On the Road Again

Thank god for free wireless at Panera!!!

I'm sitting in Panera in Kansas City waiting for Jeff to get done with the networking event that brought us down here. I accidentally left my book in the car along with my knitting. The only thing I grabbed in the rush to get him there on time was his computer. So here I sit, happily typing while watching the people go by. I have an hour and a half before he's done and I couldn't be happier. I have a coffee and a cookie, and life is good.

After this we're heading east, to St. Louis to see family for the weekend. We were last there in May and we both decided that it would be good to get into town sometime before the winter. Once winter hits, I get a lot more leery of traveling. And I've been missing my in-laws. It's time for a road trip.

Jeff and I used to travel a lot in the winter. In fact it seemed that the moment the snow started flying we started getting cabin fever and would head out of town. I've driven through blizzards and freezing rain. We've slid off roads and almost gotten stranded a couple of times. One trip back from Minneapolis, sent us back up to the Cities after they closed the Interstate. We even had one horrific five hour drive back from Iowa City where we had to use the rumble strips just to get some traction. We've traveled in the winter and sometimes paid the price.

But as I've gotten older, I've become a bit more cautious. I'm less likely to throw my bag in the car and head out of town when there is threat of snow. I'm not my old college self who would travel in anything. I check weather reports (some would say obsessively) and prepare for the worst. So this year I think we'll stay home this winter. After last year I'm still a bit gun shy of even walking on ice. Driving will be nerve-wracking. So we'll stay home and deal with cabin fever in other ways. Of course I say this now. We'll see what happens when the snow flies. Most likely we'll be back on the road again.

Ten Trillion Dollars

I posted a couple of posts ago about my friend Jason who passed away last month. I had written a bit about my feelings and a little about how I was dealing. But I don't think I mentioned that I had purchase something to remember him by. A bit of a tribute if you could call it that.

One of Jason's prized possessions in the last couple months of his life was a 10 trillion dollar bill from Zimbabwe. He had bought it on Amazon and paid next to nothing for it. The bill itself is probably worth less than $.50 which is just horribly sad when I think about it. But Jason was thrilled when he got it and rushed up to my office to show me the ludicrously large bill. He opened his wallet with a huge grin and said "I'm a trillionaire!".

After that he'd bring out his bill and show people around the office. He was so excited just to have something that odd. He bought a frame and framed the bill for his office. After his death, the bill was the thing I latched onto. It was an incredible reminder of his passion for unusual things. So last week I finally hopped on ebay and bought one for myself. I paid a ridiculously low amount for mine and today it finally arrived. I'm taking it into the office tomorrow and I'll buy a frame and put it up. It may not be worth much in the real world, but for me, this bill is priceless.

Just a Little Tilted

I've been talking about photography a lot at work lately. Our new IT guy shoots photography in his spare time and my boss has a business selling art photography and t-shirts (more on that later). One of my conversations today about photography turned interesting. While I was waiting for my computer to have some software installed this afternoon, I was talking with Jeff, our new desktop guy and he happened to mention making miniatures. The conversation went a little something like this.

Him: It's like creating miniatures in photo.

Me: You mean tilt-shift?

Him: Exactly, how do you know about tilt-shift?

Me: Are you kidding, I'm fascinated by that type of photography. What types of things have you done?

Him: I've taken a couple downtown shots. I just have fun with it.

Me: You'll have to bring them in to show me. I would love to see them. It's something I've always wanted to learn.

Him: It's actually really easy. I can show you how to create them.

At this point I'm salivating. Not only does he do tilt-shift work but he'd be willing to show me how to do it. Of the long list of things that I would like to learn, this is right there at the top. Of course now that means I'll have to actually take some real photos. And pick up photoshop.

arcticnomad

If you've forgotten, tilt-shift photography is taking photographs, blurring the edges and creating miniature scenes from real landscapes. It is taking what are often sweeping aerial views and making them look like models. I've posted some Olivo Barbieri images before but here are some other tilt shift images to get your imagination going.

mcsixth

I'll check with Jeff to see if I can post some of his images.

B Tal

Special Talent

I had a conversation this afternoon that got me thinking. My boss and I were chatting about things we're good at and he asked what my special talent was. And it threw me completely for a loop. I sat there dumbfounded. I struggled to think of something that I'm really fantastic at or something which surprises me about myself. I stammered out an answer that somewhat makes sense to me: I'm awfully good at telling stories. I make them up daily and tell them to myself, often in the car. But I rarely write them down.

But as I was driving home I started thinking about the things I'm good at. I'm a decent writer and an exceptional reader. I'm great at writing academic papers (a talent that's underused outside of academia). I'm a fairly decent knitter and I'm working to improve. I can juggle although not always with grace. And that's when it hit me.

I'm a terrific zombie. Being a zombie is my special talent. Now you're probably wondering how often one gets to use a talent like that. And I would have to answer every time my nephews and niece come to town. Our favorite game is to chase either other with Nerf guns or swords. Almost inevitably sometime during the game I will get killed. And then it's my turn to shine. I drag my left foot behind me (not a tough task for me), contort my face into a hideous expression (also not hard), and make a horrible guttural moan that has them running and screaming. I normally chase them until my voice gives out or until I get the magic kiss that turns me back human again. And then they beg me to start over.

So that's it. I'm a decent writer, storyteller, reader, juggler, knitter, and paper writer. But I'm an incredible zombie. Luckily this kind of talent has longevity. Who knows I may come back as a even better one. I've had a lot of practice.

What's your special talent?

Guess What I'm Reading

In August I was rummaging on the shelves for something to read and stumbled across a book that would define the rest of my summer and a good chunk of my fall. Years ago Jeff had picked up the collected works of Sherlock Holmes. I hadn't paid the books much mind. I'm not much of a mystery reader. But in August, shortly after coming back from Alaska and catching a bit of the Robert Downey Jr. version, I picked up Holmes and was instantly hooked. I started with A Study in Scarlet, his debut, and went on from there. I literally couldn't stop.

I've read all four Sherlock Holmes novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Valley of Fear). I've read every short story that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about his master detective. Lately I've been looking for some background information about the fictional detective and his trusty companion Watson. I'm also seeking out every film version on Holmes that I can get my hands on. I am completely and utterly smitten.

Reading Sherlock Holmes is a bit different from reading other mysteries. With other mysteries there are little clues and hints that lead the reader towards the culprit. Often a reader can figure out the thief or murderer well before the reveal. Not so with Holmes. Since we hear most of the tales through Watson's viewpoint, there are no clues for us to connect. There are no clear suspects for us to follow.

Frederic Steele's Holmes

In fact it was incredibly rare that I could figure the mystery out before Holmes did his final reveal. Instead, most of the time I was just along for the ride. Doyle's stories build over a number of pages, with investigation and discussion, but it is always Sherlock who at the end states the facts, how he came to his conclusion, and apprehends his criminal. Always in the most surprising way possible. We are often left in the dark (like Watson) up until the final moments. It's that bit of surprise in each story that kept me reading. These are not mysteries. These are unexpected tales.

Sidney Paget's Holmes

And Holmes himself is an enigma. Cold, calculating, standoffish, he is the genius who lacks a bit of social tact. He's not ogreish but he is not the most warm and fuzzy character. He's vain and impatient. He's distant to the point of callous. As Watson puts it so beautifully, he's immune to the softer passions. He often uses Watson badly during his adventures but here's the odd part, we still love him. He's just so damn brilliant. Watson on the other hand is not as brilliant but instantly likable. We enjoy his company even if it isn't constantly filled with bits of knowledge and odd deductions. The two play foil against the other. Watson with his general good-naturedness and Holmes with his prickly intelligence.

Downey Jr's Holmes

I'm a little ashamed to say that the first Holmes representation that I've seen was Robert Downey Jr.'s. I was surprised by how many lines the movie took directly from the books. The film was in the spirit of the stories although Downey Jr was a bit more human of a character than Holmes seemed to me. The film was fun and filled with great scenes that fans would easily recognize from the books but the involvement of Irene Adler and Moriarty seemed a bit too much to me. For two characters who play such a small role in the books and stories (Adler one and Moriarty only a couple) they had a large impact on the film. Now I'll have to find Basil Rathbone's version. And continue on with Sherlock Holmes mania. Who knows, I may just read the stories all over again. Yep, they were that good.

Losing and Living

I'm back! Hopefully for good. I decided I needed to step away from the blog world for a while after I changed jobs. As you probably know I moved into a new section of the office a couple of weeks ago and was trying to get adjusted. The new office came with a window, a new team, and a whole host of new duties. I took the week to settle into my spot on the team. But I didn't have long to be settled.

I started with the new group on Friday. The next Thursday one of my team members, and a close, close friend passed away. He was 31. When he didn't arrive at work that morning we called. When he still didn't arrive I called his fiance who's a friend of mine. And just about that same time we found out about his death. I was completely undone. Jason was an amazing friend, an amazing person, and well...simply amazing. He and I started talking because he happened to be a scuba diver, and I dive as well. That led to other conversations about books and flying and ghost hunting. And those conversations started leading to lunches. We talked about everything. And Jason always had great stories to tell.

Jason was friends with almost everyone in our department and as I was soon to find out with quite a few people from all walks of life. His memorial was standing room only. I wept for most of the service. And I laughed at the stories that others had about him. Jason would have wanted me to laugh. After the funeral me, Jeff, and a coworker headed out for drinks in Jason's honor. Then the next day I headed back to the office. An office that would never really be the same.

I've shut down for the last three weeks. I haven't read any blogs. I haven't read my comics. I haven't even spent much time online. I've focused all my attention on work, reading, and knitting. Over the last two weeks I've covered my work and Jason's work and I've still paused every time I walked past his cubicle. My new team has been fantastic and I'm really happy at work. But I still miss my friend.

So these past couple weeks I've read and knitted since I didn't seem to have a brain for anything else. And today I'm finally starting to feel like it's time to go back to living. Jason would have wanted me too. He lived fully. He did more in his short life than I will probably do in 50 years. He packed his life full of experiences. It's time I started heading back towards living. Time to reconnect. And I'll start to think about moving on but I'll never forget. This post is for you, Jason. I'll miss you, buddy.

Spoils of DragonCon

I didn't go to DragonCon although I would have loved to. Instead my dad and my brother made the trek to Atlanta to partake in the wonderful geeky goodness. For four days they were surrounded by stormtroopers and klingons and steampunk outfits and enough costumes (and exposed flesh) to fill Hollywood for a good decade or so. I wish I could have gone but I'm happy enough to see their pictures and hear their stories.

But my dad went farther than that. I had mentioned two artists whose work I love, both of which were going to be at DragonCon. I've loved Brian Despain's work for a long time. If you've forgotten I wrote about him here. I mentioned to my Dad that Brian would be there and to keep an eye out for his work. The other artist was Bobby Chiu. I've been meaning to write about Bobby for a while now and hadn't had the chance. Dad wrote down their names and I figured that was the last of it.

My father came home on Monday and we had dinner that night. Dad was telling us all about the trip and he mentioned that he'd picked up Bobby Chiu's book Chiutensity. Half of the book includes Chiu's artwork and sketches, the other half has Chiu's partner at Imaginism Studios, Kei Acedera's artwork. Acedera's work is just as incredible as Chiu's and I'm still debating which half of the book I like better. My dad got both of the artists to sign it. I also got a number of cards from Imaginism along with a DVD of Chiu's lecture on digital painting.

Then Dad got very sad. He informed me that Brian Despain sadly didn't have a book for him to buy. He had looked at the artwork but didn't see a book and Brian mentioned that he hadn't produced one yet. So instead he had simply bought me a print! More to the point he bought the print below. You could have bowled me over I was so excited. I don't often go all fangirl but a print was well beyond my wildest dreams. I love it. My padre picked so well. I still have to frame it but I'm all ready to hang it up in my studio. I didn't get to go to DragonCon but the spoils of the convention were well beyond my expectation. Two of my favorite artist's work under my roof. Thanks Dad!!!

Bird Photos

As I sat outside today I started taking pictures of the birds and playing with the zoom on my camera. I took two photos that I'm the most excited about. I love how close they are and how detailed.

A pair of Black Capped Chickadees

A weather-beaten looking Titmouse

Lazy Sunday

The weather can't get much prettier and I am soaking it up. After finishing a really tough but fantastic book this morning called The Underneath (I cried like I was reading Charlotte's Web, which is to say a lot), I've spent part of my day relaxing on the patio watching the birds at the feeder. Jeff bought me some new birdseed from Wild Birds Unlimited and the birds are flocking to it. It's amazing what good seed will do. So I'm sitting outside writing and eating a huge salad and watching the world go by. It's an amazing day. Tonight I'll probably continue my reading jag. I've been working on the collected Sherlock Holmes stories for a couple weeks now and I'm completely hooked.

I also did some baking today, some homemade gingerbread cupcakes which are tasty but not quite as gingerbready as I would like. Yes I know it's not a word, but it makes sense right? I've found I enjoy baking. I really want to get into cake decorating eventually but for right now, cupcakes are right up my alley.

Oh and I have to share. Last night Jeff and I were having dinner when I suggested some bad TV. About a year ago I had picked up the first nine episodes of the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon I watched as a kid. We had never watched the DVD though. So last night we sat down and relived a bit of my childhood. The animation was primitive by today's standards and the violence was pretty tame. Jeff was reading that at the time, the show was considered one of the more violent out there. But all we saw were bad guys getting pushed around or tripped, never killed. The dialogue was cliche and Eric the Cavalier drove me crazy, but the show was still fun. I still like the odd way that the baby unicorn Uni spoke (didn't we have such original names in the 80s?). For $5 I think we got our money's worth.

Tomorrow is Labor Day. I'm probably heading to my parent's house for at least part of the day. For all of you out there, don't labor too hard tomorrow. For me, I'll be on the front porch with a book in my hand and some birds at the feeder. I love long weekends.

I Think a Change Will Do Me Good

I'm sitting in my temporary office writing this on my lunch break. The department has been undergoing a physical reorganization (which is a fancy way of saying that they're moving everyone around). I'm moving from my huge cubicle on the first floor, up to the third floor for the next two weeks, and then down to the second floor in my permanent home. It's a lot of moving in a short period of time but it seems to be having a good effect on my psyche.

I've been working in the same cubicle on the same floor surrounded by the same people for the last four years. Everyone has been incredibly nice and the space was very large, but I had recently decided that I was ready for a change. I wanted something new. And this move is making me see my old office in a new way. I have a different breakroom, I have a different bathroom, I have different walls. Everything looks different and feels different. It's actually wonderful. I'm enjoying the newness of everything.

Next week I move to my permanent location, a sunny cubicle with a window and an Eastern exposure. I'll have new neighbors and a new boss. I'll even have some new duties. And I have to tell you, I couldn't be more excited. It's amazing how much a change of scenery helps. I'm happy, I'm productive, and I'm comfortable. It's a good day.

Children's Movie Weekend

I've been trying to write this post since Sunday. Not sure why I'm having problems with it.

I spent the weekend reading and watching movies and doing very little else. It was blissful. I read three books this weekend, including a new Christopher Moore novel. I spent all day yesterday curled up on the couch. I drank numerous pots of coffee and wasted my days with words and moving pictures. It was a great weekend.

My movie taste lately has run to the juvenile. If it's not animated or geared towards the 10 and under set, I'm not interested. So this weekend I plugged in my earphones, curled up with my laptop, and watched three different kids movies. One animated, one children's classic, and one new classic.

The animated film was Flushed Away, a collaboration between Dreamworks and Aardman Studios. I'm a huge fan of Aardman, so I'd been excited to get a chance to watch it. The film follows a snobby spoiled fancy rat (played by Hugh Jackman) who gets flushed down the toilet and ends up in the rat world below. There he must help a ship's captain retrieve a jewel of hers that he helped hand over to the frog overlord of the Sewers. When the jewel proves to be a fake, the two rats set off to return Hugh Jackman's character home and replace it with a real one. All while being pursued by the frog and his henchmen. I've seen plenty of Aardman films and own my fair share. Sadly this one won't be joining my shelves. It was a decent movie with a couple good scenes but nothing that stood out for me. The animation was fun (it always is with Aardman) but it missed the sophistication of Wallace and Gromit or the witty writing of a Chicken Run. Not my favorite.

The second film was one I haven't seen in well over a decade. When I was a kid I loved Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the movie based on the Ian Fleming novel about a car with a mind of its own. I love Dick Van Dyke's performance, I loved the crazy inventions, I loved the silly story, and I loved the car. I remember being terrified by the Child Catcher, although I don't remember understanding the Vulgarian society. I didn't understand how much of a tyrant the Baron was. Watching the film again this weekend I notice how many songs the film had. I hadn't remembered all of them. Although the ones I did remember are the ones I'm still humming today. I was just as impressed with how sweet the film was. There was a lot of humor but a lot of tenderness as well. A fun film that I'd somehow managed to ignore for almost 20 years.

But the winner for the weekend was a new film that will quickly become a favorite. I watched Nanny McPhee on Saturday and was instantly charmed by the film. The story focuses on seven incredibly naughty children who finally meet their match when Nanny McPhee shows up to whip them into shape. She's hideous, she's unconventional, and she's magic. She teaches the kids lessons by giving them exactly what they want, only more than they want. Emma Thompson plays Nanny McPhee perfectly. She starts the role hideous and strict, and slowly grows more beautiful and more likable as the children become more well behaved. But the best part for me was watching the children grow. They start out as selfish uncontrollable brats with a distant father; and gradually the family becomes more caring and loving, both the kids and the father. The movie had magic, had humor, and had heart. One of my new favorite kid's movies. Well worth a watch.

Poetry Friday

I found today's poem in one of the oddest places. At my little sister's recommendation I was reading "Kiss Me Like a Stranger", Gene Wilder's autobiography. I loved the book, loved learning about this brilliant writer and actor. And when Wilder meets his current wife he mentions a poem she had tacked up at her home. I instantly loved the poem and had to write it down. I have a copy of this up in my studio. If I was ever looking for an inspiring poem, this is it.

After a While
By Veronica Shoffstall

After a while you learn
The subtle difference between
Holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't always mean security.

And you begin to learn
That kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead
With the grace of a woman
Not the grief of a child

And you learn
To build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground is
Too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way
Of falling down in mid flight

After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much
So you plant your own garden
And decorate your own soul
Instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers

And you learn
That you really can endure
That you are really strong
And you really do have worth
And you learn and you learn
With every good bye you learn.

Guess What I'm Reading?

I read a lot. A ton actually. I've read three and a half books this week, although one of those was a young adult novel. And I've noticed that I don't write about what I'm reading very often. So I'm going to try to add a Guess What I'm Reading segment. The title comes from Unshelved, a great webcomic about a library. You can find that particular story line here (it runs for five days). I also bought one of their "Guess What I'm Reading" bumper stickers to hang in my library.

Lately I've been reading Tintin. Tintin is the main character in a series of comics created from 1929 until 1954 by french artist, Herge. The character is a young journalist who gets into all types of international adventures with his friends: a crusty old sailor named Captain Haddock, a hard of hearing professor who's brilliant but absentminded, and a pair of detectives who couldn't find their way out of a paper bag. He is accompanied by his dog Snowy and often ends up saving the day against a troupe of bad guys.

I picked up my first adventure on a whim. I'd heard a number of children's book writers mention how influential Tintin had been for them. I figured it was worth a shot. The first story I read was "The Castafiore Emerald" and although I was a bit lost on the characters, I loved the adventures. It reminded me of the old Uncle Scrooge comics I read as a child, but with more humor. The adventures are a mix of slapstick, funny dialogue, and genuine excitement. The series has only started to gain a following in the US, but Tintin is as well known as Mickey Mouse in Europe. Charles de Gaulle compared himself to the character once. Steven Spielberg is currently working on an animated Tintin adventure to be released in December 2011. This is a character that has influenced generations and I'm just learning about him.

After the first adventure, I've been picking up books from all of the libraries in the city. The stories were just released in a boxed set and I've been buying the books, one at a time. I've decided I want to own all of the Tintin adventures. I haven't gotten a chance to read all the adventures but I'm excited to get the chance. It's a fun series with great characters.

Bird Feeder Woes

I came home from knitting tonight to find my new bird feeder damaged on one side. A big section of plastic was missing and most of the seed was gone. I had no idea what happened until Jeff told me to check out the video he had taken this afternoon. I now know what happened to my feeder...and the seed.

Seasons

Morning all. I woke up early this morning, took a quick shower and dressed even faster, all so that I could make coffee and sit outside for a bit before heading to work. The cat enjoyed the change in routine and I got to sit watching the birds until it was time to leave. A perfect morning. I might have to start making that a habit.

When I opened the door this morning I was instantly surprised by how cool it was. After weeks and weeks of over 70 degree weather in the mornings, today's mid-50s felt positively cold. And refreshing. I'm always seduced by this time of year. I LOVE the summer! Love it! But right after the fair ends I start wishing for fall. I am seduced by the cooler weather and the desire to play in the falling leaves. I start spending more time at home sitting on the patio. I may be a summer fanatic but I've always enjoyed the fall.

The only problem with fall is that it is followed by winter. I've often described it as the Sunday of seasons. I enjoy my Sundays but always in the back of my mind there is this reminder that I have to go back to work the next day. I enjoy the fall but always in the back of my mind there is the reminder that winter will be here tomorrow. And we all know how I feel about winter.

But for the moment I'm enjoying. I love my long-sleeve fall sweaters and jeans. I love sitting in the cool air sipping coffee and watching the leaves fall. I love the colors and crispness of fall. I love playing in the leaves and carving pumpkins. And today made me think that fall is just around the corner. I'm excited.