle waves lap around me...ahh. Bliss.
   
6. The outdoors - much like the ocean, only without the inherent wetness associated with it. Fresh air is at the core of this love of mine, but I also love the expansiveness of the outdoors, the sense of endless possibilities. I get antsy and down when I'm cooped up inside for too long. Look back over my early Beaumont existence and you will see what I mean. My dream home and lifestyle incorporates indoor/outdoor living. Again, bliss.
   
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - a beautiful story. Yes, it's depressing in parts, but there is also a lovely hopefulness to it. OFOTCN is one of several examples of 20th century literature that puts me in a mood and place in my mind that is youthful, fairly simple, engaged about the realities of life but not despondent about them. Sigh. I feel similarly about Steinbeck's Cannery Row, Stegner's Angle of Repose, and the various short stories and novels of Salinger. There is hope and acceptance intermingled in such stories, and they remain my most cherished reading.
8. Onomatopoeia - I love the little sound I make to mimic David's computer when he is "pinged" - bloop! Or the feel of saying "bzz" like a bee. Again, I'm not just making this up for purposes of a list here. Ask David.
   
9. Orlando Bloom as Legolas in Lord of the Rings. I'm not sure this falls into love level, but I definitely liked him there and I need a ninth "O". Sometimes Orlando can be a bit too pretty in movies (though sometimes that prettiness is quite nice to look at). And in real life he seems to prefer that not-filled-in-enough facial hair thing going on. But in LOTR his Legolas is lovely and fierce, kind of a marvel to watch, ethereal, which works for the character. I want to be able to fire arrows as he does.
   (FYI, I had contemplated putting as my #9 the story of Orlando, which is a book by Virginia Woolf then a mesmerizing movie starring Tilda Swinton, each of which is fascinating in its own way. But as my time spent with either work was long ago, my infatuation might not hold up at this moment. I'd rather not express love now only to have to withdraw it later. That would be fickle and cruel.)
   
10. Oddity - my own, especially, but I do appreciate it in others as well. Note that I did not say "outrageous" or "obnoxious". Oddity is on the edge of things, outside the mainstream but not completely alien. It's got a fun side, and as an often all too serious sort of person, I embrace fun where I can.
    

That's all. Were you looking for another O item? I am sorry to disappoint if that's the case, for I am spent. State your own "O" preferences in comments, please.

Tasteless

Truly I shouldn't even honor the following news story or the incident behind it with a link. But something about its utter repulsiveness makes me want to share. Share the feeling of being repulsed, that is. It involves salad dressing at the school cafeteria and a teenage boy. Let your imagine go, then...
Read at your own risk.

Television

Not that you asked, but...

I am not one of those Lost viewers who has abandoned faith or interest in the show. Sure its tone has changed, but I'm still hooked and forming grand theories to explain it all. I honestly don't get why so many people are decrying its supposed demise. Yet again I find myself holding what in the public sphere appears to be a minority opinion (my phrasing there hints that I don't believe myself to be significantly alone, in a variety of views, but I digress...). So imagine my delight when I came across this thoughtful analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of Lost and its main characters (naming on the show is not random, with characters like Sawyer, Locke, Rousseau, etc). Highly recommended reading for all viewers. [PS The season finale was great!]

In other television news, I will admit to getting a tad verklempt at the conclusion of Gilmore Girls. Sure the final episode drew on the show's cliches left and right, but it was touching and earnest and I liked it.

Big Apple

Now posted on my picture pages are photos of last week's jaunt to New York. What I didn't include were the unpeopled pics, such as World Trade Center site all lit up at night and bustling with construction, or the shots I took of Statue of Liberty, New York skyline, and Yankee stadium (old and new). If anyone cares I can put up a few of those. I'm trying to chronicle my year and more specifically the people in it, so hopefully you'll find new pics there on a regular basis in months to come. Do visit. I like visitors, of the real and virtual variety.

Nested

Check out the falcon family (parents and three recently hatched chicks) living atop San Jose's City Hall with this fabulous webcam. Oh my goodness, I could sit and watch them for hours! Blast it, I do not need new obsessions. :)

Dumb

Did you hear this news story about a Michigan police officer who called 911 after ingesting Alice B. Toklas brownies made with stolen evidence? Go to the link for the story or listen to the 911 call yourself--listen as the guy says time is going "very, very, very slow" and states repeatedly that he thinks he and his wife are dying. I'll just say this: if you've ever in your life found the antics of mind-altered people amusing (admittedly the "laughing at" rather than "laughing with" variety) then this story is for you. Sadly hilarious. As you'll see, the officer in question ended up quitting and neither he nor his wife were charged.

Thirds

At long last, I have returned to the movie theater. I know you were worried, waiting anxiously over the absence of new cinema in my life. I appreciate your (pretend) concern. ;)

Spiderman 3 is a logical and stylistic continuation of Spiderman 2. (By the way, if you saw neither 1 nor 2 or are just a bit shaky on what happened last, watch the credits and you'll get all the necessary plot events from parts 1 and 2.) In part 3 we find Spiderman has been embraced by the city and attained hero status; even the cranky newspaper editor is dragged into giving praise to Spidey's heroic efforts. What ought to be even better for Peter Parker (Spiderman) is that he can now be honest with his love, Mary Jane Watson, about his alter ego life. Alas Peter gets a bit too drunk on hero worship at the same time M.J.'s promising stage career takes a turn for the worse. She finds a ready listener in old friend Harry, who harbors a grievance with Peter/Spiderman going back to movie 1. Added to all this are several new and in some ways nuanced bad guys: a thief who becomes a sandman and a competitive photographer who is consumed by aggression due to a body-covering alien symbiote (you read that right). But really Peter/Spiderman's greatest enemy in this movie is himself.

On the good side Spiderman 3 makes sense from beginning to end, with a mix (albeit jumpy) of light and serious moments a la part 2. Peter Parker is in a funk but he's as likable as ever (though the black eyeliner and floppy bangs on Maguire during Peter's dark phrase really didn't work for me). On the downside, there were few truly dramatic moments. I never got the sense Spiderman was really in danger, even though he was in very dangerous situations. There seemed to be too many characters and subplots at a few points in the film, even though all were logically incorporated. Finally, the movie felt long to both David and I. So I recommend S3 to those who have been following along if for no other reason then because it is a logical extension of the story. But for someone just arriving at the franchise or with lukewarm feelings about S2 (which was a good fun action/romance movie in my opinion), I hate to say it, but you won't miss anything if you skip this film.

SOLD!

Our Beaumont lives are officially ended. We pulled out the last of our things from the house, turned over the keys, and signed all the forms. The day was largely uneventful, a bit sad. I got teary eyed as I waved goodbye to the sites which, unless I find myself taking the deep Southern route cross country, I am not likely to ever take in again. Farewell kindly neighbors, Grant and Mickey, good bye to the Wal Mart with crazy squawking birds (inside), tootle loo "Apoplectic" church (David misread Apostolic). The people we knew there are basically all elsewhere, so the lingering memories we have seem to be of restaurants. We drove by and I waved at the fabulous Frankies, IHOP, Rao's, Novrosky's, the pecan farm, even the Janis Joplin sign (I never actually went to the museum). Apropos of our time in Beaumont, we had a surreal moment on our final day there, as David brought the (pregnant) notary to tears. I'm still scratching my head over that one. Anyway, goodbye cute little comfy Beaumont house. I enjoyed our time together.

Utopia

No single place in the real world is perfect.

I long to return to California, and I am now preparing for my return there. The fact that it's "home" produces an eternal magnetism for me. But my longing for California living is fickle. I have already as an adult twice moved away, and I could easily imagine myself doing so again someday (though David would prefer to settle down, and I must consider that). I'd pick living in the San Francisco Bay Area over anywhere else in the world if given only one choice, but I recognize that it's not Utopia.

While living in Texas I've often made comparisons to my home state, but that's not fair. When I moved to Texas I was lost. I knew no one here, felt like a fish out of water, and was regularly faced with a point of view that to me seemed narrow and limiting. But this did not make Texas a bad place, just an unfamiliar one. As I have lived here, as I've become involved in school and work and explored my neighborhood, I've found people and places that I treasure and will miss dearly when I leave. I could simply accept that I used to not like it and have grown to like it, but I feel there's a lesson here.

First the obvious one, which is that old cliche of absence making the heart grow fonder. In my case, California living is never sweeter than when I'm in residence elsewhere.

And second, a reminder I include here for my future reference, for when I find myself in that part of the world I never dreamed of (Beaumont, anyone?). Remember Michelle, there are delights to be found even in places you least expect them; it's your job to find them.

Finally, I post here a very interesting article in today's New York Times about an experimental farm community set up for Hurricane Katrina evacuees on former sugar cane fields in rural Louisiana. The wealthy guy who bought the land did so with a somewhat Utopian vision. Naturally reality has not been so idyllic, but I was excited to hear someone making an attempt. Perfection is not possible, but when we strive for it, we can reach higher than when we impose limits.

Journeying

Tricycle's Daily Dharma today is called "The Journey and the Destination." I think it is a very nice reminder about what we pay attention to in life.

When we are driving, we tend to think of arriving, and we sacrifice the journey for the sake of the arrival. But life is to be found in the present moment, not in the future. In fact, we may suffer more after we arrive at our destination. If we have to talk of a destination, what about our final destination, the graveyard? We do not want to go in the direction of death; we want to go in the direction of life. But where is life? Life can be found only in the present moment. Therefore, each mile we drive, each step we take, has to bring us into the present moment. This is the practice of mindfulness. When we see a red light or a stop sign, we can smile at it and thank it, because it is a bodhisattva helping us return to the present moment. The red light is a bell of mindfulness. We may have thought of it as an enemy, preventing us from achieving our goal. But now we know the red light is our friend, helping us resist rushing and calling us to return to the present moment where we can meet with life, joy, and peace. --Thich Nhat Hanh, Present Moment, Wonderful Moment

Tolerance

I found a very cool website and wanted a place to keep track of it. So here I put a link to religioustolerance.org.

Trash

One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? A brief NextBlog fling brought me to another kindred spirit. This blogger has set up a page where he posts the best (worst?) examples of junk email. He even invites people to forward particularly egregious examples for possible inclusion. This appeals to me, you see, because I am amused by the contents of my spam folder. Take a look at the above blog and you'll see why it can be fun to (occasionally) peruse your junk mail.

Waxing

Sometimes I just want a place to post lovely readings I am reminded of or find. You, my kind readers, may be the beneficiaries of my literary proclivities. Either that or you are my captive victims. :) The following is from William Wordsworth's beautiful autobiographical poem The Prelude. It is the source of one of my favorite quotes. Can you figure out what it is?

Dust as we are, the immortal spirit grows
Like harmony in music; there is a dark
Inscrutable workmanship that reconciles
Discordant elements, makes them cling together
In one society. How strange, that all
The terrors, pains, and early miseries,
Regrets, vexations, lassitudes interfused
Within my mind, should e'er have borne a part,
And that a needful part, in making up
The calm existence that is mine when I
Am worthy of myself! Praise to the end!
Thanks to the means which Nature deigned to employ;
Whether her fearless visitings, or those
That came with soft alarm, like hurtless light
Opening the peaceful clouds; or she would use
Severer interventions, ministry
More palpable, as best might suit her aim.

Details

I've mentioned before that Zippy seems to get me, as in we are kindred spirits. Today's is a good example (click on picture to enlarge). It's titled "Where God Is" and Zippy's final comment is "Details, details." Given the time of year (Passover, Lent, Palm Sunday) I thought this cartoon appropriate. But then, given my predilection for all things lovingly sacrilegious, my judgment might be considered questionable.

Speaking of sacrilege, it is time once again to recommend to you Christopher Moore's Lamb. If you have any sense of humor about Christianity then it's a must read, a genuinely laugh-out-loud experience. Here's a good overview of the book with a few funny quotes included.

Lines

This Tom Toles cartoon made me laugh. Seems like at any given time the boat's owner could be a number of people or places, but for now this one works.

Reminds me of the Spinal Tap quote, "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

Fortunes

What use are the numbers on back of fortune cookie fortune when there are 14 of them, 2 of which are repeats?
1 12 30 38 40 . 2
2 13 17 31 34 6 4 9

Frightful

As I emptied the fridge in Beaumont yesterday of its last useful items, I found a corked bottle of Belgian beer (correction, it's an ale) David had bought--and not consumed--many many months ago. The size of a wine bottle, appearing nearly full and still bubbly, I decided to take it back with me to Houston. The cork was firmly in place but it was of such a design that for all I knew it had been opened and carefully replaced. So I decided not to chance it and put it in the trunk of the car because I am paranoid about being pulled over. (Which given my average speed these last few round trips showed tremendous foresight in my tired state. Rest assured, I am always an attentive driver). Ironically, whilst driving I was sipping at a can of Diet Rite cola. I got a few strange looks from neighboring cars (and a motorcyclist), which I eventually attributed to the blue and silver Diet Rite looking like a Budweiser product. (See, I am paranoid. They might have just been appreciating my enthusiastic sing-along movements.)

Back at the apartment I remembered to unload the carefully perched ale and set it on the counter in my little apartment. Dang, doesn't fit in fridge. I could have shifted some items in door to make it lean comfortably but I was too tired. Too much effort. I'll take care of it in the morning. Besides, sitting at room temperature will not hurt the stuff. (Do you see where this is going?)

Blissfully checking emails a few hours later an almighty explosive pop was heard and a very loud bang followed by several little bangs. Let's just say it is possibly a good thing I might be dehydrated at the moment. The noise came from area of the gas stove. I was prepared to run for my life. But in my stupor I realized nothing was smoking or gaseous. In fact, it smelt a bit like...beer? That's when I realized the cork had blown off. It apparently ricocheted off the overhanging divider to the floor and up again before eventually settling on the floor. The cork would not be pressed back into service. It had expanded with the breath of freedom and was not returning to its hole. That and I did not put much effort into trying to force the thing. So I had a perfectly good bottle of imported Belgian ale open at my mercy. It told me it was good until 11 2007.

Now I should mention, I do not like beer and I am basically a teetotaler. (I know, sort of like being a fish-eating vegetarian, but the teetotaler label suits me in company. Wait, does that imply I only drink alone?) Anyway I was tired, in need of rest, my heart was racing a bit and I felt really guilty that I was going to have to waste this bottle which looked like it might have cost a bit more than the average beer. And, yes, I was alone. Of course, David would probably have never noticed this tall Duvel missing and hadn't yet cared to drink it anyway. Still, I decided to have a glass of it.

Another aside: David and I found ourselves in Brussels, Belgium once, without any intriguing tourist options, and we decided to visit a little brewery and museum. Part of the paid tour included a sampling of products, a series of small glasses of beers (and ales, maybe, I have no idea). After the first one I decided to pass on the rest. Either too cheap to let it go or because I wanted to see David tipsy, I know not, but I made David drink my share of the proffered beverages. Afterwards David appeared none the worse for wear, he developed no particular lasting taste or aversion for Belgian beers, and we went on our merry way.

After my first sip last night, nee gulp (I was tired, guilty, thirsty, it seemed a bit of an adventure to drink beer, and the ale looked like my beloved sparkling cider--bad combo), I was reminded of that day in Brussels. I have learned several important lessons in all this.

• Previously opened cork products need to stay cool and stable.
• I really do not like Belgian ale.
• Nasty tastes can outlast the flavor of toothpaste.

Oh, in other news: The house is officially on the market (as of yesterday) and had an offer on it before the day was through.

Mememe

Is my blog a waste of time? Even though I started this thing to just have a place to share news and random thoughts, without concern for an audience, I feel pressure to have something up here worth reading. Do I live well with failure or am I deluding myself?

Anyway, it would seem there are a lot of people like me, and relief is offered us useless bloggers in the form of memes. Memes in blog-world are writing prompts, usually a list of questions or statements on a topic that writers can fill in and post. Often these are posted according to a schedule (such as Thursday Thirteen), and users link back to a common blog that allows others utilizing the same meme to read each others' postings. It's all a nice online community endeavor. (Oddly, the meme movement has brought about countless blog postings to explain memes, such as this one. How very "meta".)

Okay, as I said, I want to post interesting stuff, and memes seemed a good idea, but I've come very late to the game and there are only so many interesting topics out there. Apparently most have been used up already. Take the following example (I won't post link, because someone expended effort to post these ideas and I don't wish to denigrate their enthusiasm). But really, do you even care that I reply to these questions?

1. How many times do you wake up during the night?
2. On an average, how many hours of sleep do you try to get?
3. What day of the week do you do your "major" housecleaning?
4. How often do you move your furniture to clean behind it?
5. Do you do your dishes by hand or do you own a dishwasher?

Okay, I found another one that I'm willing to answer. It's called "Last Week".

Looking back on this past week what was...

1. The best meal you had? Cinn-a-stack french toast at IHOP with a cup of hot tea. It didn't ask what was the best meal for me.
2. The highlight for you? I found a posted job opening in Bay Area that looks interesting and for which I am qualified right now.
3. The lowlight? Not much low, really, because though I've been tired and sore from hauling stuff and loading moving truck and trying to reconcile school and work stuff in spare time, it's been a productive time. So maybe the lowlight was when I opened door to apartment a few hours ago and felt a desperate desire to go to bed and not get up for days. The desire for lingering rest seemed utterly unfulfillable in that moment.
4. Your latest night? About 1am, maybe much later. David and I couldn't get to sleep after I picked up his dad from airport and we finished loading truck. I had the giggles and was excited by camping out in living room.
5. Did you see any movies last week? If so, how would you rate them on a scale of 1-10? While camping out the previous night we watched The Da Vinci Code on dvd. It was much much better than I expected it would be. I'd give it an 8. I especially liked the overlays of historic scenes and the succinct background explanations created for movie from book.

Wow, I feel so much cheerier now. Was it good for you, too?

Roundabout

I've not posted in a while. That's because there is little noteworthy to report. A sampling of my recent life will prove the point...

• Where oh where have I been? I'm tired, that's where.
• I seem to have achieved a bit of a sunburn. I don't recall being out in the sun.
• There's a soundtrack to my past weekend. One song has to do with David and his dad's excursion, one was prompted by my back and forth travels these past weeks, and another I've heard for the first time in years but twice in the last two days and I love the little bass line.*
• I am sick, sick, sick of dining out and eating convenience foods. Not even the spinach sauce at Frankie's or the nutty salad at Jason's Deli sounds good right now.
  
• Of all the things that trouble me currently about our stuff being gone from Beaumont house (it's "Going to California", you see) is the loss of a non coin-operated washing machine.

* For those of you who prefer not to follow links or read lyrics, some of which are rather not appropriate to my meandering thoughts anyway, the song titles are Going to California by Led Zeppelin, Roundabout by Yes, and Magic by The Cars.