Thinking of going to see "Wall-E"?
Current mood: inspired
Have you been reading all the reviews of "Wall-E"? All the glowing, oh-my-god-this-movie-is-amazing reviews? There's good reason for those reviews. And here comes another one.
I went to go see "Wall-E" with a band of coworkers/movielovers yesterday. I had been trying to avoid all of these reviews (although Cindy would tell me excitedly of each one , and on the way over there was another from my beloved NPR) just because I didn't want all that build up to a possible disappointment.* So, even though I was excited, I was still kind of bracing myself as I sat down in the theater (with far too many kids who were faaar too young to be in a movie theater.**)
Most simply, "Wall-E" is a tale of two robots in love. Wall-E is an innocent, curious little guy who longs, with every circuit in his frame, just to be able to hold hands with that someone special. To build on that, it's also a tale of consumerism gone wild, of humanity literally trashing the planet, of making a fresh new start, and of learning to live life again. Don't get me wrong: there's enough antics and action to keep the tots amused. But I think the adults will be awed by the deeper movie that is. We've come to expect the best from Pixar, and with this film, they show storytelling at some of it's finest.
(And heaven help me, if I hear any complaints that there's hardly any talking in this, I'm going to chase you down and beat you with a bit of wood! A movie of this caliber doesn't need to be weighed down with needless chatter. Just watch it, for pity's sake.)
*Like, for instance, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". I think everyone else in the world loved this movie. I thought it was annoying and pompous, and, like the overwhelming majority of Jim Carrey movies, a little bit of my life that I will NEVER get back!
**Like one kid who, if Wall-E wasn't on the screen constantly for the first 20 minutes, would ask his mommy (loudly) "Where did Wall-E go?". He's off screen, kid, so can it! But, as a testement to Pixar, the whole theater, squawky kids included, was absolutely enrapt!
Today after my time at the pool, I decided to take the long way home. Rather than just the straight block back, I elected for the back way which is more windy, and far more pleasant (ie: ponds rather than a busy main road!)
I stopped at the Main Goose Pond on my way. There must have been 3 dozen geese and a few ducks there today, and oh how I wish I'd brought some bread for them! It's amazing at how quickly geese grow. I've only really seen the hatchlings for a month or so and already most of them are losing their fluffy down and several look almost like the adults already except for a patch here and there! If you know anything about birds and bird behavior, a group like that can be fun to watch to see all of their social interactions.
There was a young squirrel there, too. Just a little guy. We played peek-a-boo for a good five minutes, me from the picnic bench and him from his tree. Most squirrels are pretty bold anyway, but I think this one was having as much fun as I was.
I got up and got going again, only to stop just a little bit past the bridge. I don't know much about dragon flies or their habits, but they must start out being at least somewhat social as youngsters. The was a batch of brand new ones that must have been a good ten of them flitting around. Their wings were as dark as night, but that was balanced by super electric-green-blue bodies, maybe an inch and a half long. They stayed low in the grass, and one even lit on my sleeve for a little bit.
Then, just as I got back to my apartment, a minivan slowed down alongside of me. Uh oh, what's this now? An older man, though, peeked out and asked, "Weren't you just at the goose pond?"
"Yep, that's me," I said.
"You deserve to be that happy everyday," he replied, then wished me a good day and drove off again! Wow.
Let's just hope the rest of the day goes that great as the first half!!
The More People I Meet, The More I Prefer My Cats: Memorial Day Edition
Current mood: incredulous
{So yeah, evidently blogging with me goes in trends....}
Ahhhhh. I have a nice, sunny day off and a chance to wash my car. I know there's a chance of showers predicted, but it reeeeally needed it and what better way to kick off summer?
I trotted down the stairs to head out to my car when I see four small children, maybe ages 3 to 6, capering around outside the door, all carrying their own little bags as if they went grocery shopping. Cute. I open the door to head out myself and flash them a pleasent smile as they all stampede in before me.*
I start walking down the walkway when I see some tubby soccermom in stretch pants and crocs shlepping along toward me. Her weary eyes look toward the door and then she zeros in on me, "Did you let those kids in?"
I'm thrown off a little by the hostility in her tone, "I was, er, heading out."
"They weren't supposed to go in!" she informs me.
"I-I-it looked like they had groceries," I stumbled.
"They weren't supposed to go in," she repeats and shoots me a glare. At this point I really had to clench my jaw as any number of retorts came to me ("Then maybe they should stay with you if you haven't got them well trained enough." "Then tie little notes around their necks like Padington Bear since the rest of us aren't gifted enough to read your mind." as well as a couple of other, even less nice comebacks) that just would have gotten me into more trouble. I got to my car and the woman got to the door and started snarling at the kids, "You get out here!"
Cripes.
Screw her. I drive my car over to the carwash area, which is nice and empty. I'll enjoy a little car washing and write her off as a waste of time in my life and hope I never cross paths with her again. With my exceedingly nifty Mr. Clean Auto Dry CarWash Kit in hand**, I rinse, soap, wash, rinse again, and then wash it down with the deionized spray that makes it dry before your eyes. Satisfying and fun. As I start to take this magical device off the hose, a guy comes rolling up in some pimped out 1980's boat of a car. Not typically my taste, but someone did do some nice body work on it, even if it is as high off the ground as a jeep.
I pack up, and the guy turns the hose on over the top of his car....and my car too!! My jaw drops to the ground and twit keeps right on spraying allllll over both of our vehicles, blissfully unaware, evidently, and me and my car are even there! I jump in my car toute suite and take off for somewhere more dry. Thankfully, the deionized rinse-dry seemed to be unaffected by dumbell and his washing habits....
But really, what's with people? Just a combination of rude, mindless, and inconsiderate, or what?
But hey: if nothing else, my car is clean and happy for the time being.
*I know I have a reputation for not liking kids. They're not so bad, really, just so long as they're well behaved and have been brought up by parents who can actually make an effort to raise decent little humans. I've just found it, in my experience, that such kids (and such parents) are few and far between.
**A very cool toy! I would recomend to anyone. All the fun of washing your car, none of the annoyance of playing race-the-clock to dry it off afterwards to avoid waterspots.
A Question to the Grillers Out There...?
Current mood: frustrated
What does one have to do, exactly, to make a helluva lot of smoke come from your grill? Especially if it's supposed to be a propane grill!
Our downstairs neighbors have gotten a grill this spring, and every time they fire the damned thing up, we get smoked out of our apartment. It's nearly every weekend this happens. I've got to suspect Mr. Swearypants, as I'm come to call him, has an "illegal" (according to the lease) grill, because a gas grill shouldn't do that.
We've been tolerant. When you live around a lot of people, like in an apartment building, you have to be. This has happened like 4 or 5 times now. Last time it happened, Roommate Rich went downstairs to ask him to please not do that because it filled our apartment with smoke every time they did, and that it irritated one of the roommate's asthma problems. How did he respond? He told us to close our windows! (btw, they already were!)
We keep wanting to talk to the apartment complex about this problem, but we're afraid it might kick off a war! We are not a loud people by any means up here, but I'm afraid if we complain about them, we won't be able to walk across the floor on more than tip-toe without setting them off.
Grrrrrrr....
As much as I love my apartment, these people down there are the one dark point of it.
I have a new respect for the gang at Nintendo!
Current mood: amused
The other morning I got up early, went down to Target, and got the Wii Fit to go along with my game system. It is very cool: it's a balance board that weighs you, takes your BMI, and then teaches you yoga, strength exercises, and helps you work on improving your balance.
But here's the cool part:
In the balance games, there's a perfect one for kids. It's called "Lotus Focus". The point of the game is seeing how still and straight you can sit and for how long. Start to wiggle or sway (or "lose your focus") and wah-wah! You lose!
Hahahaha! Terribly amused by that! And I'm only an amateur at it. Top score? 92 seconds.
Currently
playing
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Wii Fit Release date: 2008-05-21
Not Getting All the Hate (Indy 4 spoilers)
Current mood: confused
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Yesterday was opening day of the new Indiana Jones movie, and dude!! I was there! Complete with hat and jacket, because yes, I am just that much of a geek. But hey, the last one was back in 1989, so if I have that much of a geek flare up every 20 years or so, there's little harm in it, right?
I've got to tell you, it's a lot of fun. Don't go expecting High Art, just go with the idea that it's a rollicking popcorn flick. It's Indiana Jones, afterall. What I'm really shocked at, though, is all the absolute HATE I've been seeing from people on line towards this movie. wtf? How is it people can like "The Phantom Menace" and "Wild Hogs" and "Spiderman 3" (a short list of my more recent "Craptastic Movies") but be so hard on this?
"Unrealistic" -Dude! It's Indiana Jones! It's Hollywood. It's not supposed to be terribly realistic. From a distant view point, all personal beliefs aside, the last ones weren't, either! The first movie features ghosts that melt peoples' faces. The second one is about pulling peoples' hearts out through their chests, leaving them alive all the while. The third was about a cup of ever lasting life being guarded by a knight who was several hundred years old. Are aliens such a far stretch?
"I hate Shia LaBeouf" -Really, did you guys like all the screeching and whinning from "Willie" Scott in "Temple"? The kid's not that bad. (Anyone else thought he'd said his name was Mud when he first introduced himself? I only realised once I read his jacket.)
*more various pissing and moaning about aliens* -This movie takes place in the 50's, and I thought it was fitting to move the Indy universe into that in every way: from Red Scares, rock and roll, malt shops, and, yes, Aliens! And once more, we are dealing with things that are, as said in a previous Indy movie "Bedtime stories". So what's the big deal?
Not to say there isn't stuff I wouldn't change. There's always room for improvement. Still, people are going overboard.
I suppose there's more I could go into, but I'll keep it at that for now. I'm just shocked at all the absolute venom this seems to be drawing ("I want my money back", "Lucas should be taken out back and shot", "Spielberg should be banned from making movies!" -the last to which I say, are you frickin' nuts?! I'm happy he finally made something fun again! Most of his stuff in recent years has been either just boring or overdramatic. Blah.)Maybe people are jealous or something. Either that or they're just looking to be happy through hate....*shrug*
It's almost a perfect day: The sun is out With maybe a whisp or two of cloud And every other tree seems to bloom with a smell like a candlestore. And your sneakers (just plain sneakers) want to carry you off through the land covered in green with yellow dandylions but there's not a decent playground or swingset to be found or anyone to play with even if there were.
(There's no form to it or anything, just something my head kinda puked out. It came to me as I was walking back from lunch/dinner, bugging me to put it down before it ran off again. I have been wanting to blog more often... So feel free to wander off. Nothing more to see here.)
It’s a Wild Animal, Not a Pet (or Put That Thing Back Outdoors!)
Current mood: tired
It is no surprise to anyone who knows me that this is my favorite time of year, Spring and Summer (any time with decently warm weather!). With this weather, however, comes a seasonal problem that I, and I dare say just about anyone that works at a petstore and knows animals well, drives me just about up the wall. The problem? Good Samaritans dragging wild animals into their homes.
These are quite often lovely, well-meaning folk who are operating on a poor idea, that wild animals simply cannot function without our help. Or, there's a cousin to this: the well-meaning parent who cannot tell their kid "No".
This is the time for it. I see one of these sorts at least once a day. Generally they come in carrying a shoe box. Inside is either a curled up bit of fluff who will one day, hopefully, be a bunny, or a turtle. The Samaritans are often the ones with a bunny: "Yes, we found this outside and it's mother hasn't been back in days!"
Yes. Yes it has. Otherwise Lil' Baby Bun-Bun wouldn't be here any more. Do you have any idea how high its metabolism is? Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean she's taken off to spend some ill-gotten gains in Vegas! This is a prey animal. When she sees a predator (ie. You) she hides until she is well sure that the coast is clear and the big scary predator isn't going to eat her. She knows her little one will stay down, stay put, and stay safe. Everytime you go to check on dear Lil' Baby Bun-Bun, mom stays away that much longer.
Then there's the cousin, the parents who can't say no. Sometimes they are also trying to save dear Lil' Baby Bun-Bun, but more often than not they are carrying in a shoebox filled either with a turtle or some kind of amphibian, such as a frog or salamander. You see, Little Timmy found this outside and wants it to be his new pet. Well, Little Timmy doesn't want to put it outside (who's the parent here?!) so what do we have to do to keep this? A gold fish bowl and pellets should be enough, right?
Wrong! What you're looking at is getting an aquarium as big as you can possibly manage, a good submersible filter, a daytime heat source, preferrably a nighttime heat source, and a UVB light, substrate, and a hiding place. Not to mention probably a weekly trip to the pet store to purchase live food in the form of crickets or minnows to feed your new "pet". Not to mention the whole Law thing. It is illegal to take turtles from the wild in the State of Michigan. You do want to teach your kids how to be a good, law abiding citizen, right?
You know what would be better? Putting it back in its original environment. Yes, Little Timmy might be upset, but guess what? Kids are smart and resiliant. He will get over it, and looking back, realize it was the better thing for that animal. He is not really going to hate you forever and the loss of this turtle will not affect his grades in school from here on, cause him to be a high school drop out, and ultimately land him in prision for matricide or patricide. If this does happen, I'll put money down that it is a problem that cannot be traced back to a wild turtle release.
If you do keep this animal, despite one's best efforts, it's lifespan is bound to be considerably shorter. First off, nutrionally it isn't getting all of it's needs. Wild animals get things from the wild that one really can't get in domestication. Secondly, their little hearts can only take so much stress! You might have the most beautiful family on the block, but as far as this creature is concerned you are the scariest bunch of monsters ever. It's been taught its entire life to avoid humans, that humans are dangerous. Now the humans are constantly hovering over it. Sure, they offer food, but who knows when they're going to strike? Not to mention the enviroment is so incredibly alien, it can be more than difficult to adjust. What if you were suddenly plopped down on another planet? Not some nifty Star Trek planet either, where the inhabitants are just other humans with lumpy heads, but something completely beyond your imagining. That's what this little creature is going through.
"But won't it's mother smell humans on it and abandon it?" For a mammal, this might be a problem, but often not. If you're really that worried, cut a grape in half and brush that through its fur. That should neutralize any people scent. For a bird, don't even worry. Their sense of smell isn't that great. It's a sparrow, not a bloodhound.
"But what will happen in winter?" What will happen in winter? The same thing that has been happening with these creatures since before there were humans here. The mammals and birds will either migrate, hibernate, or just keep doing their own thing, surviving. The reptiles and amphibians often find some nice soft mud, burrow in, and go to sleep until the weather gets friendly again. These little guys know what they're doing. They are wild animals. Dogs and cats are not. Dogs and cats are domesticated and need our care, they are dependant on us. Wild animals get along well on their own and should continue to do so.
So please. I'm not trying to be mean. When I've told people this, they look like I've just slapped them. I am trying to sentence their little creature to certain death. No, anything but. People like me who work in petstores love animals. Heck, we've chosen to make them a part of our lives for 40 hours at least a week! So just give a listen and think it over. These are words from a person who might just know a little more about animals than you.
Thanks.
ps- On a related note, Snapping Turtles DO NOT tame down. These are aggressive, strong little animals with a helluva reach! This is not a proper pet for your kid! This is not some Readers Digest story: ...It was the Smith Family and their loyal pet Jaws against The World. Jaws was saved from the cruel world by the Smiths and soon became their protector and most cuddly pet ever, despite what the mean horrid pet store people told them. Jaws went on to become a world champion frisbee catcher, and is known to frolic through fields of gold with his family.... Yes, frisbee catching Snappers are fiction, just as cuddly sweet Snappers are. Injuries to your family are not worth it.
You don't realize how poorly you've been sleeping until the morning you wake up after a good night's sleep! I woke up this morning actually feeling rested, after my first night with my new mattress. No more being startled awake because I've gone to move and it feels like I'm about to fall into the little dippy parts of my old mattress. This one, and my Tempurpedic pillow, cuddle me up close. Life is good. I woke up smiling. Spring is finally here, and the sun was streaming in. I bought this little machine that has a solar panel that turns a crystal that flashes rainbows across the room. I've got good friends, good kittens, and good coffee. I've had more good customers than bad (Knock on wood) and just about everything is right with the world.
...talk about the difference the quality of sleep makes!
inspired
, and on the way over there was another from my beloved NPR) just because I didn't want all that build up to a possible disappointment.* So, even though I was excited, I was still kind of bracing myself as I sat down in the theater (with far too many kids who were faaar too young to be in a movie theater.**)
peaceful
silly
frustrated
amused
confused
tired
