Thursday, September 7. 2006Hot Chinese Night Elves
So this commercial for Coke is awesome. If only my own barrier between reality and WoW could be so thin...
Monday, August 21. 2006Exposing the Evil Fraud
Hopefully Anon will appreciate the irony of this post, given prior conversations.
Remember to come with Ranie on Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 6 server time (7 pm) to march through Stormwind with Reginald Windsor. I'm not sure what he's planning, but I think it's going to be BIG. I'd love everyone to be there--level doesn't matter. :) Friday, August 4. 2006Behold, the power of ninjas
Note to self: ninjas can only be defeated by the power of the sea.
Sunday, July 30. 2006She's Crazy
This is the crazy telemarketing phone call thing I was talking about.
Wednesday, May 10. 2006Pet Re-Placement
You may or may not know that I've worked and volunteered for various vet clinics and animal shelters, and over the years have been a halfway-house for many homeless pets. I've had a lot of experience with really bad people. One variety of these is the type of person who wants to purchase your pet for a voodoo or satanic ritual. Yes, people do this. I've had teenage boys tell me very bluntly that they wanted my black cat for a satanic sacrifice. However, the more common and subversive type of bad person tries to get your pet so that s/he can sell it to a private lab for experimentation. I recently received an email from just such a person over our cat Prosper. This is what it said:
Hello Dear Sir / Madam, Good to meet you, My name is (deleted), I saw that you are will to place your pet been adoption and immediately, I got so fascinated about having the pets. I am an honest, caring Woman with the utmost fear of God. Having the Pet is like owning a fortune and the thought of the Pet makes my vein leap for joy because i really Love Pets. I will have my International Shippers Company comes for the Pick-Up. (shudder) Wednesday, April 26. 2006Spoooky
So I read an article on CNN about the recent seance with John Lennon, in which his voice was allegedly recorded saying "Peace...the message is peace." This, of course, reminded me of several nearly-hysterical episodes with Wren in which we listened to various EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) examples on the internet, looked at several horrifying photographs of ghostly phenomenon and, to my everlasting regret, watched...videos. (shudder)
You can look at some examples of EVP at http://www.aaevp.com/ If you're fearless (which, by the way, Ray Bradbury equated with a lack of curiosity akin to a coma of the soul) you could also watch the Urban Legends series, which I can't link to due to the silly webnanny here at school. There is also a lively (no pun intended) movement of "ghost-hunters," especially here in Utah. Video, voice recordings, and photographs of their outings can be found here I believe in ghosts--several varieties, in fact. I believe that places can have memories, especially when something extreme has happened there. These residual sounds and impressions are not the presence of a real entity, but merely a place where space-time got...wrinkled, perhaps? due to the experiences of people living there/then. Like a psychic scream, perhaps. I also believe in life-after-death, that spirits of former living people can visit this plane. I don't know whether it's possible for them to get "trapped" here, though, as that idea is extremely depressing and disturbing to me. Watching a video clip of a shadow circling a car in which people had died earlier that day makes me think that perhaps when we die, we can't easily let go of our fears, worries, etc. And lastly, I believe in demons. Demons are everywhere. They can indeed possess people, if allowed, and can perform extremely accurate impersonations as well. In fact, the reason that Ouija boards and other methods of contacting the dead (including EVP) are dangerous is that I believe that demons enjoy preying on our hope to see or hear from our loved ones again. And, once you invite their presence, it is difficult to force them to leave. What do you all think? Wednesday, December 28. 2005My Felsteed!
Well, my life is complete. He's handsome, strong, and burns with an inner fire...who could ask for more? Check out Morlei's new Felsteed, whom I've christened "Ruin," on the WoW gallery. Tee hee!
Thursday, November 3. 2005A Real Incident
Anne: Josh,* you need to sit down now.
Josh: Mrs Mortensen!! I'm cleaning out my folder!!! A: Stop wadding up papers! Go sit down and write your book report. J: Look, I can make it from here!!! (tosses a huge wad of papers across the room.) A: You have 5 seconds to sit down, or I'm sending you to ICS. 5...4... J: WHY DO YOU HATE ME???? A: 3...2... J: (makes a mad dash for his desk, sprawling across the floor and touching the seat with one finger) A: ...? J: (frantically crawls into his seat) A: ...?? Class: (stares open-mouthed) A: (begins to write referral slip) J: (Passionately and yet completely silently pantomimes being choked by what seems to be an army of monkeys) Class: (stares open-mouthed) A: (holding up referral slip) It's all filled out. I'm just waiting for you to say ONE more thing. J: (implodes into a bony huddle at his desk for 15 minutes, completely crumpled and silent) Later, after class... J: Did you really write me a referral slip? A: (holds up referral slip) J: You were going to send me to MS. STONE????? TO COPY DICTIONARY PAGES????? A: (nods) J: (snatches referral slip, violently wads it up, thrusts it into his mouth, and chews.) *name has been changed to protect insane student. Thursday, August 11. 2005Wedding Pics
For anyone who cares, there are new pics up in the gallery--the marvelous marriage of Daboo and the Mad Giggler. Come! Partake!
Tuesday, August 2. 2005Culpability
This from J. K. Rowling's interview on Mugglenet:
"Has Snape ever been loved by anyone?" JKR: "Yes, he has, which in some ways makes him more culpable even than Voldemort, who never has." I posit that if the author sees Snape as "culpable," she does not see him as obedient to Dumbledore, but rather sees him as guilty of murdering him. Tuesday, August 2. 2005Poetry in Dune
One of the elements that I've enjoyed the most in Frank Herbert's book, Dune, is the poetic style of writing that this author has. Not only are his quotations and poetry beautiful, but I have to have respect for a guy who can come up with so many fascinating names, titles, etc. It takes a rare talent to be able to come up with a really nice title, in my opinion. For example, the name St.-Alia-of-the-Knife. It's an intriguing name. This is an author with a true talent for manipulating language.
I'm writing a unit plan about the Hero's Journey for my 8th graders; one of the steps in the Journey is, obviously, the return. The interesting thing about this step is that it can be written so many different ways: with joy, with sorrow, and sometimes, sometimes, with a mixture of the two. If done artfully, this creates a feeling of haunting melancholy. J. R. R. Tolkien accomplished this feeling at the end of the Lord of the Rings, when the hobbits return to Hobbiton. He mitigates it, however, with the scouring of the Shire - one last battle, one last cause to rejoice. Peter Jackson stripped this element from the story in his film rendition, which I originally found unbearably, achingly sad. Jackson's ending is that classic, melancholy ending, which doesn't allow for true rejoicing, because so much sorrow has been passed through. After reflection, I don't dislike Jackson's ending, though it always makes me want to weep. It is hauntingly poignant because the hobbits in the Shire don't even realize they've been saved from destruction. Though the Shire is beautiful, the crops are in, the people are happy, Frodo (and his companions) can't appreciate it in the innocence that they once knew. Maybe this means so much to me because I've been depressed before. I don't mean to make light of it - I'm speaking in earnest. There's a feeling, when you're truly depressed, that the beauty in the world around you should mean something more than it does, but it can't. Beauty haunts you, in fact, because it can't make you happy, or whole. How does this relate to Dune? The feeling I'm trying to describe, the feeling at the end of Jackson's LOTR, is captured in a poem in Dune. Orchards and vineyards, And full-breasted houris, And a cup overflowing before me. Why do I babble of battles, And mountains reduced to dust? Why do I feel these tears? Heavens stand open And scatter their riches; My hands need but to gather their wealth. Why do I think of an ambush, And poison in molten cup? Why do I feel my years? Love's arms beckon With their naked delights, And Eden's promise of ecstasies. Why do I remember the scars, Dream of old transgressions... And why do I sleep with fears? Tuesday, July 5. 2005DUN DUN DUN dun da DUN dun da DUNNN
Spoilers, if you haven't seen Revenge of the Sith
Okay, so admittedly I'm the farthest thing from an expert, or even a true fan, that is possible in our current reality. I can't remember the first three (or middle three?) movies. I have a fuzzy memory of some Eewoks (is that even how you spell it?) moving about in a way eerily reminiscent of the Oompah Loompahs, and I seem to remember some blonde pretty-boy whining a lot. Some screaming of the word "NOOOOO!" was done. I remember some really awkward hairstyles. So when I tell you that I liked the Revenge of the Sith, keep in mind that my opinion can be valued at slightly more than gravel, but slightly less than nice smooth stones. That said, I liked it. Sure, there were some boring moments. I was personally bored by many of the battles and interchanges, because I had some idea of how things were going to turn out, and my mind requires a slightly greater challenge in order to stay really focused. But somewhere between the killing of innocent children and the severing of three (3!) limbs in one blow, I got excited. I thought Darth Vader's transformation was done really well. Anniken was too pretty for me to really envision the change in my own imagination, so I was excited about that part. On a side note, who the crap lets someone they love roast slowly to death with three severed limbs, falling slowly but inevitably toward a lake of fiery lava? I mean, sure, Obi-wan didn't want to kill Annikin. He loved him. But come on! Letting him die slowly and in unbelievable pain is somehow more soothing to his conscience? Sure. Whatever. Anyway. I'm told that multiple viewings are necessary to make a final decision by those of you who are real fans, but I still liked it. Maybe even enough to watch those original three again someday. Wednesday, June 29. 2005And while I'm at it...
I'll also post my favorite by ee cummings.
The Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls are unbeautiful and have comfortable minds (also, with the church's protestant blessings daughters, unscented shapeless spirited) they believe in Christ and Longfellow, both dead, are invariably interested in so many things-- at the present writing one still finds delighted fingers knitting for the is it Poles? perhaps. While permanent faces coyly bandy scandal of Mrs. N and Professor D .... the Cambridge ladies do not care, above Cambridge if sometimes in its box of sky lavender and cornerless, the moon rattles like a fragment of angry candy Wednesday, June 29. 2005The Hollow Men
Your "Emperor of Ice Cream" reminded me really strongly of TS Eliot and ee cummings, which is kind of an interesting combination. I thought I'd post one of my favorite poems of Eliot's, just for fun. Of course, you'll recognize that lots of authors and artists have borrowed from it, including Steven King in "The Stand." Eliot is fascinating to me because he saw the "quiet desperation" of polite society and raved against it in his own odd way. "The Wasteland" is one that still haunts me sometimes...lines will come to mind and I will understand what sort of absolutely meaningless activities Eliot was involved in when he composed them.
The Hollow Men T.S. Eliot I We are the hollow men We are the stuffed men Leaning together Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! Our dried voices, when We whisper together Are quiet and meaningless As wind in dry grass Or rats' feet over broken glass In our dry cellar Shape without form, shade without colour, Paralysed force, gesture without motion; Those who have crossed With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom Remember us -- if at all -- not as lost Violent souls, but only As the hollow men The stuffed men. II Eyes I dare not meet in dreams In death's dream kingdom These do not appear: There, the eyes are Sunlight on a broken column There, is a tree swinging And voices are In the wind's singing More distant and more solemn Than a fading star. Let me be no nearer In death's dream kingdom Let me also wear Such deliberate disguises Rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves In a field Behaving as the wind behaves No nearer -- Not that final meeting In the twilight kingdom III This is the dead land This is cactus land Here the stone images Are raised, here they receive The supplication of a dead man's hand Under the twinkle of a fading star. Is it like this In death's other kingdom Waking alone At the hour when we are Trembling with tenderness Lips that would kiss Form prayers to broken stone. IV The eyes are not here There are no eyes here In this valley of dying stars In this hollow valley This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms In this last of meeting places We grope together And avoid speech Gathered on this beach of the tumid river Sightless, unless The eyes reappear As the perpetual star Multifoliate rose Of death's twilight kingdom The hope only Of empty men. V Here we go round the prickly pear Prickly pear prickly pear Here we go round the prickly pear At five o'clock in the morning. Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow For Thine is the Kingdom Between the conception And the creation Between the emotion And the response Falls the Shadow Life is very long Between the desire And the spasm Between the potency And the existence Between the essence And the descent Falls the Shadow For Thine is the Kingdom For Thine is Life is For Thine is the This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper. Tuesday, June 28. 2005Hi, I'm a real limerick!
There once was a Giggler named Curtis
Whose poetry basked in absurdness Though his meter is odd We must give him a nod As with rhyming he's sure to out-nerd us. |
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