Picture Chalenge #10

Oh this one I thought was easy a picture of the person I do the most ****** up things with!  I thought about putting several people here.  And then it hit me.  I'm normally the instigator in the group.  The one who jumps fences, sneaks into partys and concerts, etc.  LOL I'm the bad egg in the group of my friends.  Thank god I've started to calm down!

Women, Food and God

Hello World,
     I'm a mixed bag on self help books.  Some times they can realy be great and if used as a tool they can help someone change their life or start towards a better tomorow.  Or sometimes their just realy handing books that tell you how to fix your leaky fauceat!  My mother, yes my mother decided I should read the book "Women, Food, & God" by Geneen Roth.  I wasn't sure if I should be insulted at first but I thought I would give it a go.  Basicaly what Geneen is trying to say is that what, how, where you eat says everything about who you are and the relationship you have with yourself.  She has very bassic rules/guidelines for changing that relationship. 

1. Eat when you are hungry.
2. Eat sitting down in a calm environment. This does not include the car.
3. Eat without distractions. Distractions include radio, television, newspapers, books, intense or anxiety-producing conversations or music.
4. Eat what your body wants.
5. Eat until you are satisfied.
6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.
7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto, and pleasure.

  I'm still not sure what to make of the book and the rules she set up.  Its simple, deceptivly simple.  I only took about three hours to read the whole book.  I need to read it again before I decide how I feel about it.  There seems to be something to what she is saying.  If it realy is that simple no wonder were not geting it.  People always seem to be complicating things!  I'll keep you updated on this whole read.  Let you know if It works for me or how it goes.
 

Picture Chalenge #9

A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.  I know who should go here.  She's been a great friend for years.  I've known here since I was eight.  I don't know what happened but in the last year we just drifted apart.  I don't have the right to put her face on here.  But I think about her and what we did together and shared.  Strange how people grow and change. 

The Kings Speach

Hello World,
     So Friday night the group got together to watch " The King's Speech".  I've been wanting to see this film for a while and I realy did want to see it before the Oscars I just didn't prioritise it on the top of the to do list.  I'm realy glad I got to see it.  It deserved ever nod, recognition, trophy and golden man it got!  It was amazing!!!!  I loved the camera effects and how much emphasise was put on the microphones.  Each camera angle was perfection in creating tension, emptyness, lonelyness, and anxiety.  The acting was amazing.    The sets and costumes were amazing.  The directing was amazing.  The script was amazing, no realy the best part was the dialog and the interation of the dialog!  I was laughing and crying and feeling for my characters as soon as the movie started.  Five out of Five stars!!!!  GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!  TITS!  (PS its rare for me to like a movie this much so it realy was amazing.  My father even liked it and he hates "Artzie" movies)
IMDB info

Picture #8

Picture Chalenge #8
A picture that makes me laugh!  Bahhhahahahahaha.  This one allways gets me.  It's so stupid.  I know 4 year old over here.

The Sword of Truth or Legend of the Seeker

Hello World,
     So last week when I wasn't working or watching bad movies I was watching totally nerdy TV and reading equally nerdy books.  I started by watching "Legend of the Seeker", which is ABC's take on the book The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind.  After geting about half way through the first season of LOTS i started bugging Luke, who recomend the book; about different elements of the series.  (I like to chalenge myself by guessing endings and plot developments.)  After two failed conversations about the series vs the book I finnaly started reading the book.  The two are the same but very different.  In fact I was torn between posting two different blogs since I could treat each part like a seperate idea.  Both the series and the book relay hevaly on architypes and common elemnts of adventure quest fantasy books.  Yong man coming of age.  Father figure burns in his house, dies (Star Wars/ Eragon).  New father figure/wizard/teacher steps in.  Love interest arives on the scene that he can possible fall in love with no matter what.  Oh and the world is going to come to an end unless you go do this right now.  And don't forget the evil guy will be your father and or brother that you never knew about!  Gasp in shock and awe!!!!
     LOL ok maybe that was a synical plot line break down but its true.  I realy did like both the series and the book.  I like the book better; but I allways like the book better.  It was a four out of five stars for me.  The only reason it didn't get five was I wasn't overly wowed by the plot line.  Mind you I'm only on book one.  But book onw was season one of the series.  Heres to hopeing and knowing books usualy get better as they go.
     In regards to the series, I would have given it four out of five stars if I had not started reading the book.  But after reading the book it's geting bumped down to three stars.  The production took some liberties with the storie line that did not make sense and seemed to take away from the point of the story.  The show got better as it went.  The actors found there character and came to terms with who they were and became more belivable.  It also looked like the production got a great bump in the budget especially for effects.  If you like fantasy this is right up your alley. 
     (I can't wait to get book number two to read --- Oliver...!)

Picture Chalenge #7

Hello World,
     So this picture is about my most treasured item.  I'm not sure if I realy am that into material posesions?!  Does my dog count?  I own her, but is it a posesion?!  Hmmmm, well I know what items I wouldn't be grabing if I had to run out of my door due to a zombie apocalypse.  It wouldn't be my computer, or my phone, camera, jewlery, or any of those other things.  All right its a tie..  Between my most treasured books and my doggies!  So I will either be running from the zombies loaded down by coppies of Alanna, Ella Enchanted, Lord of the Rings, Hitchickers Guide to the Galaxy, ad Farenheit 451 or dragging my motly band of furry friends Buddha, Bandit, Bino, and Buster out the door.  Got both images are equally rediculose!

Red Riding Hood

Hello World,
     Yes I know its been a little while since I've put something up.  I'm sorry.  I started on a different writting project and couldn't drag myself away from it.  So that means some of the posts that will be going up are a little out of date/behind.  Sue me... LOL
So last week I went out with the gang to go and watch "Red Riding Hood."  Lets just say that this movie was so bad it was good.  The group had mixed reactions to the film; some loved it and some wanted their money back.  I think it just depended on how much you were willing to forgive the movie for being what it was.  I am going to give is a 2 out of 5 stars.  I had fun watching it, but it really was a terrible movie and unless you enjoy films like "West World", "The Relic", and "Space Balls" this movie is not for you.
     The film was directed by Catherine Hardwicke who also just happend to direct the well known film Twilight (2008).  Red Riding Hood (2011) is the story of little red riding hood from before mother goose got her hands on the story.  Its dark, bloody, sexy and every time there could be a moment to up the anti the director takes it.  I realy did not need to see some of the scenes and actions thaqt made it into the final cut.  They don't add to the film in anyway.  It just fills the movie with extra sizzle to tantilize the young people the film is very much geared for.  Bassicaly in my really brutaly honest opinion it seemed like the producers and Warner Brothers said "Make the next Twighlight."  Sad, it could of been something more.  (I even guessed the end before the half way point)
IMDB info

Just Fell In Love

Looking around online, Found this blog!  electricmustache.com  Love it!!!!  Love this video on the blog!!!!  Its Business by the Tune-yards

ASL is the most expresive language ever!

Had to share!  Used to study ASL and I love how it gets right down to the visuals of the words.

Fell behind

Hello World,
I got a little busy. I have posts that I've written with more to come. I'll get to it this weekend. Promise

In the news!

beaconnews.suntimes.com did a spot on Storefront Shakespeare.  Pretty cool.  Wish it was a little more up to date!

Yummy Doctor part 2!

Cant wait for the next season!!!
(Don't tell anyone, I forgot to hit the publish button...)

YUMMY Doctor!

Allways look forward to the specials by the Doctor!  Thought I would share!

Gia is Everywhere!

Hello World,
On my way to work Sunday (Last week... I need to post things faster?!) I was listening to the lovely public radio, NPR.  (Yes the crazy liberal station that wants to corrupt the masses by providing fair and balanced news coverage!)  Since it is a Sunday, the news was a little on the fluffy side, but I thought it had a great idea:  http://www.gaianproject.org/.  The Gian Project is a group of people try to raise awareness about working systems in the earth by creating beauty and inspiring you to conserve the beauty you see.  It’s a really new program and not quite up and running yet, but I thought it could be something amazing. It’s an open share platform that artists can add to and any one can take from!  Oh to be a part of this era.  This project gives me hope!

Beastly

Hello World,
So immediately after seeing “The Adjustment Bureau”, I got up the next morning and saw a 10am showing of “Beastly.”  I was hoping for something amazing from this.  “Beastly” is a movie adaptation of the book Beastly by Alexx Flinn, which in turn is a modern interpretation of my favorite myth of Beauty and The Beast.  While being a modern adaptation it also tells the story from the beast’s perspective which is a nice change. 
I did say that I would be judging this movie a little harshly since it is one of my favorite stories.  This one gets 1 ½ stars out of 5.  I’m sorry, but I didn’t like it and it was disappointing.  It is a young teen film that took a very teenage book and made it even sappier and pretentious. It was boring, slow, and full of sappy moments that did not add to the story at all.  READ the BOOK!!! That, at least, was good.  I don’t recommend this movie unless you’re female and under the age of 16.  Its only saving grace was eye candy and Neil Patrick Harris as Will.  Any scene with Will was laugh-out-loud funny; he really did have some great one-liners.  Wait for the DVD if you want to see it.  Not worth the money for a night out.
Side note the music/soundtrack was good!

The Adjustment Bureau

Hello World,
So I think all of you have figured out by now that I like me some Sci-fi. When I saw advertisements for this a while back, I thought it was an interesting idea and I wanted to see it. For me this movie gets 3 out of 5 stars. Basically, “The Adjustment Bureau” is about David Norris (Matt Damon), who through circumstances has risen up in the world and is running for state senate. One fateful night he meets the love of his life, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). After another chance encounter, life starts to unravel very quickly for David. The “Bureau” begins creeping into his life, and the agents reveal themselves and it becomes obvious that they are changing his life to fit their plans. David then starts fighting for what he wants and the question is whether he will win or lose is his quest for love.
The movie and its plot have been done before, and it is based off of the short story “Adjustment Team” by Phillip Dick. It wasn’t a wholly new or original idea but I liked the way it was approached. I was interested and captivated by the movie and it tends to get you thinking about the small moments in your life -the “What If”. It wasn’t overly flashy, and for the viewer it was just simple fact that a man could open a door in the Museum of Modern Art and it just happened to lead to a door on Liberty Island. There were also biblical references, and I felt like the Adjusters and the Corporation were very veiled references to angels and God. It wasn’t over the top religion, and I didn’t feel like it was being crammed down my throat, so I was ok with it. There also seemed to be this strange subplot about hats, which I’m sure my friend Oliver would have loved. The one drawback was some plot holes but I liked the movie enough to let them slide. In summary, good movie, worth the watch, and it’s about amazing magical hats!

theadjustmentbureau.com/

Just makes you think

If you take out the African American wording and just use America as the point of the article its all encompassing.  I know people like this and wish they could read this and understand it.

Why I Am a Male Feminist

Published on The Root (http://www.theroot.com)

By: Byron Hurt

Posted: March 16, 2011 at 12:24 AM

The word turns off a lot of men (insert snarky comment about man-hating feminazis here) -- and women. But here's why black men should be embracing the "f" word.

When I was a little boy, my mother and father used to argue a lot. Some mornings, I would wake up to the alarming sound of my parents arguing loudly. The disagreement would continue until my father would yell with finality, "That is it! I'm not talking about this anymore!" The dispute would end right there. My mother never got the last word.
My dad's yelling made me shrink in fear; I wanted to do something to make him stop raging against my mother. In those moments, I felt powerless because I was too small to confront my father. I learned early that he had an unfair advantage because of his gender. His size, strength and power intimidated my mother. I never saw my father hit her, but I did witness how injurious his verbal jabs could be when they landed on my mom's psyche.
My father didn't always mistreat my mother, but when he did, I identified with her pain, not his bullying. When he hurt her, he hurt me, too. My mother and I had a special bond. She was funny, smart, loving and beautiful. She was a great listener who made me feel special and important. And whenever the going got tough, she was my rock and my foundation.
One morning, after my father yelled at my mom during an argument, she and I stood in the bathroom together, alone, getting ready for the day ahead of us. The tension in the house was as thick as a cloud of dark smoke. I could tell that my mother was upset. "I love you, Ma, but I just wish that you had a little more spunk when you argue with Daddy," I said, low enough so my father couldn't hear me. She looked at me, rubbed my back and forced a smile.
I so badly wanted my mother to stand up for herself. I didn't understand why she had to submit to him whenever they fought. Who was he to lay down the law in the household? What made him so special?
I grew to resent my father's dominance in the household, even though I loved him as dearly as I loved my mother. His anger and intimidation shut down my mother, sister and me from freely expressing our opinions whenever they didn't sit well with his own. Something about the inequity in their relationship felt unjust to me, but at that young age, I couldn't articulate why.
One day, as we sat at the kitchen table after another of their many spats, my mother told me, "Byron, don't ever treat a woman the way your father treats me." I wish I had listened to her advice.
As I grew older and got into my own relationships with girls and women, I sometimes behaved as I saw my father behave. I, too, became defensive and verbally abusive whenever the girl or woman I was dating criticized or challenged me. I would belittle my girlfriends by scrutinizing their weight or their choices in clothes. In one particular college relationship, I often used my physical size to intimidate my petite girlfriend, standing over her and yelling to get my point across during arguments.

I had internalized what I had seen in my home and was slowly becoming what I had disdained as a young boy. Although my mother attempted to teach me better, I, like a lot of boys and men, felt entitled to mistreat the female gender when it benefited me to do so.
After graduating from college, I needed a job. I learned about a new outreach program that was set to launch. It was called the Mentors in Violence Prevention Project. As a student-athlete, I had done community outreach, and the MVP Project seemed like a good gig until I got a real job in my field: journalism.
Founded by Jackson Katz, the MVP Project was designed to use the status of athletes to make gender violence socially unacceptable. When I met with Katz, I didn't realize that the project was a domestic violence prevention program. Had I known that, I wouldn't have gone in for the job interview.
So when Katz explained that they were looking to hire a man to help institutionalize curricula about preventing gender violence at high schools and colleges around the country, I almost walked out the door. But during my interview, Katz asked me an interesting question. "Byron, how does African-American men's violence against African-American women uplift the African-American community?"
No one had ever asked me that question before. As an African-American man who was deeply concerned about race issues, I had never given much thought about how emotional abuse, battering, sexual assault, street harassment and rape could affect an entire community, just as racism does.
The following day, I attended a workshop about preventing gender violence, facilitated by Katz. There, he posed a question to all of the men in the room: "Men, what things do you do to protect yourself from being raped or sexually assaulted?"
Not one man, including myself, could quickly answer the question. Finally, one man raised his hand and said, "Nothing." Then Katz asked the women, "What things do you do to protect yourself from being raped or sexually assaulted?" Nearly all of the women in the room raised their hand. One by one, each woman testified:
"I don't make eye contact with men when I walk down the street," said one.
"I don't put my drink down at parties," said another.
"I use the buddy system when I go to parties."
"I cross the street when I see a group of guys walking in my direction."
"I use my keys as a potential weapon."
"I carry mace or pepper spray."
"I watch what I wear."

The women went on for several minutes, until their side of the blackboard was completely filled with responses. The men's side of the blackboard was blank. I was stunned. I had never heard a group of women say these things before. I thought about all of the women in my life -- including my mother, sister and girlfriend -- and realized that I had a lot to learn about gender.
Days after that workshop, Katz offered me the job as a mentor-training specialist, and I accepted his offer. Although I didn't know much about gender issues from an academic standpoint, I quickly learned on the job. I read books and essays by bell hooks, Patricia Hill Collins, Angela Davis and other feminist writers.
Like most guys, I had bought into the stereotype that all feminists were white, lesbian, unattractive male bashers who hated all men. But after reading the work of these black feminists, I realized that this was far from the truth. After digging into their work, I came to really respect the intelligence, courage and honesty of these women.
Feminists did not hate men. In fact, they loved men. But just as my father had silenced my mother during their arguments to avoid hearing her gripes, men silenced feminists by belittling them in order to dodge hearing the truth about who we are.
I learned that feminists offered an important critique about a male-dominated society that routinely, and globally, treated women like second-class citizens. They spoke the truth, and even though I was a man, their truth spoke to me. Through feminism, I developed a language that helped me better articulate things that I had experienced growing up as a male.
Feminist writings about patriarchy, racism, capitalism and structural sexism resonated with me because I had witnessed firsthand the kind of male dominance they challenged. I saw it as a child in my home and perpetuated it as an adult. Their analysis of male culture and male behavior helped me put my father's patriarchy into a much larger social context, and also helped me understand myself better.
I decided that I loved feminists and embraced feminism. Not only does feminism give woman a voice, but it also clears the way for men to free themselves from the stranglehold of traditional masculinity. When we hurt the women in our lives, we hurt ourselves, and we hurt our community, too.
As I became an adult, my father's behavior toward my mother changed. As he aged he mellowed, and stopped being so argumentative and verbally abusive. My mother grew to assert herself more whenever they disagreed.
It shocked me to hear her get in the last word as my father listened without getting angry. That was quite a reversal. Neither of them would consider themselves to be feminists, but I believe they both learned over time how to be fuller individuals who treated each other with mutual respect. By the time my father died from cancer in 2007, he was proudly sporting the baseball cap around town that I had given him that read, "End Violence Against Women." Who says men can't be feminists?

Heaviest Reading EVER!!! Gahh

Hello World,
So this week has been both entirely empty and very full.  After a month of no sleep and working with actors (Sorry guys but actors are actors) who were driving me batty, I decided a decent amount of rest was in order.  So I went to the movies a whole bunch and read a book!  It’s an EPIC book. Coming in at 1000 pages, hardcover, I think it weighed about five pounds -- give or take.  So let’s just say that a book that should have been light reading was the heaviest book I have ever read. That includes HP7!  (I’m pretty sure the one night I tried reading it in bed dislocated my shoulder!)
So, the book is called “Way of Kings” from “the Stormlight Archives” by Brandon Sanderson.  Coming in at a full 1008 pages, it is a mammoth book that is going to be a part of a mammoth ten part series.  Each book in the season is supposedly going to be the same length….  Can I confess that while I love reading that just seems like too much!  This book was recommended to me by Luke and Oliver.  Both of them love it and thought I would share in their love.  However my love for this book has been unyielding and I only finished it because they wanted me to. 
I can find good points about the story.  I thought it had great descriptive elements and the author spent a lot of time creating the world of the Stormlight Archives. The world that was created was different and enjoyable.  It reminded me of a coral reef in a lot of ways.  With animals and creatures that sounded like giant lobsters and crabs, even the plants sounded like coral.  An unusual element was that there were illustrations in this book.  I’m not sure I liked that because it changed my vision of the world I was creating too quickly and didn’t match what I saw.  If you’re going to give me ten or so pictures in this big of a book make it worth the time and give me more.  I wanted illustrations of the characters.  Some sounded really interesting and it seems like there is about ten plus species/breeds/races. 
Now I could spend the rest of my time telling you why the book was terrible in my opinion, but I’ll just sum it up instead.  It’s long. Really, really, REEEAAAALLLLYYYY long.  There is no major or significant plot development or character development.  I spent too much time reading about a character for one chapter and then they disappeared, poof. (Yes I know there was some amazing bit of info stuck somewhere in that section.) I felt like I was reading a really long and extended prologue. Luke and Oliver will make fun of me for this but if you going to bore me to death with a book at least give me something! Even some skin would of made it that much better!!!!! 
This mountain of a book rates 2 stars out of 5 for me.  If you want to waste some time on vacation and you like Sci-fi, this book could work for you.  I will probably give the second installment a shot when it comes out; however, as a relatively new author this book falls flat and reads as if he was aiming to fill pages, not make good fiction.

I want this Room!

Hello World,
Ok so I'm at work.  I work within real estate and a big portion of my day is spent looking at pictures for listings (Aka Homes for sale).  Some homes are beautiful, some are uggly, some are cluttered, a good portion are empty, and some do a realy good job of being obnoxiuse.  I guess my astetic is not in par with most homemakers/interior designers of the world.  However today I found this little jewell and I had to share it!

What I would of given as a seven year old to have this room.  Everything is perfectly miniture and cute as can be!!  She has her name on the wall!  Her bunk bed is decorated to look like a castle!!!  EEEKKKK I'm in love!  And she has a slide off the side of  her bed. O_O*  I want!!!!

  Sigh, can I be seven again?!

Props master!

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/24/134001280/objectively-speaking-its-all-about-the-prop-master?sc=fb&cc=fp  Oh i can dream....  If only I was incharge of a prop house like this.   And not my basement, LOL

Step away from my bouble! LOL

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/db51a45e-4472-11e0-931d-00144feab49a.html#axzz1FtZrTxP2

I have a huge bubble around me!  I am very, very, very American!  LOL  This are some great tips to have in mind when mingleing with other nationqalities or traveling abroad. 

Photo Challenge day #6

Hello World,

So today was the day I get to pick who I would like to trade places with the most.  The Nerd WON.  But then I coudn't pick one!  J. J. Abrams because everything he is doing is so COOOL!  Maybe not the best stuff ever but he is doing what I want to do!  And George Lucas.  Maybe you are crazy but man would I like to be in charge of your empire!

Women Warriors!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2011/mar/08/international-womens-day#/?picture=372284540&index=0
Some of my heroes.  Thats right Women Kick But!  If only there hadn't been set backs due to the church and other world events.

Picture Challenge #5

Hello World,

Todays picture chalange is of a favorite memory.  I think this one is imposible.  Unless I walk around every where with a camera taking pictures every 5 minutes or so I don't think it would be possible to have a picture of your favorite memory.  This picture goes along the same lines as favorite night.  There are so many memories to pick from!  I don't have any land mark memories in my life yet (geting married, having a kid, etc.)  most of my memories are of me at those events celebrating my friends or being with my friends.  I think some of my best memories are when I'm the moment having fun.  I tend to be very tightly wound and guarded with my emotions and exprsions; so to let go and have fun is rare for me.  THis picture is a very strange moment for me.  For spring break my Roomie, a friend, and I decided to go to STL for spring break and have a concert tour.  (This can realy be a good idea, especialy if timing works out.  Tickets are 50% of what they are in Chi!)  We were at our third concert of the weekend and had been runing around the city, eating, drinking and singing like crazy when we finnaly showed up at the concert for the night.  We were early and meet the bands and had fun meeting them and hanging out.  One band All Time Low does a video series and they were goofing off with us back stage and started filming.  Everyone was dancing and singing/raping.  I was having so much fun.  I think we even made it into their Youtube video.  My Roomie snaped this pic of me.  I look so silly.  But a great memory and one I shall treasure.

LOL I made money off of GOOGLE

Yes thats right, I signed up for add sense and after a month of blogging I made money.  I'm rich!

LOL no I'm not rich.  Its kinda sad...
I made $0.01!
Yeah thats right one whole cent!  --kinda makes you think.

To Luke

Hello World, ( Dear Luke)

So I've been at the whole bloging thing for a little over a month now.  This has been a really fun experiment and it has gotten my creative juices pumping.  The reaction and viewship that I have recieved has been startiling; in a good way.  I wanted to take the time and say thank you to anyone and everyone who is reading. 

That comment aside, it segways into the other point for this post.  My dear friend Luke --yes it is a fake name  --yes you should know who you are!  You, my new and dear friend; have mentioned to me that I need, should and must improve my grammer and spelling.  Well good sir I shall indevor to do so!  I can't look the sloppy fool. If I wish to make this something more, a layer of polish won't hurt a bit.  (That being said, I think the best part about bloging is the level of spontinayity and free expresion.  So to me its not that big of a deal that I don't worry about my spelling/grammer.  Just saying!) So good Luke congratulations I'm taking you up on your offer; you'r hired as my new COPY EDITOR!  Prepare for the mountain of reading! 

Ps. to anyone who care.  All planed post will not be edited,  new ones will be.  (Note this one was not, ROFL!)  So for a while it might be missmatched! 

Picture from sheblogan

Happy Birthday Ken!

http://www.oddpedia.com/ken-doll-50th-birthday/
I thought this was great!  Ken is 50 years old! 

Picture Challenge #4

Hello World,
So I'm starting to think that this whole picture chalange thing is going to be harder then I thought.  I have discovered that I am really bad about taking pictures while I'm out having fun!  I think it has to do with the fact that I don't like to stop what I'm doing.  For me stoping to take a picture allmost seems like your puting a hold on the memories of the night.  Or maybe its just becasue I'm so anti pictures of me.  Who knows its probably a conundrom within an enigma! LOL.  As I was sitting think about some of my favorite nights there were a few that stuck out as amazing!  There were a few that were realy fun and memorable.  I could of had pictures of me with bands, concerts, bars, who knows what.  But then I found this little beauty.  I look so crazy!  This is me all dreased up as a wierd sister/rockstar from the Harry Poptter books at the release party called "The Party That Shall Not Be Named" for the final Harry Potter book.  Yes I waited in line till midnight to buy a book.  And I did it with thousands of people.  I was with Sis, Bestest friends, friends, and strangers celebrating these books.  Oh so much fun!!!!  It makes me sad now thinkg about it.  I grew up with HP and now I am looking forward to the close of the HP movies this year.  Joy and sadness together.

Picture Challenge #3

Hello World,

So this chalange was to put up a picture of your favorite TV show.  While I do enjoy watching shows and do follow a few I do not consider myself an avid TV watcher.  But as I sat and thought about it more the one TV show I will watch no matter what is on, or what time it is; is the original Twilight Zone.  This is one of the shows I was introduced to young and very much cemented my love for the sci-fi world.  If you watch it you will see young great stars starting their careers in some of the craziest stories ever!  Plus the stories are so wonderful!!!!  I love the Librbary episode!  If you dismiss this show out of hand becasue it is in B&W or because its not hip and new your really missing out!

Picture Challenge #2

The Person I have been closest with the longest. 

I thought about puting up a friend or buisness partner up here, but when I realy thought about it it had to be my little sis.  She is much younger then me.  In some ways I have been like a mom, sister and a freind to her.  I've introduced her to my likes, loves and dreams and sharred some very entertaining moments with her.  I look at her and all I want for her is the best.  I wish her the best of luck and wish, hope, know that our relationship will be just as strong if not stronger 20 years down the road. (Sis is a little younger in this pic as am I, but I still love it casue this is us together.)

Picture Challenge #1

Hello World,
So I'm going to start going throught this list of picture chalanges.  I thought it would be a fun way for you to get to know me!
1- My name is Racole.  I was named after three days of life while my Mother was playing scrabble while on a morphine drip.  My name is Carol spelled backward with an E stuck on the end.  I however am not french nor is my name french.  It just happens to be a coincedencs that my name is the same as a very obscure french name.  Which is a form of Rachel.  (I think, as I said not french...)
2- I'm an introvert.
3- I don't have a High school diploma or a GED.  I have a college degree only.
4- People thought I was a mom at age 13 becasue of my babby sister being so much younger then me.  Yeah for having a baby seat in your car at 16!!!
5- I'm realy good at faking it and sounding like I know what I'm talking about.  I tend to go with the idea of ask for forgivness later.
6- I'm very old fashioned about relatsionships. I am a femanist but you still have to show me you care.
7- I am very opinionated.  I will tell you what I think, why I think that, and how it makes me feal without micing any words.'
8- I'm the only true liberal in my family.  Politics and religion are very dynamic dinner topics.
9- I growl a whole lot worse then I bite.
10- I'm a nerd!  Anything having to do with nerd life I'm into, interested in, or willing to try. 

I don't photograph very well but this is one of my favorite picws of me.

Seperate

Hello World,
Today is the day I will start to seperate from what was and only work on what will be. I don't like leaving work unfinished but sometimes it's just better to leave things behind. When one puts inmore work and the return does not match the output there is no reason to continue. Now that that decision is made I can chose to work on things that I know I want and not what I have by default.

I like birds, mostly owls

ornithoblogical is a great blog.  It was a blog of note this past week on google and I realy liked it.  I tend to like realy ridiculose and over the top things so this was a great waste of time for me.  Hope you enjoy!

I knew I wasn't average!

@ Yahoo! Video
So A friend of mine found this online.  I loved his comment 'that this is proff that all asians look alike'!!!  Thought it was a fun little piece.  I was surprised by some of the numbers and figures.

Area 51 is Stonehenge?! WHAAA?! LOL

Tee Hee!  The Brits are so funny.  the UK has UFO conspiracys too!

As You Like It Last Weekend!

So after 4 months plus of working on this show this weekend heralds the end of the run.  Lots of work, in fact a huge heaping pile of work has gone into this.  every moment has been worth it.  learned a lot and made some great new friends.  I can't wait for the next project to begin.  If you haven't seen us yet please come out today or tommorow.  We would all love to see you for the finaly curtain call!

Oscar Micheaux an American Hero You Don't Know About

Hello World,
Thanks to a fav teacher for sharing these articles.  http://www.thesouthern.com/news/local/article_9ba52074-4229-11e0-ad3c-001cc4c002e0.html
http://www.thesouthern.com/news/local/article_d0a6179c-4229-11e0-a5ea-001cc4c002e0.html
I find it very interesting that so much of our history is unknown and that every class I am in, book I read, or article I find they allways seem to focus on the same subjects.  When I started reading these articles about Oscar Micheaux the first black film director I imdediatly feel back in love with this story.  I have a degree in Cinema and a large portion of my school work was devoted to theory and history of film.  Which I think is great.  I come to films with a completly different perspective then I did 5 years ago.  While taking these classes we very quickly went over Oscar's story and only the elements that had to do with his film carrer.  And I got to watch his film "Within Our Gates" for extra credit.   Honestly I don't remeber much about it besides the historical signifigance the film has.  The other 95% of the time in class we went over "Birth of a Nation."   If your into history, film and different perspectives and view point I recomend you watch both movies.  Film has become such a unique way to capture the spirt of a time.  Oscar is a great American icon, he helped change the art of film and making film a recognised art form.  He changed so much for cinema and paved the way for black, hispanic, female, and every other type of film maker out there.  Oscar goes down as one of my heroes.

Picture from bvnewswire.com

Mumford and Sons

Hello World,
The last two months I haven't been actively going out and finding music to listen to.  I've been making due with what I have (40 gb just  a little bit of music?!) and the songs I've had to listen to for research purposes.  Normally I budget for a new CD/download a week.  Which means I usually acquire 50 or so new CD's a year.  OMG that is a lot of music.... 
Anywho This album and CD has been top of my list to get for a while now.  And finally I now have that album!!!  Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons is one of the most awzume folk revival albums I have ever heard!  Its a wonderful mix of uplifting, happy, moving, dancing, toe tapping, love story filled album.  No song is the same but you know its something special.  I also love the song White Blank Page, it actually has Shakespeare and Much Ado References in it!  Squueeee!!!  The band also got nods at the Grammys so def worth the listen!

New Comp at Work

Hello World,
I hate Vista Operating System!

That is all.

Picture from Beyond the Punchline Blog

30 Day Picture chalange... This is going to make me think

Hello World,
I really am allways amazed at the things I find online with facebook and twitter.  Petetions, campaigns, signs of solidarity, support and very interesting and insightful thought process ideas.  While I was not a fan of the wall feed at first that Facebook has develpoed (Cause there are advertisments and no I do not care what score you got at Bejewled!)  It is a really great way to learn about people, events and life.  I saw this in the feed and thought it was interesting.  I don't even think I know this person personaly but I wanted to share. 

30-Day Facebook Challenge
It's an album you make on Facebook called "30 Days." Each day - for the duration of 30 days - you add a new picture to it with a new meaning...




Here's the list of what to upload during the 30 days: 

1. A picture of yourself with 10 facts
2. A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
3. A picture of the cast from your favorite show
4. A picture of your favorite night
5. A picture of your favorite memory
6. A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
7. A picture of your most treasured item
8. A picture that makes you laugh
9. A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
10. A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
11. A picture of something you hate
12. A picture of something you love
13. A picture of your favorite band or artist
14. A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
15. A picture of something you want to do before you die
16. A picture of someone who inspires you
17. A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
18. A picture of your biggest insecurity
19. A picture and a letter
20. A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
21. A picture of something you wish you could forget
22. A picture of something you wish you were better at
23. A picture of your favorite book
24. A picture of something you wish you could change
25. A picture of your favorite day
26. A picture of something that means a lot to you
27. A picture of yourself and a family member
28. A picture of something you're afraid of
29. A picture that can always make you smile
30. A picture of someone you miss.

 I going to do this for the blog and FB.  It might take me longer then 30 days...  But I will do it.  Just reading the list makes me think. 

Hehe, one day the nerds will rule the world!

NICE  HAZA!  Oh PC World how you make my life full of fun.  Thought this was great and wanted to share with you.  Sci-fi Nerds Unite!

Sometimes the music sticks

Hello World,

I have mentioned this before; the small man who sings songs to me.  Well I heard this song about a month or so ago on a late night euro club dj spin and well it stuck.  Finnaly took the time to figure out who, what it is.  Thought I would share.  I actual kinda like the video. Iit apeals to the geek in me.

Birthday

So today I become one year older.  I'm not old yet.  I'm very much young.  It's just interesting that we watch, count, measure the passing of time.  Its an odd celebration in many respects.  "Congratulation!  You didn't die this year!"  Its sort of a morrbid holiday wraped up in tinsel, crepe paper, and frosting.  To me its just another day that I mentally think about.  Counting down the things I did, want to do, and whish I had the guts to do.  Perhaps this year I'll take the time on my birthday to write down my goals again and re-prioritse (sp?) my life.  Of course so much of my life is planned?...  No celebration for me today.  Work all day then the show.  Glad I took the time to go out with friends this weekend.  Perhaps I'll share what I'm going to aim for this year... Maybe...  Untill then Happy Birthday to me and a verry merry un birthday to you!

Stupid fake news!

Do people think this is real?!
Hello World,
So I logged into my email acount this morning and started looking throught the news on Yahoo.com.  There was an article in the news about how to sleep better.  As some one who has a hard time falling asleep and does suffer from insomina at times; I thought great I'll click on this and see if its worth my time.  Well it wasn't!  Not that this is new in anyway, but I really hate when advertisments hide in plain sight as news articles.  Disapointing, and I worry for how many people fall for these tricks.
People need to learn to read between the fine lines!!  Grumble.....

Primeval

Hello World,

So this week has been an interesting mix of up and down.  And while I read War Breaker like a mad man I then promptly ran out of steam and spent my insomiatic free time watching BBC shows.  Now that I have Netflixs it so much easier then hunting for downloads and youtubing.  So I decided that I was going to catch up on the show Primeval.  I started into season 1 back when it first came out and then promptly gave up after 4 weeks because BBC has the worst slots on time ever!  I love there shows and when I had BBC America I watched it all the time.  I just realy hate having to make my life fit around a TV show.  So I do what I do and catch up after 3 years of it being on air. 

Basicaly Primeval is a show about scientist, dinosaurs, and rifts in time.  Yes it is Quantom Leap and Jurassic Park wraped up into one show.  Its a fun show that for 45 minutes allows you to channel your inner child and dream about what would happen in Dino's realy could live in your back yard.  Bassicaly a rift opens, some createure or other wanders through, the scientist go deal with the situation, some one almost allways nearly dies, and then they learn some insight to help them fight the time rifts. 

This is a silly Sci-fi rump that is lacking in some areas but makes up for it in other places.  There are a few plot holes and I did have issues with the quickly changing cast of chracters.  The effects are decent for the production and I do enjoy it.  Plus as a side note ladies there is some eye candy for you! 

I'm realy looking forward to the next season.  Its almost done being aired over in the UK.  Now I just have to find a good online channel to watch it on.  The last season ended with a great cast and some realy fun banter and set up.  Can't wait!!! 

Warbreaker Book Review

Hello World,
So I am an avid reader... I think you might have figured taht out?!  Not sure though...
Any who this book was recomended to me by a friend who noticed that I hadn't been reading anything but non-fiction and research books as of late.  He thought it would be a good change of pace for a week.  LOL little did he know I would read the book in 2 days!!!  I don't just read I gobble books!
     So the book of the week for me is "Warbreaker" by Brandon Sanderson.  Its a dense fantasy novel (688 pages) in a very classic archetype story structure.  It had no major plot surprises for me or interesting character development.
     Sanderson is a pretty big author and has many published titles.  While I'm not a major fan of his I have read a few of his other books.  Most of his stories take place in the same world or universe.  and the thing I love the most about his writing is how rich the setting, scenery, history etc is.  I just wish he would put more of that richness into his characters.  I've felt more invested in characters from short stories then I did in this big book.
     Now the only surprise to me in this book was how he approached his concept of magic.  In this world "magic" is called breath and uses color and sound to gain strength and power.  While not all of the elements are unique they way they were put together and used was very interesting.
     For me "Warbreaker" is a 3 out of 5 stars.  Interesting soft piece of fantasy that I didn't mind reading but will not read again.  For the hard core fantasy lover I think they would enjoy.

The next time ANY OF YOU want to complain about teachers salaries or benefits......

Found this on Facebook from a note someone made.  I thought it was great and wanted to share.  This puts a lot of jobs into perspective of pay rates for me.  So many family's are supporting themselves on one minimum paycheck!  It's sad and I just want to make people try to stop being such jerks about how and what people are paid.  For the BS I have had to put up with at my jobs sometimes I thought it would be better not to make a damn paycheck... 


Are you sick of high paid teachers? Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! Not counting all those days off in between!  It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - baby sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage.

That’s right. Let’s give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan — that equals 6 1/2 hours).


Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

Now how many do they teach in day…maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.

LET’S SEE…. That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 peryear. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).

What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children

X 180 days = $280,800 per year.

Wait a minute — there’s something wrong here!

The average teacher’s salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student–a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!)

 WHAT A DEAL!!!!

Adjust for changes in minimum wage now!  Ohh and FYI because of cut backs and lack of support by the community and family's; teachers are digging into their own paycheck to make sure your kids have supplies!

Shakespeare Resources

I'm a big fan of books, owning them, holding them, reading them,  mmmm me love me some books.  However I also do know that books take up room and space!!!  Now that I've started this crazy research project I know for sure I would not be able to own, read, and hold all of my refrence sources.  That is why I love the internet!! http://shakespeare.mit.edu/  Is the best online source for quickly looking up Shakespeare's work!  Its the best!  Now there are some typos and issues with spelling and first folio vs second folio vs modern translations and editors opinions.  But for me to quickly find a line, scene in a play, its GREAT!!!  In fact to tell you the truth most of my research starts on the internet and then moves to hard copies.  So for you actors out their or Bard lovers great first stop to brush up on Shakespeare.&Or you can join me in my book love and buy every copy imaginable!!!

Unhinged

I feel adrift today... as if some small pin deep within the mechanism of the spirit has come out.  And oh so slowly the gears are beginning to slip.  Each moment the organism slows and becomes more unsteady as it grounds to a halt.  Perhaps I should go find a coo-coo clock maker and ask them to fix me?  sigh...

Hehe I've gotten things like this.

Hello World,
Doing some more research on tech stuff for work and I stumbled across This little fun iteam.  I thought it was great and wanted to share it with you.  Actually most everything I find at this website http://www.pcworld.com/  is either realy entertaining or informative.

Gnomeo & Juliet

Hello World,
So my fellow friends, geeks, and Shakespeare lovers went off to the movies this past week to go see Gnome & Juliet.  I give it 4 stars out of 5 in my book and would recomend it to fans of cartoons, childrens movies and the Bard.  Bassicaly its Romeo and Juliet acted out by garden Gnomes.  Silly, ridiculos and oh so much fun.  We laughed the entire time, plus so screaming and a few shouted out lines.  Yes we were those people in the audience.  I'm sorry but its true.  However in a 500+ seater theater there was about 4 other people in the audience so we were not that concerned.  The story line is altered a little to make it more apropriate for a younger audience and the who and the what don't exactly match the original story.  But in all it was a fair shake at updateing and making the story a commedy.  The one thing that let me down just a little bit was that it wasn't the actual story. 
However I loved it.  I enjoyed looking for and finding all of the different Shakespeare references.  If you know you Shakespeare you will have a blast.  We don't even know if we found all of the refrences!  Some of them were realy out there and hard to even see.  One was a Picture of a Swan on a london bus that said "Upon Avon."  One of the Best parts for me was when Shakespeare himself made an aperance.  He was voiced by my dear sci-fi love Cpt. John Luke Picard aka John Partick Stewart.  His line "I told you so!" was the best moment in the whole movie.  My favorite character was Featherstone the wonderful pink flamingo.  He was Father Lauwrence and Touchstone wraped up into one character with a little bit of Robin Williams and the Bird Cage thrown in.  Most of the Score was Elton John, I loved it!!!  Especial Paris!
The animation was ok but simple.  I don't know if it is running in 3D but if it is save your money.  Its a simple film and not worth the extra $. 

Let me know what your favorite Shakespeare refrence was?!

Borders declares chapter 11!

Sad face for me.  I love books in fact I am most definatly a bibliophial!  The smell, the touch, the weight and presence that a book has.  You can smell the different types of inks and even the history of the book.  Was it well loved, was the person a foodie, or did it sit forgoten awaiting someone to charish its words within.  On February 16th when I heard that Borders was declaring bankrupcy my heart sank a little bit.  I love going to book stores and wandering around the shelves finding new treasures or being lost in the covers of a book.  For me Borders was the bookstore I go to in order to find some escape from this life.  (Yes yell at me and say support the local book store!  But there is only 1 in my area and its realy inconvenient and out of the way.  Plus I think it sort of stinks as a store,  ehhemm its called customer service.)  I do understand why the comapny is having issues.  They were not keeping up with changing trends in book sales as well as the fact that spending habits have changed and even less people are purchasing physical books.  I recently recieved an e-reader for x-mas.  It is an interesting device and I do plan on using it.  But it does signifigantly change how I aproch my reading and how I purchase books.  I only purchase and borrow books due to fact that becasue of an interesting lay of the land, county and city classifications I can't get a local library card unless I pay a pretty hefty fee.  So for me book stores are the only place for me to find new reading materials.  I wish them the best of luck in changing their business plan cause I realy do love books.  On top of which Borders slide into trouble represnts to me how thin of a line so many poeople are walking on in this economy. News article from NBC

Update on the Bills,

Hello World,
Some sad new today.  The budget against PPH will most deffinatly be getting slashed.  The Pence Bill has passed against PPH.  But hey the government will be supporting NASCAR!   Wow the demographic that really doesn't support PPH will be getting all of the money funneled to their favorite sport!  (Is NASCAR really a sport?)  Head Hurts!

Square CC reader

Best invention ever!!  Basically its a credit card reader that connects to an I-phone, or other smart phone.  Down load the free app sign up for the free program, and "random french word I can't figure out how to spell" instant CC reader.  As some one who has dealt with merchant accounts this is a god send for small business everywhere, or just a person.  There is a fee for the transactions but that is to be expected.  But its cheaper then other accounts I've managed and there are no membership fees or anything?!  I'm still playing with it but I think its great! We're using this wonderful little gadget at "As You Like It"!   Square for more info.