the alphabet with skin and clothespins January 9, 2008

You gotta see this.

via Dooce

Zenn cars

Canadian car company manufactures (and sells, but not here) an electric car.

Juno N’ such: now with spoilers January 7, 2008

My most recent “running goal” was to be able to run 10K without much trouble. Like, not in a race and not for a reason other than ‘hey, let’s go 10K today’. My advisor and her other running partner have started to include me in their weekly 10K (or more) sessions and for the past few weeks (4 weeks but 3 runs) that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. It feels great. I am able to run 10K now without stopping, whining (much), or losing my balance/mind. Sweet. I have a new goal now, though: running 10K without the need for a nap later on that day.  Holy crap! I was fine when I got home and then BAM! Sleep! Right between the eyes! I woke up on the couch disoriented and sad I missed the last half of a really good Curb Your Enthusiasm. I own the DVD, so I wasn’t that sad.  I mean to write about Juno so, that’s exactly what I’m going to do now. Difficult, though, so bear with me.  I saw Juno just over week ago, so I’ve developed different thoughts than when I left the theatre. First and foremost:  I ~did~ like Juno.  At first, I wasn’t sure, but I really did.  I’d actually see it again.  I’d recommend others see it.  So, let that be the foundation that evenly matches our skin tone so that I may apply the cosmetics of criticism.  Nice.  I don’t even wear makeup.  Things I loved about Juno:  Juno.  The acting (everyone).  The love (I said that to be cheesy, but it’s true.  It’s a very sweet movie.).  The cast (Michael Cera, the guy who plays Schillinger in Oz, Jason Bateman, whoever the girl was who played Juno…).  Juno was level headed, smart, and adorable throughout.  I loved the relationship she had with her father and her stepmother.  I loved her best friend… equally clever and very supportive without at all being sappy.Here’s what I didn’t love: the male roles.   And I am clearly in the minority on this one, but I felt -as a whole- the male characters in Juno were weak. Not underrepresented, as supporting female roles often are…but just plain weak. Lemme explain. *** Here is where I always have trouble explaining exactly how I feel without sounding like an a-hole. So, instead of writing another long description of the male characters in Juno, I’ll just quickly state it as best I can and then if anyone has a beef, they can comment and I’ll try to explain more. Here goes: the stepfather was lovely. Bleeker was sooo lame. He was pushed out of the events in such a way that I’m not sure his character could stand. That whole things just didn’t make sense to me. The most disappointing was Jason Bateman’s character. I was really rooting for the blossoming friendship between Juno and him and I felt that the turn it made (the nearly romantic and creepy) just wrecked it. The tension held because he was a good guy in a marriage that was not healthy, although his wife was wonderful…just too high strung for the likes of him. I liked that. Two multi-dimensional characters, one who identifies with the baby and the other who identifies with the girl carrying that baby. I thought his weird flirtation with Juno and his sudden bombshell (along with the step-mother’s foreshadowing) turned him from multi-dimensional character to creep in seconds flat. There. I said it. That was my big let down. Both of the most important male characters seemed to throw up their hands in a I-dunno kinda way as soon as the baby issue fell anywhere near them. As if it was ‘chick stuff’. The women all leapt into action, but the men…at least the two main ones…dropped the ball completely.It’s been difficult to write this one, but I think I got my main point across. Does it make sense?  UPDATE:  I went to go see Juno again and I think I’ve changed my mind.   

movies n’ such January 5, 2008

I’m back.  Been awhile since I’ve written on the ol’ bloggity. School finished for me (ie. I finished my last paper) on the 20th and it has been a whirlwind of holiday excitement since. Until about 3 days ago, when I planted my ass and refused to budge. I am officially ~relaxing~.Part of my relaxation/holiday has been to see a couple of movies. I think my years as a projectionist made me appreciate more the fun of going to a matinee solo. I saw The Golden Compass and Juno.The Golden Compass…apparently there’s been a fuss? Something about atheism? I didn’t see it, but then I am a heathen non-believer and also it’s apparently more prevalent in the sequel(s). Overall, I enjoyed it. But I enjoyed it like I do most adventure/Harry Potterish movies…probably will never see it again and will forget what it’s all about next week, anyway. Coveted the costumes, though. Dang.I have, as of the past year or so, become more sensitive. Perhaps not in the good way, but I will cry at the drop of a well timed hat. I hate that. It’s taken away my desire to see so many movies that I would otherwise probably check out. All I need is a mournful string section and I’m dabbing at my eyes with kleenex. Gad…what a sap I am! Anyway, the friendship that develops between the girl and the bear put me over the edge a few times. Really. Wtf?

I’m going to write about Juno in a different post. I am clearly in the minority on this one, so I have to concentrate on writing it properly…back in a sec.

Think of it as a type of reveille

I bring you this, my friends, to signal the dawning of my return (is that semantically possible?).