mae govannen, mellyn nin

The fiasco continues

caoil — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:49:59 GMT

Originally posted by electricdruid at The fiasco continues

ACTA in a Nutshell –

What is ACTA? ACTA is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. A new intellectual property enforcement treaty being negotiated by the United States, the European Community, Switzerland, and Japan, with Australia, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, Jordan, Morocco, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada recently announcing that they will join in as well.

Why should you care about ACTA? Initial reports indicate that the treaty will have a very broad scope and will involve new tools targeting “Internet distribution and information technology.”

What is the goal of ACTA? Reportedly the goal is to create new legal standards of intellectual property enforcement, as well as increased international cooperation, an example of which would be an increase in information sharing between signatory countries’ law enforcement agencies.

Essential ACTA Resources -

Read more about ACTA here: ACTA Fact Sheet
Read the authentic version of the ACTA text as of 15 April 2011, as finalized by participating countries here: ACTA Finalized Text
Follow the history of the treaty’s formation here: ACTA history
Read letters from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden wherein he challenges the constitutionality of ACTA: Letter 1 | Letter 2 | Read the Administration’s Response to Wyden’s First Letter here: Response
Watch a short informative video on ACTA: ACTA Video
Watch a lulzy video on ACTA: Lulzy Video

Say NO to ACTA. It is essential to spread awareness and get the word out on ACTA.

Via Tumblr

Name advice

caoil — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:46:20 GMT

Cut for length, to spare your friend page!

I am adopted. My mother (and father at the time) had 5 minutes to decide on a name for me during the paper-signing.

So they gave me my paternal aunt's name - all they could come up with so quickly - plus a middle name that would flow easily. When I got old enough to really understand adoption and where I came from, Mom told me that it is a tradition in some cultures (including French, which I am part of at least) to give a "milk name"; that is to say, a temporary name for the child until they grow older and a more suitable one is determined.

Since then I've been trying to figure out a name for myself that would suit me. All sorts of phases have come and gone: high-falutin' French names like Dominique; names of famous feminists; literature-related names, including but not restricted to Tolkien elves; and now attempting to find a less gender-identifying name.

I know my surname will be a pan-European choice: Martin. It appears everywhere from Ireland to France to Germany to Poland to Spain. While I can't do any genealogy for myself (not having any names of ancestors to go on), I think I can be fairly certain that Europe is my background.

First and middle names (however many that will be) have proved more difficult to choose.

I thought I had settled on Kieran at first, but it does come with the baggage that it's largely a male name in Ireland.

And then I found Kiran, which is currently in use primarily in India, or South Asian communities in North America. And it does not have a gender identifier, as it is used for boys and girls (http://www.mit.edu/~kedlaya/about-my-name.html). The meaning of it is lovely - ray of light, as is the sound of it (being just slightly different than my regular name). It contains three of the sounds I prefer in a name: hard K, R, and N.

But I worry that trying to take on a name from another country will be cultural appropriation. It may not be out-of-control orientalism, but it is taking a piece of that heritage or tradition for myself.

I have asked one of the women I know who has this name how she would feel about a pasty white girl using it too. She thanked me for even asking, but then said she personally wouldn't have trouble with it, as it had Persian origins anyway. So I thought, perhaps it's not completely terrible, if the roots are from our cradle of civilization. But I do still feel somewhat iffy about it. And I guess most people would say if you are feeling that way, it's because deep down you know it's not something you should do.

So, great internet people, what do you think? Since writing this up earlier today I did some more googling and managed to find instances of other names I could potentially use: Keina; Kiena; Kinna. Pronounced CANE-a, KEEa-na, and KIN-a, respectively. These are Welsh and German origin (although Keina also appears to be used in Japan?) as early as the 1100s. I don't love any of them, but I could probably live with them.

post

caoil — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:22:28 GMT

Originally posted by kylecassidy at post

Via Citykitties (emphasis mine):

A good samaritan found this cat today in a gutter by Clark Park, half dead. He is now at the Cat Doctor with a body temperature of 90 (normal is 102) and blood PCV of 8. The Cat Doctor housecat, Diamond, is currently donating blood to save his life. During the exam, the vet found that this cat has a microchip. When called, his "owners" reported that he was acting sick, so they put him outside. If this makes you as angry as it makes us, please channel your anger in one of two ways: visit our website at www.citykitties.org and make a donation to help us pay for his care, or share this post and encourage others to do so.

Click to donate.

Add me: [LiveJournal] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Google+] [Tumblr]

caoil — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:38:57 GMT

Our cat shelter is having its annual birthday party on Saturday, October 29th from noon until 5. There'll be cake, decorations, treats, and lots of cats to visit. Come in costume, as it's a Halloween theme! No adoptions will be done that weekend but anyone interested can always take an application form home. The location is 10255 Jackson Ave, Maple Ridge, BC.
And we do also gratefully accept donations. Tax receipts can be issued if requested.
http://katiesplaceshelter.com/

Ah right, Lucas

caoil — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 06:13:05 GMT

http://popwatch.ew.com/2005/11/09/oooh_its_a_king/

I just didn't want to forget where this snippet/quote was from. I thought I posted about it here before but couldn't find it.

Goodbye, Jack. You will be sorely missed.

caoil — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 02:53:33 GMT

From the Toronto Star.

Shameless begging!

caoil — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:01:02 GMT

Hey everyone! If you're not already being pestered on my FB, we're looking for as many votes in this contest as we can get! You can vote for us every day until the 25th.
https://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/135355/voteable_entries/26255251?order=recency

caoil — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:46:46 GMT

Sorry, guys. I just haven't felt much like updating for a long time. What little I have to say has been on FB, usually. Anyways, have some spam.

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Conscientious, Fulfilled, and Spiritual

29 Renaissance, 14 Islamic, 22 Ukiyo-e, -28 Cubist, -39 Abstract and -2 Impressionist!

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that profoundly affected European intellectual life. Beginning in Italy, and spreading to the rest of Europe by the 16th century, its influence affected literature, philosopy, religion, art, politics, science, and all other aspects of intellectual enquiry. Renaissance artists looked at the human aspect of life in their art. They did not reject religion but tended to look at it in it's purest form to create visions they thought depicted the ideals of religion. Painters of this time had their own style and created works based on morality, religion, and human nature. Many of the paintings depicted what they believed to be the corrupt nature of man.

People that like Renaissance paintings like things that are more challenging. They tend to have a high emotional stability. They also tend to be more concientious then average. They have a basic understanding of human nature and therefore are not easily surprised by anything that people may do. They enjoy life and enjoy living. They are very aware of their own mortality but do not dwell on the end but what they are doing in the present. They enjoy learning, but may tend to be a bit more closed minded to new ideas as they feel that the viewpoint they have has been well researched and considered. These people are more old fashioned and not quite as progressive. They enjoy the finer things in life like comfort, a good meal, and homelife. They tend to be more spiritual or religious by nature. They are open to new aesthetic experiences.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

Shopping for a new computer

caoil — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:42:42 GMT

My monitor decided to make a smelly burny stench the other day, and then started to change colour. I'm going to have to try to find a free temporary monitor to get me by for a bit, but I'm going to switch out from a desktop to a laptop sometime this year. So I started pricing/comparing. I can't afford anything above probably $900 (well, I can't really afford this at all but I'll have to put out some money). I know everyone has their own personal experiences with different brands, so I wondered if there was anything approaching a consensus for what I should get.

I'm looking for specs around the following: 4MB RAM at the lowest; will take 320 GB hd if I have to but would rather have 500; need a cd or dvd drive of some kind, even if it's external. Don't want a netbook. Would prefer 15" or bigger for the screen.

Right now I have a Sony Vaio and it's been pretty good overall. I'd certainly consider another as a laptop, but they are a bit more expensive than the Toshibas and the HPs.

View Poll: Com-pew-ter

Thanks, subconscious.

caoil — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:15:16 GMT

Dream I had this morning made me feel pathetic and sad. I was sitting with some woman (no idea who), chatting away about whatever, and then suddenly we kissed for a minute or two, which was really nice. When she pulled back, she started talking about some other girl she has a crush on; how cute she is, whether they'd ever be able to date, blah blah blah.

Thanks, brain. I like feeling unattractive & invisible in my dreams just as much as I do in real life!

So proud of you

caoil — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:00:12 GMT

To Joannie Rochette:
Your medal is wonderful, and deserved. It will never make up for the loss of your mother, but she would have been so proud of you for getting to this place.

Your strength and determination this week makes you more than an Olympian.

To our Canadian women's hockey team:
You trained hard, you worked hard, you played hard. You came out and showed everyone again just how good women's hockey can be. How much about teamwork it is. How much about fast decisions, and fast feet, and puck movement. Or stopping the puck, in the case of those in net.

We're all so proud of you for being your best once more.

2010 Olympic Roster:
# Name (Hometown)
# Nom (Ville d'origine)
Goaltenders/Gardiens de but
1 Shannon Szabados (Edmonton, AB)
32 Charline Labonté (Boisbriand, QC)
33 Kim St-Pierre (Chateauguay, QC)
Defence/Défense
3 Carla MacLeod (Calgary, AB)
4 Becky Kellar (Hagersville, ON)
5 Colleen Sostorics (Kennedy, SK)
12 Meaghan Mikkelson (St. Albert, AB)
18 Catherine Ward (Montreal, QC)
25 Tessa Bonhomme (Sudbury, ON)
Forwards/Avants
2 Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, ON)
6 Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, ON)
7 Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON)
10 Gillian Apps (Unionville, ON)
13 Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, QC)
16 Jayna Hefford (Kingston, ON)
17 Jennifer Botterill (Winnipeg, MB)
21 Haley Irwin (Thunder Bay, ON)
22 Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, SK)
26 Sarah Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, QC)
27 Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC)
29 Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, QC)

ARGH. Sorry, guys on my friendslist.

caoil — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:46:21 GMT

You know, someday I'll enter menopause, and I'm going to have a party. I'm not going to miss any of this. I hate being forced to feel crappy for nearly two weeks out of every four.

Hate.

Jeezy Creezy, Mayer, shut up

caoil — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:04:50 GMT

Sorry, laurakirsten, he's dumb as a stump and a pig to boot. Every time he opens his face I want to punch my fist in it.

I think someone should staple his mouth shut. Calling Agent Smith!

It's Big Yellow Ken Doll Time

caoil — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:25:05 GMT

Okay. Behind a cut for those who don't care, a litany of my opinions about this year's nominees. Noting, of course, that I haven't actually spent a lot of time in theatres this year so I am woefully short on my direct knowledge of many.

None of this is scientific, I'm just putting down my thoughts. All my own personal opinions, no real sense of who is going to win.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Avatar (going to see this on Wednesday, at which time I can decide where on the spectrum it falls)
The Blind Side (Srsly? SRSLY?)
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds (sorry, la_petite_singe, I can't help it, I hate QT. It's fine that you feel the opposite way! I just can't get into his films and never will.)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (Not sure if I have the strength to watch this, but we'll see)
A Serious Man
Up (wouldn't it be funny for it to take both? I might laugh)
Up in the Air
There's a 30% chance I'll have to throw something at the tv on Oscar night.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney - Up in the Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man (<3 you, Colin! This is probably doubtful but it's good you got recognized)
Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side NO NO NO NO NO NO
Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia (You know, maybe, if this had been a full biopic about Julia, and no extraneous garbage about the fake Julie, then I might be able to get behind it. But it's not really a leading role if you're sharing equal or lesser screen time with another actress, is it?)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon - Invictus
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
No real opinion here as I haven't seen any of them.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz - Nine
Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
Mo'Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Same. As much as I like Penelope, generally, I have a perpetual hate-on for musicals, so I'd rather someone else took it.

Best Achievement in Directing
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker (c'mon c'mon c'mon)
James Cameron - Avatar (don't you dare, Hollywood)
Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
Kind of a funny category this year; a bunch of white guys, a black guy, and a woman. Seems a lot like the Dems leadership race, dunnit? I'm still pulling for Kathryn though. Lee as my second choice.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
The Hurt Locker: Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger: Oren Moverman, Alessandro Camon
A Serious Man: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
Have seen THL & Up; I'd be fine with either getting it.

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
District 9: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
An Education: Nick Hornby
In the Loop: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
An open field to me!

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Avatar: Mauro Fiore
Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte: Christian Berger
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Bruno Delbonnel (Is it sad that I can no longer really remember what it looked like? I saw it twice.)
The Hurt Locker: Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds: Robert Richardson
Why do I have a sinking feeling about Avatar here?

Best Achievement in Editing
Avatar: Stephen E. Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
District 9: Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker: Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds: Sally Menke
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: Joe Klotz
...and again.

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Avatar: Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Anastasia Masaro
Nine: John Myhre
Sherlock Holmes: Sarah Greenwood
The Young Victoria: Patrice Vermette
That's...tough.

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Bright Star: Janet Patterson
Coco avant Chanel: Catherine Leterrier
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Monique Prudhomme
Nine: Colleen Atwood
The Young Victoria: Sandy Powell
Ooooooo...I can see this one being kind of tight. 3 that are historical reproduction types, one probably completely out of the ether (Imaginarium). Is Nine meant to evoke a particular time, or just Broadway/stage generally?

Best Achievement in Makeup
Il divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria
Surely they used makeup in other pictures this year, right?

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Avatar: James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox: Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker: Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes: Hans Zimmer
Up: Michael Giacchino
I really like Michael Giacchino but I can't remember there being a lot of variation throughout the film - the main theme was replayed a number of times. I still loved it, but I guess I need to find it & listen to the whole thing. S/t for Holmes actually surprised me, I didn't immediately peg it as Zimmer. Good for you, breaking slightly out of your mold! Will reserve judgment on Avatar until Wednesday. I suspect there will be a lot of 'hero' music and soaring crescendos, though.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Crazy Heart: T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham ("The Weary Kind")
Faubourg 36: Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas ("Loin de Paname")
Nine: Maury Yeston ("Take It All")
The Princess and the Frog: Randy Newman ("Down in New Orleans")
The Princess and the Frog: Randy Newman ("Almost There")
Are there no other songsmiths to call upon, besides Randy Newman?

Best Achievement in Sound
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Up
Inglourious Basterds
Sound/sound editing I always find mildly confusing. That said, I think Trek could at least have a shot here.

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek
Oh dear. I think we know what we're getting with this one.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up
Going out on a limb to say "Up".

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Ajami: Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani (Israel)
Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte: Michael Haneke (Germany)
El secreto de sus ojos: Juan José Campanella (Argentina)
Un prophète: Jacques Audiard (France)
La teta asustada: Claudia Llosa (Peru)
I guess I should have got out to see some of these...

Best Documentary, Features
Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land: Anders Østergaard
The Cove: Louie Psihoyos
Food, Inc.: Robert Kenner
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers: Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home: Rebecca Cammisa
I really don't know if I can handle watching The Cove. Discussions about violence towards animals makes me angry enough - I don't know if I can stomach watching it.

And the last categories that I usually have no way of seeing, so no way to judge:
Best Documentary, Short Subjects
China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Królik po berlinsku
Music by Prudence

Best Short Film, Animated
French Roast
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
La dama y la muerte
Logorama
Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'

Best Short Film, Live Action
The Door
Istället för abrakadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants

So...a little under 5 weeks to wrap up seeing as many as I can. Several are coming to dvd during February, which will help.

Alex & Me*

caoil — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:17:47 GMT

...saddest book I've read in a while? y/y? I think I have too much of an empathic response to things. She starts the prologue talking about his death, which meant I had to skip straight to chapter 1, and then of course ends the book with his death, which meant skipping to the appendix.

I still recommend it, though. You learn a lot more about both of them than what was in the taping that's always shown.

*As in, Alex the African Grey parrot & Dr. Irene Pepperberg

Sorry, all

caoil — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:40:49 GMT

Sorry everyone, I've been rather crap at sending out thanks in the past few weeks, so here's one entry to just say thank you to anyone who sent along a holiday card. It was much appreciated.

Katie's Place fundraising

caoil — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:15:41 GMT

Hey all;
We volunteer nowadays with a cat rescue called Katie's Place. Currently we're in mad fundraising time for the holidays, and have a few things on sale that you or someone you know might be interested in.

1. Cookbook - mostly vegetarian recipes, along with some cat stories! $15 or 2/$25
2. Holiday season cards - 12 cards per box, and a few different colour schemes. $15/box or 2/$25
3. New book about the shelter - has 344 pages worth of stories about some of the cats who have come through over the years. $24 each.
4. Catnip toys - I have some fish-shaped ones as well as the usual squares. $3 apiece.
5. Wire bracelets - I'm making some wire & bead bracelets in "cat" colours..so some tuxedos, tabbies, solid colours, etc. $4 apiece.

To learn a bit more about our shelter:
http://members.petfinder.org/~BC136/index.html

If you're interested, please comment here, send me a tweet (kiranmartin), or an email to tindomiel at gmail dot com and we'll see what we can do. Please pass the information along to anyone else you might know who loves cats!

For signing...mostly for my BC friends

caoil — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:37:08 GMT

http://www.allianceforarts.com/speak-out-about-bc-arts-cuts

do we know what we think we know

caoil — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:39:32 GMT

I've decided today that I'm going to search for my birth family. Not to replace my adoptive, known-them-all-my-life, ACTUAL parents, but just to learn a little more. Who are these crazy people I came from? What horrific genetic diseases and mutations might they have passed on to me? When did they arrive on this wacky continent of ours?

I don't need another set of parents, I really just want to know medical history and genealogy. I don't even need to meet them, if they don't want to. Just the facts, ma'am. The hard part is, because I was born/adopted in Quebec, they still have sealed records. So it's navigating that hurdle, as well as the language barrier (my French is dreadful). Maybe I should start writing letters to the Quebec government asking them to change their adoption laws.

Writer's Block: Forgive and forget?

caoil — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:57:43 GMT

I'm more of a grudge type person. I tend to be, in typical Aries fashion, very loyal until the point when someone hurts me. At that point, if I'm not completely cutting them out of my life, they'll certainly not hear from me or see me as much as they did before. I don't know what the longest time would be, although there's someone I've had no contact with for probably 3 years. I don't think that person could win back my friendship.

Someone would have to make a fairly major change or effort to win back my trust. It might even seem like an ultimatum to them.

Funny, huh? I'm not much of a binary thinker but in this one respect, I can be.

Sign if you agree.

caoil — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:09:38 GMT

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/art-does-not-excuse-rape-polanski-must-face-justice

comments are disabled as I don't want to get into a discussion about it. For me, he did several things wrong, all of which he deserves jail time for.

Worth a giggle or two.

caoil — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:13:29 GMT

I wish I had known about this before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl0Mk1idNXg

You crazy, Jack.

In other news, it's raining today, which is my favourite kind of day.

caoil — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:10:08 GMT

I need a low-fat (maybe low-cal as well?) cake recipe. Does anyone have one?

caoil — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:23:29 GMT

I'd rather just be home with my cats today.

Yes, I am still alive.

caoil — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:24:34 GMT

Today is Neville Longbottom's birthday! Both the character, and my baby cat. He's a year old now. We don't know his actual birthday, as he was a rescue semi-feral, but this seems a reasonable date to choose given his namesake.

My little man having a nap with his bestest friend, Minnie.

Neville is getting a toy (catnip) frog today named Trevor. Yes I'm a dork.

It's unbearably hot this week. Like record-breaking temperatures, health advisories for people with lung problems, high UV rates kind of unbearable. I can't stand it and I wish this high pressure system would break. We live in a temperate zone. Temperate. Not tropical, not sub-tropical, not anything that should be in the mid to upper 30s (C) with a humidex of over 40.

In garden news, peas finished before I really had a chance to eat very many. I didn't realize they'd go "off" so soon. I guess I will try another go-round, though it might be too late at this point. Tomatoes are all over a metre tall, and we have flowers and some very small cherry tomatoes starting. Peppers have sprouted. Radishes, broccoli, and onions are making good progress. Squashes have gone insane, as have the bush beans. I'm going to try planting some corn, sunflowers, additional squashes and pumpkins, maybe this weekend. And I've got to get the grass seed in soon if I want it to hold over the winter.

It's Pride this weekend, but once again I'm struck by feeling meh about it. It's so corporate and male-focused that I really can't get enthusiastic. We may just skip it again as C wants to go see her dad & that's his only free day. I'm sure if we lived closer we'd make more of an effort but I'm not up to the hour+ journey in this heat, and then sitting in this heat for hours watching people go by.

Read a lot of interesting books lately, but can't remember all of the titles to tell you. 'Bodies' by Susie Orbach was a good read. 'Old Man's War' by John Scalzi was engaging and plenty amusing to boot.

Went opening night to Half-Blood Prince. There were a lot of...gaps. There are things in book 7 that needed more explanation here, and I hand 70% of the blame to Kloves and 30% to Yates for letting himself be railroaded by Kloves' idiocy. Phoenix was a really tight movie, that kept a good pace and didn't have a bunch of extraneous time-wasters (Grawp excepted, as someone pointed out). Though I maintain that Grawp, while not completely necessary in the larger picture, does give a bit of levity and a chance for Ron to play (failed) protector to someone he can't admit his feelings for. A while ago I wrote a letter to David Heyman asking him to please use another screenwriter. I never mailed it. I doubt that the opinion of one filmgoer would've done anything, but I regret not sending it, especially now that Kloves is mid-DH.

Bored at work, too. Though next week I will finally have a coworker again (the last one quit halfway through May and we've been "making do" since), which means I can take the occasional day off.

Oy. Enough rambling. I'll save anything else for another entry.