Notes on a Tragedy

I want to point out a couple of issues stemming from the Virginia Tech shootings. I don't want to linger here, because I'm sure it's all been said already and I can't begin to understand the grief and anger those at Tech or who know folks there must feel. However, I have been angered by some of the surrounding bullshit that has come from people who have to have an answer or who must use this horrible act to make a point.

First, here's an article that I liked asking for everyone to not rush to judgement in the blame-game, especially where technology is concerned. Second, as an athiest, I am offended by the usual rhetoric...again, I don't even want to go there because I just want to feel what sadness I can over this incident (being far removed as i am) and not have my feelings clouded with this crap!

Hello from Sicksville, Part III

I guess I had more to say than I originally thought. So here's some more crap to wade through.

I was looking up at the clock a few minutes ago. It's one of those atomic clocks that links up with some central clock at NORAD or something. Anyway, it's not very bright and every couple months goes insane. Currently, it believes we are on Greenwich Mean Time.

I've watched a lot of TV this week. I've noticed that if I normally have a few days off in a row and watch loads of TV, I get all lethargic and my eyes hurt. However, when I'm sick, I can watch TV forever and not care. That's one way I can tell I'm finally getting better - I'm sick of TV. Anyway, I've caught up on a lot of stuff, including Lost (I was 7 weeks behind). I noticed that right around the same time we found out that a bitty blond, named Claire, was related to Jack, we saw a similar thing on Heroes (that the bitty blond, named Claire, was related to the Patrellis). Coincidence?

I've also been watching Planet Earth (a BBC/Discovery production) on the Discovery Channel. If you barely even watch nature shows, I recommend this 11-part series. The photography is beautiful and the footage is incredible. When I'm swearing in amazement at the screen, you know it's really cool.

Finally, I've also been trying to turn around my black thumb reputation (I've killed a cactus and a spider plant...now that's impressive). Last year, I played the old elementary classroom game of growing an avocado plant by putting the seed in a glass of water on the window sill (support with 3 toothpicks).Once the roots filled the glass, and I had a good stem, I planted my new friend in potting soil and put it on the balcony. That was in September or October. In San Diego, that means I had another month or two of growing time left before winter. It took a couple of weeks to settle in and shot up a second stem, while doubling the number of leaves on the first stem. I did have to bring it in a few times this winter but left it outside most of the time with no frost damage. It's looking good still and has added some new leaves this month.

I am also growing a snap pea vine from seed. I planted it in November so that it would have a stimulating cold snap before spring. It recently began growing and I'm going to let it climb the bars of my balcony. It's putting on over an inch a day right now. A couple of weeks ago, I brought home a third plant. Our Leopard Tortoise enclosure at work has two nice-sized jade plants in it, hardy succulents that can be started with cuttings and grow quickly. I accidentally knocked off a bit of one of the tortoise plants and brought home that piece. So far, so good. As long as I remember to water them...

Hello from Sicksville, Part II

Let's see. What other horribly boring things can I tell you about. Last month we went to LA for the weekend to hang out with some friends. We went to the Florida Tech Alumni Picnic (LA Chapter) there and had a blast. We also learned to play Pirate's Dice (aka Liar's Dice), which was awesome. And C, B, F, and I played a nerd game: Scene It - Marvel Comics. Hardest Question: Name the five original members of Alpha Flight. If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't ask. You don't want to know. I posed this question to my D&D boys. Put aside the fact that most made snide comments about Alpha Flight, as I did when I heard the question. S just began rattling off names...so he wins...something.

F and I also had the opportunity to take a tour of the Warner Bros. Studio lot. Not the regular hop-on-a-cart kind, but the personal tour of one of his acquaintances. It was very cool. We saw all kinds of Gilmore Girls sets (F and our guide are both huge fans of that show), some ER sets, and the FBI headquarters set for Without a Trace. We also went to the props building...very, very cool. Here are some shots from our trip:

Here we are, just walking around the studio on a beautiful day.

Stars Hollow. Gilmore Girls takes up a huge amount of space on the lot, but turn the corner and you're at the ER ambulance bay. Freaky. Go through any building and the other side may be another building you know if you watch the show. For example, down the street on the right is Suki's house. If you go in, it's Suki's house. The back exterior is Lorelai's house. That interior is on a sound stage.

So, of course most of the hospital on ER is on a sound stage. However, the ambulance bay has an entrance that leads to a fake room. So, we are in that fake room, standing behind the counter, just past the receptionist station. Behind is is a painted wall...I mean right behind us.

Here's a set they were finished with and about to tear down. It's for Oceans 13. Looked cool. WB basically rents out their lot for anyone to shoot on, unlike most other studios, who only allow their own shows/movies.

Props everywhere. Most rooms were filled with furniture. Furniture was labeled to tell which show would be using them and when. The amazing thing was that no one really cared that we were there. Our guide had her badge on. She would just ask if we could walk in and see what was going on. We didn't see any tapings, but ER, Studio 60, and Gilmore Girls were all filming while we were there and we saw some minor actors.

Speaking of which, I recently did my first "celebrity tour" at work for Tracy Tweed. If you don't recognize the name, don't worry. Neither did I. But, watch the Gene Simmons reality show. I also thought the stars were aligning for me to do a tour for Laura Dern, but it was not to be.

Our other huge announcement at work...which is old now...is that we have another elephant baby. He has yet to be named, but was born March 11. Cute, cute, cute!!

I'm sure there are other random things I was thinking about writing, but I can't remember them right now. I'm sure as soon as I post this they will all pop back in my brain.

Hello from Sicksville

So I never got back to writing on here because I came down with the death flu on Sunday. I've been home all week, horribly ill. One time, I coughed so hard I threw up in my own nose! I know, TMI, but that is some serious pain, and I don't recommend it. Anyway, I'm on antibiotics for the deep chest cough, so I hope that either the meds or my own immune system will clear everything up soon. Which would be great, cause I'm sick of soup and just about ODed on water.

Anyway, lets see if I can't catch you up. I would have been working 44 hours this week if I hadn't been flattened by illness. I pretty much see 6-day weeks looming off to the horizon. I've started working with Luna, our tamandua (lesser anteater). She's awesome and has a huge personality. Here she is crawling over a log and checking out all the nooks and crannies for something to eat. You can't see that she has a long prehensile tail on the other side.



My parents just got back from an awesome trip. They spent a week in and around Cairo, a week on a Nile cruise, and a week in Jordan. They had a great time and felt very welcome. When I get some pictures, I'll post a couple. I'm a bit jealous. I would love to see all of the Egyptian sites, as well as Petra, in Jordan. However, I am very happy for my parents. They have a great time on all of their trips and meet all kinds of interesting people. I think the hardest thing for me is not talking to my Mom for weeks on end.

I recently read Total Recall, the novelization that combines the movie (which I just bought on DVD) and ideas from the original short story that inspired the movie (We Can Remember it for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick). The basic script from the movie is in there, often scene for scene and word for word, until the second half where it deviates dramatically. Well, okay, the basic story is still intact, but a whole second story about the Mars ruins and Doug Hauser really adds a great deal of background and tension that I really enjoyed. Except, I think that this stuff would have bogged down the movie and decreased the tension. I think that visually, saving the red light district (since you have people dying right there on screen) has more personal impact than saving the whole solar system. It's just human nature...a disaster too big is too much to handle and we become distanced. On another note, F pointed out something funny while we were watching the movie. Arnold is the perfect choice for a movie where facial prosthetics are used because his face already looks like it is made of plastic!

Now I'm reading a book I started but never finished in high school called Daggerspell (Katherine Kerr). It's kind of a tale of Karma with a Celtic cultural base. Interesting so far, though I'm not racing through it. I've got two more James Bond books in the wings and recently did a quick reread of The Neverending Story by Michael Ende.

Okay, I'm going to take a quick lunch break now and come back with the rest of this entry.

You Gotta be Frackin' Kidding Me

I have finally crawled out from the rock I've been under for over a month. The rock's name is work, and, actually, I'll be crawling right back under after this. I guess I've also been very blah about being on the computer, so that contributed to the whole me-not-posting thing. Anyway, not much has really happened. Of course, there were all kinds of little things I was going to post about that I have totally forgotten now, but whatever.

Okay, one thing. Last Battlestar Galactica (what, two, three weeks ago now) they start showing previewesque pictures, only they are from this last season, and then they say stay tuned for new episodes in...get this...2008! I blinked a couple of times, my mouth agape, and said, "I'm sorry, what now? I could be dead by then!" Well, I guess that's one more show that won't be taking up precious Tivo space for a while.

Gotta remember to tell you guys about our WB Studio Tour, baby elephant, work stuff, alumni picnic, books I'm reading, and my parent's trip. But, that will have to wait until at least tomorrow. Night all.