Review: the new Indiana Jones

Memorial Day weekend last week was poorly timed, at least for our house. The two of us had a lovely 3 day weekend ahead of us, surprisingly not beastly hot (in fact it was in the 60s and 70s all weekend), plenty of time to go and do something and play, but we were so tired from the previous work week that we weren't up to doing much at all! So, we cleaned a little, read a lot, played on the computer a lot. Nice and restful, and completely unexciting :)

By Monday, however, we were ready to go out and do something again. So, like much of the rest of America, we went and saw the new Indy movie this past weekend - one of the best Memorial Day weekend opening sales EVER, apparently. So here are my thoughts (and I'll try not to give anything away for those who haven't seen it!)

Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This entry is to the IJ franchise what Episodes 1-3 were to Star Wars. Lucasfilm got a little heavy handed with the special effects again. Mostly in the fight scenes, I think. Lucas has just gone overboard with what he can create with CG, I feel - I was driven up the wall in Star Wars Ep. III, because every conversation seemed to take place on a balcony or in front of a picture window, so that there could be a giant CG background distracting (I mean, impressing!) the viewer. I don't know if it was our theater specifically, either, but both Zach and I walked out with slight headaches. I don't know if it was the special effects or if the focus was off on the screen (the credits were slightly blurry at points)

I was honestly worried that it would be horrible. Just thinking about a 60 year-old Indy was worrisome. They handle it nicely, though, a few old-guy jokes, and since Indy never was a young hero ("It's not the years, honey; it's the mileage") it still works alright. In that respect, I guess, it was a case of 'set your sites low and you won't be disappointed.'

Not that it was all bad though! Good mindless popcorn flick, but that's about all. You can kinda expect the plot "twists" that come up, but it IS an IJ movie - they aren't supposed to be deep thinkers. And even if you could see those plot points coming, I'm glad they happened. It was nice to see the other movies tied in, and some loose ends tied up. Very satisfying as a fan of the series. So, not bad, but it just wasn't nearly as good as Lost Ark or Holy Grail. Note I omit Temple of Doom - never could stand the whiny, screaming "heroine" in that one (yes, I use the term loosely).

Overall rating: 2.5 of 5. I don't regret seeing it, and it'll probably end up on my shelf at some point (even if only to complete the IJ collection!) However, not nearly as good as the other entries (by that I mean, again, not Temple of Doom - probably on par with Temple in my personal rankings).

And a quiz for Joey too!

What kind of house rabbit are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as The Athlete
If there was such a thing as the Bunny Olympics, you'd win the Gold.


Yup, I think that's pretty much my little climber! :)

And even more quizes..

Yup, can't get enough of 'em! Truly for my own enjoyment...

What movie nerd are you?

You're Hermione from the Harry Potter movies

You're Hermione, the slightly bossy nerd with a hard-to-pronounce name. You're so nerdy that if someone gave you a time-travel device, you'd use it to take two classes at once. A double workload would drive some nerds crazy, but you obsess over packing your brain with knowledge. The only thing more important to you than studying? Using your excellent memory and analytical skills to keep your friends out of trouble.

Which Holiday character are you?

You're Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
Even if you feel like you don’t fit in, please don't run away to the Island of Misfit Toys just yet. Your friends and family may tease you, but they're about to realize that they really need you around. Without your glowing personality and innate sense of direction, the holidays might as well be cancelled. You're the beacon that guides the rest of us through the darkest, stormiest days of winter. We are totally shouting out with glee that you got this result. Glee, we tell you!

Which Movie Monster are you?

You're a movie mummy!
You try to take good care of yourself, but you could use some moisturizing lotion— and maybe some new clothes, because yours look like they've been around since 3300 B.C. You're most at home in hot, sandy locations, and you have a relatively peaceful existence unless somebody disturbs your sleep. You're very possessive. If anyone invades your space or steals your jewelry, you'll do almost anything to get revenge. Your place is well stocked with food and beverages, but that doesn't mean you're having friends over. You just like knowing you're prepared for anything. Romantically, you're a sucker for people who look like your ex. You're so convinced you two were perfect together that you'll obsess about it forever…literally.

What's your ice cream flavor?

You're Chocolate.
You embody the perfect blend of sweetness and seduction. You personality is just as luscious and irresistible as chocolate ice cream. You have a flirty, melty attitude that's easygoing and delicious. You appreciate luxurious, extravagant things, like the way ultra-soft fabrics feel against your skin. Some people want to hog you all to themselves, but you find ways to make everyone feel special.

Which Movie Superhero are you?

You're Rogue from the X-Men movies

Lots of mutants appreciate their powers, but you'd give yours up in a second for a chance at a normal life. You're friendly and considerate, but you'd rather blend in with the crowd than stand out and get attention. Like Rogue, your sense of touch is extremely powerful, so even holding hands is a huge deal for you. You're deeply afraid of hurting the people you love, so you tend to push them away when things get too intense.

What would your Superpower be?

Super Animal Wrangler
Think of it: in the Flipside Super Universe, there would be Super People and Super Animals, and someone's going to need to know how to get all those Super Mutts and Super Hamsters to know where the battle is. In that universe, we picture you having the magic ability to sense what those animals are thinking and give them instructions. Plus you'll probably be mad relaxed with all those Super Purring Kittens hanging out on your lap all the time. Not a bad life, your Super Life.

K is for...

Karate!

No, not knitting, though that would have been a good one too :) Knees would have been my other choice for a K, since I've had knee issues since an injury in middle school. Right now, however, the K most on my mind is Karate!

The picture above is actually of my sister, another karate-ka, but I did take it. I just love that shot though. It's so hard (especially with the average digital camera) to take pictures of techniques. You're much more likely to end up with a whole string of pictures of "...aaaaand, back in stance," that lovely finishing pose post-move. So to catch a kick mid-kick was a major accomplishment for me :) And the fact that it's a nice head shot just makes it more impressive!

I started training during my sophomore year in college, about 6 1/2 years ago (7 years this fall). I started with the Karate club at college, training in the Shotokan style. I was able to train for about 4+ years through the rest of college and just after, and reached the rank of 1 kyu (1st degree brown - my next test in Shotokan will be for my black belt). Then I moved.

In SC, I had a frustrating time finding a dojo with a sensei I liked, which met at a time and place where I could make it to trainings. So, for about 2 years, I had to train on my own (translation: little to no training). Like everything else in my private life, karate had to fall to the side during my time at Horrible Job.

But, happy day, there is a sensei here on post who trains karate! She has a background in kenpo and kyokoshin karates, and in tae kwon do, and is familiar with Shotokan (her best friend is actually a 5th degree black belt in Shotokan, so she's familiar with what I'm coming from). I've been back in trainings for about a week and an half now, and am thrilled. Every so often, you just get into an activity that gets under your skin and when you have to stop, you physically miss it. For me, karate is one of those (caving would be another). Finally finding a dojo and a sensei I like again is a big step to me enjoying my stay here in CA, being a happy and healthy little person again :)

J is for...

Juice. (and Just in Time! First letter I've almost been late on, too!)

I was thinking of doing Joey, as he is the most predominant J in my life, but he was just my 'I' picture, and as he was 'B,' too, I was persuaded (i.e. my sister fussed at me) that J should be something different. So I was forced to think hard, and find a J beyond the obvious, my little fuzz-butt. (Blast you, Anne, making me think!!)

So, thinking hard, I came up with this.

Juice. Yes, juice. Really, on the top of my mind because I went to the commissary today, and had to restock, because our current supplies are running low. So, here is a picture of our fridge with 5 (yes, count them 5) bottles of juice in there. I think this is the most we've had at one time. (For those who hadn't realized, we're a household of 2 - that's 2.5 jugs of juice per person!) Two bottles aren't opened yet, in all honesty, but they are cooling off in the fridge because the bottle they're replacing are almost empty. We aren't big soda drinkers, and out here in the desert, that's probably a good thing - the caffeine isn't helpful in staying hydrated. But when we got married I had no idea how fast the man can go through a container of juice!!

We usually have OJ, because it's good and healthy; and cranberry juice, because I've had a kidney stone and NEVER want to have one again, and cranberry juice is good for kidney stones; and then sometimes a third flavor, just for variety (it's currently White Cran-Strawberry!)

I brainstormed a lot of other J's.

• Jewelry, except I don't really wear any (my ears aren't even pierced!)
• Jogging, except I optimistically try to think of it as running. Just my one-speed trot, but hey, I'm in races, therefore it's running :)
• Journeys, except I think of it as "traveling" more than "journeying" - journeys just seem to have a bigger sense of purpose and destination than the trips I take.
• Joyous Occasion, except I hate that cliche for weddings.
• Juvenile and Joking, except I really don't have that many pictures of the silly stuff we do.
  
• And then Joey...

So, Juice it is!

But I'll still leave you all with a picture of the cute fuzz-beast, because he's adorable, because he's also a 'J', and because I can :)

IT RAINED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I realize I'm getting excited over a simple act of weather, but IT RAINED TODAY!!! Here in the desert! And real rain, too, not the 3-drops-and-then-nothing sort of rain.

Weather this week's been absolutely ridiculous, honestly. I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of people got sick as a result! We'd been building up to summer with lots of days in the 80s and 90s, and then Sunday hit the 100s. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were all over 100! You felt like you were going to melt, and we still have another 20 degrees or so to go up from there, before we hit the summer peak! And then the cold front moved in. Wednesday was very windy and the temperature started dropping. Thursday was a high at about 70, and I think today might have reached 65 degrees. And then today, rain!! Craziness!

It's been a good 2 months since I moved out here - practically 2 1/2. And not a drop of rain since then. And for someone who's grown up in some very rainy places, that's very unusual. Summers were spent in FL, where it rains every day, either for 3 min or 3 hrs, but it rains every day (otherwise, the state would look like there area where I am now!). And I went to college in Williamsburg VA, where from end of Sept/early Oct through to early March we have rain all the time. Coastal VA doesn't really get much snow - too close to the coast, so we don't really get cold enough. So lots of 35 degree rain instead!

It's not one of those things I thought I'd miss, honestly. You don't really think about it until you DO miss it out here. Rather like color or greenery (more on that in another post!). There are just some days that need to be rainy. It suits your mood, or it just feels like one of those days that you want to curl up under the covers with a good movie or a good book and a cup of tea or cocoa and, well... just nest. Watch the rain out the window, and enjoy being warm and cozy and dry.

Maybe it's just me, though :)

Still, one of the girls I work with is German, and has been out here about 6 months, and she also has been missing the rain. We both took pictures! The other people we were working with today thought we were a little nuts, but I don't mind :) There was rain today!

...Interesting side note about the rain out here. There's a smell that comes with it, but not like a regular sort of fresh rain smell. The descriptions I heard were "dusty, chalky sort of smell" and "wet dog." It's true too. Rain comes in, and stirs up 6 months of dust into the air, and it does give the place an unusual scent. One of those things you never think about...

Weirdest, coolest thing I've seen in a long time!!

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

The video itself is surreal, to say the least, but it's amazing to think about the work that went into this!! This is anamation, and the 'cells' are painted on WALLS. It's a truly awe-inspiring amount of work involved, and being able to see it all on the blank brick walls....

So cool. Just had to share.

PS - if the embedded video doesn't work, check it out here.

In Memoriam

We had a death in the family this past week. My great-uncle passed away in the middle of the week. Really, it's like losing a grandpa, because the family's pretty close. He'd been very sick for a while, so we knew it was coming, but at the same time, death is still death, and nothing makes it any easier to say goodbye to a loved one. I know it's been a normal-seeming week in my posts, chattering about movies and all, but I wasn't ready to sit down and type about this sort of thing. This blog has become an outlet for so much of my life and what's going on in my head, that I couldn't ignore here something that has been on my mind so much of the week in my daily life. I think I've found a way to honor him a little, that I think he would have approved of.

Bud was a gourmet, a foodie, and especially loved desserts. Every time we came to down to visit, he'd ask what desserts we wanted, and would have a selection of our favorites ready. He made wonderful chocolate chip cookies, and a delicious apple pie. Mom's favorite was tiramisu. He'd make it in a dish like a casserole pan, and she'd happily munch away on it after lunch and dinner (and sometimes for breakfast!) during the week we were visiting. She always laughed that the family visits were her yearly splurge, and she'd have to be good about her desserts leading up to the trips to FL so she could enjoy her tiramisu. It's amazing how many memories food can bring up.

My personal favorite that he made was Chocolate Bavarian Creme. A very fancy, rich chocolate pudding. Not really as light as a mousse, but lighter than a pudding. Great with berries, and apparently it's good for cake fillings too. Bud had special glass cups for it, and they'd be waiting for us in the fridge when we came down to visit. This is one version of the dessert, taken from Cooks.com. I don't know if it's similar to the recipe that he used, but I wanted to post one here.

Chocolate Bavarian Creme

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 env. unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 1/4 c. milk
• 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 c. (6 oz.) milk-chocolate pieces (reserve a few for decoration)
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Sweetened whipped cream for decoration

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend sugar, gelatin, salt, milk, egg yolks and milk-chocolate pieces well in top of a double boiler.
2. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and chocolate pieces are completely melted and blended into the mixture.
3. Chill until the mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.
4. Whip the cream and vanilla together until stiff.
5. Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.
6. Spoon into an oiled 4 cup mold.
7. Chill several hours or overnight before serving.
8. Decorate with sweetened whipped cream and reserved chocolate pieces.

Makes 6 servings.

Other variations can be found here:

• Chocolate Recipes blog - another chocolate version (and check out their other recipes too!)
  
• Food Network- a plain version
• Allrecipe - a vanilla version
• Cooks.com - a strawberry version
• Bean's Bistro - a raspberry version

New actor to watch: Simon Pegg

He played the lead Nicholas Angel in "Hot Fuzz," and he was also the lead in "Run, Fatboy, Run," which we say Tuesday. Both very funny, and he's nicely deadpan in all the crazy antics going on 'round him. Right up my alley of humor :)

Review: Run, Fatboy, Run. Another movie at the post theater - sometimes they do get some good ones! :)

Dennis Doyle jilted his pregnant fiancee Libby five years ago, running away scared (what other reason would you have to run away from Thandie Newton?? She's gorgeous!). Now, five years later, he's realized he made a mistake and is trying to win her back. Except she's now got a new guy, the perfect Whit - rich, successful, handsome, marathoner. Dennis sets out to prove to her (and to everyone else) that he can finish something he starts, and enters the same race as Whit, the Nike River Run marathon. Smooth sailing, right? Except out-of-shape Dennis now has to train for the marathon...

"Run, Fatboy, Run" is a romantic comedy, not a spoof movie like "Hot Fuzz." Seeing the trailers I was thinking it'd be more a sports-movie spoof, so it wasn't quite what I expected, but still very funny. Thinking about it, it's more of a comedy with romance, because it's more about Dennis, than it is about the Dennis-and-Libby relationship. I'm not a big romantic comedy person - probably the genre of movies I'm most picky about. Too many are just teeth-achingly sweet, or the characters are outright irritating. It's a bad sign when you're watching a movie, and honestly don't care if the two leads end up together (or with anyone, ever!). Thankfully, this was not one of those movies! :)

This is a sweet movie, and a good message (stick-to-it-ive-ness), and you actually like the characters you were watching. Maybe it's being a British movie instead of a major US studio release. As Zach pointed out, characters in a comedy are, by nature, charactetures; that's why everyone can relate to them. But in so many Hollywood movies, the characters are so exaggerated that they irritate or insult! With a movie like this, more subtle, you recognize the characters and can laugh with them, instead. And, without giving too much away, I love the good British ending, of playing soccer happily on the green :)

Another inter-continental comment, but Simon Pegg (even with a false belly) is hardly a Fatboy. British-fat is a big step closer toward health than the American-fat. Maybe it's living in the Land of the All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet, but Americans seem to make EVERYTHING bigger, including themselves. Just a little observation.

Hank Azaria (the 'other guy' going for Libby's attention) is always funny. So deadpan! C'mon, he's been playing voices on the Simpsons for years - you know he's good at some subtle humor :) If you didn't know, on the Simpsons Azaria plays (among others) the voices of Moe, Professor Frink, Chief Wiggum, Lou, Carl, Bumblebee Man, Apu, Dr. Nick, and my personal favorite - Comic Book Guy!

And let me just add that... Whit works in the Gherkin!! Best building nick-name ever! One of the perks of this movie - so much London scenery, especially in the race along the Thames :)

Pegg is also on the writing team for these movies, too, which definitely puts him up there on my list, because these movies are just so wonderfully dry! Definitely have to see "Shaun of the Dead" now! The other writer for this movie is Michael Ian Black, one of my so-sarcastic favorite guests from VH1's decades series (I love the 70's, I love the 80's, etc). Another big reason to go see this movie :)

I was very surprised, but this movie is directed by David Schwimmer - yeah, Ross from "Friends"! Nothing much to add there, except my opinion of him just went up a good couple notches (never was a Ross fan - definitely my lease favorite Friend).

Overall, 5 of 5. Very funny, and I'd definitely like it on my shelf. So rare for me to like a romantic comedy (usually, I don't care a bit about the characters, or they irritate the heck out of me).



As a side note, I write a movie review today, because (unlike all you people that live in towns) I can't go and see "Prince Caspian" as it opens this weekend. :(

Review: Hot Fuzz

Now that things are settling down post-move, I've reactivated my Netflix, and will be able to once again fill my evenings with obscure movies and shows that I would never have been able to find in a store (or at least would forget to rent if I ever went into the store looking for just any movie).

First on that list: Hot Fuzz

Nicholas Angel is the finest cop on the London force. He's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel's superiors feel embarassed and send him to a place where he won't be so much 'trouble' - the tiny country village of Sandford. Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning puppy-of-a-person police officer Danny Butterman. Danny is the son of the local police chief, and a huge action movie fan ("Bad Boys II" and "Point Break" are mentioned a lot). He constantly pesters Angel with questions about the car chases and gun fights he feels he's missing out on. Meanwhile, a series of suspicious accidents start Angel thinking that Sanford isn't as quiet as it appears.

Simply put: Hys-freakin'-sterical. It's been a long long time since I laughed out loud so much during a movie (I believe the last time was "Curse of the Were-Rabbit").

The movie itself spoofs cop movies (particularly the buddy-cop-action-and-explosion-type). I love mysteries and action movies (even a lot of bad ones!), so I was having a blast recognizing scenes they were ripping from other movies. And everything is played soooo dead-pan. Wonderfully dry. :) The action scenes themselves are pretty funny, just being so over the top and so out of place in this tiny English village.

Reading reviews of this movie online (before renting it), there was a lot of comparison between this movie and "Shaun of the Dead," also by the same writer-director-actor team. I've heard it's also very funny, but being a action/cop movie fan more than a zombie movie fan, I saw this one first. I do want to see Shaun of the Dead now though :) Personally, I don't feel comparisons would be really accurate, since they're spoofing such different types of movies. Like comparing Indiana Jones and Schindler's List, since they're both directed by Steven Spielberg - just such different types of movies. Anyway, one of the reviews I read (Hollywood Reporter) made the comparison as follows: "Everyone can relate to a zombie picture, but 'Hot Fuzz' is 'Point Break' meets 'The Vicar of Dibley.' It's most unlikely that outside the U.K. the twain's devotees know one another." I guess I am that niche audience, because I found it a complete hoot. Even if you don't get a lot of the UK-specific jokes (village life, etc) there are still so many movie spoof and good lines that you'll still have a good laugh.

"By the power of Greyskull!" When someone actually uses that as an exclamation, you know it's good. 'Nuff said. I think I hurt myself laughing, that one caught me so much by surprise. (If you're not from my generation of cartoon viewership, that's what He-Man's alter ego calls out to transform into He-Man - yay early 80s cartoons!)

Overall, my rating: 5 of 5. May not be everyone's sense of humor, so no guarantee on how much you'll like it, but when I have to rewind the movie several times because I've laughed through the next joke, I know it's good.

On the subject of rude people

Really, just a vent to get out.

So, we were trying to go to Six Flags this past weekend, on Mother's Day. They were running a special, so that people with season's passes got a free guest ticket on Mother's Day. Apparently not as many moms want to spend Mother's Day at a theme park (though, it wouldn't surprise me at all if my own mom wanted to spend 'her' day riding roller coasters!). Anyway, a friend from work's family (really, his in-laws) got season's passes this year, and he invited us to come along for the day, enjoy the benefits of the extra tickets.

The story continues, that we all met up on Saturday for a small get-together, and there was much discussion of the time we were meeting at the park on Sunday. Now, the in-laws, when Zach and I met them, were really some of the rudest people. Granted there was a lot of other stuff going on, so I understand their being busy, but it was really like we weren't there. Some spoke to us for only the initial introductions, and some never spoke to us at all. Our friend says that's actually pretty normal for them - they barely speak to HIM sometimes, and he married into the family!! And, in all of the discussion of times for the theme park, it was repeated, rudely and within our hearing, "Now make sure your friends are there on time." As if they already knew that they would be waiting around impatiently for us the next morning! (You just can't appreciate the rudeness of the comment over the internet, but trust me, it was!)

Meanwhile, this family (not our friend, but his in-laws) just bickered like crazy! It was as if that was how they regularly communicated with each other! It was becoming uncomfortable and awkward for Zach and I sitting in the next room with our friend listening to it all! Should have warned us of what was to come.

So, the final chapter of this story is the events on Sunday. Zach and I woke up early and hit the road right on time to drive the 2 1/2 hrs over to Six Flags and be there at 9:30ish, as agreed upon the night before. We were both really looking forward to being there, riding the roller coasters, all that fun stuff. So we get there about 9:40, meet up with our friend, and head to the main gate. Now here's the kicker - once we were at the park, we had to wait nearly 3 HOURS for the in-laws to arrive!!!! Our friend had come separately, and the in-laws were supposed to be right behind. It was almost 12:30 before they reached gate! The ones who had been making such a fuss the day before were the ones we had to wait 3 hours for!! They called at about 11:15 that they were in line to pay for parking, and then it was nearly an HOUR from that point til when they reached the gate!! How much bickering did they have to do to make it take THAT long to get from the parking lot to the main gate?? The park isn't that big, and it wasn't that busy on Sunday (I know - I sat and watched people come in the main gate for 3 hrs!) And we had to wait even longer for them to get their season passes verified and get the vouchers for the free tickers! By the time it was almost 1 o'clock, we'd been waiting there since 9:40, and had yet to even ENTER the park!!

Our friend's wife was very apologetic - I think she realizes how trying her family is. From the family, however, the closest we got to an apology was from the dad: "I'm sorry Michelle didn't coordinate the times better." Immediately trying to switch the blame to someone else, as if our friend and we had gotten the time wrong, that it was supposed to be 12:30 that we met!

Well, Buddy, just let me respond: The only times that were discussed were 9:30 and 10 am - period. No one ever talked about us all meeting at 12. You were all very focused on being there early, even to the point of insulting us! Besides, we would've remembered if it meant we got 3 extra hours of sleep! And as a final thought for you, Mr. Rude Sir, before we left the party the night before, YOU were the last person we talked to, and YOU reminded us again about being there early, since there were so many good rides to hit!

Zach and I actually left without entering the park. It was almost 1, we were starving, and the in-laws were still picking up the vouchers for us. We couldn't take it any more. Even if we just stuck around long enough to enter the park, and then headed out on our own once inside, I doubt either of us could have remained civil towards those people if we'd run into them in the park. It's one thing to be late, but to be 3 hrs late (and it takes less than 3 hrs to drive here in the first place!), never call to let us know they left late or were running late or anything, and then never apologize, even try to shift the blame to someone else? It was more than we could take. Our friend has to deal with them, but we don't! (As he says, though, he knew his wife was the right girl for him, when he met her horrible family and still wanted to be with her!)

And as a side note, I guess all of this combines to remind me how lucky I am both with my own family, and with my in-laws. We're all a bit nutty, but in the best of ways. I'm not saying we're perfect, but it's nothing like this family was. We have arguments from time to time, but there's no constant bickering, or mean pettiness, and none of this Jerry Springer, trailer park trash sort of nonsense. Seeing my friend's in-laws, I realize I really am very lucky!!

Lancaster, CA - Antelope Valley Wildflower Preserve

Speaking of splashes of color, the poppy preserve!

This state park is a wildflower preserve. The CA poppy is the state flower, and this preserve is about 1,700 acres set aside for the wildflowers. From mid-March to mid-May the hillsides erupt in bright oranges and orange-golds. We visited the first weekend in May, about a week or two past peak bloom, and it was still beautiful.

The poppies are really very delicate flowers. The petals almost look like tissue papers clustered on the stem. The flowers have evolved to curl up in the wind, and you could definitely tell that on Saturday!! We were VERY blown around as we walked around the park. Quite the blustery day! :)

Seeing the preserve with most of the blooms faded, it's like seeing the trees changing colors in the fall, but when the leaves have already started to fall. It's still very impressive, but not breathtaking, like it had been a few weeks prior. So, yes, we've already added it to the calendar for next April, so that we come during the peak season and see it in FULL bloom :) Between this and the small desert woodland state park, Lancaster is definitely worth the day trip for us. One of the other might not have been enough, but the two together make for a very scenic day of paths!

(Also, if you've made it all the way through this post without thinking at least once of "paah-pies" in the Wicked Witch of the West cackle, then you're a stronger person than I!)

Lancaster, CA - Desert Woodland State Park

The guys we met hiking at Rainbow Basin suggested a site for us to check out - Things to Do within 100 miles of Barstow. Found a good list of day and afternoon trips for us to check out, including this little gem. A pair of state parks are located in the town of Lancaster, CA, on the northern side of LA County, so that's where we headed the Saturday before last (yeah, I'm just now getting the pictures up!). These are the Arthur Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, and the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve. I'll talk about these two in separate posts, since there were so many pretty pictures from the day :)

First up, the Desert Woodland State Park. It was our first stop of the day (just how directions went) and just a tiny little stop in itself. Desert woodlands are not the most impressive views. Joshua trees just don't compare to thick forests back east, or redwood forests farther north in CA. Still, it is a nice change from the Desert itself, where we live.

The Joshua Tree is the most noticeable tree in the desert woodland habitat in this area. It's like a twisted palm tree. The little walking tour guide pamphlet we were following through the park described it as "grotesque configurations" of the branches. Each one is really pretty distinct, and especially out where we are, they are quite noticeable dotting the landscape. Here at the park they were still distinct, but blend in more with the junipers and taller shrubs. Back in the high desert, there just aren't that many shrubs to blend in with the trees :)

The Joshua tree is really pretty interesting as a plant. Botanists, etc have to estimate it's age because it doesn't have rings. The trunk is all fibrous, like palm trees. (Check out the picture on the right there!) People studying the trees estimate that some of the trees can be 800 years old, and some estimate even older!

It was the little things that were striking us as we were walking through the park. The smell of flowers (things don't bloom in Ft Irwin) or birds chirping and twittering (the most common bird we have on post is the raven). It was really very refreshing, experiencing those things that you don't even realize you're missing. On the same track, I've been noticing flowers a lot more too - bright splashes of color just brighten up an area. The post is so many shades of brown, than when you actually get splashed of color, you notice them! :)

PS - and one of the flowers.... elderberry! I do not know if it is the same elderberry as the Frenchmen's taunts, but I couldn't help but say, your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberry! And as a side note, elderberry actually smells very nice :)

Finally, Thursday!

Granted, I have two more days before the 'weekend,' but still - almost there!!

I say 2 more days because I'll have to work pretty much a full day on Saturday. A full day beginning at about 5:45 in the morning, at least, so I should still have Saturday after for myself (sleep!!). I work for MWR here on post (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) and we're hosting a Triathlon on Saturday. My department's the one running it, so that pretty much means I'm the one in charge on Saturday. Really, since I only started there a month ago, it means I'm the one running around like a crazy person all Saturday morning! Though I'll probably still be stressing next year too, but that's just me.... :)

Still, things are kinda moving along. The medals are in, and I pick up the T-shirts tomorrow. We're collecting the equipment we need today and tomorrow, so it'll be all ready to set up Saturday morning. I'm just praying to high heaven there isn't something I'm forgetting because I just didn't know about it!!

And more good news, our office got a new modem today! Our old one would freeze up, or overheat, basically crash the two computers in our little office. But after a particularly trying week for our computers (several systems down pretty much Friday afternoon through Tuesday), they've given us a new modem, which should make things run more smoothly. At least, it should mean that our system crashes less, which would be a HUGE step in the right direction :)

So, things are looking up at work, after a particularly frustrating beginning to the week. I'm hoping that the Triathlon goes smoothly on Saturday (lots of fingers crossed for me please!!). That would definitely make this week end well overall!

Now if we could just do something about Redneck Neighbor's dogs, then this week would be phenomenal!!!

Review: Rendition

This movie's a bit of a change of pace for me, but it's always good to try new things, right? Anyway, this review is about Rendition.

After a terrorist bombing kills an American envoy in a foreign country, an investigation leads to an Egyptian living in the United States. This man has been living in the States for years and is married to an American. He is apprehended on a layover on a flight home from abroad, and sent to the country where the bombing had occurred. He is sent for interrogation about the incident, interrogation which includes torture. The movie follows an American CIA operative observing the interrogation, at odds with himself about the usefulness/morality of the interrogation; the prisoner's wife back in the States, trying hard to find him; and a young couple who may or may not be involved in additional terrorist activities.

One of the guys I work with is another movie junkie, and let us borrow this one from his collection. I knew it was a more serious movie, from the little I'd heard about it, so it did take us a few days before I was in the right mood to watch it. And I'm definitely glad we waited til I wasn't in the movie for something light. This movie is HEAVY!!!! Definitely a thinking movie. It is definitely one of those movies that forces you to look at things going on in the world, and it's more unsettling because these are real things happening. Not this particular story, I mean, but the policies are real, and similar actions take place. Makes you wonder how many other Anwars there are out there, and that's a really unsettling thought. I'm always bothered by those sorts of thoughts, too - I am a pretty fair person, and try to get along with everyone (to give them a shot, at least). It unsettles me to read about, or watch about, people who get so violent and passionate, based on hatred, and the twisted actions that can come about. Like I said, it's a heavy movie.

The cast is great, and the parts are very well acted. Some have a bit more opportunity to develop than others (the Jake Gyllenhaal character wasn't given much opportunity, for example, and the character of Khalid had pretty simple motives for his actions), but overall, very solid characters.

I liked the multiple storylines. They were deftly handled, and had a nice twist at the end. I don't feel like there was tons of meaning to the twist (i.e. not really plot related, or anything; they didn't have to do it) but it was a nice touch to weaving all the stories together. I either really like multiple story lines (any Robert Altman film, Pulp Fiction, etc) or they really irritate me (Magnolia!!). This one was well done.

I liked the filming. It keeps you at a distance a little, not one of those movies that reeeeeeeally sucks you into all the characters. Lessens the emotion of it a little, I guess, but at the same time makes you think a little more. Pushes you into the part of the dispassionate observer, which makes you actually think about what all the characters are doing and why.

One of the most effective scenes of the whole movie was the bombing that sets off the whole chain of events. Instead of the noise and chaos of the aftermath of the explosion, you have a very quiet, almost silent scene. No sappy or overly emotional music, just quiet... Made for a very effective scene.

In case you're curious (as I was) the title "Rendition" refers to 'extraordinary rendition,' an extra-legal process where suspects are taken into US custody but delivered to a third-party state, often without ever being on American soil, and without involving the rendering country's judiciary body. It seemed to develop into its own during the Clinton administration, and has come into use more as a tool in the War on Terror. That's the summary from Wikipedia, at least; to really explain it would probably get into a doctoral-thesis length discussion.

As a side note, it seems Zach and I have been finding the movies with major torture scenes recently. Pulp Fiction, Rendition, The Bank Job... people can be pretty messed up sometimes... Gotta find a good comedy for our next new movie.

Overall: 4 of 5. Some of the characters are pretty flat, but the filming was good and the cast is great. Overall, a very solid movie. Worth a watch if you're looking for a good make-you-think sort of film. Definitely not a light popcorn flick!

Hiking!

See - I told you I'd get pictures up this week!

So, Saturday, Zach got stir-crazy, which was perfectly fine with me. We both felt the need to get off post and go do something. Which we did :) We looked up online stuff to do in the area. What we found was actually via Google Earth. They've added a new layer on - very very cool! It's a layer of hiking trails, working in coordination with Trimble (a GPS manufacturer) and Backpacker or Outdoor magazine - one of those. At any rate, you can see different hiking trails around the world (at least around the US, that's where we were looking). You can see a handful of pictures that have been added, and bunches of way-points and scenic spots that people have GPS-ed along the trails. Like I said, VERY cool! As Zach was playing with this, he saw that there was one right near us, actually between post and Barstow! So off we went!

The park (well, "natural area") is Rainbow Basin Natural Area, and it includes a handful of hiking trails, as well as a scenic drive. We went hiking along Owl Creek Canyon Trail, a little two mile stretch along a canyon bed. Some very pretty rock formations! Growing up on the coast, and the east coast at that, I'm more used to natural areas focusing on the beauty of the trees, or more subtle geologic points (beaches, not canyons). I'm not used to all these big exposed formations (yes, the geo dork still exists inside me!)

The area gets its name from the different rock colors. There are several shades of greens, reds, pinks, greys, whites, and so on. The way the colors all come together in contrast is really pretty remarkable sometimes!

It was a gorgeous afternoon to be outside. A bit windy, but I've learned that wind is pretty much a given in spring in this area. The only question would be how much wind you're getting on a given day. Anyway, the sun was out, but not overpowering, the wind kept us cool, and (most importantly) it was a lovely change from being cooped up inside! :)

We also met some nice hikers - actually from post as well! They told us about a couple Google searches they'd run to find stuff to do in the area. That's actually how we found the other state parks we went to this past weekend (more pictures and details coming soon!) Like we knew when we were first looking at the move out here, there are things to do in the area, just not anything close; you have to be willing to drive. At any rate, Zach and I are trying to put together a little travel to-do list of our own while we're out here - divide it up into afternoon trips, day trips, weekend trips, etc. So the next time we get a little stir-crazy on post, we can take a look in our book and head out to do something again!

The final little treat at this park, besides having 2 more trails and a scenic drive to explore, there was a cave along the trail! Could feel quite a lot of air moving through, and definitely went a little way! No, we weren't so cave-deprived that we went in then, but we are planning on trying to go back if we can get a few more people (and the gear for them too!).

Oh goodness, what a day!

Any day that begins with a suspected gas leak at your facility can only go up, right? Right??

Wrong!

I learned that today. A very long, very tiring day. And yes, it really did begin with someone smelling propane at work. Turns out it was just an old boiler burbling, not a gas line leak, but we still had to evacuate the facility, and the fire department had to come and check it out, the whole shebang. Apparently almost all of post runs on propane, so smelling propane is a big deal, and at the same time, there are a lot of these 'false alarms.' They were really nice, though, but still, what a way to start the day!

Then, we had our regular Tuesday staff meetings, so plenty of long meetings to sit through and eat up my morning. And another big kicker was our computer system (sales tracking that has to be balanced daily) has been on the fritz since Friday (more off than on, unfortunately), and finally conked out this afternoon. Our modem is getting too old to handle the information, and actually overheats regularly in the summer, and the server itself is nearing its end, according to our IT guy. A fun combination! And finally, my office is still very disorganized from the filing 'system' that the previous occupant used, so I still pretty regularly hit those points of "WHY CAN'T I FIND ANYTHING IN HERE???"

It's funny, though, as stressful as today was, it wasn't near as bad as a bad day at Horrible Job. I'm tired (dead on my feet, really), but I'm not drained. What was stressing me out isn't the job itself, but the conditions of the job (the disorganization, mostly) and external things I can't control (like computer crashes and gas leaks). It's nice to feel like that, not dreading going into work the next day. So, yes, even though today was absolutely CRAZY, I'm not dreading going to work tomorrow, I still feel like myself. Just a tired version of myself :)

... though, I am still hoping that if this is how the week starts, that it only goes up from here, right? I hope so! My department is running a big event on post on Saturday, and I don't want it to be a total disaster (or even just part of one!) Wish me luck! :)

Review: Pulp Fiction

Next up, a movie that Zach picked up for me thinking I'd like it, Pulp Fiction.

I know it's not exactly a new movie (1994), but I honestly hadn't seen it yet! Right up my alley, though. Seriously, I've no idea why I hadn't seen it yet. Makes me bump Resevoir Dogs up on my To-See list (another Tarantino film I for some reason haven't yet seen).

The movie is really a series of three stories woven together. You have Vincent and Jules, two hit men working for mob boss Marcellus Wallace, who are sent to retrieve a very important Object in a briefcase for their boss. Later, Vincent must take Mrs. Wallace out on the town while her husband is out. Butch Coolidge is an aging boxer who is being paid by Wallace to throw a fight and instead, accidentally kills his opponent. The movie is capped on either end by Honey Bunny and Pumpkin, a pair of small-time thieves robbing a diner. These seemingly unrelated stories all carry through them the themes of honor among crooks, and redemption, and consequences of choices.

First of all, like any Quentin Tarantino movie, it deserves it's R rating. Sex, drugs, violence, language, torture, bizarre fetishes... the whole she-bang. If all that doesn't bother you, than go right ahead and give this movie a try. Worth your time.

There are so many great lines in this movie, it's really hard to know where to begin. They've become part of our popular culture now. The writing is very well done, and it totally deserved the Oscar it won. And looking back at this movie almost 15 years later, it's so easy to see WHY it launched (or relaunched) so many careers. Samuel L. Jackson is just plain awesome in this movie. And the Bruce Willis character (Butch) has so few lines, and some of the weirdest scenes in the whole movie, but he handles them so well. I have to say, I'm liking Bruce Willis more and more as I get older. Tough-guy heroes with emotion. And personally, he looks better the less hair he has, too. but maybe that's just me :)

And finally, as a random bit of wordie trivia, this movie actually uses "palooka" as the insult it was originally intended to be. In one of the earlier scenes with Butch, Vincent (John Travolta) calls him first "palooka" and then "punchy." Butch, a boxer, looks insulted. I actually looked that up after the movie. "Palooka," besides meaning an oaf or clumsy person, also refers to boxers, particularly unskilled ones. Live and learn :)

Overall: 5 of 5. Over the top violence and drug scenes, and all the rest, but soooo well done. Great writing, and some seriously funny moments. If you like slick, cool, and violent, then it's definitely a movie you should see. And besides, it's priceless to see John Travolta in a UC Banana Slugs T-shirt!!

Computer Frustrations...

So, right now, we have 1 computer. We have had since we moved out here, but it's starting to get irritating. Really, we have 2, but only one has internet right now.

2 people. 1 computer with internet. Not good math...

So, it's taking some time to figure out who gets the computer when, and how long, and so forth. Especially important, as we both have sites we're addicted to online. I've my blog, and Flickr, and Ravelry, and Zach's got an online game of his own, and we both have e-mails to check, and we're both hooked on the mapping applications on Facebook. Yes, he finally broke down and got his own acocunt - haHA! I win! :) Neither of us spend too much time on there talking to people, but MAN, those maps are addicting! So, yes, we're having to come up with a balance of computer time. Unfortunately, those things we're addicted to online can be QUITE time-consuming.... We've really got to get that second computer hooked up....

So, I guess this is a long way of explaining why my posting frequency is down :)

Still, it was a good weekend, at least, and we actually got away from the computer! Went out and saw some of CA, and saw a new movie, and as soon as I get my pictures uploaded, I'll tell you all about it :)