What's Been Keeping Me Busy

My daughter The Dancer and Mr. BTEG went to the Origins gamer convention in Columbus, Ohio last week. The Dancer wanted to cosplay as Princess Anna from Frozen, so I put together this costume for her. She and her daddy did the painting on the front of the bodice (as well as the back.)

Oh, and Mr. BTEG also had his gall bladder removed last month. That was a thing that took up a bit of my time as well.

Movies and Nostalgia

I was reading a discussion today about the success of the Transformers franchise versus the relatively poor showing of Pacific Rim, and had one thought: Pacific Rim did not have the built-in audience of grown men who played with Transformers as little boys. As the Dancer admitted, she will be going see the live-action My Little Pony movie when it comes out twenty-five years from now. And I'm sure the Musician will be going with her.

Being "Equal" Can Mean Messing Up Equally Too

I have a confession. When I get too frustrated reading political news (which happens more and more often these days,) I take some time away and read celebrity gossip instead. Which lead me to a tidbit about how Natalie Portman's new movie project is in trouble even in the midst of production. What's hilarious is how the writer tries to keep any of the blame from actually falling on the star and producer of this film, Portman herself. First of all, Portman and her crew may just be too smart for us: "Because it seems like something that would happen with Natalie and her friends, like they are too intellectual to function in normal society, not to mention a film set where you actually have to make firm decisions." Um, yeah. Is this writer serious? I'm not actually sure. I mean, Hollyweird is not normal society anyway, and a great number of the elite in that society would be asking you if you wanted fries with that if they had to live a regular life. And being intellectual keeps you from making firm decisions? Uh huh. I'm sure all the emergency room doctors, for example, stand around saying "I'm sooo smart; I just can't deciiiiiiide! Do I intubate or operate or what?"

But of course, people may also be talking trash about her because she's... a woman! In other words, we poor little women are still suffering from evil stereotyping by men. In reference to her supposedly terrible temper, "maybe she's (Portman) just bossy and men can’t handle it." Or, you know, maybe she actually does have a terrible temper. Although why a man or a woman would want a supervisor that's bossy doesn't make sense either, so?

Bottom line, if women want be treated equally, they'll have to take the same chances men do of failing, as well as succeeding. Maybe Star Magazine just wanted a nice gossipy story. Maybe Natalie Portman really does suck as a producer. In any case, if the movie totally tanks, the producer should get a big share of the blame, man or woman.

Waiting for the Lightning

Seems Jamie Foxx recently called Obama his "lord and savior." No, really, Yeah. He did. I wouldn't stand too close to him, in case the lighting bolt from above shows up.

If you ever read Ace of Spades, you are well familiar with the Let It Burn concept. The idea that this country is too far in debt and has too large of a lazy, self-centered populace that likes to be ignorant and plans on staying that way, means the country is at some point going to collapse. So, let's get the party started now. If you believe at some point this house of cards is all going to come down, then why delay the pain? And part of Letting It Burn is destroying the entertainment and media industries. If you were paying attention, you may have noticed that during the run-up to the election, an enormous majority of celebrities may not have been calling our current president their lord and savior, but they are certainly behind him, and quite happy to demonize anyone who isn't. If you're a reader who knows me from Martin Loopers, you probably don't watch much television already, and may not have cable. I'm trying to persuade Mr. BTEG to at least cancel our Sirius satellite radio subscription, if not our cable. I want us to avoid as many movies as possible, especially the ones where the more vocal Obama supporters are stars. Tell me why any of the liars, tramps, sluts and thieves in Hollywood deserve my family's money. Let them feel the economic depression/recession just like the rest of us.

Changing Season

It feels like fall in northeast Ohio today. After some wonderfully warm and sunny days, there were a series of severe thunderstorms that passed through last night. Today, the sky is gray, the air cold, and the wind still strong. For me, a good day to stay inside and relax. For my family, a good day to go see Iron Man 2. Ah well. I wish there were more things we enjoyed doing as an entire family. Don't tell Laura, but I am not very big on movies! :O I am happy to have some quiet time, however.

Wonderland for the First Time

Due to the movie advertisements, the Dancer has actually begun reading the book, Alice in Wonderland. I'm glad she is reading this classic book, glad she reads for pleasure, glad that I put in all the work teaching her to read! I'm also happy in a special way that the book she is reading came from a book collection that we inherited from a dear friend. He was fond of our daughters and I think he would enjoy seeing her discover Wonderland for the first time.

This Post Brought to You By the Letter

Arrrrrr! Yes, once again it is Talk Like a Pirate Day! And how convenient that it takes place on the same day as Beer, Brats & Bride, an event started by a group of crazy Lutheran homeschooling moms where groups of friends get together to drink beer, eat brats and watch The Princess Bride at precisely 4 PM. The Dread Pirate Roberts takes no prisoners, matey!

Family Time, Me Time

It's relaxingly quiet around here at the moment. Mr. BTEG took our two daughters and the Equestrienne's overnight guest to see A Night at the Museum 2. Current report is that the Dancer found it very humorous. They are bringing home pizza for dinner.

I haven't really been a movie person in a long time. Perhaps I just don't have the patience for a movie. I also hate the way I can get involved in a movie emotionally. I don't want to feel depressed after a sad movie. Movies on television at home are not so bad, but a sad or scary movie can still overly affect me.

I got a little bit of work done in the sewing room today, both actually sewing and putting away and organizing. It felt very nice to accomplish some things. I keep telling myself I need to spend more time in there and then I don't! As school and other activities wind down for the girls perhaps I will actually do this.

Now and Then

I forgot to mention that while watching Brides the other night, Mr. BTEG and I tried to point out to the Dancer how the singing and dancing was just as good (if not better) as in the musicals she knows, such as High School Musical and Cheetah Girls: One World. We all noticed a lot of ballet influence, but then Jacques d'Amboise, who played Ephraim Pontipee, was borrowed from the New York City Ballet. The Dancer was not impressed with Jane Powell's coloratura performance in "Wonderful Day", even though we tried to explain to her how difficult it actually was. It was fun to watch the movie with her.

January, Higher Still

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was on television last night, and I really empathized with the scenes where the girls were singing about all the months of cold and snow. The weather has gotten warmer (relatively) here, but that just meant that it became warm enough for us to get a few more inches of snow. The roads were not so great driving to church this morning; we came very close to being involved in an accident with other cars. As in, I think the cars ahead of us were braking because an SUV was sliding across three lanes of traffic kind of close. As in the drivers were just getting out of their cars as we drove by kind of close.

I'm working on a knitted bib for my niece, but I got kind of stuck on that and so I got tired of it for awhile. I'm knitting a striped dishcloth from this book, still trying to knit that fluffy scarf, and considering what else I can knit.

I haven't been doing sewing as I'd like to do. It's easier to knit; I can do it while watching television or while the Dancer is at dance class. Sewing takes up bigger pockets of time, even if I only do a step or two at a time. Plus, it's easier for me to get interrupted in the middle of knitting, and with two girls at home all day, interruptions happen. Mr. BTEG's car is going into the shop this week, so hopefully I won't be driving him to work much longer, which hopefully will free up more time for me.

How's the Sickie?

Movie quote! I went to the doctor today and got some antibiotics as what ails me has been here long enough that it's probably not viral. I also got some prescription cough medicine. No codeine. Codeine and I don't get along. Hopefully once I am not up during the night coughing I will feel like tackling life fully again. I have a huge list awaiting me. :)

Return to Narnia

Via The Common Room, I see that the trailer for the movie Prince Caspian, sequel to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is now up. Although definitely not for purists, it looks like it will be a good film, that my daughters will enjoy. They liked the first movie well enough, although they are not Narnia crazy like their mother. I read the Narnia books over and over, and I wanted to *live* in Narnia. Or at least visit. Which is funny, really, because I'm not a person who likes the out-of-doors much, where most of the action takes place in the books. Not that I don't find Nature beautiful, and enjoy reading well-written depictions of things in Nature, but a lot of the time I'd personally just as soon be indoors. Just who I am, I suppose. Maybe I just liked the adventures.

Be warned, the trailer took a while to view properly, even with cable internet.

Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love. Miracles.

With thanks to Laura, I discovered that the Princess Bride has been re-released on DVD this week, with new extras, in a special twentieth anniversary edition. Suh-weet! And also thanks to Laura, look how you can still read the title if you flip the box! I think we definitely need this for Beer, Brats and Bride next year. What is BB&B, you ask? It's a time-honored tradition wherein a group of Lutheran homeschooling moms (called Martin Loopers) gather in various locales on a Saturday in September at 4 PM to drink beer, eat brats and watch the Princess Bride. Twentieth anniversary, though? I'm getting old.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all my readers who are fathers. My husband had an enjoyable afternoon with his daughters, seeing the Fantastic Four Two movie with them. Tonight he leaves for a week on a business trip. :(

I have a meme I need to work on later, when I have the time to sit down and think about it.

Salzburg, Austria

Well, I told Laura I would post some pics of my trip to Salzburg, Austria, after being inspired to do so from one of her recent posts. After much computer wrangling by Mr. Evil Genius, and a lot of scanning, the pics are finally ready! It's a good excuse to scan them in; I really should do that for all my Germany-Austria pictures to help preserve them.

Mr. Evil Genius and I took a train from Vienna to Salzburg on February 3, 1990. We were still both in college back then, and not sure if we were dating yet (pretty funny, huh?) We were the only ones in our college group to visit Salzburg; I don't know why. Besides all the Sound of Music stuff






there are a lot of lovely views, and a huge fortress/castle that I would think would be worth going just to see that.



We also saw Mozart's Geburtshaus, or birthplace. Wouldn't you love to have this lovely kitchen, ladies? Ah well, I suppose it might have been all the rage in 1756.


We also took a quick peek at the real Nonnburg Abbey. Pretty cool, kind of built into the mountain below the fortress.

It was a fun day trip, and I'm sure we could have spent lots more time there. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

This Is Really Good

Monty Python Holy Grail. Done in LEGO brand building blocks.

Rock Out!

One of my husband's co-workers is a member of a two-man band named 2nd Half. My husband and I were able to go out last night and hear them play, and we had a really good time. I'm posting a couple of pictures from last night; the drummer is Drew and the guitarist and singer is Ed, who works with my husband. I did take some video, which I am hoping to get uploaded soon. In the meantime, you can hear some of their music here and here.


Oh, and hey, I felt like we were partying like it was 1989! I'm sure some of the outfits I saw last night were ripped right out of the closets of kids I went to high school with. At least, the burn-outs. One last cultural point, 5 Evil Genius points to the person who can tell me what movie Cobra Kai comes from. Or meet up with us the next time we go to see 2nd Half, and I'll buy you a drink. I'll give more clues later on if nobody guesses.

I Don't Get It

So, many movies, as well as big-name actors, are tanking at the box office. Is the answer really to produce Indiana Jones and the Golden Viagra? Seriously?

Let's Talk Cleveland

Had a very nice day today, but I will talk more about that when I get some pics emailed to me. I was too lazy and disorganized today to bring a camera along on our adventures.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a frustration of mine. My youngest daughter has become interested in Balto, the lead sled dog on the last leg of an urgent trip to get diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska. She recently watched the movie loosely based on his adventures. As I feared, the scene where men are crafting coffins for children who might die due to the disease was a little unsettling, but not overwhelming.

Anyway, we took a trip to the bookstore to fill in a few holes left in the homeschool curriculum, and I bought my daughter an "early reader" type book about Balto. Now why do so many books and web articles talk about a statue of Balto put up in New York City, but do not talk about how the city of Cleveland put together $2,000 (in the 1920's) in the space of two weeks to rescue Balto and his teammates from a vaudeville owner who was mistreating them? The dogs then happily lived out the rest of their lives at the Cleveland Zoo, and the Cleveland Musuem of Natural History now has Balto's body, which has been stuffed, periodically on display. I suppose they don't think little kids should read about Balto being mistreated, but why not give Cleveland some credit here? We need all of it we can get!

As a matter of fact, I discovered that the Cleveland Museum of Natural History will be having a presentation early next year about Balto's trip. Ironically, it is on Wildchild's birthday, which is also the day the sled dog team finally pulled into Nome with the serum. At least my daughter will have something to associate with her birthday beside Groundhog's Day! I'm thinking a homeschool trip to the presentation might be fun. Anyone else think so?