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Archive for January, 2007

the camel’s back has been broken.

Friday, January 26th, 2007

So…today has just been one of those days. I’m not even going to go into why, because that would just mean one long rant, probably in all caps, that I am really not up to typing. However, I will post the thing that put it over the top…because it is enough for me to write an actual letter of complaint to a company and never use their services again.
So, many months ago (about a year, in fact) I purchased a purse. It was lovely, and on clearance. The clearance price was more than I would normally spend on a purse, but I looked at the quality, the original price, and figured that I would use it a lot. Fast forward some months, and you may remember me mentioning that I spilled wine on a purse? That would be the purse. However, some airing out and all was well. Fast forward another month or so, and I spilled Nyquil on said purse. Rather said Nyquil bottle decided to explode on said purse. I thought it would be worth it to have the purse cleaned. It is fabric, but dry-clean only fabric. We had a coupon for the dry cleanerie and I had a few other things to be dropped of, and after some gentle reminders, G dropped it all off. Apparently purses are mystical creatures to dry cleaneries. It had to be sent out (which, every time I’ve ever had anything cleaned, ever, it has to be sent out…most dry cleaneries have a central plant that does all the cleaning, so it didn’t occur to me that this meant I was entering forbidden territory). It took like a month for the freaking thing to be cleaned. Then, it gets picked up today. It was FORTY FIVE FUCKING DOLLARS. FOR A PURSE I PAID THIRTY FOR. And, to top it all off, the coupon was not applicable because it was a specialty item. None of which was mentioned when the purse was dropped off. If I would have known, the thing would have been in the trash and I would have chalked it up as a lesson not to ever spend that much on a purse ever again.
So, twenty years from now when the damn thing is falling apart and has a layer of grime with some weeds growing on it, and you wonder why I am still carrying it around…you will know why.

i am so uncool

Monday, January 22nd, 2007

So, I was totally going to write this sooner….but, well, this weekend did not go as planned. So, here it is, and you can all finally calm down now that I’ve posted something new.
Where was I? Ah yes. Friday. We (meaning G and I) decided to go see Pan’s Labyrinth. We invited some friends, and wound up deciding to meet our friend Sageincave at the theater for the 7 o’clock showing. As a bonus, Doug Jones was slated to be there (more on that later). During the day, whilst talking to G on the phone, I mentioned he should look into getting tickets online. I wasn’t sure how popular it was going to be, and wasn’t sure what the capacity of the theater would be, so thought it would be a good idea. I knew we probably wouldn’t be able to get to the theater super early, as we needed to grab a bite to eat and drop off some things that we are loaning to a local theatre company first.
So, we get to the theatre a bit before seven as planned. We decided that in the name of efficiency, I would be dropped off to find our friend and pick up the tix. We pull up to a line from the door of the theater to the end of the block. I kid you not. G gives me his wallet so that I have the CC we put the tickets on, and ID, and anything else I could possibly need. I notice as I get out of the car that there is an automated box office machine in the lobby, however, it has an out of order sign on it. I pray to the gods that I don’t have to wait in the crazy long line of ticket buyers and pop into one of the lobby doors. I ask quickly if I need to wait if I’ve purchased my tickets online. The guy tells me that there is someone taking e-mails for those people. I go outside to find this guy with a clipboard. I give him G’s email address, and he tells me to go inside. Ho-kay. So, my next mission was to find our friend, since we picked up a ticket for her as well. I check the mondo line, and do not see her, fortunately, as I turned around, I see her come out of the lobby. I explain to her what I know to be happening, and we determine that she will grab us seats, while I wait for G.
I proceed to wait. And wait. I start to panic mildly. I have no phone on me. They are holding the start of the movie, but will he make it? Did he think he had to wait in line? I check the line. No sign. Finally….he comes in. We race into the theater to find our seats. We do this just as the previews are starting. Whew. G explains that he found parking super far away, because every lot and ramp within reasonable distance was full. While the trailers are playing, he goes to get the necessary popcorn and soda to get us through the flick.
First off, the trailers. I now want to see The Host. It looks scary and funny and awesome. There was also a trailer for a flick that looked crazy and awesome all at the same time, but I cannot remember the title to save my life. It is an Asian western. All bright colors and music, and bizarre and pretty all at the same time. And The Namesake, both because the lead was just a weird killer on Law & Order: SVU and because I have a love in my heart for all things Indian.
Finally we get to the film. It was beautiful, disturbing, hopeful, and thought provoking. You go through nearly the whole film trying to figure out how the hate and violence in the world has affected the mind of the beautiful Ofelia. There is the classic wonder if Pan is good or evil. Finally, as Chris Hewitt of the Pioneer Press said, it shows that adults need fairy tales just as much as adults. I highly recommend it, but you do need a strong stomach. I need to see it again, because there was a lot to digest.
As I watched it, I wondered if Pan was actually a flesh in blood person in a costume, or if he was a flesh and blood person that was in a computer friendly suit that was CGI-ed over. Well, at the end of the film, it was obvious. Doug Jones came out for the question and answer portion. He is tall, and rail thin. As he got up on the stage, I could tell that there must have been some serious make-up involved, because he was Pan. It was amazing. The way he moved was amazing. Not only that, he was fantastic….funny, sweet, and genuinely thankful that people like his work and support him. I found out during the Q&A that he was Mac Tonight in the McDonald’s campaign, that both characters make-up (Pan and the Pale Man) took five hours each to get into, that he doesn’t know Spanish, and that he memorized all of his lines in Spanish and rattled them off. (later, on my own, I found out that he was a mime in a troupe called “Mime Over Matter” and that the mechanics inside the head he wore for Pan blocked out other sound, so he also learned all of Ofelia’s lines so that he could cue his own lines correctly).
Post Q&A we went upstairs to get autographs. Now, I would like to fancy myself all cool and sophisticated, but I get around someone who is that freaking talented and cool, and I lose any semblance of cool that may have ever existed inside of me. I would love to have something witty and relevant without being pretentious ready to roll off my tongue, but it’s never gonna happen. So, I managed not to giggle, I said “thank-you” when he told me he liked my hair, and hopefully my hand wasn’t too sweaty when he shook it. He really is very sweet and genuine, and if you get the chance to meet him, I am sure you would say the same.
He’s even sweet enough that I won’t hold the fact that he will be the Silver Surfer against him.

let’s play

Monday, January 1st, 2007

HAPPY 2007!
So, my first post is a meme….I promise it will get better…and please play with me. Just remember G and I have the same music loaded on our zunes, and I haven’t deleted the things that aren’t my thing *cough*the musicals*cough* Have fun!! Oh, and I did skip the instrumentals which were two things from Nightmare Before Christmas and a couple of techno songs….
Step 1: Put your iTunes or equivalent on random.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 30 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: Bold the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Step 4: Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!
1) baby, slow down the end is not as fun as the start
2) think of me, think of me fondly (Phantom of the Opera–Think of Me)
3) we were neurophobic and perfect the day that we lost our souls
4) will drive you, will drive you, will drive you mad
5) when I look into your eyes, I can see a love restrained
6) She hates the water but she likes the rain
7) the more you see, the less you know
8) on night’s like this, when the world’s a bit amiss
9) it’s high voltage you can’t shake the shock
10) i could fall in love i could pick a flower
11) the big bully try to stick his finger in my chest
12) particleman, particleman, doing thins a particle can (They Might be Giants–Particleman)
13) ain’t found a way to kill me yet
14) dance with me across the ocean floor
15) say it if you want to
16) well, well, well, what have we here? (the Nightmare Before Christmas–Oogie Boogie’s song)
17) is she ready to know my frustration?
18) just how far down do you wanna go?
19) this is dangerous
20) i don’t want to wonder if this is a blunder
21) in my platforms i hit the floor
22) see the rising sun
23) i’m back in baby’s arms
24) george, george, george of the jungle
25) you can watch mister rogers
26) is it getting better or do you feel the same
27) some days are flying
28) disempowered, the scattering flock
29) words like violence, break the silence
30) woke up this morning to guilty sky above
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