Fountains of Toilet Water

[liptonrm_backup]

The upstairs toilet just overflowed and there was so much water that it started leaking through the floor and dripping into the Big Lug's bathroom. Quite an adventure for a Friday night.

Have taken up knitting. At the moment I am working on this big maroon and cream striped scarf. It's actually a rather enjoyable hobby and, unlike cross-stitching (which I have done in the past), I actually feel as if I'm accomplishing something with it. Also, the scarf makes me feel like I should be attending Hogwarts, for some reason.

I've also started watching news broadcasts on TV, something I have avoided in the past. I've always thought NPR was much superior to any broadcast news program, but, see, because of the satellite I had forgotten about PBS news and boy am I glad that I've rediscovered it. It is intelligent, doesn't rely on shock value or pandering and doesn't just regurgitate sound bites but rather looks at an issue from all sides. Also, they display the names and images of every soldier that dies in Iraq. I'm so glad that I have now been reminded of how much I have always loved and appreciated PBS and I'm so grateful for the work they do.

Wish I had some money, would love to go see Collateral or Garden State or Hero. Hmmm, maybe instead I'll put together that comprehensive recs list I've been contemplating ...

Comments

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

Garden State is wonderful! You should dig through your couch and collect quarters so you can see this. Sorry to sound all obsessive-compulsive, but it's the best film I've seen since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind came out. I've been pimping it to my girlfriend for a week now, she's getting tired of hearing it... and you then mentioned it... Sorry. But it's really good.

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

Hey, obsessive-compulsive is definitely something I can get behind;-).

And see, I missed Eternal Sunshine for the exact same reason (lack of funds) and I've regretted it ever since. Therefore, I will shortly commence with the digging through the couch cushions stage of the operation.

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

Wow, you poor soul. Eternal Sunshine is a movie that I plan to buy when it comes out on DVD, no hesitation. It's that good. You'll really want to see both. Eternal Sunshine is a bit weirder -- well, perhaps a lot weirder -- but Garden State certainly has its weird factor covered. It's just weird of a much more mundane sort. There really aren't a lot of comparisons, except that both have great scripts and great direction. In Garden State, you can really tell that Natalie Portman is a talented actress, and it wasn't really her fault that Star Wars came out wooden.

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

I am deprived and am counting down the days until I can rent Eternal Sunshine.

As I have now seen Garden State I can now say that the mundane weidness was one of my favorite parts of the movie. It was funny but only because it's the kind of situation or experience that we've all had at one point or another in our lives and we can completely relate. It's like Sam says in the bar, sometimes you just have to laugh at it all and then go and have yourself a good satisfying cry.

And yes, as if I needed another reason to order the hit on George Lucas, having vivid evidence of the way he's completely wasted Natalie Portman's talent is enough to send me to Skywalker Ranch and take care of it myself. There are just no words for my Lucas disillusionment.

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I think Lucas just doesn't know his limits. He came up with a great concept -- rip off a samurai film, change the religious stuff around some and set it in space -- but he doesn't have the talent to write and direct it, and worse, he doensn't recognize that fact. He just goes on and does it all anyway. Some of the ideas for the first two prequels weren't horrible. Anakin has a ton of potential but lacks the discipline to actualize it, but sometimes his skills show simply through instinct. He has a dark edge to him, but he wants to keep it under control (otherwise, there's no real reason to believe he'd turn back at the end). He falls in love with a woman he's not supposed to love. These aren't horrible ideas. The subplot in Episode Two with Christopher Lee's character could've been really cool, if that character was looking for a way to defeat the Sith apart from the standard Jedi order which he felt was insufficient to the task -- but instead, he's just a stereotypical badguy. Boring.

Had Lucas worked as an overseer for the movies rather than writer/director, I think they could've been awesome -- no major re-working of the stories necessary.

But fucking midichilorians had to go. It sounds like he just mashed "middle" and "chlorine" together, and Jedi do not come from mid-sized swimming pools, damnit.

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

Word, word, word. I've been saying that for years. It's no surprise that the most critically acclaimed Star Wars movie (Empire Strikes Back) had very little Lucas manipulation in it at all. Lawrence Kasden actually knew how to write a story and Ivan Kushner actually knew how to direct all aspects of a movie, not just the frelling special effects.

It's also interesting that during the editing of A New Hope Lucas's then wife was able to throw out a lot of the unnecesary material that Lucas desperately wanted to keep. And even after all of these years the man still hasn't learned that less is more. Sure, special effects are fun, but a movie centered around them will be empty and heartless.

You're right, the fundamental stories in the prequels are promising, it's simply the execution that sucks beyond the telling of it. Also, Lucas couldn't successfully direct an actor even if he wanted to (which he obviously doesn't). Actors can only make the most of a Lucas movie inspite of his direction and not because of it.

I've heard that it's rumored that Lucas might actually have decided to do episodes 7, 8, & 9. I wish he'd just stop making movies and go back to spending his millions out at Skywalker Ranch. It's unfortunate that we'd all just be better off without him.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

I watch the news on tv rarely, but sometimes catch the late night broadcast of the BBC news on our secondary PBS station. I'd rather read the paper. (Remember,the folks who bring you tv news want you to be too scared to go out at night so you'll stay home and boost their ratings!)

Ain't knitting fun? I'm terrible at it, but I do know one sock pattern that works for beginners. (At least if you're not afraid of knitting in the round.)

Start with 48 stitches around (56 if you're knitting for a guy)
Knit about an inch of ribbing (K1, P1)
Knit four rows of K4, P4. On the last row, add one extra purl.
repeat until the sock is long enough (about 12 to 14 inches).
Knit only the rest of the way reducing each row by four stitches until you've made the toe.

Voila! Sock! (And you didn't have to turn a heel!)

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

That's exactly why I can't stand to watch the local news, it's all murder and violence and don't leave your house or the boogey-man'll get you. That's why I was so happy to discover BBC World News and Jim Lehrer News Hour on PBS, issues without paranoia.

And thank you for the sock pattern! It does look very easy and now I can make all of my friends socks for Christmas. Yay!;-)

Knitting, very addictive.

How old are you?!

[hlgraban.livejournal.com]

Knitting, huh? Ok, cool. Now you're looking your age with those gray hairs and knitting needles... only, you're how old? 25?

I've actually thought myself that that might be a neat thing to learn how to do. My mom's knitted me a scarf and hat once, though the hat was too big- but I LOVE the scarf. It's really long and soft, and very vintage looking. If I had the time, it might be cool to learn how to make my own scarves. I'd make one out of some funky blue and green yarn probably.

Yes, that scarf reminds me of Hogwarts too, even before you said anything. If you'd changed the cream to yellow, I'd start to wonder about you.

Fountains of toilet water- sounds like a fun way to spend the evening, or something. Hopefully there wasn't any sewage involved- ew. Don't you love how everything in the house starts to fall apart after awhile? My mom's forever getting things fixed, but poor Mom- like she really has time for all that! Unfortunately, it's pretty much all up to her.

Oh, and Garden State- what's it about? I've heard it's good too, and it's a "coming-of-age" movie, but that really doesn't tell me a whole lot. Sadly, I too have little $ to spend on such endeavors, thanks to school and rent and groceries and bills and birthday presents and new pants to fit my ever-shrinking ass (which you'd honestly think I'd be more happy about)...

Re: How old are you?!

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, I am ancient. I'll soon be sitting in a rocking chair, complaining about all those young hooligans.

But knitting is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it. My scarf is scarily Harry Potter-esque. Its hugely wide with big stripes of color. Oh well, it'll be a good sledding scarf come winter. Just wait till you see it;-).

No sewage was involved last night, thankfully. If there had been then I would have ended up cleaning everything up because my Mum just can't deal with that kind of stuff (there's a reason why she never made it past the first year of nursing school).

I don't know a whole lot about Garden State, save that it looks interesting and I'll probably see it so I'll let you know how it turns out.

[drunken-buzzard.livejournal.com]

Don't waste your hard earned money on those fliks when you can watch Exorcist, the Beginning! I loved this movie!!

Overflowing toilets - now that is a real nightmare!

I used to hate watching local news, and then I moved back to Northern Michigan. Now I enjoy the news again, because it's not about ratings and scaring you and getting public employees in trouble for taking long lunches. It's actual news, and often it's good news.

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

Isn't it funny how two people can get along pretty well, and yet have really different taste in movies? Cause, yeah ... ;-)

Oh, I know, local news in the Detroit area was a nightmare. I sometimes catch the local stuff now because it really is the local issues that effect us the most, but my heart still belongs to PBS.

You know, sometimes I really want to move to Northern MI myself. *sigh*

[drunken-buzzard.livejournal.com]

My FIL is moving into the laundry room soon, so I may have a couch available if you decide to move north. ;)

I think it's very important that we have different tastes in movies. If everyone was as nuts as me you wouldn't come visit me so much! LOL

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

Your FIL has been sleeping on your living room sofa? Oy.

Shoot, just kick Jackie out, then I could have a room all for myself;-).

Yeah, your crazy taste in movies does make every weekend up there an adventure.

knitting does not make you old...

[(Anonymous)]

i'd pick it up again myself, if my hands would cooperate. they don't like it so much though, b/c it requires them to hold things for long periods of time.

you'll have to send pictures of the scarf when you are done...cuz Hogwarty is cool :)

and overflowing toilets? yuck! break out the watervac!

Re: knitting does not make you old...

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

You knitted?! Why didn't I know this. That's it, I have to turn in my friend union membership, I'm done.

*giggle*

Well, since you can't knit anymore, I'll just have to knit for you. How does a fluffy pink and purple scard sound;-)?

Re: knitting does not make you old...

[(Anonymous)]

ooooh....i likes the sound of that...

probably b/c i didn't knit when we met. i used to do it a long, long time ago...along with needlepoint and crocheting. i miss them all. maybe one day my hands will like me again and will allow me to knit. b/c it's very relaxing and you can make bee-you-tiful things.3

oy, and i have to confirm my humanness again.

Re: knitting does not make you old...

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

*puts fuzzy pink and purple scarf on to-knit list*

Aaaah, I understand now. And you used to crochet and do needlepoint is well? That is quite an accomplishment and I also hope that your hands will allow you to do so again.

It is most relaxing and now I don't feel like an utter schlub as I sit around watching TV because lo! I am knitting!;-)