I'm tired. My dog's pacing cause she has to go out. I've read two graphic novels, and the opening ceremony is still going on.
At the end I heard a anchorman say something like, "An opening ceremony that defies all superlatives."
I'm not sure if these qualify but I'll try...
Most Amazing!
Longest Ever!
MOST AMAZING LONGEST EVER! (Does that count?)
Sure some of the visuals were amazing. The pyrotechnics were awesome. The kids were cute. The drummers rocked! The gymnast, acrobats and high-flyers were inspiring.
Then came the Parade of Nations. I always love it. Athletes from over 200 nations march in - this time it wasn't alphabetically cause of the Chinese Language - and wave their flag, shoot video, and make cell phone calls to relatives back home. I would've enjoyed it more if it hadn't been brought to my attention that something like 84 of those countries have never medaled in the Olympics. The team from those countries would march into the arena and the announcer would say something stupid like, "This is their Olympic event right here. This is the highlight of their Olympic experience just marching in the Parade."
Jack Ass!
Oh, and then when it was FINALLY time to light the Olympic Cauldron8 Chinese Athletes helped carry the torch through the arena. 8 different Athletes! The country of Niger, I believe, has only 1 athlete competing in these Olympic Games but it took 8 athletes from China to light the Cauldron once the torch was in the building! Not to mention the last guy, Li Ning! Boy was that cool to watch! He gets the flame lifts into the air on wires and the creeeeeeeeeeps around the entire length of the stadium awning before lighting the Cauldron. It took forever! He's supended in the air moving his legs so it looks like he's running sideways and, apparently, he outran the visual projections cause I swear they slowed him down at one point. I was ready to stroke out just waiting for him to go ahead at light the damn thing!
The Opening Ceremony was soooo long that I almost forgot about the atrocities committed by the Chinese government against the people of Tibet, and the whole religious intolerance thing they got going on over there.
In case you weren't paying attention, the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing have begun, and after 5 hours of programing the Olympic Cauldron was finally lit.
Let the games begin.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
And Done...
One of my 'goals' for this Summer, when I am only working part time, was to read the Incarnations of Immortality Series by Piers Anthony. I have enjoyed his fiction since I was younger, and decided to read the original seven books in the series straight through, author's notes and all. The series which I have mentioned before is an entertaining science fiction/fantasy story wherein Death, Time, Fate, War, Nature, Evil, and Good are Offices which must be filled with qualified Mortals who perform the job, temporarily, as best they are able in order to help organize the Chaos that birthed our Universe. 2,435 pages later, I read the author's notes too, I am done.
Some books I sailed through, and others I took a little longer getting through the chapters. Some books I loved, while others were good but missing something. I did enjoy the world Piers Anthony created and revisiting key events through the different perspectives of the characters in each book. For example, the first book sets up the importance of this one character who several years into the future will play a key role in defeating Satan's plans for the world. This character and her importance are evident in each volume as different strategies are employed nullify her role. At times it was like reading about historical events through differing and often times contrasting perspectives. The portrayal of the Incarnations was fascinating especially that of the the man who became Satan, and the self-absorbed God who was too busy with self-contemplation to relate to the humans who prayed for his guidance.
Doesn't quite sound like the enjoyable Summer read that it actually was, I know, but I enjoyed it.
Some books I sailed through, and others I took a little longer getting through the chapters. Some books I loved, while others were good but missing something. I did enjoy the world Piers Anthony created and revisiting key events through the different perspectives of the characters in each book. For example, the first book sets up the importance of this one character who several years into the future will play a key role in defeating Satan's plans for the world. This character and her importance are evident in each volume as different strategies are employed nullify her role. At times it was like reading about historical events through differing and often times contrasting perspectives. The portrayal of the Incarnations was fascinating especially that of the the man who became Satan, and the self-absorbed God who was too busy with self-contemplation to relate to the humans who prayed for his guidance.
Doesn't quite sound like the enjoyable Summer read that it actually was, I know, but I enjoyed it.
946 Miles Later
We're back. The Pinney Reunion 2008 was a blast.
On Friday Sara and I packed up the car, grabbed the Tootsie and hit the road around sun up. Annapolis to South Woodstock, Vermont isn't the longest road trip ever but we were on a mission. We'd been looking forward to this trip since we missed the last reunion 2 years ago. My mother's distant cousin owns a Bed & Breakfast in Vermont and for one weekend every other year my grandmother's extended family descends on South Woodstock and takes over the Hyacinth House.
We spend the weekend hanging out with distant cousins, drinking local beers, shopping in town and playing a wiffleball game or two. This year was no different. The weather cooperated for the most part, and it only rained Saturday night but we didn't mind.
It's funny how the reunion has changed over the last 16 years or so. Babies grow into young kids. Young kids grow into teenagers or young adults. Singles into married couples and married couples into families. The old people get older and sit and watch from afar. Some faces don't even show up anymore.
Ah, C'est La Vie! Time marches on and we are replaced by younger, cuter party animals like Savannah here.
- The road trip was memorable only because of the $ we threw into Sara's car so it could make the drive, the defunct AC - we didn't have that much moolah - the blown radio fuse, and the 4 traffic jams we were blessed with on our return leg. I don't mind the driving, we fixed the radio, and Tootsie is an excellent traveler. (She's now traveled through 12 states on various road trips.)
On Friday Sara and I packed up the car, grabbed the Tootsie and hit the road around sun up. Annapolis to South Woodstock, Vermont isn't the longest road trip ever but we were on a mission. We'd been looking forward to this trip since we missed the last reunion 2 years ago. My mother's distant cousin owns a Bed & Breakfast in Vermont and for one weekend every other year my grandmother's extended family descends on South Woodstock and takes over the Hyacinth House.
We spend the weekend hanging out with distant cousins, drinking local beers, shopping in town and playing a wiffleball game or two. This year was no different. The weather cooperated for the most part, and it only rained Saturday night but we didn't mind. It's funny how the reunion has changed over the last 16 years or so. Babies grow into young kids. Young kids grow into teenagers or young adults. Singles into married couples and married couples into families. The old people get older and sit and watch from afar. Some faces don't even show up anymore.
Ah, C'est La Vie! Time marches on and we are replaced by younger, cuter party animals like Savannah here.
- The road trip was memorable only because of the $ we threw into Sara's car so it could make the drive, the defunct AC - we didn't have that much moolah - the blown radio fuse, and the 4 traffic jams we were blessed with on our return leg. I don't mind the driving, we fixed the radio, and Tootsie is an excellent traveler. (She's now traveled through 12 states on various road trips.)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
My Speech Group Today.
"Okay, does anyone else know any songs that we can all sing in our Number 2/Inside Voice?"
The little boy with the glasses and big eyes looks up with a very earnest reply, "We could sing GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE BOGEYMAN."
The only two pairs of adult eyes meet. Eyebrows arch. Smiles creep out to be seen.
"I love your idea but we should probably pick a song everyone will know like Row Row Row Your Boat. What do you think?"
"Yeah, I like that one, too."
The little boy with the glasses and big eyes looks up with a very earnest reply, "We could sing GOD IS BIGGER THAN THE BOGEYMAN."
The only two pairs of adult eyes meet. Eyebrows arch. Smiles creep out to be seen.
"I love your idea but we should probably pick a song everyone will know like Row Row Row Your Boat. What do you think?"
"Yeah, I like that one, too."
The G Is Silent
He was just a really cool guy. He would sit there, backstage or in the dressing room, quietly strumming the strings and going over songs in his head. He was easy to talk to, and once I asked him how he got his nickname. "Was it because your fingers are so fast on the banjo?"
"No," he explained, "When I was little I was a kinda slow, and my daddy would always say to me, 'C'mon Lightnin'!'"
"That's how you got your nickname?"
"Yessir, I was slow."
- Today I was reading a friend's blog and he mentioned a blues musician he loved, and how he used to see the guy play parties in his hometown. The guy, Lightning Boy Steve Malcolm, most recently played with Jimmy Buffett. I love Blues Musicians and there names. (Ralph Macchio's character in Crossroads was also called Lightning Boy!) Anyway it made me think of a man I met when I was in school down in North Carolina. He was a musician brought in to accompany, and perform in a play we were doing at the time - Dark Of The Moon. It was a crazy show; witches, hillbillies, and lots of music including hymns, spitrituals, etc. This guy - his name was Mike Lightnin' Wells - was a great character, friendly, and, if I remember correctly, knew my dad's family. I like him so much that I named a character in my first play after him in tribute to the above conversation.
I googled him and found his website. Looks like he's doing well these days.
"No," he explained, "When I was little I was a kinda slow, and my daddy would always say to me, 'C'mon Lightnin'!'"
"That's how you got your nickname?"
"Yessir, I was slow."
- Today I was reading a friend's blog and he mentioned a blues musician he loved, and how he used to see the guy play parties in his hometown. The guy, Lightning Boy Steve Malcolm, most recently played with Jimmy Buffett. I love Blues Musicians and there names. (Ralph Macchio's character in Crossroads was also called Lightning Boy!) Anyway it made me think of a man I met when I was in school down in North Carolina. He was a musician brought in to accompany, and perform in a play we were doing at the time - Dark Of The Moon. It was a crazy show; witches, hillbillies, and lots of music including hymns, spitrituals, etc. This guy - his name was Mike Lightnin' Wells - was a great character, friendly, and, if I remember correctly, knew my dad's family. I like him so much that I named a character in my first play after him in tribute to the above conversation.
I googled him and found his website. Looks like he's doing well these days.
Monday, July 28, 2008
As Big As My Foot!
Or close to, anyway.
Here is a picture of a stinging sea nettle jellyfish. They inhabit the Atlantic Ocean and connecting estuaries. The Severn River does get the jellyfish during the Summer, and I have seen a few floating around down at the beach. Today I went out kayaking today and saw the biggest jellyfish I've ever seen outside of the National Aquarium. I was paddling around and I noticed a few odd nettles floating near the surface. Suddenly I see the huge one just drifting with the current towards my kayak. This sucker is so big that, and yes I realize how insanely ludicrous this sounds, I got the chills and actually thought, "I hope that thing can't get me."
Silly, I know but I thought it. Then I turned my kayak around and paddled my ass out of there as fast as I could leaving that monstrosity bobbing in my wake.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
2,920 Days (more or less)
For 8 years I lived without a car. I didn't need one. We rode the CTA wherever we wanted to go or we could rent a car for long trips. 8 years without the convenience of a car. 8 years without the cost of maintaining and fueling a car. Now we have two cars. Two gas-tanks to fill. Two vehicles to keep running and pouring money into... What a headache!
For two years now I have lived with a car and dreamt about public transportation.
For two years now I have lived with a car and dreamt about public transportation.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Sex Is The Word!
I realized today that I have never seen the movie Grease unedited. When I was a kid we had it taped off of public television and I would pop in the VCR tape quite frequently. Needless to say the censors chopped it all up, and even cut out the entire Greased Lightning sequence.
In high school when I performed in a production of the show I noticed a few of the differences between the stage play and the screenplay. I had a better grasp of the adult humor and sexual references but we were still teenagers so they edited for content, as well - we weren't aloud to say, "Pussy Wagon". Too Bad.
Today I got out of bed, for the second time, and switched on the tube. There was the opening sequence to the movie so I sat down, as a 33 year old man, and watched the entire movie. (Okay, I took a bathroom break during Beauty School Dropout.) I was pleasantly shocked by all of the blatant sexual references. I was amazed at all of the TBirds' crude gestures and comments. I smiled when Danny Zuko called Rizzo 'sloppy seconds'. I laughed out loud when Kenickie discovers the condom he bought in seventh grade will no longer do the trick. I guess even teenagers back in the 50's had sex.
If you'd have asked me that question when I was a kid I would have foolishly said, "No Way. Everyone at Rydell High is a virgin and Rizzo immaculately conceived." Thank You Very Much Censors!
In high school when I performed in a production of the show I noticed a few of the differences between the stage play and the screenplay. I had a better grasp of the adult humor and sexual references but we were still teenagers so they edited for content, as well - we weren't aloud to say, "Pussy Wagon". Too Bad.
Today I got out of bed, for the second time, and switched on the tube. There was the opening sequence to the movie so I sat down, as a 33 year old man, and watched the entire movie. (Okay, I took a bathroom break during Beauty School Dropout.) I was pleasantly shocked by all of the blatant sexual references. I was amazed at all of the TBirds' crude gestures and comments. I smiled when Danny Zuko called Rizzo 'sloppy seconds'. I laughed out loud when Kenickie discovers the condom he bought in seventh grade will no longer do the trick. I guess even teenagers back in the 50's had sex.
If you'd have asked me that question when I was a kid I would have foolishly said, "No Way. Everyone at Rydell High is a virgin and Rizzo immaculately conceived." Thank You Very Much Censors!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Easy Activity
Or so I thought.
The class is studying local Native American tribes for their Summer School unit. The Nanticoke is a tribe that once existed on and around the Cheseapeake Bay, and they traveled, sometime, by canoe. So I thought that we could pretend to take a little canoe trip in class using our imagination.
Simple.
The next ten minutes are spent discussing every manner of boat you can paddle from ancient greek longboats to paddle-boats. The paddling procedure was also examined; two oars at the same time, alternating sides, one oar one side, etc.
Needless to say the class period ended and we were all still stuck on the shore, in our 'canoes' arguing over semantics.
The class is studying local Native American tribes for their Summer School unit. The Nanticoke is a tribe that once existed on and around the Cheseapeake Bay, and they traveled, sometime, by canoe. So I thought that we could pretend to take a little canoe trip in class using our imagination.
Simple.
The next ten minutes are spent discussing every manner of boat you can paddle from ancient greek longboats to paddle-boats. The paddling procedure was also examined; two oars at the same time, alternating sides, one oar one side, etc.
Needless to say the class period ended and we were all still stuck on the shore, in our 'canoes' arguing over semantics.
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