RevThom posted his list with three rules:
1. No Resurrections- they must be alive.
2. No Time Travel. You're getting them as they are right now, not as you might remember them from days of yore.
3.Bill Clinton Isn’t Available. He's referring to negotiating skills- If a band has broken up, we need to think that there is a good chance that they might reform and tour again if they are to be included on the list.
Ok, here's my list, in no particular order. In accordance with rule 2, I've included the most recent recordings I could find of the older acts:
1. Melanie. If I have to add her last name, you're not in my generation. For those of you who remember her beautiful eyes and puckish smile, rest assured they're still there, and her music has only gotten better over the years- listen to I Tried To Die Young
2. Loreena McKennitt. She isn't Irish or Scottish- she's a Canadian... but she's no Celine Dion! Listen to The Mummer's Dance
3. The Cranberries. Ok, Dolores O'Riordan is Irish! The Cranberries aren't currently recording, but I think this quote from Dolores satisfies rule 3: "Definitely down the road, but not right now because we’ve all got kids and babies. You can’t really do both – be on the road all the time and be a good parent. To bring kids into the world, you need to be there for them. I’m really enjoying taking things at my own pace." Listen to Zombie
4. Simply Red. And I'd better hurry, because they're on their farewell tour, intending to go their own ways in 2010. Listen to Holding Back the Years
5. Evanescence. Interesting group out of Arkansas. Listen to Call Me When You're Sober
6. Yusuf Islam. He sounds a lot like Cat Stevens and Steven Demetre Georgiou, but older. Listen to Father & Son
7. Al Stewart. The hair is short, white, and not quite all there... but the voice is still there, and the guitar is, if anything, better. Listen to YEAR OF THE CAT
8.Van Morrison. In 1967 I was in love with a Brown Eyed Girl. Van is still playing- listen to Have I Told You Lately?
9. Heather Nova. There's a slew of singer songwriters out there, but a few have their own voices, and she's my current favorite. Listen to This Body
10. Weird Al Yankovic. Listen to The Saga Begins
Showing posts with label Memes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memes. Show all posts
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Desert Island Blog meme
Philocrites has posed a twist on the "what books would you want to be shipwrecked with" meme- assume your computer could only access ten blogs. OK... I'll first exempt aggregators as a cheat, like asking for omnibus collections as a single book in the original meme- so that let's UUpdates and Discover UU out. The following are not numbered or in any particular order:
The Wild Hunt the best generic Pagan blog. Period.
The Chaliceblog No explanation needed.
Peacebang Ditto.
Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show If you don't read this one regularly, do yourself a favor and start. Heck, go read the archives.
Free and Responsible Search Doug's entries are so erratic that I'm not sure it qualifies as a "blog", in that it's not log or journal-like. But damn, is it good.
The Daily Kitten I'm not sure this one is exactly a blog, either, but it's posted every day, so there!
Waking Up in Dream City A new blog by an old blogger, and off to an excellent start. Not to mention being one of the most decent beings I know. Maybe living in Washington State has something to do with it- you could ask Ms. Kitty.
The Happy Feminist This one probably shouldn't be on the list, as it's apparently defunct. Damn it. the only feminist blog I actually enjoyed reading. But she just stopped posting suddenly... Happy, if you're out there, no explanations necessary- just come back!
Sexy Witch (Not work friendly) Hey- being Pagan isn't just about telling Christians where their holidays come from, you know.
I refuse to list a tenth, as that would mean completing the list and therefore leaving a bunch of friends out- if I never finished, I never slighted them, right?
The Wild Hunt the best generic Pagan blog. Period.
The Chaliceblog No explanation needed.
Peacebang Ditto.
Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show If you don't read this one regularly, do yourself a favor and start. Heck, go read the archives.
Free and Responsible Search Doug's entries are so erratic that I'm not sure it qualifies as a "blog", in that it's not log or journal-like. But damn, is it good.
The Daily Kitten I'm not sure this one is exactly a blog, either, but it's posted every day, so there!
Waking Up in Dream City A new blog by an old blogger, and off to an excellent start. Not to mention being one of the most decent beings I know. Maybe living in Washington State has something to do with it- you could ask Ms. Kitty.
The Happy Feminist This one probably shouldn't be on the list, as it's apparently defunct. Damn it. the only feminist blog I actually enjoyed reading. But she just stopped posting suddenly... Happy, if you're out there, no explanations necessary- just come back!
Sexy Witch (Not work friendly) Hey- being Pagan isn't just about telling Christians where their holidays come from, you know.
I refuse to list a tenth, as that would mean completing the list and therefore leaving a bunch of friends out- if I never finished, I never slighted them, right?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
A geek meme
This one isn't about building computers or program languages or other IT professional stuff; this is about how geeky the ordinary lives of ordinary people has become.
1. What was your first high-tech gadget?
For me it would be a Kodak 100 Instamatic camera. Anyone else remember those? So cool... the film came in a scroll-shaped cartridge, and it would automatically change the shutter time when the flash was used. It also taught me about the ephemeral nature if cutting edge, however; just months after I bought mine, they came out with the flash cube.
2. What was your first computer?
Commodore 64. I wish I still had it; in some ways, it was better than even my latest notebook.
3. How many computers have you owned? How many do you currently use?
Seven: Commodore 64, Commodore 128, NCR 286, Packard Bell Pentium, E machine, another E Machine, HP Notebook. I still use the second E Machine and the Notebook.
4. How many video gadgets have you owned? How many different formats? (VCR, Video Disc, Laser Disc, DVD, Tivo, etc.)
I've had three or four VCRs; the first one's remote control was just a start/stop button- on a wire. I currently have two VCR/DVD combos. I owned a Video Disc- the type that used a needle like a phonograph- for one afternoon. I got it at Radio Shack, took it home, and got the very first movie (MASH) jammed in it, so I took it back for a refund. I never did get a Laser Disc, and don't yet have a Tivo.
5. How many game machines have you owned?
Just one, an early Pong/Tank/etc. Since then all my games have been PC games. My first PC game was Hitchhiker's Guide for Commodore. It came complete with peril-sensitive glasses, microscopic spaceships, and pocket fluff- even though it was a text-based game. My all-time favorite is Rise of the Triad, which won't play on my notebook. :(
6. When did you first go online?
A. Not the WWW. Late 80's, with my 300 baud Commodore. Not much, though, as the only thing I knew you could do with it was log into the IUPUI library. When I got the NCR 286, though, with it's blazingly fast 2400 baud modem, I discovered the miraculous world of the BBS.
B. The Internet. Early 1996, but I didn't do much at first. Slow is an inadequate description of my Packard Bell Pentium; I would type in the URL, go to the kitchen and put the kettle on, go out on the porch for a cigarette, come back in and make tea, then head back to see if the first page had loaded yet- and frequently it hadn't. Loading up all the RAM the motherboard could handle helped a lot, though, once the price came down to where it was feasible.
7. How many cell phones have you owned?
Two- I deliberately held off as long as I could before getting one. My stubbornness was helped by the fact that I had a company phone for work use.
8. Have you ever owned a car with a carburetor?
I've owned nine cars; only the last two have been injected- but that covers 14 years.
9. How long has it been since you've gotten your TV through the air and your internet through dial up?
Although I was an early cable user- back before HBO was 24 hour- I no longer have cable. With the internet, I no longer need it for news, and I just don't have the time to watch all the shows that might interest me... it's a defense against my tendency to become a complete potato. We went to high speed internet a few years ago.
10. Do any of your clocks still have hands? (This question was inspired by a DJ's comment, while playing a Chicago tune, that nobody under the age of 30 would ever give the time as 25 or 6 to 4.)
The only one in use is a mantle clock with hands. Wait- does the desktop gadget clock count? It has hands...
1. What was your first high-tech gadget?
For me it would be a Kodak 100 Instamatic camera. Anyone else remember those? So cool... the film came in a scroll-shaped cartridge, and it would automatically change the shutter time when the flash was used. It also taught me about the ephemeral nature if cutting edge, however; just months after I bought mine, they came out with the flash cube.
2. What was your first computer?
Commodore 64. I wish I still had it; in some ways, it was better than even my latest notebook.
3. How many computers have you owned? How many do you currently use?
Seven: Commodore 64, Commodore 128, NCR 286, Packard Bell Pentium, E machine, another E Machine, HP Notebook. I still use the second E Machine and the Notebook.
4. How many video gadgets have you owned? How many different formats? (VCR, Video Disc, Laser Disc, DVD, Tivo, etc.)
I've had three or four VCRs; the first one's remote control was just a start/stop button- on a wire. I currently have two VCR/DVD combos. I owned a Video Disc- the type that used a needle like a phonograph- for one afternoon. I got it at Radio Shack, took it home, and got the very first movie (MASH) jammed in it, so I took it back for a refund. I never did get a Laser Disc, and don't yet have a Tivo.
5. How many game machines have you owned?
Just one, an early Pong/Tank/etc. Since then all my games have been PC games. My first PC game was Hitchhiker's Guide for Commodore. It came complete with peril-sensitive glasses, microscopic spaceships, and pocket fluff- even though it was a text-based game. My all-time favorite is Rise of the Triad, which won't play on my notebook. :(
6. When did you first go online?
A. Not the WWW. Late 80's, with my 300 baud Commodore. Not much, though, as the only thing I knew you could do with it was log into the IUPUI library. When I got the NCR 286, though, with it's blazingly fast 2400 baud modem, I discovered the miraculous world of the BBS.
B. The Internet. Early 1996, but I didn't do much at first. Slow is an inadequate description of my Packard Bell Pentium; I would type in the URL, go to the kitchen and put the kettle on, go out on the porch for a cigarette, come back in and make tea, then head back to see if the first page had loaded yet- and frequently it hadn't. Loading up all the RAM the motherboard could handle helped a lot, though, once the price came down to where it was feasible.
7. How many cell phones have you owned?
Two- I deliberately held off as long as I could before getting one. My stubbornness was helped by the fact that I had a company phone for work use.
8. Have you ever owned a car with a carburetor?
I've owned nine cars; only the last two have been injected- but that covers 14 years.
9. How long has it been since you've gotten your TV through the air and your internet through dial up?
Although I was an early cable user- back before HBO was 24 hour- I no longer have cable. With the internet, I no longer need it for news, and I just don't have the time to watch all the shows that might interest me... it's a defense against my tendency to become a complete potato. We went to high speed internet a few years ago.
10. Do any of your clocks still have hands? (This question was inspired by a DJ's comment, while playing a Chicago tune, that nobody under the age of 30 would ever give the time as 25 or 6 to 4.)
The only one in use is a mantle clock with hands. Wait- does the desktop gadget clock count? It has hands...
Monday, January 05, 2009
Yet another meme
This one is from The Chaliceblog, and yes it's a couple weeks late; I've been busy. Yeah, that's a lame excuse, especially since two answers are pretty much the same as hers
1. Aside from reading, my favorite pastimes are -having long conversations, and writing.
2. If I were not a desk driver, I would be -depressed, as there's only one non-desk related job I've ever wanted: Rock star. Given that my musical talents are- and let's be generous- limited, and my vocals make Dylan sound like Pavarotti, that wasn't going to happen.
3. I am irrationally worried about - finding out that I'm normal after all.
4. If I were the opposite sex - my situation in life might be a lot worse than it is. I made a number of really poor decisions in my youth, the consequences of which might have been made worse by being female. Besides- if I were a woman, it's less likely that Ginger would have married me.
5. The thing I miss most about childhood is -umm... err... No! Wait! I got one! No, nevermind. Seriously, I wasn't a particularly happy kid and I wouldn't have any of it back for anything. (CC's answer, stolen whole cloth)
6. I like to collect - pens, fountain and dip. I also have a collection of shot glasses, but I don't collect them because they are glasses- they are souvenirs of places I've been. (souvenirs I could afford)
7. Though I’ve never been there, I feel inexplicably homesick for - Luna City
8. I’ve never really liked to eat - raw oysters.
9. When I have nightmares, they’re usually about - getting lost, which is strange, because I rarely ever get lost.
10. Magazines subscribed to: Popular Science, Popular Mechanics (both much-appreciated gifts), Time Magazine, which I will let lapse- I only took out the subscription for the premium, a nifty desktop AM-FM clock/calendar/calculator/alarm.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Treating CC's questions as a meme
CC has listed some questions that trouble her . Here's the quick version of my answers; I'd be happy to elaborate or debate if desired.
1. How do I justify loving art and goofing off and creature comforts in a world where so many are suffering and I could feed a kid in Africa for a year on what I spent on a painting on Saturday? There's an old story about a new-hire lumberjack, who impressed his boss with his tremendous production right from the start... but after a few days, his production started tapering off, so the boss asked him about it. "I don't understand," the kid said, "I'm working harder than ever, but just can't seem to get anywhere." The boss said, "Here's your problem- your ax is dull! Why haven't you sharpened it?" "I was falling behind- there wasn't time to sharpen it!" Your tools, your mind, and your spirit must all be sharp to be effective- if you let your spirit grow dull, you'll become part of the problem, rather than the solution. Joy is as vital as food to being human.
2. What’s the deal with my professor asking vague multiple choice questions but insisting that there’s one right answer when sometimes reasonable arguments could be made for up to three? Because to many people, only their solution is reasonable; to your professor, the other arguments, not being his, are by definition not reasonable.
3. What duties do I have to the rest of humanity? To my family in particular? Your first duties are to yourself and your family- it does humanity no good to be less than your best, because you can give the most when you have the most to give. It's like the instruction one gets in an airplane: if the oxygen masks fall, put your own on before trying to help anyone else!
4. Could you summarize the analytical framework that goes along with the federal taxation of a company’s loans to employees and shareholders, with specifics on what gets taxed when, and what gets capitalized when if the employee is working on a long-term capital project? I have only the vaguest idea of what you're talking about, so I'll generalize: corporate and company taxation is intellectually dishonest and counterproductive; the best answer would be to not tax them in the first place.
5. Is that old law school maxim “A’ students become judges and ‘B’ students work for ‘C’ students” thing really true? Because some of us are counting on it as our backup plan… I don't know about the law, but it's true in many other professions- and I can't suggest a better plan.
6. I am, at heart, quite an eccentric and moody person. But I have seen before how much being an eccentric and moody person that people don’t identify with and don’t understand gets in the way of having things I want and connecting with others. What’s the proper balance between living my life as I please and being someone that other people understand and root for? Just come up with interesting explanations for your eccentricities, whether they're true or not, and make it clear that they are not a reaction to the people around you. People love eccentrics, as long as they're amusingly weird and not confrontational. Many people have made entire careers as an eccentric.
7. So what’s the deal with corporate takeovers? In general and with specifics. Too open ended a question for me.
8. When I come across and idea or a philosophy I don’t get or don’t agree with, I have this little-kid-with-a-broken-alarm-clock need to take it apart, figure out how it works and see what the problem is. I do this by arguing or at least asking pointed questions. Some people think that’s fun and I can talk to those people for hours. But others tend to see me as stupid or a contrarian (or a racist, or a kneejerk liberal or an elitist or… or…) when I argue with ideas that they hold dear. Right now, my solution is to mostly move that nitpicky nature to the internet, but even there are there times when I should just shut it and let people think what they want without bugging them, and agree to disagree before I’ve gotten their argument down to the premises and pissed them off? I have this tendency and problem myself. I finally decided that people have the right to be wrong, and if they insist on exercising this right, I can't stop them. I judge when they've reached this point by the amount of venom used.
9. Is it actually moral for the government to use taxation to socially engineer as much as they do? To what degree should I accept the argument that what the government taxes, it controls? If I should accept, isn't progressive taxation with a deduction for the personal consumption costs of enough for food, shelter and preventative medical care and no other deductions at all the ideal? No, it is not moral to use taxation for social engineering- it's little different from using a gun when people don't have the money to buck the system. You should totally accept the argument that what the government taxes, it controls- indeed, control is sometimes the stated reason for the tax involved. (See social engineering) If the progressive tax you're speaking of is an income tax, then no, it isn't the ideal. Consumption taxes are superior in terms of fairness and economic growth.
1. How do I justify loving art and goofing off and creature comforts in a world where so many are suffering and I could feed a kid in Africa for a year on what I spent on a painting on Saturday? There's an old story about a new-hire lumberjack, who impressed his boss with his tremendous production right from the start... but after a few days, his production started tapering off, so the boss asked him about it. "I don't understand," the kid said, "I'm working harder than ever, but just can't seem to get anywhere." The boss said, "Here's your problem- your ax is dull! Why haven't you sharpened it?" "I was falling behind- there wasn't time to sharpen it!" Your tools, your mind, and your spirit must all be sharp to be effective- if you let your spirit grow dull, you'll become part of the problem, rather than the solution. Joy is as vital as food to being human.
2. What’s the deal with my professor asking vague multiple choice questions but insisting that there’s one right answer when sometimes reasonable arguments could be made for up to three? Because to many people, only their solution is reasonable; to your professor, the other arguments, not being his, are by definition not reasonable.
3. What duties do I have to the rest of humanity? To my family in particular? Your first duties are to yourself and your family- it does humanity no good to be less than your best, because you can give the most when you have the most to give. It's like the instruction one gets in an airplane: if the oxygen masks fall, put your own on before trying to help anyone else!
4. Could you summarize the analytical framework that goes along with the federal taxation of a company’s loans to employees and shareholders, with specifics on what gets taxed when, and what gets capitalized when if the employee is working on a long-term capital project? I have only the vaguest idea of what you're talking about, so I'll generalize: corporate and company taxation is intellectually dishonest and counterproductive; the best answer would be to not tax them in the first place.
5. Is that old law school maxim “A’ students become judges and ‘B’ students work for ‘C’ students” thing really true? Because some of us are counting on it as our backup plan… I don't know about the law, but it's true in many other professions- and I can't suggest a better plan.
6. I am, at heart, quite an eccentric and moody person. But I have seen before how much being an eccentric and moody person that people don’t identify with and don’t understand gets in the way of having things I want and connecting with others. What’s the proper balance between living my life as I please and being someone that other people understand and root for? Just come up with interesting explanations for your eccentricities, whether they're true or not, and make it clear that they are not a reaction to the people around you. People love eccentrics, as long as they're amusingly weird and not confrontational. Many people have made entire careers as an eccentric.
7. So what’s the deal with corporate takeovers? In general and with specifics. Too open ended a question for me.
8. When I come across and idea or a philosophy I don’t get or don’t agree with, I have this little-kid-with-a-broken-alarm-clock need to take it apart, figure out how it works and see what the problem is. I do this by arguing or at least asking pointed questions. Some people think that’s fun and I can talk to those people for hours. But others tend to see me as stupid or a contrarian (or a racist, or a kneejerk liberal or an elitist or… or…) when I argue with ideas that they hold dear. Right now, my solution is to mostly move that nitpicky nature to the internet, but even there are there times when I should just shut it and let people think what they want without bugging them, and agree to disagree before I’ve gotten their argument down to the premises and pissed them off? I have this tendency and problem myself. I finally decided that people have the right to be wrong, and if they insist on exercising this right, I can't stop them. I judge when they've reached this point by the amount of venom used.
9. Is it actually moral for the government to use taxation to socially engineer as much as they do? To what degree should I accept the argument that what the government taxes, it controls? If I should accept, isn't progressive taxation with a deduction for the personal consumption costs of enough for food, shelter and preventative medical care and no other deductions at all the ideal? No, it is not moral to use taxation for social engineering- it's little different from using a gun when people don't have the money to buck the system. You should totally accept the argument that what the government taxes, it controls- indeed, control is sometimes the stated reason for the tax involved. (See social engineering) If the progressive tax you're speaking of is an income tax, then no, it isn't the ideal. Consumption taxes are superior in terms of fairness and economic growth.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Variations on a meme
Things I've done are in bold. Meme stolen from Earthbound Spirit and The Chaliceblog . First, Earthbound Spirit's list:
Started my own blog
Slept under the stars
Played in a band
Visited Hawaii
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than I can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland/world
Climbed a mountain
Held a praying mantis
Sung a solo
Bungee jumped (Never, and that's only half the story)
Visited Paris
Watched lightning at sea
Taught myself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Grown my own vegetables (half credit, as it wasn't vegetables)
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitchhiked
Taken a sick day when not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Had the opportunity, but Ye Gods, the cost!)
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset
Hit a home run
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught myself a new language
Had enough money to be truly satisfied (although it would be more accurate to say there were periods when money was meaningless)
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing (not involving pitons and ropes, but steep enough to make my beloved blanche)
Seen Michelangelo's David
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance
Had my portrait painted
Gone deep sea fishing
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Half way up; reservations were needed for the rest of the way)
Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Gone to a drive-in theater
Been in a movie
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Taken a martial arts class
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching
Gotten flowers for no reason
Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi concentration camp
Bounced a check
Flown in a helicopter
Saved a favorite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the Changing of the Guard in London
Broken a bone
Been on a speeding motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book (If magazines count)
Visited the Vatican (Been to Rome, but at Easter- couldn't face the Vatican crowds)Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had my picture in the newspaper
Read the entire Bible
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Had chickenpox
Saved someone's life
Sat on a jury (as an alternate)
Met someone famous
Joined a book club
Lost a loved one
Had a baby (It was delicious) (Sorry- a little Pagan humor)
Seen the Alamo in person
Swam in the Great Salt Lake
Been involved in a law suit
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee
Ridden an elephant (I agree with CC-I've had the chance many times, but have you ever seen an elephant ride where the elephant didn't look depressed and miserable?)
CC's additions:
Read all three volumes of the Lord of the Rings
Visited the Taj Mahal
Performed in a dance recita
lBeen on horseback while the horse jumped over something
Won an athletic competition (If you count rifle competition- it IS an Olympic sport)Gotten a straight-A report card
Prayed to Zeus (Do Hecate and Calliope count?)
Watched news coverage, rapt, to see what was going to happen
Gotten lost in a building more than 500 years old
Kissed somebody milliseconds before bells started to ring
My additions:
Made love in a moving vehicle
Created something you know you'll never better
Held a pet while they died
Walked the Promenade Des Anglaises in Nice
Patric Murfin's additions:
Graduated from college
Been in Prison
Written the Great American Novel (Hopefully in progress)
Ridden the rails
Seen that Alaska
Been booed and/or heckled
Been elected to public office (OK, it was only to Precinct Committeeman- but I got more votes than Ronald Reagan in my precinct!)
Started my own blog
Slept under the stars
Played in a band
Visited Hawaii
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than I can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland/world
Climbed a mountain
Held a praying mantis
Sung a solo
Bungee jumped (Never, and that's only half the story)
Visited Paris
Watched lightning at sea
Taught myself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Grown my own vegetables (half credit, as it wasn't vegetables)
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitchhiked
Taken a sick day when not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Had the opportunity, but Ye Gods, the cost!)
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset
Hit a home run
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught myself a new language
Had enough money to be truly satisfied (although it would be more accurate to say there were periods when money was meaningless)
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing (not involving pitons and ropes, but steep enough to make my beloved blanche)
Seen Michelangelo's David
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance
Had my portrait painted
Gone deep sea fishing
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Half way up; reservations were needed for the rest of the way)
Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Gone to a drive-in theater
Been in a movie
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Taken a martial arts class
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching
Gotten flowers for no reason
Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi concentration camp
Bounced a check
Flown in a helicopter
Saved a favorite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the Changing of the Guard in London
Broken a bone
Been on a speeding motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book (If magazines count)
Visited the Vatican (Been to Rome, but at Easter- couldn't face the Vatican crowds)Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had my picture in the newspaper
Read the entire Bible
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Had chickenpox
Saved someone's life
Sat on a jury (as an alternate)
Met someone famous
Joined a book club
Lost a loved one
Had a baby (It was delicious) (Sorry- a little Pagan humor)
Seen the Alamo in person
Swam in the Great Salt Lake
Been involved in a law suit
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee
Ridden an elephant (I agree with CC-I've had the chance many times, but have you ever seen an elephant ride where the elephant didn't look depressed and miserable?)
CC's additions:
Read all three volumes of the Lord of the Rings
Visited the Taj Mahal
Performed in a dance recita
lBeen on horseback while the horse jumped over something
Won an athletic competition (If you count rifle competition- it IS an Olympic sport)Gotten a straight-A report card
Prayed to Zeus (Do Hecate and Calliope count?)
Watched news coverage, rapt, to see what was going to happen
Gotten lost in a building more than 500 years old
Kissed somebody milliseconds before bells started to ring
My additions:
Made love in a moving vehicle
Created something you know you'll never better
Held a pet while they died
Walked the Promenade Des Anglaises in Nice
Patric Murfin's additions:
Graduated from college
Been in Prison
Written the Great American Novel (Hopefully in progress)
Ridden the rails
Seen that Alaska
Been booed and/or heckled
Been elected to public office (OK, it was only to Precinct Committeeman- but I got more votes than Ronald Reagan in my precinct!)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A book meme
Ms. Kitty at Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show has tagged me with a meme, seven random or weird book facts about myself. Hmmm...
1. I like happy endings. Or at least if not happy per se, having some redeeming feature to hold on to. I really detest the modern trend towards bleak, no hope, no good guy stories.
2. I don't believe there's been a two week span in my life since 1965 in which I haven't read at least one science fiction novel. Granted, sometimes it may have been re-reading an old favorite, but those times are balanced out by weeks in which I read three or more new ones.
3. My favorite "classic" authors are Kipling, Poe, Doyle, and Shakespeare.
4. It distresses me that I now need reading glasses. Was my mother right, when she found me draped upside down over the sofa with a book, to say, "Don't read like that, you'll ruin your eyes."?
5. Books taught me a lot about life. When I first started buying my own literature, comic books were 10 cents, and paperbacks were 50 cents. I remember well the traumas of first a price increase from 10 to 12 cents, then a sales tax being added to it... true outrages to a child on a fixed (allowance) income. I just bought a book that is actually four "graphic novels" (comic books) reprinted as a single set for $19.95. That's fifty times as much as I used to pay for four comic books. No wonder I became a conservative.
6. While still a teenager, I dated a girl who worked in a bookstore. She used to give me books for presents- books with the front cover torn off. I didn't know what that meant at the time. When I found out, I made a point of buying new copies of each of those books, even the ones I didn't like.
7. We have a set of Encyclopedia Britannica. Will we be the last generation to own a printed encyclopedia?
1. I like happy endings. Or at least if not happy per se, having some redeeming feature to hold on to. I really detest the modern trend towards bleak, no hope, no good guy stories.
2. I don't believe there's been a two week span in my life since 1965 in which I haven't read at least one science fiction novel. Granted, sometimes it may have been re-reading an old favorite, but those times are balanced out by weeks in which I read three or more new ones.
3. My favorite "classic" authors are Kipling, Poe, Doyle, and Shakespeare.
4. It distresses me that I now need reading glasses. Was my mother right, when she found me draped upside down over the sofa with a book, to say, "Don't read like that, you'll ruin your eyes."?
5. Books taught me a lot about life. When I first started buying my own literature, comic books were 10 cents, and paperbacks were 50 cents. I remember well the traumas of first a price increase from 10 to 12 cents, then a sales tax being added to it... true outrages to a child on a fixed (allowance) income. I just bought a book that is actually four "graphic novels" (comic books) reprinted as a single set for $19.95. That's fifty times as much as I used to pay for four comic books. No wonder I became a conservative.
6. While still a teenager, I dated a girl who worked in a bookstore. She used to give me books for presents- books with the front cover torn off. I didn't know what that meant at the time. When I found out, I made a point of buying new copies of each of those books, even the ones I didn't like.
7. We have a set of Encyclopedia Britannica. Will we be the last generation to own a printed encyclopedia?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
8 random things meme
I was tagged by Earthbound Spirit for the “8 random facts about myself” meme- so here goes. Those tagged are supposed to post this first:
1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
I’m going to violate rules 4 & 5; most of those I’d have tagged have already posted, and if we go by powers of eight, we’ll have tagged the known universe by Thursday. So anyway...
1. I have no talent for languages whatsoever. I had a year of Spanish in grade school, and never learned more than how to say “My name is...”- and have forgotten even that. I had three years of French, actually visited France several times, brushing up before each visit, and attend my wife’s Alliance Francaise club meetings, and still can do little more than order dinner or follow French television news. Oh, and I was also able to follow French coverage of a Colts game, (they were playing “les tetes de fromage”) and “Pimp My Ride” in French, but that’s about it.
2. Possibly related to the above, I have never been able to master a musical instrument, nor read music, despite my love of music. (There was a time when I would have sold my soul to be able to sing like Chuck Negron or Harry Nilson) In grade school I was able to memorize the finger positions on the recorder corresponding to written notes, but was never able to read music and hum the tune- I just seem to have some kind of mental block in those arenas. Does anyone know if music and language skills are related?
3. I was born in the same year that “Rock Around The Clock”- the beginning of rock and Roll, according to historians- was released; Rock and I have grown up together.
4. I have the unusual artistic talent of being able to convert photographs into line drawings for easy reproduction using just a ballpoint pen. I used to pick up cigarette and beer money doing that for newsletters, etc., before computers and improved photocopiers rendered that skill obsolete.
5. Because I’m fat, I have very few lines and wrinkles; I fear that as I lose weight, I’ll appear to age suddenly. Which is kind of funny, as I’d never considered myself vain before.
6. Despite being a six-foot male natural born Hoosier, I’ve never really liked basketball, watching or playing. If you know anything about Indiana, you’ll know how suspect- possibly even treasonous- that is.
7. I continually surprise myself discovering how much my tastes- in food, art, everything- have changed over the years. Yes, that’s a standard observation- I remember a comedian talking about this, saying, “...for example, when I was a kid, I hated being spanked.” I guess the real surprise is finding out that cliches apply to me, too- i used to think myself unique. Which is probably another cliche.
8. One cliche that doesn’t apply- I love my in-laws, including (especially) my mother in law, whom I don’t see as often as I’d like because she lives on the other side of the continent. I also love my in-laws who live only half a continent away, in various parts of the west, which realistically is no easier to get to despite technically being closer. An extended family reunion would rack up enough frequent-flier miles to earn a trip into space on Virgin Galactic.
Tag: Anyone who has never participated in a meme before!
1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
I’m going to violate rules 4 & 5; most of those I’d have tagged have already posted, and if we go by powers of eight, we’ll have tagged the known universe by Thursday. So anyway...
1. I have no talent for languages whatsoever. I had a year of Spanish in grade school, and never learned more than how to say “My name is...”- and have forgotten even that. I had three years of French, actually visited France several times, brushing up before each visit, and attend my wife’s Alliance Francaise club meetings, and still can do little more than order dinner or follow French television news. Oh, and I was also able to follow French coverage of a Colts game, (they were playing “les tetes de fromage”) and “Pimp My Ride” in French, but that’s about it.
2. Possibly related to the above, I have never been able to master a musical instrument, nor read music, despite my love of music. (There was a time when I would have sold my soul to be able to sing like Chuck Negron or Harry Nilson) In grade school I was able to memorize the finger positions on the recorder corresponding to written notes, but was never able to read music and hum the tune- I just seem to have some kind of mental block in those arenas. Does anyone know if music and language skills are related?
3. I was born in the same year that “Rock Around The Clock”- the beginning of rock and Roll, according to historians- was released; Rock and I have grown up together.
4. I have the unusual artistic talent of being able to convert photographs into line drawings for easy reproduction using just a ballpoint pen. I used to pick up cigarette and beer money doing that for newsletters, etc., before computers and improved photocopiers rendered that skill obsolete.
5. Because I’m fat, I have very few lines and wrinkles; I fear that as I lose weight, I’ll appear to age suddenly. Which is kind of funny, as I’d never considered myself vain before.
6. Despite being a six-foot male natural born Hoosier, I’ve never really liked basketball, watching or playing. If you know anything about Indiana, you’ll know how suspect- possibly even treasonous- that is.
7. I continually surprise myself discovering how much my tastes- in food, art, everything- have changed over the years. Yes, that’s a standard observation- I remember a comedian talking about this, saying, “...for example, when I was a kid, I hated being spanked.” I guess the real surprise is finding out that cliches apply to me, too- i used to think myself unique. Which is probably another cliche.
8. One cliche that doesn’t apply- I love my in-laws, including (especially) my mother in law, whom I don’t see as often as I’d like because she lives on the other side of the continent. I also love my in-laws who live only half a continent away, in various parts of the west, which realistically is no easier to get to despite technically being closer. An extended family reunion would rack up enough frequent-flier miles to earn a trip into space on Virgin Galactic.
Tag: Anyone who has never participated in a meme before!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Thinkers blogs
uuMomma has tagged me in the “Thinking Blog” meme (which started here )- which was quite flattering, as we frequently disagree- but she likes me anyway! (Why do I feel like Sally Fields accepting an Oscar?) So now it’s my turn to reach out and touch five bloggers!
Several of my regulars I cannot pick, because they’ve already been mentioned- as well they should be, because they are on everyone’s favorite’s list: ChailceBlog , Peacebang , Ms. Kitty‘s Saloon and Road Show , Philocrites . One blog I check regularly I cannot mention for other reasons, but we all know him- his initials are RE, and he hails from Montreal. This may surprise some of you, but I can’t help it- despite everything, I still hope for the day when he returns to the light side.
Ok, five of my daily favorites...
1. The Happy Feminist . Simply the best feminist writing anywhere, any format.
2. The Wild Hunt . Pagan news and music- and he hangs out with UUs.
3. Trivium . Very well written look from a lay leader’s perspective.
4. Bill Baar’s West Side . It is said that the essence of youth is beauty; of age, perspective. Bill and I both have perspective.
5. It’s All One Thing . Where there’s a Will, there’s a story.
Several of my regulars I cannot pick, because they’ve already been mentioned- as well they should be, because they are on everyone’s favorite’s list: ChailceBlog , Peacebang , Ms. Kitty‘s Saloon and Road Show , Philocrites . One blog I check regularly I cannot mention for other reasons, but we all know him- his initials are RE, and he hails from Montreal. This may surprise some of you, but I can’t help it- despite everything, I still hope for the day when he returns to the light side.
Ok, five of my daily favorites...
1. The Happy Feminist . Simply the best feminist writing anywhere, any format.
2. The Wild Hunt . Pagan news and music- and he hangs out with UUs.
3. Trivium . Very well written look from a lay leader’s perspective.
4. Bill Baar’s West Side . It is said that the essence of youth is beauty; of age, perspective. Bill and I both have perspective.
5. It’s All One Thing . Where there’s a Will, there’s a story.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Five Theological Questions Meme
In her Friday 1/05 entry, Ms Kitty lists Five Theological Questions her mentor had asked. It brought back a lot of memories for me- when I had my first crisis of faith some 37 years ago, I began an intensive philosophy/religion search. In the course of that search, I ran across a number of similar lists, some ancient, some modern, and so these are things I have pondered many times over many years. Although my answer have varied over the years, and may do so again for all I know, I do have a current set of answers, and so I’m going to treat her questions as a meme.
1. Who am I and what is my purpose (the question of Being)?
I began as a not quite blank slate upon which much was written and much was asked. I did not frame the questions, but I am responsible for my answers. I am the total of all my decisions to date. One of those decisions was my purpose: to leave this world in a better shape than I found it. That means, at minimum, to follow the moral code I have adopted, one based on the principal of least harm. What more it may mean I’m still exploring.
2. What must I do to be made whole (the question of Salvation)?
I do not accept the basis of the question. I do not believe in Original Sin; we are born perfect, ready for heaven. When we sin, we are writing for ourselves a record that will be very painful to read when we achieve enlightenment- but that is our pain, self imposed, a pain that in our better moments we will embrace to aid our growth, like the pain involved removing a splinter. There is nothing else to be “saved” from.
3. Who or what is in charge (the question of God)?
There is a big and a small component to this. The small component is my life; I am in charge of that. Sure, there are times when I’d like to palm off the responsibility of making decisions to someone else... but it’s my duty, and I cannot give it to someone else even if I wanted to- because even that act is itself a decision, a decision to shirk my duty. Even to do nothing at all is a decision to accept another’s decision.
The big component is the world, and no one is in charge of that. The way in which we are made in God’s image is that we, too, have the power to create, the spark of unpredictability. God does not cause bad things to happen to good people; we do, by working at cross purposes. If mankind ever united in a cause, then that collective decision would be in charge... until then, no one is.
4. How do I know what I know (the question of Authority)?
Small surprise as a Unitarian but first I drip what I know through the filter of reason and logic. But I also know that logic often fails us, as I discuss here . Then it becomes time to ask your gut. Does my soul know this to be true, no matter what my mind says? Am I trying to argue myself out of what I know is right?
As to Authority... well, this may sound arrogant, but I accept no authority outside myself for the truly important questions of life. I’ll listen for wisdom, listen to proffered advice- but I regard no other mortal to be an authority on my soul.
5. And What does my death mean (the question of Time)?
This is something I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about. One reality at a time is my motto. I have faith that if I make myself truly worthy of this world, I have no need to fear what I find in the next one.
Tag: anyone who has answers ready!
1. Who am I and what is my purpose (the question of Being)?
I began as a not quite blank slate upon which much was written and much was asked. I did not frame the questions, but I am responsible for my answers. I am the total of all my decisions to date. One of those decisions was my purpose: to leave this world in a better shape than I found it. That means, at minimum, to follow the moral code I have adopted, one based on the principal of least harm. What more it may mean I’m still exploring.
2. What must I do to be made whole (the question of Salvation)?
I do not accept the basis of the question. I do not believe in Original Sin; we are born perfect, ready for heaven. When we sin, we are writing for ourselves a record that will be very painful to read when we achieve enlightenment- but that is our pain, self imposed, a pain that in our better moments we will embrace to aid our growth, like the pain involved removing a splinter. There is nothing else to be “saved” from.
3. Who or what is in charge (the question of God)?
There is a big and a small component to this. The small component is my life; I am in charge of that. Sure, there are times when I’d like to palm off the responsibility of making decisions to someone else... but it’s my duty, and I cannot give it to someone else even if I wanted to- because even that act is itself a decision, a decision to shirk my duty. Even to do nothing at all is a decision to accept another’s decision.
The big component is the world, and no one is in charge of that. The way in which we are made in God’s image is that we, too, have the power to create, the spark of unpredictability. God does not cause bad things to happen to good people; we do, by working at cross purposes. If mankind ever united in a cause, then that collective decision would be in charge... until then, no one is.
4. How do I know what I know (the question of Authority)?
Small surprise as a Unitarian but first I drip what I know through the filter of reason and logic. But I also know that logic often fails us, as I discuss here . Then it becomes time to ask your gut. Does my soul know this to be true, no matter what my mind says? Am I trying to argue myself out of what I know is right?
As to Authority... well, this may sound arrogant, but I accept no authority outside myself for the truly important questions of life. I’ll listen for wisdom, listen to proffered advice- but I regard no other mortal to be an authority on my soul.
5. And What does my death mean (the question of Time)?
This is something I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about. One reality at a time is my motto. I have faith that if I make myself truly worthy of this world, I have no need to fear what I find in the next one.
Tag: anyone who has answers ready!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Well, I never!
John Derbyshire of “National Review”, (am I safe in assuming that I am in the minority as a UU blogger who reads National Review?), reports on a game they’re playing at the London Daily Telegraph in which you confess to things you have never done. Quoting John, “The trick is that the things you confess to never having done are things that — and this is of course highly life-context-dependent — you ought to have done, or feel you ought to have; or things of which the omission is surprising in some other way — e.g. lived your whole life in London but never seen the Thames. Things that hardly anyone does (“never been on safari”) don’t count.”
Ok... I have never:
Made it through an entire episode of Seinfeld.
Been to Disneyland. Or Florida, for that matter.
Attended a professional Baseball game.
Gone to a bar, unless invited to meet someone there.
Done “Trick or Treat for UNICEF”
Successfully pulled a tune out of a musical instrument.
Successfully negotiated a dance without incident.
Attempted to ski (snow or water) or surf. Or managed to swim without looking like a paddlewheel boat.
Gone two weeks without chocolate.
Gotten all Christmas or birthday cards out on time in any year.
Voted Democrat for President.
Sent a text message, or used any cell phone feature other than making a telephone call.
Had a haircut without thinking of David Crosby’s song “Almost Cut My Hair”.
Worn a pair of tennis shoes that cost more than $25.
Saved anything, music or data, onto a CD.
What have you never?
Ok... I have never:
Made it through an entire episode of Seinfeld.
Been to Disneyland. Or Florida, for that matter.
Attended a professional Baseball game.
Gone to a bar, unless invited to meet someone there.
Done “Trick or Treat for UNICEF”
Successfully pulled a tune out of a musical instrument.
Successfully negotiated a dance without incident.
Attempted to ski (snow or water) or surf. Or managed to swim without looking like a paddlewheel boat.
Gone two weeks without chocolate.
Gotten all Christmas or birthday cards out on time in any year.
Voted Democrat for President.
Sent a text message, or used any cell phone feature other than making a telephone call.
Had a haircut without thinking of David Crosby’s song “Almost Cut My Hair”.
Worn a pair of tennis shoes that cost more than $25.
Saved anything, music or data, onto a CD.
What have you never?
Monday, November 13, 2006
Catchup potpouri
Item 1: Dem victory not all good.
The first issue to be tackled by Indiana's new Speaker of the House, Pat Bauer, will be the repeal of Daylight Savings Time! After a brief sojourn into the 21st Century, Pat will lead Indiana back to a time when nobody changed their clocks. *Sigh* Fair warning, Pat- nobody brought it up during the campaign, but if you're planning to make Indiana the butt of every late-night comedian once again, be prepared for jokes about that nylon carpet remnant stapled to the top of your head.
Item 2: Happy Cindy's
TV Meme
Do you have cable? No.
Do you have a television in more than one room? Yes- a newer one in the front room, an antique that refuses to die in the kitchen, and a portable in the computer room.
Do you watch television on your computer? No, my one-lung Emachine isn't up to it.
What are your favorite shows? Nova, Secrets of the Dead, McLaughlin Group, Week in Review- and, of course, Football.
What old[er] shows do you love to watch in re-run? Simpsons. (the new episodes, except for Treehouse of Horror, are getting lame.) I would watch any generation of Star Trek, but without cable they're unavailable.
What are favorite shows you hate to admit to? After Mclaughlin Group and Week in Review on Friday night, I watch the second hour of WWE.
The first issue to be tackled by Indiana's new Speaker of the House, Pat Bauer, will be the repeal of Daylight Savings Time! After a brief sojourn into the 21st Century, Pat will lead Indiana back to a time when nobody changed their clocks. *Sigh* Fair warning, Pat- nobody brought it up during the campaign, but if you're planning to make Indiana the butt of every late-night comedian once again, be prepared for jokes about that nylon carpet remnant stapled to the top of your head.
Item 2: Happy Cindy's
TV Meme
Do you have cable? No.
Do you have a television in more than one room? Yes- a newer one in the front room, an antique that refuses to die in the kitchen, and a portable in the computer room.
Do you watch television on your computer? No, my one-lung Emachine isn't up to it.
What are your favorite shows? Nova, Secrets of the Dead, McLaughlin Group, Week in Review- and, of course, Football.
What old[er] shows do you love to watch in re-run? Simpsons. (the new episodes, except for Treehouse of Horror, are getting lame.) I would watch any generation of Star Trek, but without cable they're unavailable.
What are favorite shows you hate to admit to? After Mclaughlin Group and Week in Review on Friday night, I watch the second hour of WWE.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Book Meme
Ms. Kitty has tagged me on the book meme, (well, she said, “Okay, I'm tagging anyone named Joel.”), so here are my answers:
1. One book that changed your life? Revolt in 2100, by Robert Heinlein. This book changed my life because I read it at a pivotal point in my life, during an early teenage crisis of faith. It introduced me to the dark underside of religion, and to the concept that a person could develop their own personal credo- that you didn’t have to decide between the package offered and atheism. I would not be UU today without this book.
2. One book you have read more than once? I have a lot of old friends between covers, from authors such as Kipling, Heinlein, Clavell, Clarke, Herbert... but the one book I have reread more than any other is The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. This is not just a book on religion; it is a practical guide to human psychology. Every time I read it, I get something new out of it.
3. One book you would want on a desert island? My own journals, the ones with lots of blank pages left. I made a very bad decision early in life- rather than following my muse, writing, I decided to be “pragmatic” and concentrate on business. I was young, I wanted to get married, and didn’t want to spend years as a starving artist, waiting for my work to take off (if it ever did- I knew the odds). My intent was to work hard, get my own business going, and then retire early to concentrate on my writing. I had no idea that even if I succeeded in business, it could all be taken away by events outside my control- so I spent half a lifetime doing something other than what I loved for a living, and wound up no better off for it in the end. A desert island, a blank book, and a pen are looking pretty good right now.
4. One book that made you laugh? The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. Imagine your high school world history textbook written by Stephen Colbert. For any history buff, this book is coffee-out-your-nose funny.
5. One book that made you cry? I can think of a couple- Podkayne of Mars, Robert Heinlein; and The Man Who Fell To Earth, Walter Tevis. Although both are good, solid efforts, neither is a masterpiece... and yet, they both managed to touch me somehow.
6. One book you wish had been written? An Idiot’s Guide To Your Life, an owner’s manual. Man, did I ever need that book!
7. One book you wish had never been written? If we are speaking of the good of mankind, I would say either the Communist Manifesto or Protocols of the Elders of Zion... if you mean for me personally, Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Perhaps I was too young when I read it, but it gave me a case of psychic dyspepsia severe enough that I’ve never reread it, not even when it was assigned.
8. One book you are currently reading? Freakonomics, Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner.
9. One book you have been meaning to read? Something by Bishop Spong, just to see if he makes more sense in his own words than what I’ve read about him does.
1. One book that changed your life? Revolt in 2100, by Robert Heinlein. This book changed my life because I read it at a pivotal point in my life, during an early teenage crisis of faith. It introduced me to the dark underside of religion, and to the concept that a person could develop their own personal credo- that you didn’t have to decide between the package offered and atheism. I would not be UU today without this book.
2. One book you have read more than once? I have a lot of old friends between covers, from authors such as Kipling, Heinlein, Clavell, Clarke, Herbert... but the one book I have reread more than any other is The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. This is not just a book on religion; it is a practical guide to human psychology. Every time I read it, I get something new out of it.
3. One book you would want on a desert island? My own journals, the ones with lots of blank pages left. I made a very bad decision early in life- rather than following my muse, writing, I decided to be “pragmatic” and concentrate on business. I was young, I wanted to get married, and didn’t want to spend years as a starving artist, waiting for my work to take off (if it ever did- I knew the odds). My intent was to work hard, get my own business going, and then retire early to concentrate on my writing. I had no idea that even if I succeeded in business, it could all be taken away by events outside my control- so I spent half a lifetime doing something other than what I loved for a living, and wound up no better off for it in the end. A desert island, a blank book, and a pen are looking pretty good right now.
4. One book that made you laugh? The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy. Imagine your high school world history textbook written by Stephen Colbert. For any history buff, this book is coffee-out-your-nose funny.
5. One book that made you cry? I can think of a couple- Podkayne of Mars, Robert Heinlein; and The Man Who Fell To Earth, Walter Tevis. Although both are good, solid efforts, neither is a masterpiece... and yet, they both managed to touch me somehow.
6. One book you wish had been written? An Idiot’s Guide To Your Life, an owner’s manual. Man, did I ever need that book!
7. One book you wish had never been written? If we are speaking of the good of mankind, I would say either the Communist Manifesto or Protocols of the Elders of Zion... if you mean for me personally, Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Perhaps I was too young when I read it, but it gave me a case of psychic dyspepsia severe enough that I’ve never reread it, not even when it was assigned.
8. One book you are currently reading? Freakonomics, Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner.
9. One book you have been meaning to read? Something by Bishop Spong, just to see if he makes more sense in his own words than what I’ve read about him does.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
movies you can watch over and over again
The Happy Feminist (http://happyfeminist.typepad.com/happyfeminist/) has a delightful discussion going of movies you can watch over and over again, so I thought I’d post my own list. These are not necessarily the best movies I’ve ever seen, but the ones that are old friends I enjoy spending time with- for example, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a great movie, but would be unbearable to watch too often. The first on the list is one I have in common with HF:
1. Jesus Christ Superstar. In fact, I now have three versions- the vinyl double album, the original movie, and the new production filmed in London. If you have not seen the new re-cast, re-staged version, go out and rent it right now. Not all the voices are up to the original cast, but these people were hired for their acting ability, and it really shows.
2. 1776. Even more delightful when you read the production notes and realize that nearly every word actually came from John Adam’s letters or Congressional records… Lee really was- and ought to be- a cheerful extrovert who punned on his own name; congressional debates really did end up in brawls; Franklin and Dickinson really did employ risqué double entendre jokes in formal debate.
3. The Princess Bride. You’re not a fan? Inconceivable!
4. Caddy Shack. Ok, it’s low humor, but coke still comes out of my nose every time. But avoid Caddy Shack II at all costs- it’s stunningly unfunny.
5. Anything with Rosalind Russell. His Girl Friday, Mame, and The Trouble With Angels leap to mind.
6. Sweeney Todd. Angela Lansbury as a psychopathic cannibal killer- who wouldn’t love that?
7. Kelly’s Heroes. Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Donald SutherlandDonald, and Carroll O'Connor in one movie. Enough said.
8. How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Big Business sure has come a long way since then! Not.
9. S.O.B. and Victor/Victoria. Both staring Julie Andrews and Robert Preston, these are in my top five funniest movies ever made, but they also have poignant moments. The musical numbers are outrageously funny, but in addition they were staged back when Julie could shatter glass with her voice- a spectacular combination.
1. Jesus Christ Superstar. In fact, I now have three versions- the vinyl double album, the original movie, and the new production filmed in London. If you have not seen the new re-cast, re-staged version, go out and rent it right now. Not all the voices are up to the original cast, but these people were hired for their acting ability, and it really shows.
2. 1776. Even more delightful when you read the production notes and realize that nearly every word actually came from John Adam’s letters or Congressional records… Lee really was- and ought to be- a cheerful extrovert who punned on his own name; congressional debates really did end up in brawls; Franklin and Dickinson really did employ risqué double entendre jokes in formal debate.
3. The Princess Bride. You’re not a fan? Inconceivable!
4. Caddy Shack. Ok, it’s low humor, but coke still comes out of my nose every time. But avoid Caddy Shack II at all costs- it’s stunningly unfunny.
5. Anything with Rosalind Russell. His Girl Friday, Mame, and The Trouble With Angels leap to mind.
6. Sweeney Todd. Angela Lansbury as a psychopathic cannibal killer- who wouldn’t love that?
7. Kelly’s Heroes. Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Donald SutherlandDonald, and Carroll O'Connor in one movie. Enough said.
8. How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Big Business sure has come a long way since then! Not.
9. S.O.B. and Victor/Victoria. Both staring Julie Andrews and Robert Preston, these are in my top five funniest movies ever made, but they also have poignant moments. The musical numbers are outrageously funny, but in addition they were staged back when Julie could shatter glass with her voice- a spectacular combination.
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