Well, today is Thursday September 30, 2010 & it was supposed to be a day of madness & last minute scrambling as I made certain everything was ready to go for tomorrow's big day.
My first art show! Man, was I excited. I finally did it! T & I made posters & postcards & got all 200 of them sent out & put into mailboxes way ahead of the show date. This was quite an accomplishment in itself for me.
I figured today I would be tweaking frames & touching up a little here & there. Last night I expected to throw paintings in the yard to get a feel for what they would look like on the walls in the place I was to hang. I had checked & rechecked that everything was ready. I didn't quite get every painting done, but by god I was close. I had more than enough to fill the space.
My friends were proud of me & excited. I had so many people telling me good things about my art & genuinely excited about showing up in support of what I do.
So, needless to say that when I opened my e-mail yesterday to find that apparently three confirmations of my show date, a confirmation of my reception date, & a poster announcing all of this hanging in the very place I plan to show was not enough for the place to believe that I was still planning on showing there, so they canceled & replaced me, I was in shock.
I begged & pleaded with them in a e-mail, but got no reply. Nothing. No, "we're sorry" or anything. No rescheduling. Nothing.
Then I felt like a low life for begging. I shouldn't be begging. I followed their stupid little guideline they sent me via their Blackberry with all of it's bad spelling & bad grammar.
I went in 2 weeks prior, just like that little guide said to. I did everything I was told. I communicated. They however had been rather rude to me already on more than one occasion. Short & snippy & a little unwilling to give me straight answers. The quality of the art they were hanging was pretty bad as well. I knew I would shine there. Boy, was I wrong.
I've been booted, canceled, shut down, kicked to the curb, struck from the list. I'm confused, frustrated, out a whole bunch of money for absolutely nothing, disappointed, angry, pissed off, & a little sad. I worked hard for this. For once in my life I felt like I was really being grown-up & taking charge. I still had bumps & hills, but overall, I was going way outside my comfort zones to get things done. All of this while battling throat issues & this last 5 days a severe sinus infection.
Tomorrow is October 1st. For 6 months that date has been on my calendar circled in red with "My First Art Show!" written beside it. October 2nd has "MY RECEPTION!"
All of life is like that trip to Disney World for me. I get to go, but I never get to ride the rides. I get the build up & excitement but end up walking away crying. Before I always thought it was my follow through, but I don't know how I could have made myself any more clear to these people. Of course hindsight is 20/20. When I got that carefree attitude from their people I should have been more stern. I should have documented who I talked to when. I should have called them & harassed them every other day to make certain they had me pencilled in. I didn't know.
I've talked to many of my art friends & most have mentioned that coffee houses & restaurants suck. Apparently they bump people for varieties of reasons. Their pal Bubba Joe really wants to show this month or Laney Jane has a wedding reception on Wednesday & she doesn't like the art. Whatever.
I've learned some valuable lessons. Lesson one: The artwork is about 10% of the whole process.
Lesson two: Man I have some awesome friends.
Lesson Three: Sometimes stereotypes are real.
Lesson four: It costs a whole lot of money to get a first show
Lesson five: Advertising works
Lesson six: When you start, try to stay close to home to start. Get to know the place & people that are going to hang your work.
That way you don't end up with nasty surprises.
So, on Saturday, I'll be at home. Probably painting. Sometimes I wonder what for. Why do I paint? Well, why do I breathe? Who knows, I just do, because I'd die if I didn't.
I would have been nervous & anxious & excited. I would have been having my first art show. Instead I'll be happy if I can breathe out of at least one nostril, get rid of the pressure in my head & go one night without hacking every hour for 15 minutes. I may not have an art show, but I have one hell of a sinus infection.
Que Sera Sera
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
9 months later...
So, if you read my blog, you know for the last 9 months I have been suffering from this weird throat condition that my doctor, my orthopedic doctor, & my Physical Therapist just seemed to blow off. The "condition" consists of feeling like someone has their hands gripped around my throat choking the life out of me along with my neck muscles feeling like they are so tight they are going to pop as well as feeling like I can't get enough oxygen, tight vocal chords making it nearly impossible to talk, dizziness, chest pains, coughing & itching in my throat, a whole lot of really thick mucus in the lower part of my throat & pretty much feeling like I'm going to pass out at any minute, which causes me to be extremely tired.
Now, this all started after unknowingly ingesting more aspartame than I probably have my entire life within 1 month(I consciously steer clear of this deadly toxin, but found it was a spray on coating on something I was putting in my mouth) & seemed to be set off by the ingestion of a home-made (by myself & T) gingerbread cookie. I'd eaten them before with no problems. We always make them for Halloween. It's tradition.
I at first thought perhaps it was set off by the injury to my shoulder, rotator cuff, since they are in close proximity to each other & I had let it go without seeing a doctor. Why I thought this, I'm not sure, but I mean, c'mon, I'm NOT a Doctor. I don't even play one on TV.
Funny thing is, my "doctor" didn't seem to care or have an opinion on it either way. My "doctor" sent me home, told me I probably had an allergic reaction to the cookie & told me to take 1 teaspoon of Maalox every hour for 12 hours, drink lots of water, & that I was probably stressed & anxious & that the anxiety was making me feel like I couldn't breathe. He said my weird heart feeling were also probably due to the anxiety. He never even touched me. He didn't feel around on my throat & only shined a light down it for about 3 seconds. He did however send me for an x-ray. An x-ray? For a swollen constricted feeling throat? I was, of course, totally cool with x-rays, because I've always wanted to see my own skeleton. He held the x-ray to the light for maybe 10 seconds, told me here was nothing lodged (duh!) & sent me home with his deadly Maalox cure.
Have any of you ever taken a teaspoon of Maalox? How about 12 in one day? Needless to say I only got to about 5 before I realized the explosive results of what the "doctor" had done to me. WTF!? Seriously? Now I had this to deal with this. I ended up dealing with it for about three days. I was confused. Why on earth had he told me to do this to myself?
The throat was not better. I scoured the Internet. I talked to other people. I talked to my Orthopedic doctor I was seeing for my shoulder. I asked my Physical Therapist if he'd ever heard of these symptoms. Everyone told me something different.
My mood went from high (on good throat days) to utterly depressed (on really bad days). Most days it was the latter. Finally, I thought about the whole thing over again. My shoulder seemed all healed up, so it couldn't have had anything to do with that. Maybe some tightness, but not the overwhelming strangled feeling. I started paying attention to everything I could. It always seemed so much better in the morning & terrible by 5pm. Saturdays seemed to usually be really good until late at night. Sundays started rough but got better. I came up with a hypothesis. It was the thing I originally went into the "doctor" for. A food allergy. I came up with four possible suspects.
1. Whipped Cream (organic, home-made, or out of a can)
2. Coffee
3. Chocolate
4. Something found in all three (like an additive or processing ingredient)
All three food items come from beans. That was something, right there. Perhaps I was allergic to the beans. So I started my experiment. The first thing I noticed was that an iced mocha (which I have at least 3 times a week) really set it off. Instantly. Aha!
So I tried it without the whipped cream.
OMG, I thought T was going to have to take me to the hospital.
So, is it coffee...or, GASP!, chocolate?
So on Sunday, I brewed some coffee. A took a few drinks. Nothing. Uh oh. So after finishing off the coffee & having no reaction T gave me a tiny sliver of 72% Ghiradelli chocolate. OMG! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Yep, I had that all too familiar strangled feeling. From a tiny bite. It all started to make sense. I can't remember a day going by without me ingesting some sort of chocolate. I eat way too much chocolate during the work week & if a day does go by, it's usually a Saturday.
So, to make sure, I am going chocolate free. For at least a month. If there is improvement & this goes away, then it's good-bye chocolate. Forever.
Ugh. all this suffering for nine months because of chocolate? I mean, I Love chocolate, but seriously? Then I come across this: Anaphylaxis- Anaphylaxis can cause symptoms throughout the body:
Skin: Itching, flushing, hives (urticaria), or swelling (angioedema)
Eyes: Itching, tearing, redness, or swelling of the skin around the eyes
Nose and mouth: Sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, swelling of the tongue, or a metallic taste
Lungs and throat: Difficulty getting air in or out, repeated coughing, chest tightness, wheezing or other sounds of labored breathing, increased mucus production, throat swelling or itching, hoarseness, change in voice, or a sensation of choking
Heart and circulation: Dizziness, weakness, fainting, rapid, slow, or irregular heart rate, or low blood pressure
Digestive system: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, or diarrhea
Nervous system: Anxiety, confusion, or a sense of impending doom
Everything in bold are things I told my doctor when I went to see him.
Thanks Doc. For NOTHING. Glad I wasn't deathly allergic to it.
Now, this all started after unknowingly ingesting more aspartame than I probably have my entire life within 1 month(I consciously steer clear of this deadly toxin, but found it was a spray on coating on something I was putting in my mouth) & seemed to be set off by the ingestion of a home-made (by myself & T) gingerbread cookie. I'd eaten them before with no problems. We always make them for Halloween. It's tradition.
I at first thought perhaps it was set off by the injury to my shoulder, rotator cuff, since they are in close proximity to each other & I had let it go without seeing a doctor. Why I thought this, I'm not sure, but I mean, c'mon, I'm NOT a Doctor. I don't even play one on TV.
Funny thing is, my "doctor" didn't seem to care or have an opinion on it either way. My "doctor" sent me home, told me I probably had an allergic reaction to the cookie & told me to take 1 teaspoon of Maalox every hour for 12 hours, drink lots of water, & that I was probably stressed & anxious & that the anxiety was making me feel like I couldn't breathe. He said my weird heart feeling were also probably due to the anxiety. He never even touched me. He didn't feel around on my throat & only shined a light down it for about 3 seconds. He did however send me for an x-ray. An x-ray? For a swollen constricted feeling throat? I was, of course, totally cool with x-rays, because I've always wanted to see my own skeleton. He held the x-ray to the light for maybe 10 seconds, told me here was nothing lodged (duh!) & sent me home with his deadly Maalox cure.
Have any of you ever taken a teaspoon of Maalox? How about 12 in one day? Needless to say I only got to about 5 before I realized the explosive results of what the "doctor" had done to me. WTF!? Seriously? Now I had this to deal with this. I ended up dealing with it for about three days. I was confused. Why on earth had he told me to do this to myself?
The throat was not better. I scoured the Internet. I talked to other people. I talked to my Orthopedic doctor I was seeing for my shoulder. I asked my Physical Therapist if he'd ever heard of these symptoms. Everyone told me something different.
My mood went from high (on good throat days) to utterly depressed (on really bad days). Most days it was the latter. Finally, I thought about the whole thing over again. My shoulder seemed all healed up, so it couldn't have had anything to do with that. Maybe some tightness, but not the overwhelming strangled feeling. I started paying attention to everything I could. It always seemed so much better in the morning & terrible by 5pm. Saturdays seemed to usually be really good until late at night. Sundays started rough but got better. I came up with a hypothesis. It was the thing I originally went into the "doctor" for. A food allergy. I came up with four possible suspects.
1. Whipped Cream (organic, home-made, or out of a can)
2. Coffee
3. Chocolate
4. Something found in all three (like an additive or processing ingredient)
All three food items come from beans. That was something, right there. Perhaps I was allergic to the beans. So I started my experiment. The first thing I noticed was that an iced mocha (which I have at least 3 times a week) really set it off. Instantly. Aha!
So I tried it without the whipped cream.
OMG, I thought T was going to have to take me to the hospital.
So, is it coffee...or, GASP!, chocolate?
So on Sunday, I brewed some coffee. A took a few drinks. Nothing. Uh oh. So after finishing off the coffee & having no reaction T gave me a tiny sliver of 72% Ghiradelli chocolate. OMG! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Yep, I had that all too familiar strangled feeling. From a tiny bite. It all started to make sense. I can't remember a day going by without me ingesting some sort of chocolate. I eat way too much chocolate during the work week & if a day does go by, it's usually a Saturday.
So, to make sure, I am going chocolate free. For at least a month. If there is improvement & this goes away, then it's good-bye chocolate. Forever.
Ugh. all this suffering for nine months because of chocolate? I mean, I Love chocolate, but seriously? Then I come across this: Anaphylaxis- Anaphylaxis can cause symptoms throughout the body:
Skin: Itching, flushing, hives (urticaria), or swelling (angioedema)
Eyes: Itching, tearing, redness, or swelling of the skin around the eyes
Nose and mouth: Sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, swelling of the tongue, or a metallic taste
Lungs and throat: Difficulty getting air in or out, repeated coughing, chest tightness, wheezing or other sounds of labored breathing, increased mucus production, throat swelling or itching, hoarseness, change in voice, or a sensation of choking
Heart and circulation: Dizziness, weakness, fainting, rapid, slow, or irregular heart rate, or low blood pressure
Digestive system: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, or diarrhea
Nervous system: Anxiety, confusion, or a sense of impending doom
Everything in bold are things I told my doctor when I went to see him.
Thanks Doc. For NOTHING. Glad I wasn't deathly allergic to it.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Something to drink to...or from.
Star Wars 4-pack of ten ounce glasses. Time to clear out the cupboard & make room for the only four glasses I need (besides my vintage Burger King Empire & Jedi glasses).
Dishwasher safe & $14.99. Find them here: SW Glass
Thursday, September 23, 2010
New Action Figures & Collectibles
Here's a cool new Star Wars collectible. A 12" replica of the original Kenner Star Wars figure Han Solo. Sculpted to look just like the original small 3 & 3/4 figure released in 1977 by the now defunct Kenner toy maker. There is also a Chewbacca. They are a little pricey at $75.00. Too pricey in my opinion. I might pay $25.00 for one, but $75.00? Lol. That's a car insurance payment for a month. Still, it's a cool idea. Find it here: Kenner
There's also this cool Darth Vader cookie jar. Very nicely sculpted, but at only 11" high, one has to wonder how many cookies it can really hold. It doesn't appear to be large enough to hold a large stash, but pictures can be deceiving. Although after paying $100.00 for this beauty, you may find it hard to come up with cookie money. These folks do realize we're in a recession, right? Find it here: Darkside Cookies
Now the Ralph McQuarrie Darth Vader Concept Helmet is more of a wearable work of art than just a cool collectible or wearable piece of fun. Sculpted to be an exact duplicate of the concept art produced by Ralph McQuarrie for the original Star Wars film, this baby will set you back a cool $1000. Good luck getting your hands on one. The pre-orders have been selling out left & right. There were only 250 produced & they are signed by Ralph himself. Very neat. Find it here: Vader
Now here's something more in my price range. At $7.99 I can afford to tell the world I'm doing my part to help reduce the amount of plastic in landfills & show off the fangirl love I have at the same time. Pretty sweet. Find it here: WW Bag
If you love Wonder Woman as much as I love Wonder Woman, then you're going to really want to pick the item above up. It's the JLA Trophy Room collectible set of Wonder Woman's Tiara, bracelets & Lasso of Truth. 6 1/2-inches wide metal tiara, two 5 1/4-inch tall metal gauntlet bracelets, and the 60-inch Lasso of Truth. with a "Wonder"ful base, sculpted in cold-cast porcelain. The entire piece stands 11-inches tall x 9 3/4-inches wide x 9 1/2-inches long. The bracelets are plated in silver-tone metal, and each measures 5 1/4-inches tall x 2 3/4-inches wide (top) and 3 1/4-inches wide (bottom) x 2 1/4-inches long. Wonder Woman's lasso is comprised of braided gold-tone material with gold metal-plated end-caps. It measures 60-inches in length.
The only bad part is the price tag of $264.99, which when you compare that to the grand for the Ralph McQuarrie mask, it's a steal! Find it here: Tiara
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Subaru
Well, I have done it. I finally have another car. I've had this 1989 Buick Lesabre since 1995 that I absolutely love to death. Unfortunately, I couldn't trust her to get across the street anymore, much less out of town. The windows wouldn't go up or down anymore, the air didn't work & trying to keep up with the parts that were falling off was getting impossible. It wasn't easy to let her go. Talk about material attachment. I felt like this car was part of me. I mean, I've only had T one year less than I've had that car. 15 years that car took me anywhere I wanted to go. I've been from Ohio to the Gulf Coast & back again. I could get 8 landscape timbers in that car. 8 people would fit in her. Alas, it was time to let go. I cried. A bunch. I am so sad about letting her go that I haven't started getting excited about the Subaru yet. Silly, I know. I can't believe the dealer gave me $500 for it. LOL. Still, that covered the tax.
The Subaru is smaller. It's a green color with black & tan interior. It has a 6 disc changer & a cool rack on top. It also has working windows and working AC. I don't remember the last time I had working AC on a car. I had a cassette player in the Buick. LOL.
My Mom & Dad came down & helped me out with the whole car buying process & let me tell you what, I was so glad to have the moral support. It's nice to know I didn't sign my house away. I will be posting pics soon. After I'm done mourning my other car.
Hooray! New Subaru!
The Subaru is smaller. It's a green color with black & tan interior. It has a 6 disc changer & a cool rack on top. It also has working windows and working AC. I don't remember the last time I had working AC on a car. I had a cassette player in the Buick. LOL.
My Mom & Dad came down & helped me out with the whole car buying process & let me tell you what, I was so glad to have the moral support. It's nice to know I didn't sign my house away. I will be posting pics soon. After I'm done mourning my other car.
Hooray! New Subaru!
Monday, September 13, 2010
sick & tired of being sick & tired
I don't know if I just have so much stress & anxiety in my life that I am causing my body to do weird things or if there is something really wrong with me. The doctor I went to seems to think it's stress & anxiety. Really? It's been a full ten months now that I have been dealing with the "can't swallow, swallowing weird, fatigue in my throat/neck/jaw muscles thing" and nothing seems to make it better. I have days where everything seems fine, but most days I'm not that lucky. Now I have pain in my lungs that comes & goes. My voice gets tired, for lack of a better description, & it makes me so tired. Talking just totally fatigues me. My voice gets lighter & lighter until I feel like it's just going to go away. I used to be a singer. I know the difference between head voice & using your center/core to project & I just can't seem to get enough strength to do it. Sometimes I feel like I can't breathe or get deep enough breaths. I'm exhausted ALL the time. I wake up exhausted, go to bed exhausted, and when I come home from work I fall asleep for two or three hours. I've suddenly been getting what most people have told me is shin splints on & off. My shoulder flares up about twice a week & hurts so bad I get that pain haze going on in my brain. The kind that makes you just sort of float through the day. I've never in my life felt this way. I've always had more energy then I knew what to do with. I eat better than most. I walk 30 minutes to an hour a day. Lately I've been getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day/night where I used to be good on 6. What is going on? I wish I knew a great doctor or at least one I feel like would listen to me. I've found things on the internet suggesting it could be anything from black mold to MS to Lyme disease to Lou Gehrig's disease to ALS to simply just stress & anxiety. sigh. I just want it to all go away & to have a "normal" day/week/month. 2010 was going to be the year for me. My New Year's resolution was to dig in & make things happen. I wanted my wash board abs back & my Linda Hamilton/Sarah Connor T2 physique back. Instead, I'm struggling to make the dog walk without feeling like I might pass out or die. I don't want to feel this way anymore. It really wears on me. Mentally & physically. I just have no idea where to turn.
Friday, August 13, 2010
New Sarah Connor T2 T-1000 Figure
Wow. This is an amazing Terminator collectible. It's probably the best Sarah Connor figure ever produced. It's by the company Hot Toys & distributed by Sideshow collectibles. It's priced at $149.99 & it's available now.
The figure is the T-1000 disguised as Sarah as seen in the film Terminator 2. It stands 12" high and comes with the following:
Detachable magnetic bullet holes you can attach at the waist and on her back.
28 points of articulation.
Two pairs of interchangeable palms (one pair of relaxed palms; one pair for holding guns).
Two extra right palms (one for holding knife and one for cigarette).
Enhanced tactical load bearing vest with four magazine pouches.
Combat Boots & another pair of metalic boots melted and attached to figure stand.
Bonus accessory: additional metal-like T-1000 bullet damaged head.
Shotgun with folding stock
Pistol
Combat knife with leather-like sheath
Newly developed and specially designed square-shaped figure stand with four extra triangles, which can be attached to the four sides of square to build a larger stand OR the four triangles can be put together to form another square-shaped stand OR the four triangles can be put together to form another square-shaped stand
Pretty freaking sweet.
From Sideshow's page: "Created as a Summer 2010 Asian toy shows exclusive, Hot Toys has graciously allowed Sideshow Collectibles to import a low quantity of the T-1000 in Sarah Connor Disguise Collectible Figure, available in a very limited release!"
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Absurd & Obscene & some Funny.
So, we're going to try something. Every time something absurd happens today, I am going to post it on the blog. In this blog entry. It should prove interesting. If I'm lucky, just trying this will keep all the absurdities away. I will have nothing to type & feel silly. If I'm lucky. Okay, let's start...
Absurd thing #1: I had to get gas this morning on the way to work. As I am unlocking the gas cap on the Honda Rebel I ride, a sweaty tattooed rough looking skinny guy asks me how fast I have to pedal to get my motorcycle up to 60 mph. Sigh. It might just be a small 250, but I assure him it'll reach 80 mph. He comments that it's a very small motorcycle. Seriously, though, I don't need a huge motorcycle. I don't need to compensate for anything. I'm not lacking. This was my first human interaction of the day.
Absurd thing #2: Labeling. Why waste your time if it's for other people? No, really. You can go out of your way to make bright shiny stand-out labels with people's names on them & they won't bother to look or read them. Instead, like just happened, they will walk in, walk over to where things usually are kept & start digging through other people's stuff. Everything is clearly marked with clip-on bright pink badges sporting the name of each person that a particular pile of copies belong to. The badges are even facing out so they are easy to read & spot, but no, that won't help. Inevitably, they will rummage through things in a half crazed fashion looking confused & befuzzled. Seriously people, stop. Think. Stand back & LOOK at what is in front of you. If there are words, read them. Don't just read them mindlessly. Read & comprehend them. It will make everyone's life incredibly easier, better, & more positive.
Obscene thing #1: All these wasteful desk accessories. The person before me loved expensive disposable gadgets. For example, I have a tape dispenser that dispenses one piece of tape at a time. You have to buy these special little scotch tape refills & put them in. No more regular ol' tape dispenser. Really? You can't be bothered to tear off a piece of tape? I can't stand the thing. There are so many times I need more than 2" of tape at a time. The refills are costlier than just a regular tape dispenser refill. It just seems silly. I also have an electric stapler. Yep, wave the paper underneath and "BAM!" stapled. Again, you couldn't be bothered to press down a stapler? It runs on electricity. A regular stapler runs on, oh wait, it doesn't run on anything. It doesn't sit there sucking electricity from the outlet 24/7 like my shiny electric stapler. "facepalm"
Funny thing #1: Went home for lunch. Ate leftover fried mushrooms & a bell pepper from the garden & 1 mozzarella stick with a nice glass of Blood Orange Pomegranate tea. I was talking to the baby dog as she sat on the couch. She lifted her paw & put it on my mouth. LOL. Ok, ok, I'll shut up & go brush my teeth.
Absurd thing #3:
I find it absurd that people from other departments sitting at computers doing the same job as me, or a higher paying job, ask me to look up phone numbers for them. Why? Well, you see, if they are at a computer, and I am at a computer, then they can just go to the University homepage, like I'm going to have to do for them, and look up the person they are searching for in Peoplesoft. Instead of doing it for themselves though, they want me to. So, I have to put them on hold, go to Peoplesoft, type in the name, sometimes take them off hold to verify the spelling & dept. the person they are searching for is in, & get the number. All the while tying up me up from my work to do their work. I don't know why they do this. It seems very strange to me.
Rave #1: The guys from surplus that delivered the 11 desks & other assorted furniture in 105 degree heat were thorough & efficient. Kudos to them!
Irritating thing #1: The Snickers bar I just bought out of the vending machine was melty & smashed.
Well, all in all not too bad. 20 minutes of work to go. I'm making buttloads of copies right now. Sooooo Fun! (Sarcasm)
Absurd thing #1: I had to get gas this morning on the way to work. As I am unlocking the gas cap on the Honda Rebel I ride, a sweaty tattooed rough looking skinny guy asks me how fast I have to pedal to get my motorcycle up to 60 mph. Sigh. It might just be a small 250, but I assure him it'll reach 80 mph. He comments that it's a very small motorcycle. Seriously, though, I don't need a huge motorcycle. I don't need to compensate for anything. I'm not lacking. This was my first human interaction of the day.
Absurd thing #2: Labeling. Why waste your time if it's for other people? No, really. You can go out of your way to make bright shiny stand-out labels with people's names on them & they won't bother to look or read them. Instead, like just happened, they will walk in, walk over to where things usually are kept & start digging through other people's stuff. Everything is clearly marked with clip-on bright pink badges sporting the name of each person that a particular pile of copies belong to. The badges are even facing out so they are easy to read & spot, but no, that won't help. Inevitably, they will rummage through things in a half crazed fashion looking confused & befuzzled. Seriously people, stop. Think. Stand back & LOOK at what is in front of you. If there are words, read them. Don't just read them mindlessly. Read & comprehend them. It will make everyone's life incredibly easier, better, & more positive.
Obscene thing #1: All these wasteful desk accessories. The person before me loved expensive disposable gadgets. For example, I have a tape dispenser that dispenses one piece of tape at a time. You have to buy these special little scotch tape refills & put them in. No more regular ol' tape dispenser. Really? You can't be bothered to tear off a piece of tape? I can't stand the thing. There are so many times I need more than 2" of tape at a time. The refills are costlier than just a regular tape dispenser refill. It just seems silly. I also have an electric stapler. Yep, wave the paper underneath and "BAM!" stapled. Again, you couldn't be bothered to press down a stapler? It runs on electricity. A regular stapler runs on, oh wait, it doesn't run on anything. It doesn't sit there sucking electricity from the outlet 24/7 like my shiny electric stapler. "facepalm"
Funny thing #1: Went home for lunch. Ate leftover fried mushrooms & a bell pepper from the garden & 1 mozzarella stick with a nice glass of Blood Orange Pomegranate tea. I was talking to the baby dog as she sat on the couch. She lifted her paw & put it on my mouth. LOL. Ok, ok, I'll shut up & go brush my teeth.
Absurd thing #3:
I find it absurd that people from other departments sitting at computers doing the same job as me, or a higher paying job, ask me to look up phone numbers for them. Why? Well, you see, if they are at a computer, and I am at a computer, then they can just go to the University homepage, like I'm going to have to do for them, and look up the person they are searching for in Peoplesoft. Instead of doing it for themselves though, they want me to. So, I have to put them on hold, go to Peoplesoft, type in the name, sometimes take them off hold to verify the spelling & dept. the person they are searching for is in, & get the number. All the while tying up me up from my work to do their work. I don't know why they do this. It seems very strange to me.
Rave #1: The guys from surplus that delivered the 11 desks & other assorted furniture in 105 degree heat were thorough & efficient. Kudos to them!
Irritating thing #1: The Snickers bar I just bought out of the vending machine was melty & smashed.
Well, all in all not too bad. 20 minutes of work to go. I'm making buttloads of copies right now. Sooooo Fun! (Sarcasm)
Thursday, July 29, 2010
What? What!? WHAT!?!
So, I finally got to see Scorpions live. I was super excited. All my life I have waited to let the sounds of "Winds of Change" roll over me at an outside venue as they played it for the crowd. I sat eagerly waiting for it, song after song. I rocked out to "Big City Nights" & "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and then the band said good night. I wasn't worried. There would be an encore. All these rock bands do encores. Especially if this is the last show ever in Oklahoma. They are retiring after this tour. Then the lights came on. The stage hands & roadies descended upon the stage.
What?
No way. What just happened?! What!? No, no, no. This was impossible! How on earth could this be happening? "Winds of Change" was #2 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart in 1990.
I was stunned. Shocked. They had failed to play the one song I had so longed to hear. A song cemented in my memory. A song that, still to this day, makes me tear up. In fact, they didn't play anything from the "Crazy World" album. No "Tease Me, Please Me" or "Send Me an Angel" or "Don't Believe Her". All top 15 US hits. From other albums they failed to play "Rhythm of Love" & "Woman".
Seriously...what just happened?
So away I sulked. Thank the gods Cinderella was freakin' awesome! LA Guns was right on as well. So there ya go. I've seen Scorpions live. Honestly...I wouldn't go see them again even if they weren't retiring. I'd see Cinderella tomorrow.
Despite my let down, "Winds of Change" remains permanently fixed with my memory of the Berlin Wall crumbling. I guess I'll just have to accept that the video is the only way I'll ever get to see them play it & just light my lighter up when it comes on. Maybe get a fan & place it in front of my laptop outside as I hit the play button on youtube.
What?
No way. What just happened?! What!? No, no, no. This was impossible! How on earth could this be happening? "Winds of Change" was #2 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart in 1990.
I was stunned. Shocked. They had failed to play the one song I had so longed to hear. A song cemented in my memory. A song that, still to this day, makes me tear up. In fact, they didn't play anything from the "Crazy World" album. No "Tease Me, Please Me" or "Send Me an Angel" or "Don't Believe Her". All top 15 US hits. From other albums they failed to play "Rhythm of Love" & "Woman".
Seriously...what just happened?
So away I sulked. Thank the gods Cinderella was freakin' awesome! LA Guns was right on as well. So there ya go. I've seen Scorpions live. Honestly...I wouldn't go see them again even if they weren't retiring. I'd see Cinderella tomorrow.
Despite my let down, "Winds of Change" remains permanently fixed with my memory of the Berlin Wall crumbling. I guess I'll just have to accept that the video is the only way I'll ever get to see them play it & just light my lighter up when it comes on. Maybe get a fan & place it in front of my laptop outside as I hit the play button on youtube.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Rock N America
Ho boy, Am I getting excited!? Yes! I am about to attend a three day concert of nothing but old school metal. I finally get to see all these bands I missed. Twisted Sister, Scorpions, Lita Ford, Bullet Boys, Pretty Boy Floyd, LA Guns, Steelheart, Lizzy Borden, Warrant (minus Janie Lane), Faster Pussycat, Trixter...and the list goes on.
It's an outside venue. Now Oklahoma in late July is like a skillet. It's gonna be hot. Still, I'm glad it's outside. You better believe I'm pulling out the lighter when Scorpions start wailing "Winds of Change". I'll probably cry. That song is forever tied to my memories of the Berlin wall crumbling down & all of those people finally uniting with lost loved ones. It's about possibilities & peace. Cheesy...maybe, but it's how I feel.
I've always had this dream of one big giant metal concert. This is close to that dream. My list would be much bigger & include bands like Doro Pesch & Iron Maiden, but this ain't bad. Ratt, Dokken, Slaughter, & Cinderella are going to be there too. I've seen all these bands, but I don't mind seeing them again. Especially Cinderella. In my opinion, one of the most under-rated bands ever.
So, here I am all excited, and now....I just have to wait.
Rock on Metalheads! See ya there!
It's an outside venue. Now Oklahoma in late July is like a skillet. It's gonna be hot. Still, I'm glad it's outside. You better believe I'm pulling out the lighter when Scorpions start wailing "Winds of Change". I'll probably cry. That song is forever tied to my memories of the Berlin wall crumbling down & all of those people finally uniting with lost loved ones. It's about possibilities & peace. Cheesy...maybe, but it's how I feel.
I've always had this dream of one big giant metal concert. This is close to that dream. My list would be much bigger & include bands like Doro Pesch & Iron Maiden, but this ain't bad. Ratt, Dokken, Slaughter, & Cinderella are going to be there too. I've seen all these bands, but I don't mind seeing them again. Especially Cinderella. In my opinion, one of the most under-rated bands ever.
So, here I am all excited, and now....I just have to wait.
Rock on Metalheads! See ya there!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Coffee House
I'm in a local coffee shop. It has a really cool old wooden door with small panes of glass & a big heavy brass door handle. There's a sign on the outside of the door that politely asks that you park across the street if you are going to stay a while. That's where I parked my black motorcycle. It's a really large spot with art painted on the walls that border the back of it. It's also easier to get out of then trying to back up with oncoming traffic coming at you.
There are two middle-aged women sitting next to the object of my attention, but a space left just for me. They have all taken up residence on a chocolate colored cloth couch in the very back of the coffee house. I plop my backpack down next to hers, say hello, and take the empty space up on the couch. The two middle-aged women are chatting like parrots as she rises & asks what she can get me. I smile & request my usual as I notice the women are dressed much younger than they are in t-shirts & Capri pants. They both sport extremely short haircuts, with the blond woman's being a little more daring with a bit of hair gel used to spike it up a bit. It's obvious she likes attention. She shifts in her seat constantly & uses her hands to talk. The other woman, who has dyed black hair, is more timid. She seems a little uncomfortable, almost embarrassed by her friend's bravado. I hear tidbits about yoga instructors, work, etc.
For some reason the blonde woman feels compelled to loudly announce that she parked out front rather than parking in the lot across the street as the little sign on the door suggested. The other woman looks embarrassed & admits she did as well. They discuss whether they should move their vehicles. Of course, they have no intention of even attempting to move their vehicles. This stage play is all for my benefit. Well, me & my companion. These types of plays are the worst. If I wanted to see a melodramatic play put on by bad actors I'd go catch a middle school play. Although I think middle school kids are quite a bit better. On & on they go. I've never really grasped what this does for people. I guess it's a way to admit you've done something in order to escape being called out & shamed by it.
Suddenly, the dark-haired women gets up & announces she needs to visit the restroom. I think the blonde woman's loud admission has slightly embarrassed the other woman & she seeks the restroom as a refuge to gather herself. As she walks to the door marked Womens, the other one flamboyantly waves her arms around & shouts that she's going to check on the cars. Check on the cars? Really? They need checked on? So outside she goes. What a show. The silence lasts only about 30 seconds. Once the two are reunited, the show starts again. Funny, I came to get coffee, not for a show.
"No tickets or slashed tires!" shouts the blonde woman much louder than she needs to for her friend to hear her as she walks by me. Sigh...really? Slashed tires? Oh the drama! The darker haired woman smiles & tries to ignore her over-dramatization. They fall back into their gossipy conversation about other people. I over hear comments about a friend's snide remarks & concrete thinking & how she gives & gives but her friend never listens when she tries to talk about her problems & her life. Somehow, I doubt it.
You know, I don't like to talk about people. I didn't come in here with the intention of talking about people. I like to talk about other things. Things like the universe or what amazingly weird insect I discovered today, or why Crepe Myrtles are named Crepe Myrtles. I enjoy topics on volcanoes, or weather patterns, or Star Wars & it's influence on culture & society. Talking about people is so overrated & boring. It always seems to be negative as well. People that talk about other people never go around spouting about how wonderful other people are. You never over hear things like, "She's amazing! She always listens to me & is there when I need her. I can't imagine what I'd do without her.", or things like, "My husband spoils me. I am so lucky to have someone who understands me so deeply." Isn't that odd?
I find it even harder to block them out when I hear the word "Artist" froth from their rabid mouths. I'm an artist. People usually have very interesting things to say about artists. Damn, they've pulled me in. I continue writing in my little sketchbook, changing nothing, as if I don't hear them. Of course if they are transparent to me, I'm sure I am just as transparent in my act. They critique his art by viewing paintings the blonde has stored on her phone. First up for consideration is a painting of a woman. At least they think it's a woman. The blonde boasts that he is the top artist in the state & received thousands in scholarships. Oh, and he's dating someone she's related to. The second painting is called, "What Time is It?". The dark haired woman looks confused. The blonde woman tries to explain why he is so good, but it's clear that neither of them really get art. I would like to look this kid's work up. Being an artist myself, I'd be interested to see the "top" artist in the state. The blonde explains that he painted it to capture the moment he fell in love with Mariah. Oh, Mariah must be the blonde woman's daughter. He posted it on FaceBook and only he & her know what the title alludes to. Um...not anymore buddy.
Why am I listening to this? I try to get back to my thinking & writing. Then I hear tidbits of the conversation & conclude that now they have switched to a conversation about love & relationships. Something about why wait & marriage. I smile & laugh a little inside. Marriage has absolutely nothing to do with love. If it's love, true love, there is no rush. It won't magically disappear if you don't grasp it in your hands & hold onto it. You won't lose it. It'll wait forever if it is really love. With those thoughts I look over at the person sitting to my left. Someone I can sit with in silence. Someone that no words need be spoken to. We can simply sit & write & create & be so deeply connected. We sip our yummy coffee drinks & write, creating new worlds & new images never before seen. No gossip. No negativity. Just two people who love each other left in a coffee house on a chocolate couch as the 40 something drama queens exit & leave us in silence.
The end.
There are two middle-aged women sitting next to the object of my attention, but a space left just for me. They have all taken up residence on a chocolate colored cloth couch in the very back of the coffee house. I plop my backpack down next to hers, say hello, and take the empty space up on the couch. The two middle-aged women are chatting like parrots as she rises & asks what she can get me. I smile & request my usual as I notice the women are dressed much younger than they are in t-shirts & Capri pants. They both sport extremely short haircuts, with the blond woman's being a little more daring with a bit of hair gel used to spike it up a bit. It's obvious she likes attention. She shifts in her seat constantly & uses her hands to talk. The other woman, who has dyed black hair, is more timid. She seems a little uncomfortable, almost embarrassed by her friend's bravado. I hear tidbits about yoga instructors, work, etc.
For some reason the blonde woman feels compelled to loudly announce that she parked out front rather than parking in the lot across the street as the little sign on the door suggested. The other woman looks embarrassed & admits she did as well. They discuss whether they should move their vehicles. Of course, they have no intention of even attempting to move their vehicles. This stage play is all for my benefit. Well, me & my companion. These types of plays are the worst. If I wanted to see a melodramatic play put on by bad actors I'd go catch a middle school play. Although I think middle school kids are quite a bit better. On & on they go. I've never really grasped what this does for people. I guess it's a way to admit you've done something in order to escape being called out & shamed by it.
Suddenly, the dark-haired women gets up & announces she needs to visit the restroom. I think the blonde woman's loud admission has slightly embarrassed the other woman & she seeks the restroom as a refuge to gather herself. As she walks to the door marked Womens, the other one flamboyantly waves her arms around & shouts that she's going to check on the cars. Check on the cars? Really? They need checked on? So outside she goes. What a show. The silence lasts only about 30 seconds. Once the two are reunited, the show starts again. Funny, I came to get coffee, not for a show.
"No tickets or slashed tires!" shouts the blonde woman much louder than she needs to for her friend to hear her as she walks by me. Sigh...really? Slashed tires? Oh the drama! The darker haired woman smiles & tries to ignore her over-dramatization. They fall back into their gossipy conversation about other people. I over hear comments about a friend's snide remarks & concrete thinking & how she gives & gives but her friend never listens when she tries to talk about her problems & her life. Somehow, I doubt it.
You know, I don't like to talk about people. I didn't come in here with the intention of talking about people. I like to talk about other things. Things like the universe or what amazingly weird insect I discovered today, or why Crepe Myrtles are named Crepe Myrtles. I enjoy topics on volcanoes, or weather patterns, or Star Wars & it's influence on culture & society. Talking about people is so overrated & boring. It always seems to be negative as well. People that talk about other people never go around spouting about how wonderful other people are. You never over hear things like, "She's amazing! She always listens to me & is there when I need her. I can't imagine what I'd do without her.", or things like, "My husband spoils me. I am so lucky to have someone who understands me so deeply." Isn't that odd?
I find it even harder to block them out when I hear the word "Artist" froth from their rabid mouths. I'm an artist. People usually have very interesting things to say about artists. Damn, they've pulled me in. I continue writing in my little sketchbook, changing nothing, as if I don't hear them. Of course if they are transparent to me, I'm sure I am just as transparent in my act. They critique his art by viewing paintings the blonde has stored on her phone. First up for consideration is a painting of a woman. At least they think it's a woman. The blonde boasts that he is the top artist in the state & received thousands in scholarships. Oh, and he's dating someone she's related to. The second painting is called, "What Time is It?". The dark haired woman looks confused. The blonde woman tries to explain why he is so good, but it's clear that neither of them really get art. I would like to look this kid's work up. Being an artist myself, I'd be interested to see the "top" artist in the state. The blonde explains that he painted it to capture the moment he fell in love with Mariah. Oh, Mariah must be the blonde woman's daughter. He posted it on FaceBook and only he & her know what the title alludes to. Um...not anymore buddy.
Why am I listening to this? I try to get back to my thinking & writing. Then I hear tidbits of the conversation & conclude that now they have switched to a conversation about love & relationships. Something about why wait & marriage. I smile & laugh a little inside. Marriage has absolutely nothing to do with love. If it's love, true love, there is no rush. It won't magically disappear if you don't grasp it in your hands & hold onto it. You won't lose it. It'll wait forever if it is really love. With those thoughts I look over at the person sitting to my left. Someone I can sit with in silence. Someone that no words need be spoken to. We can simply sit & write & create & be so deeply connected. We sip our yummy coffee drinks & write, creating new worlds & new images never before seen. No gossip. No negativity. Just two people who love each other left in a coffee house on a chocolate couch as the 40 something drama queens exit & leave us in silence.
The end.
Monday, July 19, 2010
New job....same old crap.
So, I just switched positions within the same dept. recently. I am now considered an admin. asst./receptionist. I hate it. No, really. I'm a month in & I absolutely loathe it. This is bad. My art show is coming up in October & this job is zapping me. I have to stare at spreadsheets all day & when I get home I can't focus my eyes anymore for my art work. In fact, it's hard to focus at all on anything. I absolutely despise Excel. How on earth do people do it? How do they enter data constantly. It makes me uptight, tense, moody & gives me headaches. The fact that it is messing with my ability to focus when I get home is really getting me down.
I have no idea what to do.
I am not going to want to be here much longer. I'll be lucky to make it a year. I know, I probably sound whiny & spoiled, & I should be happy to have a job, but I'm not happy. The benefits are nice, but this job is not for me. It is not helping me reach my goals.
Again, I have no idea what to do.
All I know right now is that I better figure something out or this is going to end badly. The old job wasn't any better. It was for a while, but it got bad too. The constant negativity & put downs where bad for my self esteem. Now the esteem is good but the health & creativity are being drained away.
This sucks.
I have no idea what to do.
I am not going to want to be here much longer. I'll be lucky to make it a year. I know, I probably sound whiny & spoiled, & I should be happy to have a job, but I'm not happy. The benefits are nice, but this job is not for me. It is not helping me reach my goals.
Again, I have no idea what to do.
All I know right now is that I better figure something out or this is going to end badly. The old job wasn't any better. It was for a while, but it got bad too. The constant negativity & put downs where bad for my self esteem. Now the esteem is good but the health & creativity are being drained away.
This sucks.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Art & Love
So, I have approx. 2 months to really get things going for the Art show I managed to snag. What Art show, you ask? Why the Art show I have in October at Coffeeslingers in downtown OKC. No, for real, I finally have my own show. At first I was nervous, but then I was like, nah, I can do this, & then I was like, I need to think about what I want to do, and now I'm like, Holy crap!!! I have an Art show in two months!
I must admit, just having one has spurred on the creativity. Slowly it creeps back from the depths it was been pushed down to by retail & the pointless creative-less redundant workplaces. I feel it rising, slowly pulling itself up to stand on its own two or four or sixteen feet again. It feels so nice. Hell, it feels. There was a time where I was afraid it was dead. I was afraid it was broken or dead. It's not.
It's been a weird experience though. I've never really thought so much about what I paint. My stuff isn't exactly the kind of stuff people want to hang on their wall. It's all emotionally based reactive art. By reactive, I mean based on my reaction to things. Not shock art. So much of it is about things we, as a whole, don't like to look at. Oil spills, war, theology, politics, social issues & inner conflict & turmoil. Not flowers or hay bales in a field. I look at it & think, "Are they going to let me hang this?", "Will this cause the coffee house owners to have to put up with crappy comments from customers?" I certainly hope not. Then again, it would be creating conversation & perhaps an exchange of ideas. Still, I'm not trying to incite negativity, just thoughts. The negative/positive depends on the viewer really.
It's a little scary. I don't expect people to "like" my work. I do want them to see it though. If it sets off just one person's brain, then I'll be happy.
I used to be too scared to show anything to anyone other than my friends. Afraid the world out there would think I was crazy & lock me away or dismiss me altogether. Luckily, one of those friends that has been over a hundred times, has never stopped encouraging me to try. That's really amazing. To keep encouraging me for the last 15 years & never giving up. Over & over again, trying to talk me into it. Sending me articles or links to little shows here & there. I can honestly say, I owe this show to her. To her & T. T for just putting up with me for 14 years. It's not easy living with an Aspie (person with Asperger's), but she's done an amazing job of teaching me how to communicate & be more social. I've also got some really amazing people in my life. People who are still fighting to make their dreams come true. We gather together at least once a month & vent our frustrations & share our desires & support each others attempts. I know, in my heart of hearts, that one day, we will all be where we want to be. These people are too amazing not to make it happen. All of us just have to cast off all the BS we were taught & keep working toward the goal. Happily ever after is possible. Look around. It's there. You see it all the time. Society tells you it's only the lucky ones, but the one's telling you that are the ones that gave up. Never give up. Never stop trying. There are millions, let me repeat, MILLIONS of people living their dreams.
Seriously. I'm not kidding. Think about all the singers, songwriters, screenplay writers, special effects artists, painters, writers, guitar players, dancers, orchestra directors, zoologists, entomologists, and millions of other occupations that people do & love. Sure, maybe you don't know their names & maybe they don't make a million billion dollars, but they are happy & pretty well off. They are doing what they chose to do with their life & they love it. For every JK Rowling or Stephen King, there are hundreds of thousands of writers you've never heard of. All of them successfully selling book after book & paying their mortgage. Society tends to only focus on the mega stars. Being famous or a mega star isn't what it's about. Doing what you love is. Don't let them scare you. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something you dream of, & only surround yourself with people that love & understand you.
I'm blessed to have so much love in my life. And understanding. I'm not an easy one to understand sometimes.
Now, back to the painting. I only have two months to get this all together!!!!
I must admit, just having one has spurred on the creativity. Slowly it creeps back from the depths it was been pushed down to by retail & the pointless creative-less redundant workplaces. I feel it rising, slowly pulling itself up to stand on its own two or four or sixteen feet again. It feels so nice. Hell, it feels. There was a time where I was afraid it was dead. I was afraid it was broken or dead. It's not.
It's been a weird experience though. I've never really thought so much about what I paint. My stuff isn't exactly the kind of stuff people want to hang on their wall. It's all emotionally based reactive art. By reactive, I mean based on my reaction to things. Not shock art. So much of it is about things we, as a whole, don't like to look at. Oil spills, war, theology, politics, social issues & inner conflict & turmoil. Not flowers or hay bales in a field. I look at it & think, "Are they going to let me hang this?", "Will this cause the coffee house owners to have to put up with crappy comments from customers?" I certainly hope not. Then again, it would be creating conversation & perhaps an exchange of ideas. Still, I'm not trying to incite negativity, just thoughts. The negative/positive depends on the viewer really.
It's a little scary. I don't expect people to "like" my work. I do want them to see it though. If it sets off just one person's brain, then I'll be happy.
I used to be too scared to show anything to anyone other than my friends. Afraid the world out there would think I was crazy & lock me away or dismiss me altogether. Luckily, one of those friends that has been over a hundred times, has never stopped encouraging me to try. That's really amazing. To keep encouraging me for the last 15 years & never giving up. Over & over again, trying to talk me into it. Sending me articles or links to little shows here & there. I can honestly say, I owe this show to her. To her & T. T for just putting up with me for 14 years. It's not easy living with an Aspie (person with Asperger's), but she's done an amazing job of teaching me how to communicate & be more social. I've also got some really amazing people in my life. People who are still fighting to make their dreams come true. We gather together at least once a month & vent our frustrations & share our desires & support each others attempts. I know, in my heart of hearts, that one day, we will all be where we want to be. These people are too amazing not to make it happen. All of us just have to cast off all the BS we were taught & keep working toward the goal. Happily ever after is possible. Look around. It's there. You see it all the time. Society tells you it's only the lucky ones, but the one's telling you that are the ones that gave up. Never give up. Never stop trying. There are millions, let me repeat, MILLIONS of people living their dreams.
Seriously. I'm not kidding. Think about all the singers, songwriters, screenplay writers, special effects artists, painters, writers, guitar players, dancers, orchestra directors, zoologists, entomologists, and millions of other occupations that people do & love. Sure, maybe you don't know their names & maybe they don't make a million billion dollars, but they are happy & pretty well off. They are doing what they chose to do with their life & they love it. For every JK Rowling or Stephen King, there are hundreds of thousands of writers you've never heard of. All of them successfully selling book after book & paying their mortgage. Society tends to only focus on the mega stars. Being famous or a mega star isn't what it's about. Doing what you love is. Don't let them scare you. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something you dream of, & only surround yourself with people that love & understand you.
I'm blessed to have so much love in my life. And understanding. I'm not an easy one to understand sometimes.
Now, back to the painting. I only have two months to get this all together!!!!
Friday, July 02, 2010
The Return of Futurama: A Critique
Good news everyone...
Well, June 24th marked the triumphant return of my favorite TV show to the airwaves. How was it? Awesome & meh. The first episode was pretty good. It did however feel a little different. I can't quite put my finger on it yet. Things just seem a little off. The Planet Express building, New New York, & other familiar places seem a little unfamiliar. It's like walking into a house you lived in for twenty years after someone else has lived there 5 years. It still looks like your old house, but things aren't where you expect them to be. The walls are a different color & someone put wood laminate down where the orange & avocado shag carpet used to be.
The character Leela seems to be completely off. All the other characters seem exactly the same, but not Leela. She's weaker & dumber. Which makes me really sad because she was a really strong character. Sure she had her ditzy moments, but she had very clearly defined character flaws that now seem completely lost. The second episode was completely unbelievable for me because Leela didn't just shove off the log & kick Zapp's ass. She let Zapp pretty much call all the shots & she seemed easily controlled. There was absolutely no sexual tension between the characters & she gave in way too easy to a guy she supposedly hates. The Fry/Leela relationship is also very muddy right now. Are they? Aren't they? Fry's reaction to the Leela/Zapp thing was also unbelievable. All in all it was a very uncomfortable episode to watch & left me with a bad feeling in my gut. That "be careful what you wish for" feeling.
The third episode was better. We got back to addressing pop culture issues which Futurama always did so brilliantly. Still though, the toilet/juvenile humor is much more than it used to be. I liked the smartness of Futurama. The way the show was so good at addressing political, theological, & relevent social commentary. The cohesion of the plot is very lacking & they seem to be trying to get out all the proverbial "fart" jokes they can due to being on Comedy Central, a network that allows more of that sort of thing.
If Futurama doesn't smarten up & lessen the crude humor, I think it's headed in a bad direction. They need to pull the plot together by addressing one or two issues in the sarcasticly smart fashion of the original, find Leela's original personality, & drop the frat boy attitude or it's going to crash & burn.
I know they can do it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Here's a preview of the episode from this week:
Well, June 24th marked the triumphant return of my favorite TV show to the airwaves. How was it? Awesome & meh. The first episode was pretty good. It did however feel a little different. I can't quite put my finger on it yet. Things just seem a little off. The Planet Express building, New New York, & other familiar places seem a little unfamiliar. It's like walking into a house you lived in for twenty years after someone else has lived there 5 years. It still looks like your old house, but things aren't where you expect them to be. The walls are a different color & someone put wood laminate down where the orange & avocado shag carpet used to be.
The character Leela seems to be completely off. All the other characters seem exactly the same, but not Leela. She's weaker & dumber. Which makes me really sad because she was a really strong character. Sure she had her ditzy moments, but she had very clearly defined character flaws that now seem completely lost. The second episode was completely unbelievable for me because Leela didn't just shove off the log & kick Zapp's ass. She let Zapp pretty much call all the shots & she seemed easily controlled. There was absolutely no sexual tension between the characters & she gave in way too easy to a guy she supposedly hates. The Fry/Leela relationship is also very muddy right now. Are they? Aren't they? Fry's reaction to the Leela/Zapp thing was also unbelievable. All in all it was a very uncomfortable episode to watch & left me with a bad feeling in my gut. That "be careful what you wish for" feeling.
The third episode was better. We got back to addressing pop culture issues which Futurama always did so brilliantly. Still though, the toilet/juvenile humor is much more than it used to be. I liked the smartness of Futurama. The way the show was so good at addressing political, theological, & relevent social commentary. The cohesion of the plot is very lacking & they seem to be trying to get out all the proverbial "fart" jokes they can due to being on Comedy Central, a network that allows more of that sort of thing.
If Futurama doesn't smarten up & lessen the crude humor, I think it's headed in a bad direction. They need to pull the plot together by addressing one or two issues in the sarcasticly smart fashion of the original, find Leela's original personality, & drop the frat boy attitude or it's going to crash & burn.
I know they can do it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Here's a preview of the episode from this week:
| Futurama | Thursdays 10pm / 9c | |||
| e-Waste Delivery | ||||
| ||||
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Sleeping Beauty Collectible
Wow! This is gorgeous! This is a box inspired from the movie Sleeping Beauty. In the movie the three good fairies hid their wands inside a box like this so that Briar Rose would not find them. It is sculpted resin with wood grain finish and is about 8'' H x 6'' W x 4 1/2'' D.
There is also a Beauty & the Beast box, shown here:
And a Cinderella collectible/box along the same lines, shown here:
These are all just gorgeous! The Sleeping Beauty one & the Beauty & the Beast one are both around $85.00, while the Cinderella is a bit more affordable at $70.00.
You can find all of these awesome collectibles at THE DISNEY STORE.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
All Eleven Doctors!!!
Wow! This is an awesome offering from Underground Toys & Entertainment Earth ! All Eleven versions of the Doctor in one Tardis shaped package! Available in August for the price of $99.99! Not too bad a price. That's less than $10.00 a figure! Figures are about 5" tall.
Also, check out this nifty Tardis. Yes, I said nifty. And bow ties are cool.
It floats in mid-air. How clever is that? Brilliant, I say! The Tardis measures a little over 3" tall. If only it had a button to push that would play the theme song.
This little do-hicky will run you $35.99 over at Entertainment Earth. It is available for pre-order & should be shipping in August.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sideshow Gamorrean Guard Figure
Available now for Pre-order from Sideshow Collectibles is this 12 inch finely detailed Gamorrean Guard. For those of you who already have the Jabba, his throne, Han in Carbonite, etc., you are going to have to pick this one up to complete the scene!
Sideshow has them priced at $119.99 with the option of Flex-Pay so you can pay it out in two installments of $60.00.
If you want one, you'd better get over to their site & pre-order it now, Sideshow Star Wars figures don't last long.
Gentle Giant Greedo Statue
Hey Star Wars fans, Gentle Giant is gearing up to release this really cool Greedo Statue sometime in December. They are taking pre-orders now, so head on over to their site & check it out!
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