Random April

It's time for another random post. Which is another way of saying that I've been too busy watching Battlestar Galactica to have time to write anything coherent and meaningful. Although, I would like to note that after spending 765 minutes in an alternate universe - that's 12 hours and 45 minutes of the past week- I am now officially Done! I enjoyed every minute and I am also glad to that season 2 is halfway over, so I have to wait for the DVD. I think I’m a little Battlestarred out. Likely not for long, but nonetheless, it’s time for something different. Like random babbling.

First, movies (smooth segue, eh?). I’ve recently watched three movies I’d anticipated to the point of staking out my video store on their release date.
King Kong. Thought it might be too bloated but then, when they reached Skull Island, I forgot to breathe for about an hour. Best entertainment I’ve had from a movie in ages and I was very happy to watch on my TV instead of the big screen. Based on how nervous I was during the middle part, I think seeing it on the big screen would have killed me. Besides, it allowed me to fast-forward through the insect scene. Always a good thing.
The Chronicles of Narnia. I’d really looked forward to this and it is good. Just not as good as I’d hoped. It definitely needs a large screen.
Brokeback Mountain. Broke my heart.

I’ve scored tickets to see Etta James at the Hummingbird Centre and am beyond excited. I love Etta James. The woman could sing the phonebook and I’d be enthralled.

Last summer, I was mocking The Weather Network for their new term for thunderstorms. They changed it to “tornadic activity”, which they trotted out at the slightest murmur of something that could develop into the teensiest thunderstorm and which I’m sure made everyone feel much less anxious. Don’t get me wrong – warning of the possibility of tornadoes is a good thing, but do they have to jump on the “let’s scare the populace” media bandwagon with quite that much enthusiasm? This year, their latest brainwave is – get this – hourly forecast! Who the hell needs an hourly forecast?

Speaking of erratic weather, I recently read in a paper – I forget which, either this or this – that leading scientists have revised their estimated of the “tipping point” of global warming, i.e., how long we have until it’s too late to reverse it. The new estimate is 20 years. This makes me worry. A lot.

I’ve always thought that a prerequisite for being a mail carrier was the ability to read. Two recent events have persuaded me otherwise. First, there was the guy who for a solid week missed the wee note about my mailbox being moved (to a place where I could reach it) and who with great abandon stuffed all my mail into the wrong box. Then a week after, there was the enveloped marked in big letters: “handle with care” that I found squished up and mangled in my mailbox. Sigh.

Earlier this month, Tiger Woods used the word ‘spaz’ on live TV and nothing much happened this side of the Atlantic in terms of an outcry over his rather offensive language (the British went apeshit, though and rightly so). The lack of reaction was probably partly due to print media changed the quote, substituting ‘wreck’. Regardless of everything else, the media changed a quote! Read more here.

I’ve discovered a new way of playing with my voice. It came about purely by accident one day when I was talking to Mojo. And after she got bored and left with a saucy swish of her tail, I kept going, laughing myself stupid. Then I called my mother and demonstrated The Voice. Then she tried it. And then we both laughed like hyenas. It’s a weird otherworldly, whispery sort of thing, with an added bit of maniacal glee. Kinda creepy. It hasn’t gotten old yet - still makes us laugh until we cry.