A cure for what ails ya'

So, today had some ridiculousness (wouldn't be a day at work if it didn't). Really, it was a simple problem that got blown out of proportion when we couldn't get any one to answer our questions. The one department around here which could have answered our questions easily, was involved in a big afternoon to-do (training, I think), leaving no one in the office to answer the phone with innocent questions (like ours). So, what could have been solved simply with one phone call, became a 11/2 hour ordeal of phone calls and run-around through people who didn't know much, as we tried to get some answers.

And oh, yeah, had a migraine today too, which all of the above nonsense didn't help.

Enter Anne to the rescue! An e-mail of nonsense stuff she's found, including the cutest little guys ever: baby bats! in blankets! Definitely cheered me up no end :)

These poor little guys were orphaned when a poisonous tick outbreak occurred in their colony. They were rescued, but needed to be kept warm, since baby bats cling to their mother and have her body warmth until they are old enough to survive on their own. So, they got bundled up by the rescue workers, to keep they nice and toasty. I particularly love the faces on the two in the middle of the top picture in that article :)

Fruit bats are really important ecologically (yes, the bio background is coming out here!) They important for pollination, like birds or insects. And as a caver, bats are naturally wonderful critters anyway, and fruit bats like these are actually really intelligent (besides being cute!) I've heard them described as about the intelligence level of a cat... Of course, watching Scruffy attack the shadows on the wall, I'm not sure how bright that actually is any more... ;)

Review: We are Marshall

Here's one Anne recommended and Zach wanted to see too, so it got bumped up higher on our list. Actually sat on the shelf once it arrived for about a week, between days when Zach was working odd hours and I was too tired to watch such an emotional movie. But finally, we found the time, so here it is: We are Marshall.

The story is pretty simple with this one, and based on true events. A plane crash in 1970 killed the Marshall University football team, coaching staff and many fans and boosters involved with the program. This movie follows the attempts to reestablish a program the following year: the students' efforts to convince the board to have a program, the president's efforts to find a coaching staff, the coaches' efforts to find players, the player's efforts to win a game.

I really wasn't sure I'd like this one, but I did. I still don't know if it's one I'd watch over and over, but it was a good movie. Several scenes in particular were very well done. The crash, for example, was nicely handled, I felt. No scenes of everyone panicking on the plane, no shots of the actual crash, but nicely edited from scenes on the flight to ones of rescue vehicles and fire trucks and confused, worried citizens hurrying to the site of the crash. Just black and quiet in between. More effective than an overblown Hollywood crash sequence. At least in this humble opinion :) I've been noticing that more and more in movies, how silence and dark scenes and good editing can be so much more effective in creating particular emotions, leaving it all up to our imaginations to fill in the gaps.

And this is an emotional movie. It's a sports movie, but not - more about human spirit and recovery and rising above. Sports is just the setting. Emotional in a good way, but yes, I did get choked up. I read an article by a movie critic once, about "guy chick flicks." You know, those movies that guys watch to be emotional, often (but not necessarily) sports related. I remember "Brian's Song" was one, but I can't remember the others on the list. This was that type of movie. And, silly me, I can't get worked up over chick flicks. Someone dying of cancer, ho hum. Not nearly as big a catch in my throat (if at all) as compared to a guy chick flick. The "Beaches"-type cancer deaths are sad yes, but just not what gets to me. Dunno - maybe it's just me :) But yes, definitely a grab-a-tissue movie.

The acting was hit-or-miss. I think Matthew McConaughey is one of those guys I never quite appreciate fully. He did well here, but just a little over-the-top at times. However, the character was a little eccentric, so maybe that's why he just struck me as odd sometimes. The coach had to be eccentric though - putting himself in that position, coaching at a school he didn't need to be at, in such a devastating environment, simply because he "wanted to help." It was interesting to watch the interviews with the coaching staff in the DVD extras, hear the men's opinions and thoughts on what they entered into. Coach Lengyel did have some good lines though ("Redbook's only gettin' me so far - I need names!") David Strathairn is awesome, as usual. Have loved his work since I first saw him in Sneakers. :) Personally, he needs to do more mainstream work, so I am more able to appreciate it. Matthew Fox I actually liked. I wasn't sure, having never seen "Lost", and didn't know if he was just another hunky face cast in the movie, but he did a good job. Still bothered me that they kept calling him "Red" - yes, I know it was the character's name, but he's definitely a brunette. Another nice performance was Anthony Mackie, playing Nate Ruffin, one of the few surviving members of the 1970 Thundering Herd. Ruffin had been injured, so had not been at the away game from which the crashed plane was returning. Mackie did a great job playing a very difficult role - a lot of survivor's guilt and determination and frustration to portray, and also interestingly, one of the few leads who wasn't able to talk with their real-life inspiration (the real Ruffin died several years ago). A good up-and-coming actor, and here's hoping we see more good work from him in years to come!

Overall, 4 of 5. Very nice handling of a community's uplifting recovery from a devastating tragedy. Definitely a take-a-tissue movie, but a very positive feeling to it. The movie could easily have become overwrought and sappy, but handled things very well. Definitely worth a viewing.

Quizziness continues

Don't know why I find these things so addicting... :)


What Indiana Jones character are you?

Hey, Shorty! You're Indy's street-smart little buddy. You're always watching out for your friends, and if necessary, you'll put yourself in danger to keep them safe. You treat the people you care about with a tremendous amount of respect, but you also have a silly, casual way of speaking, like "Hold on to your potato!" As sidekicks go, you're a really cute, helpful one to have around... and if anyone gets brainwashed, you'll find a way to snap them back to reality.


What Color is your personality?

You are Blue.

You are calm and controlled. You are also very sweet and get along with others well. Sometimes others do not understand why you are so nice and think you have a hidden agenda. If you do...thats too bad, but if you don't you have nothing to worry about!


What 70's Show Character are You?

We're going to be careful how we word this one, because we don't want to end up with your foot up our ass. Hmm... with that in mind, we probably shouldn't call you cranky, critical, or anti-social (even though that might all be true). Yes, you're tough, but it's only because you love your friends and family and you want them to do their best in life. You know how to do pretty much everything, and you do your best to make sure things are done the "right" way -- you hate when people take the lazy way out.

So, the new cat...

is totally insane. I realize as I say this that cats, by nature, are a little nutty, but Scruffy is truly ridiculous. As if one insane pet wasn't enough :)

You doubt me? Well, let me provide evidence...

He meows, but he trills more than he actually makes a 'meow' sound. No picture for that, but it's very interesting to listen to. He has all sorts of inflections in his little trills, too. Not a Siamese's full vocabulary, but his little noises can be begging, disgruntled, contented. When we gave him a bath today, it was mostly disgruntled, though! I keep thinking we should change his name to Trilby, but then I couldn't go around the house saying "Scruffy" in a funny voice :)

And I've never met a more affectionate, underfoot cat (I don't think he believes that hands have any other purpose than to pet the kitty). He has definitely made himself at home in the apartment in a very short time. He's only been here a few weeks, too! The funny thing is, he is a sprawler. When he makes himself at home on the couch or the desk chair or the floor in the doorway, he will SPRAWL, and I mean that in the full sense of the word. Head upside-down, all four feet pointing up in the air. It's really the most ridiculous thing to look at, but he seems so happy!

Then there is his penchant for lounging in unusual areas. Zach walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and found the cat stretched out in the bathtub. Apparently the house was too warm for one in a fur coat, and spreading out in the bathtub was a nice way to cool off. It was his look of "Yeah? What'd'ya want?" that really cracked us up, though.

Finally, the other night, we had Joey out and about (who, by the way, could probably take on this cat nearly 3x his size - feisty buns!) Anyway, Scruffy was very interested in Joey's cage. Smells of bunny and Timothy hay - very interesting smells, I suppose. So he decided to go inside to explore. And then settled in on Joey's shelf. The cat, fully 3 times the size of the bunny, was trying to make himself comfortable on the bunny's resting shelf. And it almost looked like he was succeeding, too!

So, yes, the cat is fitting in very well. He's very affectionate, almost to a fault, but he's definitely one of the nuttiest little guys under the sun! Makes for a very entertaining mix here, lemme tell you! :)

WIP Wednesday

With all the craziness at work last week, I didn't get much posting done. I did, however, get a lot of knitting done, trying to escape from the craziness around me! Here's the update for all who are interested:

• Square Cake is off the needles. I've finished the handles and just have to do all the finishing nonsense now: block it, seam the bottom, weave in all ends, add the lining. I hate finishing, particularly weaving in ends. Still, it'll be interesting to see how quickly the wet cotton dries out here in the desert, especially compared to I Do (same yarn) taking forever to dry in rainy VA in December! :)
  
• The baby blanket continues! I'm actually off the DPNs now, and onto a large circular needle. As a friend pointed out, I probably should have used this as an opportunity to learn how to use 2 circular needles (like a lot of people do with socks), but I was so eager to cast on, I didn't want to have to wait for a new needle to arrive, learn a new technique... all sorts of things that would delay me from starting the new project. :) I'm definitely a bad casting-on addict, particularly when it's a special project!

And, not an actual project, but still knitting news: I joined the Ravelympics! I'm all set up for knitting during the Olympics now, along with hundreds of other knitters around the world :) For those who don't know, the knitting Olympics started about an Olympics or two ago as knitters gathered in front of their TVs for 2 weeks and (I believe stirred on by The Knitting Harlot), decided to challenge themselves as the athletes were challenging themselves. Well, vaguely along the same lines of a challenge, at least :) A project is to be cast on during the opening ceremonies, it is to be a challenge to the knitter (not just the same ol' hat you make all the time), and the goal is to finish by the end of the closing ceremonies. Swatching before the Games begin is allowed: it is considered "training" ;) A group on Ravelry has taken this on, and thus, the 2008 Ravelympics is soon to be underway! They've divided the Knitting Olympics into "events" as well, so that knitters can have forums to chat with other knitters challenging themselves with similar projects. Some examples: Amigurumi'n'Toy Toss, Sock Put, Sweater Sprint, Lace Javelin, and so forth. What can I say - knitters are silly people :) I have decided to be a Triknithlete, and tackle 3 events. They are:

• Scarf Stroke - am going to take on Liesel. I've had a skein of Cara Mia waiting for this particular project, just languishing in my stash, and now I've a nice reason to kick myself in the butt to make a scarf I've had my eye on. :)
  
• Hat Dash - Odessa, by Grumperina. I've another ball of Cara Mia in the same color which would make a nice matching hat to the scarf above. I'm still deciding if I'm going to add the pearly beads in it. Since opening ceremonies aren't for another few weeks, I still have some time to figure it out.
  
• WIP Wrestling - Time to tackle a sweater that is sooooo close to being done, Salt Peanuts. I was working on that one for a while, and was almost done, when I messed up the shaping along the neck on the last piece I had to make. I was so frustrated with myself (it was a rather silly mistake) that I set it aside and then have been distracted with other projects since. So, again, another reason to kick myself in the bum and finish what I started - actually tink what I messed up, and rework it correctly. It's so close, and all I need is that little push of motivation.

Oh, and another bit of knitter silliness with the Ravelympics - teams! No real competition between the teams, and people can compete on more than one, but it still adds to the fun. Personally, I'm on Team Robonia. Hail, hail Robonia! A Land I didn't make up! :D

Review: Hoodwinked

This was one Zach had picked up for us. He'd seen it long before I had, and said we had to get it. Usually it's the other way 'round in this house. Finally got time to give a whirl the other night, and here ya' go: Hoodwinked.

Like most animated movies that Hollywood releases, it was impossible to escape trailers for it. Still, it was a couple years ago, so to review, this is one of the fairy-tale-with-a-twist movies. This time, the story of Little Red Riding Hood is reinvented as a crime caper. An assortment of furry detectives are interviewing the familiar characters, to determine what actually happened in a domestic disturbance call. As the conflicting tales unwind, it looks like this break-in could be connected with the Goody Bandit currently at large in the Woods! So, who will the culprit turn out to be?

Admittedly, as both an animation and a fairy-tale junkie, I watch a lot of these sort of movies, and want to rate them highly. There were things that irritated me with this one, but overall, I really liked it. Definitely a fun family movie, but with tons of visual and side jokes for adults to enjoy as well. Look closely for a group of moles dressed as the Village People, for example. The characters are new for this particular fairy tale, but are rather stereotypical from this genre. The rebellious, hard-core granny, the young girl who wants to see the world, etc. Still, there are some new twists in the story, and some very clever writing that makes it an enjoyable film, even if you don't have kids. Good for the young and the young at heart, as the cliche goes :)

Voice acting: awesome. Patrick Warburton is one of my favorite voices, period. Not one of the prettiest, just-read-the-phone-book-to-me-and-I'm-happy voices, but so good nonetheless. So dry and deadpan, delivering some of the funniest lines in whatever show he's in. For those that don't know, he's Kronk in Emperor's New Groove ("My spinach poofs!") and he's Joe Swanson in Family Guy ("Let's WASSSAIL!!"). He was the Wolf in this one. Anne Hathaway is Red, and I'm more and more impressed with her as a representative of the actresses of my age. There are so many others in the early 20s that are sadly disappointing. And this isn't her first voice work, either; she was the lead in a Studio Ghibli movie, The Cat Returns. Good taste in roles, not that I'm biased or anything :) Glenn Close (Granny) and David Ogden Stiers (Nicky Flippers, the froggy detective) are both classy voices too.

The biggest downside was the animation. This was well done, certainly better than the CG cartoons on Saturday morning (some of which REALLY grate on me aesthetically) but not in the same league as Pixar or Dreamworks (Shrek films). Still good animation, but lacking a lot of the detail and smoothness of the other studios.

And yes, I looked it up. If you've seen Over the Hedge, they have another hyper squirrel character who saves the day drinking coffee and moving at hyper speed. This one came out a year before Over the Hedge. Just in case you care (I was curious myself) ;)

Overall: 4 of 5. Very cleverly written, and great characters. A lot of stereotypical characters, mind you, but treated in such a fun way that it's enjoyable. The animation is only par, but the writing definitely makes it worth the watch.

SPOILER:

Andy Dick is wonderfully cast as the insane culprit. His voice always has that "I'm cute and adorable and mostly insane" sort of sound to it. Perfect for the Goody Bandit. Remember, "never trust a bunny!"

It never rains, but it pours

So true in so many ways out here.

When the desert gets actual rain (not the ten drops, will-it-won't-it sort of rain), it easily turns in to flash floods. We had a storm a couple weeks ago, with flash floods washing out roads all through the area. Knocked out power here, too.. and in the few neighboring towns... and along the nearby Interstate for several miles. Yeah, it was a nasty one. Never want to be without power for 16 hrs again, in the desert, in July. Pretty rough day that was!

That saying's also true in my life right now. Part of why no posts this week. Work has been NUTS. Things breaking all over the facility. The lady at the Work Order desk must have gotten sick of my voice this week. "You again!?" " (sigh) Yeah, something new this time" I think I turned in more work orders this past week, than in any one given week since I started here in the spring.

Meanwhile, as the facility was breaking away in bits around us, people started going absolutely nutty. I swear, people get stupid when it's this hot. Patience and even tempers fly right out the window! We had patrons at the facility yelling at staff unprovoked, complaining no end. But, then the heat-craziness hit staff too. Staff getting stressed to the point of tears, threatening to quit, turning simple oversights or carelessness on the part of other staff into gigantic personal slights. Yes, we're a busy facility now, and yes, things are more stressful than they are during calmer seasons, but I'm tellin' ya - heat makes people irrational and angry!

Then, to cap off the week, our facility had to be shut all weekend when our equipment broke down. Pretty much the one piece that keeps us running smoothly decided Friday afternoon would be a great time to kick the bucket. Not in the fall, when we're scheduled to be closed for maintenance anyway. No, no. Now, when we're busy. Of course.

Yeah, it was a fun week.

Oh, and in the midst of all this, I was sick, with a medicine that made me even sicker. Yes, it made me healthy again, but the side effects were not fun. The sort of ones that aren't enough to change medicines, but enough to make you decidedly uncomfortable. Remember, a week of constant, low-level nausea and exhaustion makes any stressful work week more enjoyable!

So, yes - it never rains but it pours. Flash floods outside, stressful work week inside. Ben says it's because I'm embracing my new environment's philosophy in all aspects of my life. I say I'm counting down the days til we're living in a rational climate again!! :)