at the foot of the bluff

"Watch the arm, that's my slot machine arm."

I'm watching the original Ocean's Eleven and it's making me giggle.  I gather that's what the good ole boys did a lot when making the film too. Maybe guffaw, chortle, bark . . . those are more likely synonyms for laughter given the nature of the Rat Pack, right?

Dean Martin's singing kinda made me wish they'd found a way to include that in the modern re-make, but at least they got the sense of wink-wink nudge-nudge fun in the re-make.

I'm glad the movie's playing on KQED, one of my local PBS stations, because it would suck to have to insert commercials in this film.  Then again, I just wish there were never commercials.  Sometimes adverts are funny, but mostly just annoying.

They're bowling in the movie and it kinda makes me want to go bowling, but only to a lane as classy as the one they're in, with nice wooden benches and hard liquor and none of those terrible neon bowling balls.  The ladies' dresses in the next scene also makes me want to dress up and go somewhere.  Pretty sure I can get my sister to do that when she comes to visit me next month. (Whatta ya say, Q? Bring a dress?)

tea; and discomfort

Today was a strange day.

I went to Edwardian Tea with my friend Shivaun, and we ate scones & cucumber sandwiches, drank lots of tea and were treated to a performance by steampunk hiphop artist Professor Elemental (look him up on YouTube if you like; he's weird, and weirdly compelling, and funny, and mental).

Then we had a pint of Strongbow cider & some snacks.

Next, we got severly depressed by watching the movie Shame. I won't talk about the movie much, but suffice it to say that while the acting was amazing, there's a good reason for my love of Sci-fi & action/adventure: I don't leave the theater massively depressed.

To end the day on a not-depressed note, I'm finally watching The Nerdist's 2011 in review - with Wil Wheaton & Nathan Fillion - yay!

Ooooh, I forgot to mention two really good things:

I bought really cool earrings. And while I was resting on a settee in the Edwardian vendor hall, before tea, Shivaun sneakily went and bought me this really cool owl illustration I'd had my eye on. Thanks Shivaun! If I can get a pic of it I'll upload it.

In other news, I'm super-excited for my sister to come visit me next month! And now, I'm tired. Night folks!

skipping right along

This past week had plenty of small good moments, but overall was tiring and I'm glad it's over and done with.  There was one great fun moment: going to the San Francisco Symphony's performance of Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien.  Of course the next few weeks might also be mostly small moments, like finishing a good book, but I'm good with that.  There will be some nice things, like an Edwardian Tea, but I'm really good with quiet and relaxing.

That was my resolution for this year, you know. To reduce stress and over-scheduling. I'm generally pretty good at the latter, but less good at the former. I think I need a massage. And a week off. And a vacation to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, with no cell reception, no internet and no tv.

Hmm. I wonder if I could make that last thing happen. What about a family trip up to Grand Marais? Perhaps . . .