Saturday, March 21, 2009
Good luck Mom!
To Mom, Ms Donna, and all other friends back home running in the Shamrock Half (or the Full!)...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy St Patrick's Day!
Since I couldn't wear green today, because of my work uniform, here's a little Irish knitter to wish you Happy St Pat's in my stead!
Monday, March 16, 2009
WE ACTUALLY GOT AWAY FROM POST!!
You have NO idea how exciting this is! Because of our work schedules being completely opposite over the past few months, Zach and I haven't been off-post together for more than an afternoon (plus driving time) since November. We each had some travel in December, but that was work-related for both of us, and (for him especially) doesn't really count as time away. So, yes, we were going a little stir-crazy around here. This place'll get to you after a while (and by while, I mean within a fortnight).
But we got away this weekend! Hurray!
We went over to Vegas again, but really, it was more over at Lake Mead. We started the weekend with a very late drive on Friday night, because work ran late for me, and we had to be at Lake Mead Saturday morning because I was running a race. The Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 1/2 Marathon. Overall, my time wasn't my best, but it was better than at the AZ R&R in January (so I'm gradually getting back in shape, despite work), and I had several reasons to not expect a PR, so I was pretty pleased overall. I'd never run on trails before, at least not for time, and over half this race was on trail, not on pavement. It's definitely slower running on gravel and sand than on pavement! Also, that whole 4-hrs of sleep thing kinda slowed me down a little too :)
Even more important than the time, though, was just getting away and getting me motivated again. That race was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was perfect, really couldn't have asked for better, and over half the race was along the cliff overlooking Lake Mead. The final turn-around overlooks Hoover Dam, too. The whole thing was all very scenic. It was a smaller race, too, (I think there were only about 600 finishers) so everyone was really friendly. And one of the race goodies was a travel mug! Any race that gives away a mug is good in my book :) A good race that got me off post, hours away from work and all it's craziness, and gave me a good motivational kick in the pants, which I very much need about now. Work's kinda eating my life, my face, and everything else it can get it's grubby little paws on, so I really appreciated a couple hours of fun and beautiful scenery and perfect weather and all being several hours from post!
Oh, with my time, I did beat a pair of guys from Nellis AFB :) We were kinda leap-frogging each other from about mile 8 on (they'd pass me, I'd pass them, and repeat). I finally finished a few minutes ahead of them. Made me chuckle, though, being an Army spouse and all :) Of course, they were in boots and I was in sneakers, but still, made me smile. Some friendly inter-service competition is always fine (I invited them to the marathon we're hosting on post in December, too!)
But the fun didn't end there! Being so close to a big city, we decided to take advantage of it. As I've already mentioned, we're not big Vegas-as-Vegas people. Not into gambling or nightclubs or drunken craziness, all that Vegas stereotype. However, we do like shows and restaurants and the shopping and such that being in a city offers. So we took advantage of all that instead!
Saturday night we went and saw a show in town. We chose Ka this trip, a Cirque de Soleil show at the MGM Grand. I'd seen Cirque shows on film before (Bravo shows them from time to time) but had never been able to see one live. Incredible! The spectacular stunts of a circus, but with much more theatricality. A really fun night! If you're not familiar with Ka, it's a very aerial-themed Cirque show (kinda the way "O" at the Bellagio is the water one, performed over a pool). There's a lot of martial-arts influence, as well, in Ka. If you're a CSI fan, there was an episode that took place backstage at Ka, so you might have seen some clips of it on TV. Some of the stunts in Ka really were just breath-taking. My favorite one was one that actually kinda defies description. For the 'light' sections of the show (the equivalent to the clowns in a regular circus), my favorite was two characters playing with shadow puppets. Most intricate shadow puppets I've ever seen! When one made a bunny, he actually had it washing it's face, just like Joey does! Yes, I get excited over silly little things :)
We did some shopping too, before we went home. Mostly errands, but it was refreshing to take care of them in real stores, not the tiny little post options. Zach was telling me not to cry in the grocery store, because even in tiny little Boulder City, the produce and cheese sections were like what they 'should' be, not the little understocked sections we have on post. You never know how isolated you are, until grocery shopping in a town makes you excited!
I know I'll be busy at work for a good while more. It'll be April before we've both got the same weekend free again, so we're already planning our next trip! I think we'll head up to Death Valley for a weekend in April. We were debating going hiking there or Big Bear, but Death Valley will get hot in the summer, while Big Bear stays nice and cool (being up in the mountains and all), so in April, we'll go and see what the fuss is at Death Valley! Gotta keep planning these weekends, or we'll never keep our sanity around here!
But we got away this weekend! Hurray!
We went over to Vegas again, but really, it was more over at Lake Mead. We started the weekend with a very late drive on Friday night, because work ran late for me, and we had to be at Lake Mead Saturday morning because I was running a race. The Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam 1/2 Marathon. Overall, my time wasn't my best, but it was better than at the AZ R&R in January (so I'm gradually getting back in shape, despite work), and I had several reasons to not expect a PR, so I was pretty pleased overall. I'd never run on trails before, at least not for time, and over half this race was on trail, not on pavement. It's definitely slower running on gravel and sand than on pavement! Also, that whole 4-hrs of sleep thing kinda slowed me down a little too :)
Even more important than the time, though, was just getting away and getting me motivated again. That race was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was perfect, really couldn't have asked for better, and over half the race was along the cliff overlooking Lake Mead. The final turn-around overlooks Hoover Dam, too. The whole thing was all very scenic. It was a smaller race, too, (I think there were only about 600 finishers) so everyone was really friendly. And one of the race goodies was a travel mug! Any race that gives away a mug is good in my book :) A good race that got me off post, hours away from work and all it's craziness, and gave me a good motivational kick in the pants, which I very much need about now. Work's kinda eating my life, my face, and everything else it can get it's grubby little paws on, so I really appreciated a couple hours of fun and beautiful scenery and perfect weather and all being several hours from post!
Oh, with my time, I did beat a pair of guys from Nellis AFB :) We were kinda leap-frogging each other from about mile 8 on (they'd pass me, I'd pass them, and repeat). I finally finished a few minutes ahead of them. Made me chuckle, though, being an Army spouse and all :) Of course, they were in boots and I was in sneakers, but still, made me smile. Some friendly inter-service competition is always fine (I invited them to the marathon we're hosting on post in December, too!)
But the fun didn't end there! Being so close to a big city, we decided to take advantage of it. As I've already mentioned, we're not big Vegas-as-Vegas people. Not into gambling or nightclubs or drunken craziness, all that Vegas stereotype. However, we do like shows and restaurants and the shopping and such that being in a city offers. So we took advantage of all that instead!
Saturday night we went and saw a show in town. We chose Ka this trip, a Cirque de Soleil show at the MGM Grand. I'd seen Cirque shows on film before (Bravo shows them from time to time) but had never been able to see one live. Incredible! The spectacular stunts of a circus, but with much more theatricality. A really fun night! If you're not familiar with Ka, it's a very aerial-themed Cirque show (kinda the way "O" at the Bellagio is the water one, performed over a pool). There's a lot of martial-arts influence, as well, in Ka. If you're a CSI fan, there was an episode that took place backstage at Ka, so you might have seen some clips of it on TV. Some of the stunts in Ka really were just breath-taking. My favorite one was one that actually kinda defies description. For the 'light' sections of the show (the equivalent to the clowns in a regular circus), my favorite was two characters playing with shadow puppets. Most intricate shadow puppets I've ever seen! When one made a bunny, he actually had it washing it's face, just like Joey does! Yes, I get excited over silly little things :)
We did some shopping too, before we went home. Mostly errands, but it was refreshing to take care of them in real stores, not the tiny little post options. Zach was telling me not to cry in the grocery store, because even in tiny little Boulder City, the produce and cheese sections were like what they 'should' be, not the little understocked sections we have on post. You never know how isolated you are, until grocery shopping in a town makes you excited!
I know I'll be busy at work for a good while more. It'll be April before we've both got the same weekend free again, so we're already planning our next trip! I think we'll head up to Death Valley for a weekend in April. We were debating going hiking there or Big Bear, but Death Valley will get hot in the summer, while Big Bear stays nice and cool (being up in the mountains and all), so in April, we'll go and see what the fuss is at Death Valley! Gotta keep planning these weekends, or we'll never keep our sanity around here!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
E is for...
Eggs!
Ok, so 99999 times out of 100000, I truly hate over-commercialization of holidays. Christmas does NOT begin until Santa comes down at the end of the Macy's parade, NOT right after Halloween (or, in some stores, after school starts). Valentine's Day does NOT begin after the ball drops at New Year's. And so forth.
Cadbury eggs at Easter are the sole exceptions. They can start those babies as early as they want! 'Course all the pastel chicks and Peeps that come with the Cadbury eggs get annoying, but the eggs themselves... mmmmmmm.
Zach and I both love the Cadbury eggs (he's a traditionalist, but I favor the caramel and traditional equally, and I miss the chocolate ones they used to make). He, for some odd reason, likes his sweets cold. For example, he'll stick cookies in the freezer, and so forth. Apparently, if cookies aren't fresh from the oven, then they should be frozen. Haven't figured that one out yet. He also sticks all chocolate in the fridge. As a result, Easter season rolls around, and our egg shelf in the fridge looks like this. For someone who actually doesn't like real eggs, I think this how an egg shelf should really look.
mmmm.... Cadbury eggs.
And, from my favorite web comic, an ode to Cadbury. (Thank you 'Least I Could Do' )
Cadbury eggs at Easter are the sole exceptions. They can start those babies as early as they want! 'Course all the pastel chicks and Peeps that come with the Cadbury eggs get annoying, but the eggs themselves... mmmmmmm.
Zach and I both love the Cadbury eggs (he's a traditionalist, but I favor the caramel and traditional equally, and I miss the chocolate ones they used to make). He, for some odd reason, likes his sweets cold. For example, he'll stick cookies in the freezer, and so forth. Apparently, if cookies aren't fresh from the oven, then they should be frozen. Haven't figured that one out yet. He also sticks all chocolate in the fridge. As a result, Easter season rolls around, and our egg shelf in the fridge looks like this. For someone who actually doesn't like real eggs, I think this how an egg shelf should really look.
mmmm.... Cadbury eggs.
And, from my favorite web comic, an ode to Cadbury. (Thank you 'Least I Could Do' )
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A FO!
WIPs, too, of course.
Baby blanket slog-a-long, of course.
My FO is a cute little handbag from a free Berroco pattern. I used Lion Brand Incredible yarn, and the pattern Mita from the Berroco website. So easy!! I needed a quick project, get that sense of completion, when certain other projects are just taking soooo long. The hardest part of Mita was actually finding the bangles to use as the handles! I ended up ordering them from etsy (who'd've thought?)
Funny thing about Mita, is that it makes me miss being in a town again. Didn't think a knitting pattern would do that, did you? It's the little dress-up-and-go-out sort of bag I use a lot when going to concerts and plays and such. Of course, we don't have that here. If we go and see a show in Vegas or LA, then I'll get the chance to use it before we move next, but as it is, I don't ever get to use my cute dress-up clothes here :(
Baby blanket slog-a-long, of course.
My FO is a cute little handbag from a free Berroco pattern. I used Lion Brand Incredible yarn, and the pattern Mita from the Berroco website. So easy!! I needed a quick project, get that sense of completion, when certain other projects are just taking soooo long. The hardest part of Mita was actually finding the bangles to use as the handles! I ended up ordering them from etsy (who'd've thought?)
Funny thing about Mita, is that it makes me miss being in a town again. Didn't think a knitting pattern would do that, did you? It's the little dress-up-and-go-out sort of bag I use a lot when going to concerts and plays and such. Of course, we don't have that here. If we go and see a show in Vegas or LA, then I'll get the chance to use it before we move next, but as it is, I don't ever get to use my cute dress-up clothes here :(
PS - can you tell work is calming down, at least a little? I'm actually having time to post again!
Review: Mr. Darcy's Diary
Look, I actually had time to read a new book!
Usually, when I get overwhelmed, I end up rereading books (part of why my personal library is so big - I go through a LOT of books in a year) Mom says something similar - she can tell what sort of mood she's in by what sort of book she's rereading! I'm the same way - when the rest of life gets really crazy, I don't watch a lot of new movies and don't read new books. For both books and movies, I turn to the 'old friends.' Best I can figure, I don't want to think too much in my leisure time when the rest of my life is getting hectic, so I turn to books and movies that are already very familiar. For example, I've two newer books that I'm very very slowly working my way through at the moment, because work has been so crazy recently. They are practically at a standstill right now! But with things slowly returning to normal in that area, hopefully I'll have some new books to talk about here too :)
To be honest, this one was actually read a month of so ago, and I'm finally getting a chance to talk about it. Like I said, things have been pretty crazy around here...
So, yes, on to Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange!
Usually, when I get overwhelmed, I end up rereading books (part of why my personal library is so big - I go through a LOT of books in a year) Mom says something similar - she can tell what sort of mood she's in by what sort of book she's rereading! I'm the same way - when the rest of life gets really crazy, I don't watch a lot of new movies and don't read new books. For both books and movies, I turn to the 'old friends.' Best I can figure, I don't want to think too much in my leisure time when the rest of my life is getting hectic, so I turn to books and movies that are already very familiar. For example, I've two newer books that I'm very very slowly working my way through at the moment, because work has been so crazy recently. They are practically at a standstill right now! But with things slowly returning to normal in that area, hopefully I'll have some new books to talk about here too :)
To be honest, this one was actually read a month of so ago, and I'm finally getting a chance to talk about it. Like I said, things have been pretty crazy around here...
So, yes, on to Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange!
For plot summary, well... it's Pride and Prejudice, but told from Mr. Darcy's perspective. It really is as the title says: Mr Darcy's Diary.
I actually really liked this book, and I wasn't sure if I would when I began it. It turned out that it was one of those books that you feel you could read in a day, if you didn't have that pesky "real life" nonsense to deal with (you know the type of books I mean!). You already know all the characters and the story. Here you are revisiting them from another perspective, and that's what was worrying me. I'm not saying all books deserve this treatment, but when the characters are already well loved, it's not a bad thing to revisit them. (As long as they aren't messed with! A pet peeve there...) So many books take well-loved stories and characters and then have them doing things totally, well, wrong and it's just frustrating.
Amanda Grange has apparently written a series of books, looking at Austen's stories from the hero's perspective. I know Mr. Knightly (Emma), Colonel Brandon (Sense & Sensibility) and Captain Wentworth (Persuasion) all have diaries that I would like to read, and I believe she's also written one for Edmund from Mansfield Park but that was one of my least favorite Austen novels so I'm not too worried about finding that one. The others would definitely be interesting, though. I'll have to start seeing what our tiny library's interlibrary loan system can get to me out here, or else wait til I'm actually in a city with a big library system again.
The book itself is not deep, but it's very enjoyable. Chick Lit would be the best comparison I can think of, but a historical Chick Lit book. It's a very fun read, and that's what a reader should go in expecting, not a great classic but a fun treatment of a classic.
I liked how Grange works in lines from the original novel - phrases from conversations, etc. She did a good job of working Darcy's thoughts in with the conversations, so that, if not entirely seamless, at least it blended well. It would've been definitely a negative point if the conversation taken from Austen didn't sit well with more modern sounding narrative.
I also liked how she filled in gaps from Darcy's perspective (like we hear more of Wickham's wooing of Georgiana, and what becomes of Anne de Burgh, who was practically a sidenote nonentity in the original) but made sure to keep Elizabeth's activities out (we don't hear about her trip to Derbyshire, except when she is actually at Pemberly). The reader, already familiar with the story, knows what's going on in the meantime, but Darcy talks of his own life, Georgiana's activities, etc. and only wonders what Lizzie is up to. If Grange had been careless about that, I know it would've irked me no end!
Overall: 4 of 5, I guess. It's a nice light fluff read. Wonderful characters, and she treats them well. It's a faster read than the original P&P, so a nice 'fun book' to through in when you need a relaxing read, or want a little more of the characters you like. Wouldn't mind having it on my shelf at all.
I actually really liked this book, and I wasn't sure if I would when I began it. It turned out that it was one of those books that you feel you could read in a day, if you didn't have that pesky "real life" nonsense to deal with (you know the type of books I mean!). You already know all the characters and the story. Here you are revisiting them from another perspective, and that's what was worrying me. I'm not saying all books deserve this treatment, but when the characters are already well loved, it's not a bad thing to revisit them. (As long as they aren't messed with! A pet peeve there...) So many books take well-loved stories and characters and then have them doing things totally, well, wrong and it's just frustrating.
Amanda Grange has apparently written a series of books, looking at Austen's stories from the hero's perspective. I know Mr. Knightly (Emma), Colonel Brandon (Sense & Sensibility) and Captain Wentworth (Persuasion) all have diaries that I would like to read, and I believe she's also written one for Edmund from Mansfield Park but that was one of my least favorite Austen novels so I'm not too worried about finding that one. The others would definitely be interesting, though. I'll have to start seeing what our tiny library's interlibrary loan system can get to me out here, or else wait til I'm actually in a city with a big library system again.
The book itself is not deep, but it's very enjoyable. Chick Lit would be the best comparison I can think of, but a historical Chick Lit book. It's a very fun read, and that's what a reader should go in expecting, not a great classic but a fun treatment of a classic.
I liked how Grange works in lines from the original novel - phrases from conversations, etc. She did a good job of working Darcy's thoughts in with the conversations, so that, if not entirely seamless, at least it blended well. It would've been definitely a negative point if the conversation taken from Austen didn't sit well with more modern sounding narrative.
I also liked how she filled in gaps from Darcy's perspective (like we hear more of Wickham's wooing of Georgiana, and what becomes of Anne de Burgh, who was practically a sidenote nonentity in the original) but made sure to keep Elizabeth's activities out (we don't hear about her trip to Derbyshire, except when she is actually at Pemberly). The reader, already familiar with the story, knows what's going on in the meantime, but Darcy talks of his own life, Georgiana's activities, etc. and only wonders what Lizzie is up to. If Grange had been careless about that, I know it would've irked me no end!
Overall: 4 of 5, I guess. It's a nice light fluff read. Wonderful characters, and she treats them well. It's a faster read than the original P&P, so a nice 'fun book' to through in when you need a relaxing read, or want a little more of the characters you like. Wouldn't mind having it on my shelf at all.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Review: L.A. Confidential
Been a long time since I chatted about a movie, huh! With work as crazy as it's been recently, I've been watching more familiars on my shelf, than anything new. Netflix kinda slowed to a crawl for a bit, as a result...
But, with things calming down a bit at work, things are getting back to normal :) So, to get back on track, so to speak, here's one I can't believe I hadn't watched until recently: L.A. Confidential.
But, with things calming down a bit at work, things are getting back to normal :) So, to get back on track, so to speak, here's one I can't believe I hadn't watched until recently: L.A. Confidential.
Plot summary: It's one of those movies on corruption and crime, which can be summed up in that simple sentence, or can warrant a really convoluted explanation if I tried to actually explain things without giving away spoilers. I'm going to go for the simple explanation :) In a nutshell, you've got sex, drugs, murder, police corruption, and a few honest cops with drastically different methods and personalities trying to sort things out in 1950s L.A.
This was another one I'd been meaning to watch for a while. Had seen bits and pieces of it to know it'd probably be one I'd like, but just hadn't had the time to sit and watch all the way through.
The acting is phenomenal. Kim Basinger won an Oscar for her role, which doesn't surprise me, but what does surprise me is that all the male leads were overlooked! This was the big break into Hollywood for both Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe, and for Kevin Spacey, this was a strong follow-up to his break-out role in The Usual Suspects. Don't know why Oscar overlooked all 3 of these performances. Crowe is just a raw bundle of energy, whatever he's feeling is open. And Pearce is wonderful as the scheming rookie. The interview scenes are great, both the one when he's interviewing the 3 suspects (masterful manipulation) and when he's being interviewed at the end. And then there's James Cromwell as the police chief - beautifully cold and subtle! The only other role I'd really remember seeing him in was the farmer in Babe, and this is such a drastically different part... He's not creepy, but scary all the same - so much power being manipulated - really leaves an impression.
Yeah, really don't know why the men were overlooked in award season. Yes, I know this was the year of Good Will Hunting and Titanic, but still!
Interesting cameo: Paul Guilfoyle is Micky C, the gangster at the opening of the movie whose arrest triggers a lot of the movie's action. I don't even think he had any speaking lines. Why interesting? Because Guilfoyle's been Det. Jim Brass on CSI since 2000. Well, it's interesting to me that the only other thing I've seen him in now, is as a mob boss.
The whole movie has that film noir feel to it. Which, as I'm sure most of you who know me already know, I love. Spacey's character would fit right in with the sarcastic, arrogant detectives of Bogart's films and the like. Interesting comment, though, that someone mentioned in a review - most film noir detectives are private eyes, but in this movie, they are all on the police force. Just an interesting thought :) Makes me want to read the book, too, like I want to read Raymond Chandler works after seeing The Big Sleep. Just the feeling that if the atmosphere is this pressing on film, it must be incredible on paper.
This was another one I'd been meaning to watch for a while. Had seen bits and pieces of it to know it'd probably be one I'd like, but just hadn't had the time to sit and watch all the way through.
The acting is phenomenal. Kim Basinger won an Oscar for her role, which doesn't surprise me, but what does surprise me is that all the male leads were overlooked! This was the big break into Hollywood for both Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe, and for Kevin Spacey, this was a strong follow-up to his break-out role in The Usual Suspects. Don't know why Oscar overlooked all 3 of these performances. Crowe is just a raw bundle of energy, whatever he's feeling is open. And Pearce is wonderful as the scheming rookie. The interview scenes are great, both the one when he's interviewing the 3 suspects (masterful manipulation) and when he's being interviewed at the end. And then there's James Cromwell as the police chief - beautifully cold and subtle! The only other role I'd really remember seeing him in was the farmer in Babe, and this is such a drastically different part... He's not creepy, but scary all the same - so much power being manipulated - really leaves an impression.
Yeah, really don't know why the men were overlooked in award season. Yes, I know this was the year of Good Will Hunting and Titanic, but still!
Interesting cameo: Paul Guilfoyle is Micky C, the gangster at the opening of the movie whose arrest triggers a lot of the movie's action. I don't even think he had any speaking lines. Why interesting? Because Guilfoyle's been Det. Jim Brass on CSI since 2000. Well, it's interesting to me that the only other thing I've seen him in now, is as a mob boss.
The whole movie has that film noir feel to it. Which, as I'm sure most of you who know me already know, I love. Spacey's character would fit right in with the sarcastic, arrogant detectives of Bogart's films and the like. Interesting comment, though, that someone mentioned in a review - most film noir detectives are private eyes, but in this movie, they are all on the police force. Just an interesting thought :) Makes me want to read the book, too, like I want to read Raymond Chandler works after seeing The Big Sleep. Just the feeling that if the atmosphere is this pressing on film, it must be incredible on paper.
Side note: Kim Basinger has THE best wardrobe in this movie. Very classy, very classic. Love it. Don't care if she's playing a high class hooker, her clothes are still gorgeous! Apparently high class hookers have good tailors...
Overall: 5 of 5. Great acting, great feel to the movie, very well done. Can't believe I hadn't seen it til now. Definitely one I want to get for my shelf.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
