Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare!
The Bard would be 442 years old today.
In honor of the Bard, I challenge you all to make up a new word, and use it in a sentence! (Bonus points for anyone creating hendiadys!)
In honor of the Bard, I challenge you all to make up a new word, and use it in a sentence! (Bonus points for anyone creating hendiadys!)
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Narnia's not in the wardrobe, but in my family room!
As I sit here at my computer, my children, and their best friends, are all camped out in my family room, just about ten yeards away, watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe on our large-screen tv.
I'm not sure why I point this out, other than that it's a conversation starter.
I didn't think much of this movie when I saw it in the theatre. It has great visuals, a good script adaptation, a moderately exciting fight scene, but as a whole, this film doesn't click for me. I've thought about this fairly often, trying to understand just what doesn't work.
The best that I can come up with is that it lacks a cohesive energy. I'm never really "attached" to any of the children, nor am I ever really "afraid" of the witch. And the pacing of the entire film seems too much the same, and so we lose the rhythm of highs and lows that is so essential to good drama.
It's not a bad film, it's a heck of a lot easier to watch than the BBC television version, but it's not nearly as exciting as it could or should be.
I'm curious what others thought of the film...?
I'm not sure why I point this out, other than that it's a conversation starter.
I didn't think much of this movie when I saw it in the theatre. It has great visuals, a good script adaptation, a moderately exciting fight scene, but as a whole, this film doesn't click for me. I've thought about this fairly often, trying to understand just what doesn't work.
The best that I can come up with is that it lacks a cohesive energy. I'm never really "attached" to any of the children, nor am I ever really "afraid" of the witch. And the pacing of the entire film seems too much the same, and so we lose the rhythm of highs and lows that is so essential to good drama.
It's not a bad film, it's a heck of a lot easier to watch than the BBC television version, but it's not nearly as exciting as it could or should be.
I'm curious what others thought of the film...?
Thursday, April 20, 2006
You're messing me up, Bill Gates!
I don't think much about my computer, except when things start to go wrong. I suppose the majority of people are like that. I like my computer to operate the way it's supposed to, and to be safe and secure.
And because I don't want to think about it, I've subscribed to Microsoft's automatic updates program (as well as at least two security programs).
This past week I downloaded fifteen Microsoft security updates for my computer.
And then it stopped functioning properly.
Now you would think that when Bill Gates sends you an update for your computer, your computer will actually work better than before. When it doesn't, you (I) actually have start thinking about the computer. This is what happened during this week.
I'm fairly computer savvy, so I began my investigation, first determining that the computer stopped working the proper way shortly after downloading the updates. That was the easy part.
I won't go into detail as to my route to fixing this, but needless to say, my email to Microsoft Support was indeed answered within 24 hours. Here's the response:
In other words... "We've contacted you in 24 hours, but if you want it fixed, then take a day off work and spend it on the phone talking to someone you can't understand try to figure it out for you."
I discovered, from a chatroom, that ONE of the updates doesn't work properly on SOME computers (no one has been able to determine which computers are most likely affected as far as I can tell).
The answer, of course, was to remove the update (which wasn't nearly as simple as it sounds), but once that was done, my computer is back to functioning normally (so far, he says, with fingers crossed and knocking on wood). If YOUR computer isn't working well since updating, post a message here and I'll walk you through the solution and/or point you to some web sites that can suggest how to fix it (if you don't trust me).
I know that all my Mac friends will point to this as another reason to take a bite out of the Apple family, but as someone who has worked moderately with both, I still prefer my PC ... faults and all. After all, there's nothing that says I have to use Internet Explorer as my web browser. In fact, once I started experiencing problems, I immediately switched to my loaded Mozilla program and had no problems whatever. And as for programs such as Word and Excel ... I believe those are the standard on most Macs now, too.
It's amazing, though, what we expect from our computers.
Earlier this week I was looking for a recipe for something I remember making many years back. I assumed it was in one of my cookbooks, but couldn't find it. I mentioned it to my wife and said, "It has to be in my recipe card file or in one of my cookbooks because it was something I made before there was an internet, so I couldn't have Googled it back then." Boy, did that statement give me a shock once I realized what I'd said!
And because I don't want to think about it, I've subscribed to Microsoft's automatic updates program (as well as at least two security programs).
This past week I downloaded fifteen Microsoft security updates for my computer.
And then it stopped functioning properly.
Now you would think that when Bill Gates sends you an update for your computer, your computer will actually work better than before. When it doesn't, you (I) actually have start thinking about the computer. This is what happened during this week.
I'm fairly computer savvy, so I began my investigation, first determining that the computer stopped working the proper way shortly after downloading the updates. That was the easy part.
I won't go into detail as to my route to fixing this, but needless to say, my email to Microsoft Support was indeed answered within 24 hours. Here's the response:
Hello Daniel,Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Customer Service.I
understand that you are experiencing issues with Internet Explorer and Microsoft
Word after installing updates. I regret the inconvenience caused.As a Customer
Service Representative, I would like to inform you that Microsoft provides
no-charge support for all issues that arise due to installation of Windows
updates.Please contact the concerned support team to avail no-charge support at
(866) 727 2338. Monday-Sunday: 24 Hours a Day.Daniel, I hope you find the above
information helpful.Thank you for using Microsoft products and
servicesDysonMicrosoft Online Customer Service RepresentativeIf you have any
feedback about your Online Customer Service experience, please email my manager,
Rahul Rajgopal, at ...
In other words... "We've contacted you in 24 hours, but if you want it fixed, then take a day off work and spend it on the phone talking to someone you can't understand try to figure it out for you."
I discovered, from a chatroom, that ONE of the updates doesn't work properly on SOME computers (no one has been able to determine which computers are most likely affected as far as I can tell).
The answer, of course, was to remove the update (which wasn't nearly as simple as it sounds), but once that was done, my computer is back to functioning normally (so far, he says, with fingers crossed and knocking on wood). If YOUR computer isn't working well since updating, post a message here and I'll walk you through the solution and/or point you to some web sites that can suggest how to fix it (if you don't trust me).
I know that all my Mac friends will point to this as another reason to take a bite out of the Apple family, but as someone who has worked moderately with both, I still prefer my PC ... faults and all. After all, there's nothing that says I have to use Internet Explorer as my web browser. In fact, once I started experiencing problems, I immediately switched to my loaded Mozilla program and had no problems whatever. And as for programs such as Word and Excel ... I believe those are the standard on most Macs now, too.
It's amazing, though, what we expect from our computers.
Earlier this week I was looking for a recipe for something I remember making many years back. I assumed it was in one of my cookbooks, but couldn't find it. I mentioned it to my wife and said, "It has to be in my recipe card file or in one of my cookbooks because it was something I made before there was an internet, so I couldn't have Googled it back then." Boy, did that statement give me a shock once I realized what I'd said!
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
No drama good enough.
I've been following some interesting conversations in a Yahoo Playwrighting group, regarding the fact that the Pulitzer committee has decided not to award a prize this year in the Drama category.
There is a sense of indignation among playwrights that the Pulitzer committee has declared (by the virtue of not declaring) that there are no dramas worthy of their award. What does this mean?
Well, it could just mean that there weren't any plays good enough. It could mean that the judges (journalists) weren't qualified to make such an assessment. It could mean that by having the deadline moved up (apparently) the shorter time span eliminated some of the best plays from consideration. All of these are "possibilities" that have been discussed.
Any one of them is a rather sad possibility, particularly if true.
I do wonder if there truly aren't any plays out there right now that are worthy of receiving award honors. Can it be? Is theatre in such trouble that it can't even find a show worthy of winning a prestigious award?
No, I don't think so. I think that the world is filled with gifted playwrights. The problem, as I see it, is matching those playwrights with equally gifted producers and/or promoters who will see to it that the works of the playwright are polished and produced.
Producers today are looking for the quick buck, they are not interested in developing a relationship with an artist and working with him (or her) to bring out his(her) fullest potential.
No drama good enough? Nay, I say. No producer bold enough.
There is a sense of indignation among playwrights that the Pulitzer committee has declared (by the virtue of not declaring) that there are no dramas worthy of their award. What does this mean?
Well, it could just mean that there weren't any plays good enough. It could mean that the judges (journalists) weren't qualified to make such an assessment. It could mean that by having the deadline moved up (apparently) the shorter time span eliminated some of the best plays from consideration. All of these are "possibilities" that have been discussed.
Any one of them is a rather sad possibility, particularly if true.
I do wonder if there truly aren't any plays out there right now that are worthy of receiving award honors. Can it be? Is theatre in such trouble that it can't even find a show worthy of winning a prestigious award?
No, I don't think so. I think that the world is filled with gifted playwrights. The problem, as I see it, is matching those playwrights with equally gifted producers and/or promoters who will see to it that the works of the playwright are polished and produced.
Producers today are looking for the quick buck, they are not interested in developing a relationship with an artist and working with him (or her) to bring out his(her) fullest potential.
No drama good enough? Nay, I say. No producer bold enough.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Good books.
As some of you know and others can determine by looking at my current reading list, I often am reading more than one book at a time (though not at the SAME time). Often, one or two of these are slow reading and haven't really grabbed my interest. On occassion I've been stuck with an entire reading list that is a chore to wade through (I know, I know, there's nothing that says I have to finish reading a book that I don't like -- nothing except my own sense of literary duty).
On this particular instance I am reading four books (Arthur & George; Saga of the Volsungs; The Evil B.B. Chow and Other Stories; The Historian)that have all captured my interest and are very good reads. In fact I struggle with choosing which to read when I have a moment to sit and read. This is a nice feeling.
On this particular instance I am reading four books (Arthur & George; Saga of the Volsungs; The Evil B.B. Chow and Other Stories; The Historian)that have all captured my interest and are very good reads. In fact I struggle with choosing which to read when I have a moment to sit and read. This is a nice feeling.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Hendiadys.
I learned a new word today.
"Hendiadys."
It's a word I probably should have known, though I can't imagine when or why I would have learned it. It's also a word that is not in my paperback Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
According to the book I just finished reading, A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599,
While I recommend the book, Shapiro goes on to note how the use of hendiadys creates a kind of "mental vertigo" which adds to the unbalanced nature of Hamlet.
Fascinating. A cool word. Neat meaning. I'll have to try to incorporate some in my own work.
"Hendiadys."
It's a word I probably should have known, though I can't imagine when or why I would have learned it. It's also a word that is not in my paperback Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
According to the book I just finished reading, A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599,
Hendiadys literally means "one by means of two," a single idea conveyed through a pairing of nouns linked by "and."Examples are "law and order," "house and home," and "sound and fury." According to the book, almost no English author before or after Shakespeare wrote in hendiadys, and even Shakespeare himself didn't do it much -- except for Hamlet, in which there are sixty-six of them. The next highest count is in Othello, with twenty-eight. (And yes, it's pretty amazing that there are people [generally considered to be scholars] who actually go and count things like this!)
While I recommend the book, Shapiro goes on to note how the use of hendiadys creates a kind of "mental vertigo" which adds to the unbalanced nature of Hamlet.
Fascinating. A cool word. Neat meaning. I'll have to try to incorporate some in my own work.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Masked Marvels and Wondertales.
I saw a show last night that was an absolute blast. It was titled, Michael Cooper: Masked Marvels and Wondertales. I even love the title (so much so that I borrowed it)!
Michael Cooper is a mime (not the bad, street mime that everybody loves to hate) and mask-maker. He actually does very little performance mime, but he does combine his talent for body control with his innovative masks, and the results are splendid!
He's got a web site (of course!) and I encourage you to check it out. The Masked Marvel
A coule of thoughts have hit me since seeing the show last night.
First, how that show has likely affected my eight-year-old son. My son is a VERY creative young man. I see a lot of myself in him -- his creativity, his temperament, etc -- the main difference being that his parents are encouraging his artistic bent perhaps a bit more than mine did. Unlike me, however, my son is incredibly interested in science. He has more than a passion for studying frogs and insects and spiders and dinosaurs and rocks, etc.
What a show like this has done is throw my son out of balance. How great! How fun! How creative! I want to be just like that! ...but what about science...?!
How wonderful it was, then, when after the show my son asked Mr. Cooper, "Do you like science?" Cooper's response was, "Absoutely! My father was a veterinarian, and I thought about doing that, too. A lot of people think that the arts and sciences are far apart, but I think that they are very closely related. You need to be able to think creatively, like an artist, when you study science, and when you perform art you need to be able to think analytically, like a scientist, when you are preparing a show." So...which road will my son ultimately follow? Time only, will tell.
My other thought about the show, was ... had I stayed with it, that could very well have been me on the stage. My interest, study, and work in mime, along with my passion for masks and puppetry, could very well have had me performing for 200 last night, instead of Mr. Cooper. Do I miss it? Yes and no. I miss it, but I have no regrets with the path that I've followed.
I would most certainly see this show again. And maybe I'll even raise my hand when he's looking for volunteers.
Michael Cooper is a mime (not the bad, street mime that everybody loves to hate) and mask-maker. He actually does very little performance mime, but he does combine his talent for body control with his innovative masks, and the results are splendid!
He's got a web site (of course!) and I encourage you to check it out. The Masked Marvel
A coule of thoughts have hit me since seeing the show last night.
First, how that show has likely affected my eight-year-old son. My son is a VERY creative young man. I see a lot of myself in him -- his creativity, his temperament, etc -- the main difference being that his parents are encouraging his artistic bent perhaps a bit more than mine did. Unlike me, however, my son is incredibly interested in science. He has more than a passion for studying frogs and insects and spiders and dinosaurs and rocks, etc.
What a show like this has done is throw my son out of balance. How great! How fun! How creative! I want to be just like that! ...but what about science...?!
How wonderful it was, then, when after the show my son asked Mr. Cooper, "Do you like science?" Cooper's response was, "Absoutely! My father was a veterinarian, and I thought about doing that, too. A lot of people think that the arts and sciences are far apart, but I think that they are very closely related. You need to be able to think creatively, like an artist, when you study science, and when you perform art you need to be able to think analytically, like a scientist, when you are preparing a show." So...which road will my son ultimately follow? Time only, will tell.
My other thought about the show, was ... had I stayed with it, that could very well have been me on the stage. My interest, study, and work in mime, along with my passion for masks and puppetry, could very well have had me performing for 200 last night, instead of Mr. Cooper. Do I miss it? Yes and no. I miss it, but I have no regrets with the path that I've followed.
I would most certainly see this show again. And maybe I'll even raise my hand when he's looking for volunteers.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
My nephew's blog.
Blogs are obviously the "hot" thing on the computer these days. I know that when I sit down at my desk, I check my emails and then a few blogs. I've had to add one more blog to my list -- my nephew.
My nephew is 28, and has decided that he wants to do something of service to humanity. He has spent the last three months working with Doctor's Without Borders, and is stationed in Liberia. He is a logistician (?).
I find quite a bit of his blog fascinating. Maybe you will too.
http://tajmunson.blogspot.com/
My nephew is 28, and has decided that he wants to do something of service to humanity. He has spent the last three months working with Doctor's Without Borders, and is stationed in Liberia. He is a logistician (?).
I find quite a bit of his blog fascinating. Maybe you will too.
http://tajmunson.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Arizona to Minnesota.
It's not lost on me that my beginning point isn't far from Winona, Arizona, and my destination was near Winona, Minnesota. That said, I had a long, but pleasant five days driving my father and his wife from their Arizona wintering home back to the pleasant upper-Midwest. We stopped to take in a few sights (mostly tourist-y things) and a few uncommon birds (my father is an avid bird watcher).
Here are a few favorites of mine from the trip.
Best Night's Sleep: Swedish Country Inn -- Lindsborg, KS
Worst Night's Sleep: Best Western -- Santa Rosa, NM
Best Dinner: Irene's Tea Parlour -- Lindsborg, KS
Worst Dinner: Jim-n-I's Restaurant -- Elkhart, KS
Best Breakfast: Jim-n-I's Restaurant -- Elkhart, KS
Best-Looking Waitress -- Jim-n-I's Restaurant -- Elkhart, KS
Favorite Bird Spotted on Drive -- Roadrunner, along highway in Arizona
Best Tourist Trap: Boot Hill Museum -- Dodge City, KS (while looking pretty cheesy from the outside, the layout of the museum and the information offered was really top quality)
Best Section of Road for Driving: Highway 26 -- New Mexico
Worst Section of Road for Driving: Interstate 90 -- Minnesota
State with Most Garbage along Roadways -- New Mexico
State with Least Garbage along Roadways -- Iowa
Here are a few favorites of mine from the trip.
Best Night's Sleep: Swedish Country Inn -- Lindsborg, KS
Worst Night's Sleep: Best Western -- Santa Rosa, NM
Best Dinner: Irene's Tea Parlour -- Lindsborg, KS
Worst Dinner: Jim-n-I's Restaurant -- Elkhart, KS
Best Breakfast: Jim-n-I's Restaurant -- Elkhart, KS
Best-Looking Waitress -- Jim-n-I's Restaurant -- Elkhart, KS
Favorite Bird Spotted on Drive -- Roadrunner, along highway in Arizona
Best Tourist Trap: Boot Hill Museum -- Dodge City, KS (while looking pretty cheesy from the outside, the layout of the museum and the information offered was really top quality)
Best Section of Road for Driving: Highway 26 -- New Mexico
Worst Section of Road for Driving: Interstate 90 -- Minnesota
State with Most Garbage along Roadways -- New Mexico
State with Least Garbage along Roadways -- Iowa
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