Me Want Waffle

Prince Caspian

Tuesday night, Mr. D and I were treated to a free screening of Prince Caspian. Niece Sue and her husband Scott had been given 6 tickets by their daughter Erin who couldn't use them. So, the Molines, the Steve Dahlens, and the Terry Dugans got to go. Thanks Molines (and Erin)!

We felt so special. We even got searched for cameras (Fortunately, mine was at the bottom of my purse under the box of Dots I had thrown in. I didn't get the memo about no cameras and wasn't planning on doing anything sinister, just didn't want to be denied a seat at the last minute so was glad she didn't see it when she searched my purse. Who'd have thought they would search for cameras, they didn't do that at the free screening of Evan Almighty we attended last June!) Then, we all got wanded. I suppose a screening of the new Indy movie would have involved a background check, but I digress, and no one has offered me tickets to one, although I promise that if you give me tickets to a free screening of Indy, I won't bring a camera. Now, back to Prince Caspian.

Here is what I wish to say to Hollywood screenplay people. Just my little tip. FIRST, READ THE BOOK. Then, keep the story the same. Don't change the story, but keep the title the same. I don't remember any griffins in the book, and the old nurse was nowhere to be found, and they didn't even eat one apple when they arrived at the ruins of Cair Paravel, but, to their credit, I did see some apples.

I will now get off that soapbox and tell you a few of my favorite things about it. First, Reepicheep. Gotta love Reepicheep. Especially the tail thing at the end. They were pretty faithful to his little story line.

Second, the hag and the werewolf at Aslan's How part. It was sort of a monster and a "wolf like" bear in a cape, but they got the gist of it and added a visual element that I liked to that part. I won't tell you, but you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it.

Third, one of the most vivid visuals of the movie was at the end (again, in a scene not in the book, but close enough) when the bad guys were trying to retreat and go over the bridge at Beruna Ford. They begin to cross the bridge and Lucy (who had gone for help), suddenly appeared at the other end of the bridge. She seemed to be standing all by herself and she bravely pulled out her little dagger as she looked at the vast army about to cross. Then, we saw why she was so brave. Aslan was right behind her and Lucy plus Aslan is a majority. I liked it that she pulled out her puny little dagger in spite of the fact that Aslan was perfectly capable of handling the situation alone. She did her little, brave part.

Finally, I liked the cute little way it ended. Here's a hint: Phyllis. I also liked the first song that played at the end of the movie and over the credits called "The Call" sung by someone I've never heard of. Regina Spektor. Here is a link to a little taste of the Prince Caspian soundtrack. I read that the credits took 3 full songs to roll. I didn't hear the other two songs. We only stayed for the first song, but got home in time to hear Switchfoot sing "This is Home" on Jay Leno and that was nice, as well.

Runtime: 2 hours 24 minutes, but it didn't seem that long.

All in all, it was an enjoyable movie and evening.

Next week, I will review Indy 4. Bet you can't wait...I know I can't.

The Most Annoying Song Ever

Okay, this is hysterical!

Here is a link to THE MOST ANNOYING SONG EVER WRITTEN.

Some guys who I have never heard of surveyed a bunch of people in an attempt to write the most annoying song they could.

The annoying elements according to Wired include "holiday music, bagpipes, pipe organ, a children's chorus and the concept of children in general (really?), Wal-Mart, cowboys, political jingoism, George Stephanopoulos, Coca Cola, bossanova, banjo ferocity, harp glissandos, oompah-ing tubas, and much, much more. It's actually a fascinating listen, worthwhile for the opera rapping alone."

It's kind of long and I admit I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but, I loved the beginning.

Another "If"

If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing badly.
--G.K. Chesterton

Poetry Monday

I chose today's poem because I am in a hurry and knew it would be easy to find. Next week perhaps I should do a poem on laziness.

If
by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

What do they teach children nowadays?

Back in the day, all personages of the male gender were required by the rules of etiquette to take off their hats when entering a building or to tip them when passing a lady. If you would like to know when to "don" or "doff" your hat, go here.

Paper Wonderland

The Internet is amazing.

You can get free graph paper.

You can get free ledger paper.

You can get semi-bisected trapezoid paper.

In the market for free music staff paper?

Or a free guitar/bass tab pdf generator?

Maybe you simply need a free number line.

Polar graph paper, storyboards, Moorish patterns, brick layout, Japanese/Chinese Character guide paper...they're all here.

More Stolen Quotes Day

“Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely expressed for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent busybodies.” C.S. Lewis

“When you break the big laws, you do not get liberty; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws.” G.K. Chesterton

“We do not need to get good laws to restrain bad people. We need to get good people to restrain bad laws.” G.K. Chesterton

Laminin

I don't know why You Tube won't let me post this, but I found this fascinating.
Here's what Wikipedia says:

Laminin is a protein found in the "extracellular matrix", the sheets of protein that form the substrate of all internal organs also called the "basement membrane".

Laminin is vital to making sure overall body structures hold together.

Here's what God says:

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Here's what laminin looks like.
Okay, so my photo has disappeared. Just click on the link above and see for yourself what laminin looks like!

Poetry Monday

Tim's A Beka literature book has come to the rescue for today's poem. There Is No Frigate Like a Book. Tim tells me that he thinks a book would make a lousy frigate. Books are too small and, besides, when the pages get soggy they will sink. (He got the literal genes from me and the sarcastic genes from his father.)

There Is No Frigate Like a Book
by Emily Dickinson

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!