Iconic Films

Ah, another movie post. Hope no one minds!

Over the long weekend, we had Metro's Mum and Dad visiting -- for the most part, a classic in-law visit: dinner out at the local delicious Greek restaurant, a day trip to see some wineries, huge turkey dinner...and Metro took his Dad out one night for a poker game, leaving Mum and me to our own devices.

We watched a movie -- her choice: Thelma and Louise (1991). She said she was tired of always pretending to have seen it, because it was so iconic.

Is that the definition of an iconic film? It works for me.

Last night, I saw another iconic film for the first time: The Warriors (1979) -- a film so ingrained in movie culture that I feel like I'd already seen it. (The 70s version of 300...)

Off the top of my head, I'd say the most iconic film of the current generation, if we use the definition above ("Oh, right! Yeah...that film!") is Mike Judge's Office Space (1999).

Here's some proof:



And if you've heard people talk about a "TPS report," wondered why red Swingline staplers are so freakin' popular now, or had someone ask you if you have a 'case of the Mondays', and you just don't get it, go out and watch this film:




So, what other iconic films are out there that we all need to see to fully function in today's society?

Browsing movies

I really enjoy movies. And I have a confession to make, to those of you who don't know me, I'm a re-watcher. Yes, I delight in throwing a movie into the machine that I've seen a multitude of times, because I know how it will make me feel -- and I want that!

Come on -- there are more of you out there. What movies do you re-watch, and why? The comments are open!

Last night, I encouraged good ol' Metro to go play poker at a friend's place (He would like to point out that he broke even.). I knew I was in an escapist movie mood, and figured it would be easier to watch what I wanted without him! (Oh, he's patient and all, but understandably not that great with the re-watching thing...)

So I watched my new DVD copy of The Little Princess (1995), based on the book by Frances Burnett Hodges, one of my childhood favourites. Even though I hadn't seen this one in years, I was not surprised to see that it was directed by Alfonso Cuaron, who directed the most delightfully moody of the Harry Potty films (Prisoner of Azkaban). Everything in the film The Little Princess is essentially in two colours -- a dark green representing all that is dark and unpleasant, and sunny yellows and golds to represent all that is magical and good. It works beautifully.

And despite having seen the film a few times, I still sobbed like a baby. I love films!

Then, not having had enough, and having a purring cat, a fireplace, a little bowl of barbecued peanuts, and a beer, I threw in my VHS copy of the movie The Fifth Element (1997). I absolutely adore this film, and have watched my VHS copy to fuzzy-wavy-lines-of-VHS-death. The next time I see a DVD copy, I'll to pick it up (I've been resisting...but I want the extra features!).

Browsing IMDB this morning, I came across the most delightful bit of cross-movie pollination! I discovered that the wacky mugger in the Fifth Element...



...is the delightful romantic lead Nino from Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (the actor Mathieu Kassovitz)



I love finding these connections!

Talk to me of movies!

Lori

Something I've wanted to know...

I've got a lot of cousins, and some of them are 2nd cousins once-removed...or is that 1st cousins twice-removed?

I found a chart (here), and now my life is complete. :-)


So my mom's first cousin is my 1st cousin once removed, and her kids are my 2nd cousins.

I really do feel better knowing this!

Lori

Students Run Underground Junk Food Trade

The local school board could take the credit if they wanted to -- "See, the students learned a valuable history lesson about how organized crime began in the United States, and learned entrepreneurial skills at the same time!"

(The full story here.)

Some high school students are making money by selling junk food out of lockers at their Burnaby school despite a provincial ban on junk food sales now in effect in all B.C. schools.

The three Grade 11 students — who asked to be identified only as Weeman, The Fern and Goggles — told CBC News they made more than $200 in the first week of school by bulk-buying candy and chocolate bars, then selling them at a profit.

And the beautiful part of the story is that the School Board isn't cracking down...they're a bit proud of them, I think.

Plus, there's an intimation that teachers are taking advantage of the opportunity as well!

The Piano

Watch more cool animation and creative cartoons at aniBoom

A lovely way to start the day...

Lori

The Reason I Could Never be a Photojournalist:

more animals


Lori

Stationary and Wacky Fun -- 2 of my fave things!

From the guys who brought you the Mentos-magic...

Fun with Post-its!




(Source)

Enjoy!

Lori

Destino -- Dali meets Disney

More intellectually absurd than my normal head-slapping variety...but absolutely, almost painfully beautiful and brilliant is this trailer for a "Salvador Dali/Disney collaboration Destino that was begun in the 40's and only released recently":

Chef-d'oeuvre ! Walt Disney + Salvador Dali
Uploaded by LTT

The whole piece is about 7 minutes long, as the source points out:

Sublime !

Collaboration artistique unique entre deux géants !

Walt Disney commande un dessin animé à Salvador Dali dans les années 40 et décontenancé par le resultat jugé "trop original", le film initulé "Destino", petit bijou de 7 minutes, restera dans les placards de Disney jusqu'en 2003, date de sa sortie aux USA.

Lori

A Group of Individuals

Last week, my man and I were in a hotel in Our Nation's Capital. Yes, thanks for asking, we had a good time. A bit stressful, with all of the visiting-family requirements, but fun. [Note to self: next year, do not combine family obligations with holiday.]

But when I stay in hotels, I watch TV. It's really the only time I watch TV, so suddenly I get to see the underbelly of our culture as something of an anthropologist...with fresh eyes.

This time around, I noticed that the cult of individuality, mutated into a revolting sameness that inspires every young woman to be a slut with a lower back tattoo just like everyone else's, and makes me confuse Christina Aguilera with Paris Hilton (Is it only me, or are they clones of each other?), has now spread to advertising, where what's cool goes to die.

• A car commercial that has cars (and drivers, I assume) coming together for a rally: "It is that which makes us different that brings us together!" yells the speaker. The tag line? "United by Individuality"
• A commercial for a cell phone company which entices potential new customers with "the only thing we have in common is how different we are."
• A(ny) commercial for alcohol that has the whole bar drinking the same mixed drink (following the herd ain't just for beer any more!). My, aren't they having fun.

So, is that it then? Is the cultural love affair with individuality run its course? When it's the theme of 3 oft-repeated commercials shown during the broadcast of one re-run of CSI, could it be that Individuality as the Icon of Cool is dead?

Gads. What's coming up behind us, here in the mainstream? (Yes, RC, I hear you...You, of course, are not mainstream...)

I mean, really, if an idea, a cultural meme (in its original meaning) works its way through the initiators, then the early adoptors, then the rest of the world before becoming noticed by ad execs...then individuality is in its death throes.

Okay, so being an individual is not a short-lived trend, like some. From Jung helping people along the path of individuation, through to today's tattoos and piercings being the norm, this trend has had some real longevity. But I'm throwing these musings out to my clever readers -- What's next? If individuality is old hat, what can possibly follow it?

Lori

The Omnivore's 100

Ripped shamelessly from casa az: yet another list...

So, you know the drill:

"Copy the following list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
Cross out any items that you would never consider eating."

I've had 75 out of the 100. I've noticed that a lot of interesting things aren't there -- like 100-year-old eggs, geoduck, live octopus, or bo-shin-tang (dog stew). I've not had live octopus, but I have had live sushi.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses (I'm going to assume yes, since I tried many stinky soft cheeses in Paris, yum!)
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or Head Cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam Chowder in Soudough Bowl
33. Salted Lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac
37. Clotted Cream Tea
38. Vodka Jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth $120 or more
46. Fugu (aka pufferfish) (didn't know it until I was done...best damn fish ever!)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings [maybe not, now that I've looked them up!]
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost or brunost
75. Roadkill [depends on how old...]
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess fruit pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang Souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom Yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. 3 Michelin Star Tasting Menu
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose Harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole Poblano
96. Bagel and Lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

How about you?

Lori

Game Night Fun

Okay, I'll admit, I'm a game fan. I've clocked some hours in roleplaying games, Civilization...I played Civilization when it was, gasp, a board game!

I was terribly depressed after going into a gaming store in the late 90s, asking if they had any bookcase games...The young guy in the store looked bewildered. "Bookcase game? What's that?"

Ah well. I enjoyed the marathon gaming sessions as a 20-something, and now that I'm a mumble-mumble-something, I enjoy my evenings of drinking wine and playing games with friends.

Which brings me to the new game in my repertoire, ZapIt's GameWave.

Before we go any further, as I've mentioned before (here, here, here and here), I'm into the whole phenomenon of word-of-mouth marketing...I get samples of products, and chat about them -- with full disclosure of course.

Well, I received a GameWave unit through BzzAgent.com and to be completely honest, I'm thrilled with it! I like my games competitive, but without rancor, and that is exactly what we get with this unit.

I've had a couple of game evenings with friends so far, and they were definitely successful. Luckily, the most successful game so far is the one that comes free with the unit, "4 Degrees", a trivia game. What really works is that all of the games are played by everyone all at once, as everyone has a remote that works independently. It's a very neat concept, and all of the games are familiar ones, with mutations that take this everyone-at-the-same time idea to a new level.

Tips
If you do some looking around on the site (GameWave), and you're interested in purchasing one of these units, here are some things I've discovered:

• The unit comes with 4 remotes, and most of the games can only accommodate 4 remotes. No need to upgrade with the extra 2 remotes until they have more games that can use them.
• Other BzzAgents have had problems with the unit and its interaction with plasma TVs. But, they've also reported very good customer service -- so check before you buy, to see if it is (still) a problem.
• The Bejeweled clone game, "Gemz" is cool, but definitely needs a larger TV if you want to play with opponents. I won't even bring it out when people come over...my TV is too small!
• If you are interested, let me know, 'cause I can toss a coupon your way. Email me at loricat at gmail dot com.

Enough of the product-praise. I think my regular readers understand that I wouldn't give a good review of anything if it were shite...I've panned books and products in my time.

Back to your regularly scheduled absurdities...

Lori

Lazy "Artists"

So, I was wandering in an adult toy store this evening...

Get your minds back here! I was in a Future Shop, not the other kind of toy store!

Anyway, I was browsing the cheap DVDs, and I came across this fabulous 1985 movie:

We all remember this one? I'm sure it was on everyone's Top 10 lists!

But Dennis Quaid's picture on this poster/cover made me stop short...

"Hell, he looks just like Miles Vorkosigan!!"

So, out there somewhere is an artist that got paid the big bucks at Baen books in 1995 for "creating" this very cool cover art.

Buddy, people have longer memories than that!

Lori

Can Pass Air

Press releases abound today for the launch of Canada's new get-through-customs-easy-like program: CANPASS Air.

C'mon people! Did you not run this past a couple humans with even a mild sense of humour before the launch?!?

What's next for the border? CanPass Gas?

Make me proud!

Lori

Inflatable dog turd sculpture escapes Swiss museum, wreaks havoc

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up!

For real and for true.

Found this via a friend on Facecrack...whose favourite headline when we were kids was "Hippo Crushes Circus Dwarf."

Lori

We Are What We Do

I was pointed in the direction of a great site today: We Are What We Do. It is a simple way of reminding people that all of the little things that we can do every day will make the world a better place. (Here's my public action list if you're interested.)

The key thing here is the word 'better'. Far too many people find themselves paralyzed by the enormity of the task of making the world 'perfect'...lower your standards, and things actually get done!

And that is the lovely, simple premise of the book The Better World Handbook (already in its second edition!). I had the great honour of being involved in a wacky one-day festival in Vancouver a few years ago that was celebrating this book.

Now the word is getting around, and people are happily lowering their expectations to better the world.

What did you do today?

Lori

What defines Canada?

According to an enormous poll of Canadians (conducted by Ipsos-Reid), the top five things that define Canada are:

1. Maple Leaf
2. Vimy Ridge
3. Canadian Flag
4. Queen Elizabeth
5. Hockey
   

And the list goes on to outline the 101 things that we thought encapsulated our fair country.

What do you think?

Lori

How the Music Turns

Well, my Zune arrived. Cute little thing. And they sent along some extras -- the adaptor (to be able to charge it up when not near a computer) and ultra-snazzy headphones. I will play it with the headphones that com mit, to be able to comment on them.

Disclaimer: If you're just stopping by for the first time, you may want to read this post. It's some background of why I have this cute little Zune to play with.)

I am not having the problems that Raincoaster is having. She's trapped by technological issues, poor thing. The Zune needs at least Windows XP, with a minimum of Service Pack 2 installed. That second point took me a while to get myself.

So, besides it being cute, what are my first impressions?

I like the interface. Big, clear, intuitive. (Take a look at Cnet.com's review with video showing the interface.)

It annoyed me that I had to get all the updates for my Windows XP. Okay, yes, maybe I should have been on top of that, but still...

I was worried about the implications of the file sharing capabilities this thing supposedly has. You and your friend could be hanging out in a coffee shop, and using the wireless connection, you could throw a song at your friend: "Here, try this one!" Neat...and no, not stealing files. You can listen to a song received that way 3 times before it deletes itself (or something), but it will remind you to look that song up later (when hooked up to the Internet where you can buy it, of course.).

I also like that when you're playing one song, you can navigate all over the thing, browsing your songs, videos, podcasts...but it won't interrupt the song, until you hit play on something else.

More later.

Lori

Goodbye Oliver...I barely knew you!

I just got an email today from Metro's sister...linking me to an article in the Toronto Star about the sudden death of Oliver Schroer -- Canadian composer and violinist.

I first experienced his music on an Easter Sunday CBC special called "Churchgoing" (no where near as religious as it sounded...included readings and a Monty Python sketch!). Metro and I were driving and suddenly this song came on:




Schroer had actually done the Camino de Santiago through France and Spain:

He had just released his CD, Camino, to critical and audience raves. Camino was recorded over two months in 2004 as he and two friends walked the Camino de Santiago, an ancient trail that wanders across France and Spain. Schroer stopped in churches along the way to play his violin.

(Hmm...the Camino is a pilgrimage, not merely a trail. Silly newspaper!)

The music recorded along the way, with rudimentary equipment that he and his friends carried for 1,000 kilometers, was soaring -- violin pieces played in old cathedrals along the way. It appealed to me also as an architecture buff, as you can almost hear the expanse of vaulted ceilings in this music. I immediately went out and bought the CD, and it is now one of my favourites, that I force friends to listen to all the time.

But in the end, succumbing to leukemia at 52, it will be his attitude that stands out:

His acceptance of his imminent death comes from how he has lived.

"As an artist, I found my own unique voice and have been able to publicly express that voice. I've gotten to collaborate with different wonderful musicians. What more does an artist want?

"I'm one of the burning-bright guys who fire it all up and then go down in flames."

May we all have this acceptance when our time comes.

Lori

LOL + Graphs + Geekdom

I can't believe that I've not run into this before...LOLGraphs at GraphJam. I guess I was too wrapped up in the feline version...

So, thanks to the Nag for expanding my horizons.

Here's one for all you geeks out there:
Lori

How many can you name?

So, how many countries can you name in 5 minutes?

I got 52 out of 195...27%

5 minutes passes fast when you're trying to type, and remember how to spell Uzbekistan.

How 'bout you? (No cheating now...tell us the results from your first try!)

Lori

The Saga Continues...

The Search for the Perfect Digital Music Player takes a new step today...

Last week, Raincoaster posted "The Swag Report", and sent me an email pointing out how I should give this a shot: fill out a brief online survey at Matchstick.ca then wait to see if you fit their profile. If so, they'll send you a Zune mp3 player to try out. I guess I fit their profile...

Since I got the call today, so soon after Canada Day, I feel I should mention that this is a promotion for the Canadian launch, so only Canadians need apply (not USians).

"What's the catch?" I can hear my loyal readers saying...Ah yes, there's always a catch. The idea is that when I receive this thing, try it out, and (hopefully, on their part) like it, I will chat it up with friends and acquaintances. And, as I clarified with the man I spoke to today, if I have problems with it, that I give them honest feedback.

It's always a danger giving stuff to bloggers -- you've got to be mighty confident of your product, and ready to stand back and let them review or not review as they see fit, as the audience will always know a sell-out. But I have absolutely no problem being honest in my praise or criticism.

I've had quite a time in my quest for the perfect digital audio player...

• I started off with a something-or-other provided by Audible.com when I signed up (about 3 years ago now?)
• I bought Metro a Samsung Yepp, which at the time was pretty high-end. He still has it and uses it happily, even though it's got the memory for 1 album's worth of music. Long lasting thing. I don't know what their new products are like, but I'll link to the site -- his has lasted since the spring of '03!)
  
• I then bought the ill-fated piece of junk, the Rio Forge (Here's Metro's blog post about our trials and tribulations with that one!)
• Then we received a video iPod (no link, too much press for that damned company already!), which had awful battery life, so I returned it for store credit. I then did my research and came up with the Archos Gmini -- a thing of beauty, albeit a little bulky. That full story is on my blog, here and here.

So now, the quest continues. I'll keep you all posted as to what I find. And in the meantime, check out the survey, maybe you'll qualify as well. Then we can try out the wi-fi file sharing between units.

Lori

A bit of re-organization

Well, I tried out Blogger's new Blog List, with updates...And Mad, I'm sorry, but it wouldn't accept your URL. I'm not sure why that is, but please don't take it as a slight! (Probably 'cause you're using neither Blogger nor Wordpress.).

So, I added another link list, "More Great Blogs". Plus I've updated my Fave Links with some nice, random stuff. I'll keep adding to it. Oh, and there's a slide show of my Flikr photos.

:-)

Lori

"If Men...."

Remember the quote "if men bled, tampons would be free?" (variously attributed to Erica Jong, Jello Biafra (WTF?), among others...)

How 'bout a variation: If men wore bras, they'd come with little repair kits.

Yesterday, I picked up one of my bras and almost put it on...stopped, because I knew this one had a broken underwire. (Girls, we've all been there, haven't we?) I said, "Oh, I can't wear this one, it's broken."

Metro reaches out for it, saying "What's the warranty like on these things?"

You know, he may have something there.

Lori

Take a chance...

...you just never know!

(Source)

Would anyone like to share a story of a time you took a chance?

Lori

Neutral Good

Years ago, I was a devoted AD&D player. And I thought then, as I do now, that the character alignments were under-utilized. People would often just play their characters any which way they wanted, without caring about an overarching motivation. I once very carefully tried to play a truly neutral character, aiming for some chaos in there -- my character truly did things that I would never have done. The funnest character ever.

Anyway, found a great geek blog where the alignments are partnered with comic book characters. It's a lot of fun...

At least I think so!

Lori

I'd hire him...

Talk about your transferable skills!

(Source)

Would you hire him?

Monsters bring me back...

I apologize for the hiatus in blogging. I'd run into a couple of things I thought might be worth writing about, but nothing seemed...oh, I don't know, significant enough for a return.

Until this morning. I've visited Thailand, but obviously I never watched TV. This commercial found at BoingBoing Gadgets:



Great stuff!

Lori

You'll never guess what this is...

...and if you can, I'll buy you a beer.

Once you've got your guess ready, click here to see the close up.

Cheers,

Lori

Brilliant Sports-woman-ship

A feel-good story from NBC sports:

PORTLAND, Ore. - With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.

But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.

She crawled back to first but could do no more. The first-base coach said she would be called out if her teammates tried to help her. Or, the umpire said, a pinch runner could be called in, and the homer would count as a single.

Then, members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned spectators by carrying Tucholsky around the bases Saturday so the three-run homer would count — an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs.

A beautiful story.

Why couldn't this type of story be the norm, instead of the ubiquitous murder, rape, killing, and war?

Lori

Advice for the mother-to-be...

...as discussed with my co-workers today. One is officially 4 weeks from her due date, the other has two young kids under her belt (so to speak).

Advice #1
The correct response to all the unsolicited advice you will receive:

With a big smile: "Thank you for the advice!" (and do what you were planning to do anyway)

Advice #2
The correct response to yet-another-toy from grandma-to-be:

Said with complete honesty and enthusiasm: "What a great thing to have at grandma's house to play with!!"

You're welcome.

:-)

Lori

Teeth melting cuteness...

see more crazy cat pics

Just can't resist the cuteness...

I promise, a real post soon!

An engineer with 3 cats

Here's Paul and his buddy TJ, messing around with cats, in true engineer fashion:



"Like most engineers, cats are willing to eat the same thing day after day after day..."

Enjoy,

Lori

Make your own...

In case you feel the need to have a physical representation of Ceiling Cat watch you....

(Source)

Are you careful?

(Source)

I'm not concerned so much about googling someone, I'm more concerned about people googling me. But I do believe that my Internet interactions are as transparent as can be...If I were to suddenly run for office and my Internet dealings were uncovered, I'd be okay. I do attempt to write with an awareness of my audience.

But I must say, I worry about some others. I have Facebook counterparts who write the most obnoxious details of their lives in their updates. I have a friend who tells me that, working in HR in a large company, he regularly googles the people whose resumes he gets -- and has found one guy telling friends on a board somewhere that he peed in the staffroom sink at one job, and another one who bragged about stealing from a former company. I wonder how far they got in the interview?

Is your Internet face the same as your public face? Where do they differ? Curious minds want to know...

Lori

Rule #78 in Life:

(Source)

One of my favourite silly movies is Airheads...a 1994 rock'n'roll comedy. (Brendan Fraser's appearance in this film is merely a coincidence!)

And here for your viewing pleasure is the immortal Lemmy in a video with clips from the movie:



Turn up the volume and rock out!

Lori

A Wish of Mine

No, not a wish for humanity, just for me. I've always wanted to be crafty. Arty.

My inner magpie just loves looking at piles of stuff...I'm fascinated by the potential in the raw materials -- paint chips in hardware stores:

those urban recycling craft supply stores...fabric stores and the gorgeous fat quarters:

Bead stores...


But in the end, I don't have the patience, the inclination, what have you.

For those that do, here are some sites for you to play with:

Cut Out + Keep

The Imagination Factory

Make-Stuff

So how crafty are you? Make me jealous in the comments...

Lori

Doing some overtime...

I had to go in to work this Saturday, and worked a solid 6 hours, alone, listening to a blues radio station.

I wondered what would happen if anything happened to me while I was there, as I didn't have any helpful cats about:


see more crazy cat pics

(my apologies for lolcats 2 posts in a row, but you know how it is...)

Lori

RIP Gary Gygax

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

If you don't know who he was, ask the nearest geek.

Thank you, Gary.

Lori

Musicians...the same the world over

None can resist a great tune (by Deep Purple). Here's a Japanese orchestra doing "Smoke on the Water" (found at To Be Asian):



Besides the utter fabulousness of the music, the audience reaction is classic.

This made my day. I hope it makes yours.

Lori

Definitions of Power

Years ago, I picked up a book entitled The 48 Laws of Power (by Robert Greene) [Here are the laws summarized.] I subsequently loaned the book out, and it hasn't been returned -- it's a very interesting book that either teaches one how to be a bastard power-monger, or to recognize one...depending on your point of view. A very entertaining book though...

But if you can't find the book to help you to achieve a persona of power, you can just get yourself one of these:

The Han Solo desk (found at DVICE) has its different messages as well, depending on your point of view...Scary Guy or Enormous Geek.

(and no, I don't want one for Christmas...)

Lori

Book Snobbery

I am a book snob. I'll admit it. You won't catch me reading an Oprah Pick on a bus...(that's a link to a post on this subject at my Book Nook, good discussion in the comments).

Over at casa az, the lovely and literate az has points us all to Cabanon Press, a fun collection of pictures used on the Guardian Saturday Review page. Here's my favourite:

Life does not happen in a vacuum.

What about you? What do you do when you know someone could be looking?

Lori

A Pie Chart for Procrastination

This guy is funny...if a calm nerdy guy can be funny with a flipchart...

But he is!!



Watch all the way through...fascinating stuff you've never really contemplated before!

Lori

Polish Fans

This last week, I seem to have had a few visitors from Poland -- 28% of my visitors in fact!

I don't know any Polish, but please, stop and say 'Hi!'

(Oh, and thanks to a comment somewhere by raincoaster, this blog now comes up as the third hit when someone googles "Lillian Van der Zalm headband". Kill me now.)

My 40th

Today is my birthday. (To those who live near me, be aware that this groundhog has not seen her shadow this morning, and is not likely to -- very overcast.) In preparation for my glorious 40s (to continue on from my brilliant 30s), I'm taking the Pursuit of Excellence course this weekend. Self-examination all the way...

Here is a concept lifted from Norlinda at 30-something-media-addict, who lifted it from Life Begins at 30 (both lovely lists). I've been working on this one for a couple of days, and it has been a good exercise.

So, in no particular order, some things (25) I will never get tired of:

1. a good book
   
2. the first slow gulp of cold beer slipping down my parched throat
   
3. a purring cat
   
4. a cool summer morning and a cup of coffee outdoors
   
5. walking in a snowfall
   
6. laying down a bingo in Scrabble
   
7. standing in the dark nave of a gothic cathedral
   
8. learning something new
   
9. escaping into a delightful movie
   
10. a well-played blues guitar
    
11. dark chocolate
    
12. comprendre quelque chose dans une autre langue
    
13. a really good belly laugh
    
14. crossing things off a To Do list
15. a fresh clean sheet of paper
16. a gathering of like-minded individuals
17. a lovely meadow
18. cooking in a stocked kitchen
19. controlled retail therapy :p
20. the great design of a book or building or object
21. road trips, long or short
22. words strung together in a surprisingly insightful way
    
23. looking up at the stars
24. coordinating the Big Picture
    
25. logic puzzles

A surprisingly easy list to compile, and reminds me that yes, I do incorporate the things I like in my day-to-day existence...but that I could do it more!

Have a great day!

Lori

Appalling Absurdity of the Week

In the news...

A Spanish driver who collided with a cyclist is suing the dead youth's family $29,300 for the damage the impact of his body did to his luxury car, a Spanish newspaper reported on Friday.

Businessman Tomas Delgado says 17-year-old Enaitz Iriondo caused $20,500 of damage to his Audi A8 in the fatal 2004 crash in La Rioja region, the El Pais newspaper reported.

The mind boggles.

I can't even think of anything scathing enough for this guy. Can anyone help?

Lori

Absurd = Pointless Death

What?!? Heath Ledger is dead?

Actors are like the rest of us...they're supposed to live long lives, maybe in obscurity, then pop back into the news, and our hearts, when they die. They're supposed to inspire eulogies of long careers, family lives, community service...not die suddenly in their 20s, mid-career, mid-movie, leaving us all reeling in shock.

You'll be missed, deep man.

Lori

We meet again...

The Nag and I both have a certain je ne sais quoi for Paris...I know this because that's where we met. Or more specifically, on a train to Chartres from Paris.

Funny that we both have pictures trolled from our flickr sites for the Schmap guide to Paris. (Here's her post.) Mine is of le Père Lachaise cemetery:


I have blogged about this cemetery in the past...the best ever virtual tour is of this enormous city of the dead -- check it out!

Next time we go to Paris, Nag, we should travel together. Maybe even leave our men behind!

:-)

Lori

People...generally speaking

In the end, all people share basic similarities. I was an ESL teacher for years, and I always took comfort in the fact that everyone wants pretty much the same things: respect, love, and a good time.

And I didn't need the video below to be convinced that my friend 30-something media addict is:

"... a country-music fan who plays poker and cheers on the local ice hockey team."

I know her to be a witty writer who I can share a Viggo-fest with, who dyes her hair wild colours even though no-one sees it but her, and who is pining for a less soul-sucking job.

Anyway, this is a great video, lifted from her blog:



A tasty, stereotype smashing video. Enjoy.

Lori

Absurd in so many ways...

I feel like I'm stealing some of Metro's thunder, this is more his kind of topic, but I surfed over to the Nag, and she's featuring a great Rick Mercer video today -- how can I resist Rick Mercer?

The ZENN car -- "ZENN" stands for Zero Emission No Noise. I want this car -- and I can buy it, 'cause it's legal in British Columbia (wanna come visit, Nag? Drive mine when I get it?)



The absurdity is the fact that no one in Canada has heard of them. There's not a push on to immediately make them road legal in all Provinces, like NOW. Using one of these would reduce each person's carbon footprint by 6 tons annually.

I want one for my birthday!

Lori

Highlights of 2007

So, what are your highlights of this grand year? Or maybe it was the low points...In any case, why not share with everyone in the comments, and we can either celebrate or commiserate with you!

My highlights?

1. The Rotary Okangan International Children's Festival.
2. My new job with Service Canada.
3. My continued relationship with Metro.

It's early and I have to get my act together to walk to work. I'll probably add more in the comments!

Lori

Food, Family & Fun

...not necessarily all at once.

As my co-worker and I slog away at our projects in a very quiet office, I find myself really looking forward to this whole festive season.

Tonight, we've got some friends in from the Big Smoke for Christmas, and one is even staying to the New Year. I've got a pot roast in the slow cooker, for a delish, no-effort dinner.

Tomorrow, the Day itself, we've ended up with a table of 11. Not bad for a couple whose family is elsewhere for the season. My mom is coming and a few local friends will round out the group.

And, thankfully, the gift pile is a mere dribble...we've got the message out to most that we'd rather not accumulate any more, or buy into the seasonal hype.

So, to everyone, enjoy your day tomorrow. If you are one of the many in the world that do not celebrate Christmas in any of its forms (religious, familial, or consumer), here's a lovely post from Lifehack.org on some ideas for you.

Peace on Earth, and all that!

Lori

Okay. Enough already.

(Visit the gallery of error messages, or create your own, at the Error Message Gallery)

I'm hoping one more post will do it -- drop the cat herding video off the main page.

But this is my last post tonight. I've got Irish Stew cooking...

UPDATE: You'll notice the Cat Herding video doesn't start automatically anymore. I took Nag's advice, and used a screen shot and a link to the video, rather than embedding it. Whew!

Lori

Weird Kitchen Stuff for the Hard-To-Buy-For

8. Instant Hot Dog into Octopus Shaper

Octodog Franfurter

Converter -What the heck is an Octodog?? Well it's a new, unique way to make your hot dog. Just insert hot dog into the Octodog push down and get the craziest looking hotdog you've ever seen." See it here.

That's just one of the wonderful but weird listed at this post.

Here's one that Metro and I saw in Paris:

3. Stab Your Old Boyfriend Knife Holder

" No knife holder has taken a

"greater stab" at the theatrical than this specially designed "Ex" knife holder. Et tu, Brute?.. STORE YOUR KNIVES IN AN ANONYMOUS EFFIGY DEDICATED TO WHOMEVER YOU PLEASE! Take out your frustrations as you store your knives! See it here.

Here's my photo of it:

Thought about buying it for someone...but who??

Lori

Women! Listen up!

Actually, I think the women that visit my blog (or at least those that comment...) are not the audience for this brilliant post that I stumbled on... 20 Posts All Women Should Read from the AllDivaMedia blog.

From the Diva's introduction:

From Body Mass Index, to filthy diamonds, to the Playboy myth, here is a list of 20 posts that all women should read. Some will inspire you, some will upset you, but most of all these posts should educate you. It wouldn’t hurt for the men to check them out as well.

There's some great links in this list -- and I've yet to follow them all.

And do you know of any posts that should also be included?

Lori

(P.S. The (auto-starting) Cat Herding video should be off the front page now. If you're missing it, here's the link to that post!)

Has this happened to you?

The 7 Warning Signs that You're Drunk on Your Own Words

A couple of hours pass and you come back to reread your post. As you scan through it, you feel a weight in the pit of your stomach. This post isn’t brilliant. It’s arrogant, disconnected, and desperate for attention.

Oh, goddess...yes. I've been there.

But not too often.

Read and learn people, read and learn. And pass it on to those who need to know.

Lori

Palindromes...

Really, who's got the time to figure out that

"Go hang a salami. I'm a lasagna hog."

is a palindrome??

Or, here's one about my cat:

A nut for a jar of tuna.

Found at HowStuffWorks.

Lori

Sometimes, life makes sense...

Normally, I'd pass odd stuff like this on to raincoaster, but as I've heard from my loyal readers, if I can't push the cat herding video off the front page (very funny, but auto-starting!), they may never come back....

So, today, live from Head Injury Theater -- an explanation for stupid people:



A few more posts...

Lori

"May the Farm be with you"

Lifted shamelessly from the lovely Nag...



"Trust your peelings, Cuke!"

Gads.

Lori

Have you Ever?

A weird-but-wonderful list lifted from alejna at collecting tokens -- this checklist of things do to before you die tickled my fancy (or my desire to talk about myself!), so here it is.

So, bold if I've done it.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain [since 'rock-climbing' is below, I'm assuming this is walking up]
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer [okay, a geek wrote this list!]
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach [even went swimming]
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror [I'm going to assume this means full costume & full participation at a public viewing.]
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery [technically yes, but nothing altering...]
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language [did I mention that there are overtones of geek in this list?]
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts [I mean, really!]
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Hmm. 74 in all. Some of these I'll never do...like scuba diving, or touching a tarantula. Others I hope I never do, like #149.

You know the drill -- tag yourself if this intrigues you, and let me know how it goes!

Lori

A Concern

(sorry it's so small)

How do I find out if my cats have blogs?

(From Wondermark by David Malki)

Lori

I've always wanted to try this...

How many times has it come up in conversation?

"Have you ever listened to Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz?"

Here's a site with all of the synchronicities detailed.

I've always wanted to know -- what would prompt someone to think "I'm going to match up a Pink Floyd album with that movie, see what happens"? What came first, the idea or the drugs??

Well, one day I'll find me a copy of The Wizard of Oz...see what happens.

Lori

Thoughts for the Day

Over at casa az today, she is contemplating a very real thought for the day. (Go on over, give her the linkie love, then c'mon back here for my addition to such absurdities of modern life.)

Ahem! Still here?
Seriously, go there, and come back. It's easier for you to do that than it is for me to copy the picture, paste it into Paint and save it, then upload it. (And if any of you can tell me why "Save image as..." no longer seems to work for me, I'll give you a big wet sloppy kiss!)

* * * * *

Okay, now that you're back...

Last night, I was perusing the lovely little catalogue from UNICEF's Gifts of Magic campaign...from the comfort of my living room, drinking hot chocolate, wearing fuzzy socks, and my well-fed stomach happily digesting, planning how I am going to help ensure that little babies in refugee camps get high energy biscuits:
Or families get water kits for safe drinking water. Or a community of children get enough pencils to get a bare minimum of education.

I think I'll forgo the nifty little certificates, let them put a bit more of the money towards the projects.

Lori

Fave Words: "Engastration"

Years ago, as a teen, I discovered everyone's favourite odd word: defenestration (to throw someone out a window). I soon discovered engastration (a cooking term, to stuff one bird inside another). Raincoaster, over at her Teeny Manolo gig, has served up a lovely video on the subject, just in time for the holidays:



Note the overwhelming use of Emeril's Essence (a spice concoction with a very eerie name...)

She also mentions in this post, the fine Middle Eastern engastration extravaganza of stuffed camel.

Yum.

Lori

Whoo-hoo!

I think MadHaiku was short-changed with his 'elementary school' literacy rating...it takes some education to write haiku...

Especially when I see my (somewhat over-rated) rating:



And Metro is all pissed off that he's only getting a 'junior high' reading level. :p

Well, I thought my Book Nook might get a higher rating than this silly blog o' mine, being all literary and such...but no, only High School.

Whodathunk?

Lori

Herding Cats

Sure it's an ad, but it's a mighty clever one:


Update: It's a very funny video, but even I got tired of hearing it start every freakin' time I came to my blog! So here is the link, and the above is a screen shot...


Enjoy.

Lori

The Truth about Religion

A tasty comedy piece with a whole whack of good points...

Lori

And now for some inter-species communication...

Source


Lori