I recently watched the Oprah special celebrating the 45th Anniversary of The Sound of Music, which included the entire cast that played the Von Trapp Family.
Having only seen the movie once, I heard it was loosely based on the real Von Trapp story, and I really loved the music and not to mention the most idyllic and amazing scenery (Um, can I film a movie in Salzburg for 6 months please????)
It was great listening to Christopher Plumber playfully talk with Oprah about filming the movie. For being in his 80s, he's still quite potent and well versed. What was funny was when the "children" all came out and were being interviewed and Oprah asked the woman that played the oldest daughter (I am 16 going on 17 -- which btw she was 21 during the filming) if Chris Plumber ever taught her anything during their filming together. She earnestly said, "Oh, he taught me how to DRINK!" :)
After reading up to learn more about the real Von Trapp story, I noticed that some people, even some members of the Von Trapp Family, were not proponents of how the movie portrayed the family, especially the Father. The movie purported the Father to be distant and and prosaic, but the actual children said he was never that way at all.
Understandable I suppose, however, movies, even movies re-telling the tale, have to be quixotic to some degree --- it's a musical and meant to be a little histrionic.
I'm still fascinated by what went on in Europe during Hitlers imperious reign and can't ever imagine being in a situation that I would have to flee my country to be safe. Crazy.
Back to the Von Trapps, did you know that they still have the family lodge in Vermont, which has been for a long time a resort and bucolic get-away? I was trying to think of reasons why I would want to visit Vermont and this is easily one of the reasons. Vermont in fall at the Von Trapp Family Lodge... ahhhhhh.....
I'm planning a bicycle journey in Austria next year --- Krimml to Salzburg on the The Tauernradweg --- I'm overjoyed that the opportunity is more real than ever, as I've been thinking about this for a long time. Time to start planning and doing some of my own family history digging.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Conidtions Mild
I know, I know. You're sick of hearing about my dental woes. Well guess what, this sardonic comic laughed in my face today. Har har har.
Dude, I am worded out tonight. The way I learn something best is to write it down, review, cover it up, and rewrite it. My penmanship is terribly illegible, to the point of a Doctor's handwriting. And you know the writing is bad when you yourself can barley read it.
The weather has been 80s two days in a row getting home from work. I really enjoyed my respite at work today and went for a walk around the block --- I'd rather be hiking.
My friend sent me an article today about a 23 yr old girl in Florida that is being charged with the murder of her 3 year old baby. Get this: mother was playing Farmville and baby was relentlessly crying. So much so, that the mother got irritated, shook the baby repeatedly, put the baby down, lit a cigarette, and went back to playing Farmville. Well, she shook the baby to death. I'm not saying that Farmville is reprehensible by any means, but man, do I hate that game even more.
Onward to another subject, it's kind of hard to not be rapacious with the garlic potatoes my mom made tonight. Damn good. My week has been full of good food, in fact. I still had Julian Bakery items from my trip last weeked: Apple Nut Bread, Blueberry Cream Cheese Strudel, and Ginger Molasses Fruit Bars. My coworker also made this awesome turkey and spinach wrap for me today with tomatoes and cream cheese in it. Yes, it's irrefutable that I love food! :)
Tomorrow is Halloween Idol at our work and I'm looking forward to seeing some good costumes. I think I'll forbear dressing up this year. I'd probably just flounder in anything ridiculous looking anyway. My friend says he's dressing up as a pedophile: they look like everyone else! Alright, bad joke, but amusing.
Good Night, Ya'll!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sentient Sensory
Yet another trip to the Dentist today. Holy crap, I haven't been to the dentist this much since I had braces 9 years ago. Drooling on myself was the epitome of this visit as more mouth numbing ensued. I'm planning on ditching the wisdom teeth about the 3rd week of November. Joy.
The GRE is November 5th and I am girding my loins. I still have 34 vocab quizzes to do -- which I am forecasting 4/day (should be done on Wed and the test is Fri), a salutary amount of words for the test but I'm managing. Funny, when I test myself the next day on words from the day before, I always know the words better than when I first learned them. It just feels like an exigency sometimes and words are going in one ear, out the other, but I'm trying to be as exhaustive as I can and scrutinize vocab as much as possible.
I just hope I do well, you know?
I can't help but wonder if my studying will extricate me from the questions I'll be presented --- or if I'll completely bomb and waste $160. Quit thinking so much, Alexis, and wipe that look off your face.
No time for Halloween this year, bah humbug. Transfer is playing on Sunday night and I have work the next morning and need every ounce of sleep I can get test week.
The day after the test will thankfully be more sanguine and ethereal -- wedding in Point Loma --- picture me, stress release on the dance floor, legs salient, electric sliding in action, extraneous robot impression... It would be sage to not keep my glass full of wine, just sayin'.
Esoteric. Esoteric. Evanescent. Goodnight.
The GRE is November 5th and I am girding my loins. I still have 34 vocab quizzes to do -- which I am forecasting 4/day (should be done on Wed and the test is Fri), a salutary amount of words for the test but I'm managing. Funny, when I test myself the next day on words from the day before, I always know the words better than when I first learned them. It just feels like an exigency sometimes and words are going in one ear, out the other, but I'm trying to be as exhaustive as I can and scrutinize vocab as much as possible.
I just hope I do well, you know?
I can't help but wonder if my studying will extricate me from the questions I'll be presented --- or if I'll completely bomb and waste $160. Quit thinking so much, Alexis, and wipe that look off your face.
No time for Halloween this year, bah humbug. Transfer is playing on Sunday night and I have work the next morning and need every ounce of sleep I can get test week.
The day after the test will thankfully be more sanguine and ethereal -- wedding in Point Loma --- picture me, stress release on the dance floor, legs salient, electric sliding in action, extraneous robot impression... It would be sage to not keep my glass full of wine, just sayin'.
Esoteric. Esoteric. Evanescent. Goodnight.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Succinct
When I went to the Dentist for my examine this year, I found it interesting and a little scary that he disparaged the quality of work done on my fillings from another Dentist last year. The new dentist was recently vindicated when I was flossing two nights ago and I looked up to find a hole gaping in my molar! So basically I had to get those two fillings redone because I had a Dentist that did crappy work. Awesome. Sometimes I feel there's a lot of dubiety in going to the Dentist -- is each Dentist as experienced as the other? Does he care about his work? Will he smell as good as the Dentist I'm going to now? I digress...
There was a story in the news today about a former Real Estate agent (woman) who befriended a homeless person in a park and let the homeless person sleep in her car. Consequently, the owner of the car found the homeless person dead in her car. Scared to tell the Police, she left the corpse rotting in her car for 10 months!!! Tried to cover up the stink with baking soda and covering the body in clothes. Police found the car illegally parked, horrified by the stench and found the mummified corpse reduced to 30 pounds of decayed nastiness. I don't know what's more egregious: getting rid of the body versus driving around with a rotting body for 10 months!!! Beyond belief!
On another topic, I'm going to Julian this weekend for some good ol' Apple Pie. I'm actually quite ebullient about seeing fall colors, hiking around, and leaving with some sublime pie in my tummy. Ah, holiday time, love it.
There was a story in the news today about a former Real Estate agent (woman) who befriended a homeless person in a park and let the homeless person sleep in her car. Consequently, the owner of the car found the homeless person dead in her car. Scared to tell the Police, she left the corpse rotting in her car for 10 months!!! Tried to cover up the stink with baking soda and covering the body in clothes. Police found the car illegally parked, horrified by the stench and found the mummified corpse reduced to 30 pounds of decayed nastiness. I don't know what's more egregious: getting rid of the body versus driving around with a rotting body for 10 months!!! Beyond belief!
On another topic, I'm going to Julian this weekend for some good ol' Apple Pie. I'm actually quite ebullient about seeing fall colors, hiking around, and leaving with some sublime pie in my tummy. Ah, holiday time, love it.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Docile and The Dogmatic
At work, I teach clients how to use their website. Some clients dissipate my patience, others make me happy to teach. I have found that being slightly sycophant with someone can seen as encouragement, which can give someone the confidence to do something themselves. I say sycophant only because I don't like doing other people's work for them --- like a caveat of working in groups in college, I'll show more deference to you if you at least put the effort in.
The cold and rainy day distended my yearning to just be at home and study with some hot cocoa. I was hoping to get my body fat checked at work at the Health and Fitness Expo but I finally succumbed to my desire to leave the building.
There was a surfeit of rain on the road today, which of course means torpor drivers. Which brings me to Jr. Seau... what the what?? Wha' hoppened? I read an article today that there has been a spike in violent football injures. One guy was paralyzed, there were concussions... interesting quote by James Harrison of the Steelers.
"I don't want to injure anybody," Harrison said following Pittsburgh's 28-10 victory. "There's a big difference between being hurt and being injured. You get hurt, you shake it off and come back the next series or the next game. I try to hurt people."
I try to hurt people. Doesn't that still sound terrible? I see his point because, after all, it's football. But still...
The cold and rainy day distended my yearning to just be at home and study with some hot cocoa. I was hoping to get my body fat checked at work at the Health and Fitness Expo but I finally succumbed to my desire to leave the building.
There was a surfeit of rain on the road today, which of course means torpor drivers. Which brings me to Jr. Seau... what the what?? Wha' hoppened? I read an article today that there has been a spike in violent football injures. One guy was paralyzed, there were concussions... interesting quote by James Harrison of the Steelers.
"I don't want to injure anybody," Harrison said following Pittsburgh's 28-10 victory. "There's a big difference between being hurt and being injured. You get hurt, you shake it off and come back the next series or the next game. I try to hurt people."
I try to hurt people. Doesn't that still sound terrible? I see his point because, after all, it's football. But still...
Monday, October 18, 2010
Be Discreet Be Discrete
I was talking with my 8 year old brother and he said to me, "Me and my friend Kyle like to hook up!" Kyle is my little brother's best friend that used to live next door to us for the past 8 years and recently moved away.
Slightly bemused, I asked, "What do you mean by 'hook up'?"
He continued, "I go to school and trade Pokemon cards for the ones he likes and when I see Kyle on the weekends, I give him the cards, I give him the hook up!" Ah, you hook him up.
I smiled. Mason's a good friend, a sweet kid. I think that everyone should have a symbiotic relationship like that with someone. I don't mean to be dependent, but have a relationship that has more than tangential meaning in some way --- just someone you look forward to doing something nice.
Yesterday I heard for the first time the saying "Champagne taste on a beer budget." I didn't understand it at first --- probably because I think beer tastes better than champagne...so, why would you want to waste your money on champagne?? Apparently my boyfriends "very well off" Dad had the temerity to use this phrase when debating on a new Lexus ES versus LS. Hmph, tantamount to a millionaire saying, "I can't spend like I used to" --- yea BUT... you're still a MILLIONAIRE. I was at Fashion Valley this weekend and it was PACKED --- sometimes I get a tacit feeling that the recession is over...but I know better.
Slightly bemused, I asked, "What do you mean by 'hook up'?"
He continued, "I go to school and trade Pokemon cards for the ones he likes and when I see Kyle on the weekends, I give him the cards, I give him the hook up!" Ah, you hook him up.
I smiled. Mason's a good friend, a sweet kid. I think that everyone should have a symbiotic relationship like that with someone. I don't mean to be dependent, but have a relationship that has more than tangential meaning in some way --- just someone you look forward to doing something nice.
Yesterday I heard for the first time the saying "Champagne taste on a beer budget." I didn't understand it at first --- probably because I think beer tastes better than champagne...so, why would you want to waste your money on champagne?? Apparently my boyfriends "very well off" Dad had the temerity to use this phrase when debating on a new Lexus ES versus LS. Hmph, tantamount to a millionaire saying, "I can't spend like I used to" --- yea BUT... you're still a MILLIONAIRE. I was at Fashion Valley this weekend and it was PACKED --- sometimes I get a tacit feeling that the recession is over...but I know better.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
I'd Rather Digress
It's a rainy, muggy morning in San Diego --- a transitory relief from the 100 degree weather, but I'd rather it be 70 and sunny. I actually went for a walk around some places near Seaport Village this morning that I've never been, Coronado Island o'er yonder and denizens out on their morning run.
We had some delightful blueberry and banana pancakes at Richard Walkers for breakfast in downtown while some camera crew filmed this MINI driving down the street the restaurant was on. The MINI was black covered in a repeating pattern of upside down "V" decals and its wheels were dressed in neon pink and green color. I wonder what it was being filmed for...the camera crew didn't look like dilettantes but it didn't look big budget either.
I've concluded rainy days are not desultory --- some people may call this a day of torpor and kids may feel cooped up, but days like these are for studying, couch potato-ing, reading, reflecting, writing...a deluge of thoughts expressed in a simple compendium when someone asks, "what are you thinking about?"
Right now, I'm actually thinking that I'm sick of studying and hoping these didactic flashcards really ARE helping me...
We had some delightful blueberry and banana pancakes at Richard Walkers for breakfast in downtown while some camera crew filmed this MINI driving down the street the restaurant was on. The MINI was black covered in a repeating pattern of upside down "V" decals and its wheels were dressed in neon pink and green color. I wonder what it was being filmed for...the camera crew didn't look like dilettantes but it didn't look big budget either.
I've concluded rainy days are not desultory --- some people may call this a day of torpor and kids may feel cooped up, but days like these are for studying, couch potato-ing, reading, reflecting, writing...a deluge of thoughts expressed in a simple compendium when someone asks, "what are you thinking about?"
Right now, I'm actually thinking that I'm sick of studying and hoping these didactic flashcards really ARE helping me...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Fillings and Feelings
Today I had to bail a little early at work to get a second opinion from another dentist regarding whether I should ditch the wisdom teeth. I brought my regular x-rays from my other dentist for this guy to take a look. When I met the doctor, he took one glance and was like, "well, we really need to take a panoramic x-ray to check out all the nerves and everything" yada yada yada.
I didn't want the second opinion to be cursory but I stopped him, "I just need to know whether this is inevitable or not. I'm not paying $25 for a panoramic x-ray just yet, the other dentist was able to look at THESE x-rays and right away said I needed the wisdom teeth out."
All the sudden the dentist corroborated, "Oh, yea, well, you definitely need them out, you can tell by this right here," pointing to some tooth x-ray. Ok, Hambone.
And there you go, folks. I thought the admin lady was culpable of trying to get $$ from me too --- already trying to set up the appointment to get the teeth out! Whoa there, Nelly. I'm not ready for someone to debilitate me! Plus, I'm waiting until after I take the GRE and go to a wedding anyway. I can't lose a day of studying and refuse to look like a chipmunk in front of people I've never met (probably will never meet again, but still).
Could someone just live vicariously through me for the whole wisdom teeth thing?? I'd rather not in all veracity... but I can't imagine anyone who'd want to go through it either.
Transitioning, my mom made cherry cheesecake last night for my little sisters birthday. Funny, I didn't like it growing up but I love it now. The best part of cherry cheesecake is the graham cracker crust -- Everyone lacks volition when this cheesecake is placed in front of them -- you can tell by the vestige of crumbs left in the container. YUM!
I didn't want the second opinion to be cursory but I stopped him, "I just need to know whether this is inevitable or not. I'm not paying $25 for a panoramic x-ray just yet, the other dentist was able to look at THESE x-rays and right away said I needed the wisdom teeth out."
All the sudden the dentist corroborated, "Oh, yea, well, you definitely need them out, you can tell by this right here," pointing to some tooth x-ray. Ok, Hambone.
And there you go, folks. I thought the admin lady was culpable of trying to get $$ from me too --- already trying to set up the appointment to get the teeth out! Whoa there, Nelly. I'm not ready for someone to debilitate me! Plus, I'm waiting until after I take the GRE and go to a wedding anyway. I can't lose a day of studying and refuse to look like a chipmunk in front of people I've never met (probably will never meet again, but still).
Could someone just live vicariously through me for the whole wisdom teeth thing?? I'd rather not in all veracity... but I can't imagine anyone who'd want to go through it either.
Transitioning, my mom made cherry cheesecake last night for my little sisters birthday. Funny, I didn't like it growing up but I love it now. The best part of cherry cheesecake is the graham cracker crust -- Everyone lacks volition when this cheesecake is placed in front of them -- you can tell by the vestige of crumbs left in the container. YUM!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
So Many Words, So Little Time...
Well I have one month to go before the GRE and I'm starting to feel the stress more and more each day. It also puts me in discord only because the test is comprehensive/not comprehensive, you know? Can't I just know the exact questions I'm going to get? I want clemency when all I am getting is a condescending overtone -- which I feel is not conducive to my studying sometimes...
I saw Let Me In this week; that movie about a boy that befriends a vampire girl. Finally a break from Twilight, this movie construed vampires how they really are --- congenial monsters. A little long, but compelling. I still really want to see Wall Street.
I'm trying to decide whether to go to Oktoberfest in OB today -- drinking beer is, of course, the corollary. But OB is always so crowded, the parking isn't copious. Although, my conjecture is that it would be a convivial event and nice break from studying. Not that I have to go to Oktoberfest for this statement to be corroborated, but I'm still thinking of it.
I'm still debating on getting a second opinion about having my wisdom teeth taken out. Is this me just being credulous that I won't have to get them out sooner or later? The dentist's confident countenance gives me courage...but only for a short while.
Ah, Happy Saturday, Folks.
I saw Let Me In this week; that movie about a boy that befriends a vampire girl. Finally a break from Twilight, this movie construed vampires how they really are --- congenial monsters. A little long, but compelling. I still really want to see Wall Street.
I'm trying to decide whether to go to Oktoberfest in OB today -- drinking beer is, of course, the corollary. But OB is always so crowded, the parking isn't copious. Although, my conjecture is that it would be a convivial event and nice break from studying. Not that I have to go to Oktoberfest for this statement to be corroborated, but I'm still thinking of it.
I'm still debating on getting a second opinion about having my wisdom teeth taken out. Is this me just being credulous that I won't have to get them out sooner or later? The dentist's confident countenance gives me courage...but only for a short while.
Ah, Happy Saturday, Folks.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The circuitous way...
I love watching the TV show Lie to Me. Aside from being quite attracted to Mr. Tim Roth, I love the idea of being able to point out a charlatan or be able to see the truth on a face by uttering a single expression. No doubt about it, Mr. Lightman could circumvent me in a heartbeat --- not to say I wouldn't put up a good fight with some circumlocution... and on to another subject, all I can think about is Tim Roth :)
I was helping a client on the phone today at work and she said, "hold on, I'm driving and I'm trying to write down what you're saying." I desperately wanted to censure her act because she sounded so utterly overwhelmed and sidetracked but I was circumspect. "Please don't try to write and drive --- let me email you directions..." Seriously? As if I haven't seen enough accidents on the news from texting or simply not paying attention. The most recent accident I heard about was from a girl "Ghost Riding" --- and she fell off the car and onto her face --- and they had to literally scrape her flesh and hair off the pavement... as if car accidents aren't cogent enough to make you drive safe...DRIVE SAVE, PEOPLE.
I've been studying a lot lately, but I've also been lacking some sleep and decent exercise. The inclement, cold weather has made me all too cognizant of my desire for both necessities. Like, I could really go for some squats right now, but my eyeballs are heavy. And I'm turning more colloquial --- time to turn in.
Au revoir...
I was helping a client on the phone today at work and she said, "hold on, I'm driving and I'm trying to write down what you're saying." I desperately wanted to censure her act because she sounded so utterly overwhelmed and sidetracked but I was circumspect. "Please don't try to write and drive --- let me email you directions..." Seriously? As if I haven't seen enough accidents on the news from texting or simply not paying attention. The most recent accident I heard about was from a girl "Ghost Riding" --- and she fell off the car and onto her face --- and they had to literally scrape her flesh and hair off the pavement... as if car accidents aren't cogent enough to make you drive safe...DRIVE SAVE, PEOPLE.
I've been studying a lot lately, but I've also been lacking some sleep and decent exercise. The inclement, cold weather has made me all too cognizant of my desire for both necessities. Like, I could really go for some squats right now, but my eyeballs are heavy. And I'm turning more colloquial --- time to turn in.
Au revoir...
Monday, October 4, 2010
Recapitulatation of el weekend...
First of all, I would like to castigate this capricious weather for being over 100 degrees one day and then thunderstorms and lightning the next! What's up, San Diego?!
Saturday was actually a nice 75 degree day and the clouds looked like puffy marshmallows in the sky. I was hoping the same clouds would be visible on Sunday too as the boyfriend and I went on a photographic adventure in Pt. Loma and Sunset Cliffs, but alas, categorical overcast spoiled my plans...ok not too terribly, but the puffy clouds would've been useful for some shots.
The theme of the photo adventure was multiple shots of charismatic, catholic cadence combined to milk the senses and explore the imagination. I know it's a lot of alliteration, but trust me, that's the intent. Inpiration: Jerry Uelsmann --GOOGLE --- and go see at MOPA (Museum of Photographic Arts)
Sunday was a beautiful day, and in some ways, cathartic too. Had some AMAZING homemade french toast made with pumpkin cranberry bread topped with whipped cream cheese, hot maple syrup with blueberries and bananas. Gave Pt. Loma Seafood another shot --- not super impressed to be honest...don't understand the hype --- FINALLY found a 5 Guys in San Diego!!! The burger and Cajun fries were almost as I remembered when I enjoyed the lovely meal in DC. A catalyst for a happy tummy indeed.
In between the awesome food, we went to the British Car Show in Pt. Loma --- Vintage Austin Healey's, Mini's, Bentley's, Rolls, Triumphs, MGs... basically I was drooling the entire time... who wants to buy one for me???
I'll leave you with a little something I photographed this weekend...I bid adieu
Saturday was actually a nice 75 degree day and the clouds looked like puffy marshmallows in the sky. I was hoping the same clouds would be visible on Sunday too as the boyfriend and I went on a photographic adventure in Pt. Loma and Sunset Cliffs, but alas, categorical overcast spoiled my plans...ok not too terribly, but the puffy clouds would've been useful for some shots.
The theme of the photo adventure was multiple shots of charismatic, catholic cadence combined to milk the senses and explore the imagination. I know it's a lot of alliteration, but trust me, that's the intent. Inpiration: Jerry Uelsmann --GOOGLE --- and go see at MOPA (Museum of Photographic Arts)
Sunday was a beautiful day, and in some ways, cathartic too. Had some AMAZING homemade french toast made with pumpkin cranberry bread topped with whipped cream cheese, hot maple syrup with blueberries and bananas. Gave Pt. Loma Seafood another shot --- not super impressed to be honest...don't understand the hype --- FINALLY found a 5 Guys in San Diego!!! The burger and Cajun fries were almost as I remembered when I enjoyed the lovely meal in DC. A catalyst for a happy tummy indeed.
In between the awesome food, we went to the British Car Show in Pt. Loma --- Vintage Austin Healey's, Mini's, Bentley's, Rolls, Triumphs, MGs... basically I was drooling the entire time... who wants to buy one for me???
I'll leave you with a little something I photographed this weekend...I bid adieu
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