ready... set... KITTENPAUSE!
Okay so I've now finished my... fourth(?) week of school? That's two weeks till midterm and um... twelve? until the end of exam week. Technically thirteen but I cut out one week because it's a break anyhow. Anyhow it just seems like school goes by so fast. But I know, it'll get harder, more intense, quickly. I just seem to be hitting the point where that'll happen. The second half of the semester is always harder because the coursework is more advanced and you start getting into tests and projects and such. Ah, to be able to read books and do fun things all day.
so onto the blog content, since I'm sure you're well and bored with the status update on how I see the semester.
1. Service Days:
I'm quite excited because tomorrow is a campus-wide service day which means good food, fun with friends, free t-shirts, and, of course, a general do-good feeling. This will be the fifth service day I've participated in, and hopefully the best! I like the idea of how much good our school is going to be able to do in just one day! Of course, if we were going to an animal shelter, I'd be way more excited. I want to socialize the kitties!
2. Harry Potter Club
Uber-excitement on campus! A Harry Potter Club has finally been implemented and we're doing some seriously cool stuff! It's nice to find other Potterheads on campus. Yay Ravenclaw! I can't wait to get way more involved in the Potter community at large and, hopefully, to get involved with HP Alliance, the not-for-profit young-people led Darfur aid group. Very Very cool.
And I've been enjoying some Wrock listenings. You should check out the Moaning Myrtles, they have this sick a capella piece called "Bathroom Acoustics." There's a toothbrush solo!
3. Being Ahead
Okay, I'm at a really weird point this week. I knew I was going to be doing the day of service tomorrow, and that I have a lot of long term stuff to do so I did like all my homework the day it was assigned. Part of this is due to the fact that my Japanese homework is always due the next day. Anyhow, now I can't do any work until the sun sets, so I'm in this weird place where I feel like I should be doing work and I'm nervous about my Thermo test on Wednesday and I know I need to study, but aside from that I can't really do anything and so I'm antsy. I do have to make a poster type thing for a presentation in a little over two weeks but I want to talk to my professor about that first, so... just argh. My point is I should feel free to do whatever I want but I don't because I feel like I should be doing something but I don't actually have anything I can do... and no books I want to read at the moment. Nervous-making much? I don't like this I can only do some of my homework during a span of like 4 hours if I want sleep, 6-8 if I don't. Very, Very strange.
Let me know what you think. Do you get things done early and then sit around while everyone else is working? Are you a perpetual procrastinator? Would you feel anxiety about not having something to do?
Okay, okay, I think I've rambled on enough.
KITTENPLAY
Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
A Friendly Return to Doom
Time for a KittenPause
(yes, I know it's been a bit of a while, but I wasn't ever consistent, was I?)
So this post comes in three parts:
PART 1: A Friendly Return to Doom
Two weeks into semester one from hell, and I can't help thinking I've somehow lulled myself into a false sense of security. For instance, my pertinent work this weekend includes practicing Japanese, Thermo homework that's essentially due Wednesday (and doesn't even have to be done correctly or completely), ObLab calibration packet, and hopefully some spectra taking Saturday night. Which, all things considered, doesn't seem so bad. I've already finished Astro homework and Ethics, so it's all a big yay.
The problem with the friendliness of this all is that it makes me think I can handle doing other things (a capella group, acting, harry potter clubbing), and these are decisions I may (read probably) regret later. Which is, in effect, causing me not to make said decisions. Anyhow, the false sense of not too much homework also results in a greater amount of procrastination (that ObLab homework? I really should have started it yesterday...). So I'm trying to schedule myself and get stuff done as early as possible so that I can relax (read: sleep an acceptable amount of time) later on in the semester. And then things happen like my summer research grant decides to tell me I have to have a poster prepared for October. The day before my first big ObLab assignment is due. Not okay? Not to mention it's partly during one of my classes... So I'm trying to balance the having a life (I mean by this, reading and watching Hulu, and being in Pastorals) with the getting homework done earlier so that I don't have so much later (when the ethics papers come calling).
And I miss home. I miss knowing that there's a place I actually want to visit for Thanksgiving instead of a smelly place to sleep on a couch. I look forward to my parents being settled in a new place with pretty colors and warm weather. But balancing all that... right now I feel like I'm too calm. Like my routine hasn't hit home yet.
And to add to the friendliness, the lovely new freshmen are an eclectic group, and it's interesting to see how they're integrating into the department. Namely, some are not integrating, some are partially, and some seem to fall into the I'm-here-all-the-time camp. By the time we settle in, I'll start feeling the pain, I think.
PART 2: Harry Potter Prequel & etc
As your resident Harry Potter news source, I'd like to share with you some new-to-me information that you may or may not care about.
Firstly, Jo (read: J.K. Rowling) wrote a short, 800 word prequel last August, that was not very well publicized in the US, but which you can find if you do a bit of digging. It's pretty fun, a glimpse into the antics of James and Sirius.
Secondly, apparently on September 15th we're due to find more about Universal's Harry Potter world, which I, for one, am anxiously anticipating!
Thirdly, there are rumors flying about Jo's Scottish Book (read: Harry Potter Encyclopedia). Apparently she is doing some work on it, so it may appear... in the next 5 years?
Finally, if you know about jkrowling.com, you may know about the secret door you can get to if you click on the pink eraser. It appears they have added a time turner to the site, so you can go back to all the door openings that you may have missed. Anyone want to take the W.O.M.B.A.T.s
PART 3: Glee!
Okay, the fall tv season is due to start soon/has already begun. And my most-anticipated new show is Glee. I think the combination of adult-ish humor and High School Musical energy should prove to create very interesting and fun plot lines. I look forward to Hulu having it up next Thursday.
And I'm looking forward to Heroes, Fringe, and Big Bang Theory returning this fall.
Anybody have thoughts on the above? It's only my second week, so maybe the pain will have caught up to me next week...
KITTENPLAY
(yes, I know it's been a bit of a while, but I wasn't ever consistent, was I?)
So this post comes in three parts:
PART 1: A Friendly Return to Doom
Two weeks into semester one from hell, and I can't help thinking I've somehow lulled myself into a false sense of security. For instance, my pertinent work this weekend includes practicing Japanese, Thermo homework that's essentially due Wednesday (and doesn't even have to be done correctly or completely), ObLab calibration packet, and hopefully some spectra taking Saturday night. Which, all things considered, doesn't seem so bad. I've already finished Astro homework and Ethics, so it's all a big yay.
The problem with the friendliness of this all is that it makes me think I can handle doing other things (a capella group, acting, harry potter clubbing), and these are decisions I may (read probably) regret later. Which is, in effect, causing me not to make said decisions. Anyhow, the false sense of not too much homework also results in a greater amount of procrastination (that ObLab homework? I really should have started it yesterday...). So I'm trying to schedule myself and get stuff done as early as possible so that I can relax (read: sleep an acceptable amount of time) later on in the semester. And then things happen like my summer research grant decides to tell me I have to have a poster prepared for October. The day before my first big ObLab assignment is due. Not okay? Not to mention it's partly during one of my classes... So I'm trying to balance the having a life (I mean by this, reading and watching Hulu, and being in Pastorals) with the getting homework done earlier so that I don't have so much later (when the ethics papers come calling).
And I miss home. I miss knowing that there's a place I actually want to visit for Thanksgiving instead of a smelly place to sleep on a couch. I look forward to my parents being settled in a new place with pretty colors and warm weather. But balancing all that... right now I feel like I'm too calm. Like my routine hasn't hit home yet.
And to add to the friendliness, the lovely new freshmen are an eclectic group, and it's interesting to see how they're integrating into the department. Namely, some are not integrating, some are partially, and some seem to fall into the I'm-here-all-the-time camp. By the time we settle in, I'll start feeling the pain, I think.
PART 2: Harry Potter Prequel & etc
As your resident Harry Potter news source, I'd like to share with you some new-to-me information that you may or may not care about.
Firstly, Jo (read: J.K. Rowling) wrote a short, 800 word prequel last August, that was not very well publicized in the US, but which you can find if you do a bit of digging. It's pretty fun, a glimpse into the antics of James and Sirius.
Secondly, apparently on September 15th we're due to find more about Universal's Harry Potter world, which I, for one, am anxiously anticipating!
Thirdly, there are rumors flying about Jo's Scottish Book (read: Harry Potter Encyclopedia). Apparently she is doing some work on it, so it may appear... in the next 5 years?
Finally, if you know about jkrowling.com, you may know about the secret door you can get to if you click on the pink eraser. It appears they have added a time turner to the site, so you can go back to all the door openings that you may have missed. Anyone want to take the W.O.M.B.A.T.s
PART 3: Glee!
Okay, the fall tv season is due to start soon/has already begun. And my most-anticipated new show is Glee. I think the combination of adult-ish humor and High School Musical energy should prove to create very interesting and fun plot lines. I look forward to Hulu having it up next Thursday.
And I'm looking forward to Heroes, Fringe, and Big Bang Theory returning this fall.
Anybody have thoughts on the above? It's only my second week, so maybe the pain will have caught up to me next week...
KITTENPLAY
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Coupons and Freebies
okay everybody, I know you've been waiting ages so here it is...
IT'S TIME TO KITTENPAUSE!
Between working, not working, and not having internet because I was staying in my parents' new apartment that smells like nicotine (or whatever part of cigarettes it is that just smells awful) it seems I have gone nearly a month without a blog post, and this is just UNACCEPTABLE! Failure to make a vlog, okay that's one thing, that's a lot of editing and such. But no blog? really? FAIL
Those of you who know me (I think at this point in time the only people actually reading this are people who know me,) know that I am a coupon hound. Going out to dinner? Here's a coupon for a free appetizer. Going to the mall? Hey, I have like five free things to pick up from various stores. Grocery store? Don't buy that brand, I have a coupon for this other brand! And don't get me started about the free samples that arrive in my mailbox with a fair amount of regularity.
So how, you ask, do I do it? How do I manage to attain such a level of free stuff? I have some quick and easy rules for such attainment.
RULE #1:
If you're going out to eat someplace, and you have computer access, check their website for any free offers. Places like Red Robin and Applebee's and the like often are running promotions.
RULE #2:
Sign up for free store clubs, like Godiva's Chocolate Lover's Club (free piece of chocolate every month!), for girls, Aerie's A-List (free gift on one Thursday of your choice each month), also for girls Victoria's Secret Pink Nation, and more... (anyone have a good site? Let me know!) These give you free emails and offers, often without having to spend a cent to join the club or even purchase anything at the store (although I'm sure they want you to...)
RULE #3:
Find a good freebies blog like shop4freebies.com. This enables you to reap the rewards of free stuff without having to do all the hunting for it.
and finally,
RULE #4:
Surveys and opinion panels are a great way to procrastinate effectively. If you can get into an opinion panel like utalkback, they will give you gift cards for your time. I think there's a new site that is advertising on TV, but I haven't checked it out yet. And there's always the swagbucks method, that many of you read about on Kyle's blog. You search with their engine, and you get random points. These points let you get cool things like Amazon gift cards. The more you use it, the more chance you can "buy" stuff.
Happy free stuff-ing!
PLAY
IT'S TIME TO KITTENPAUSE!
Between working, not working, and not having internet because I was staying in my parents' new apartment that smells like nicotine (or whatever part of cigarettes it is that just smells awful) it seems I have gone nearly a month without a blog post, and this is just UNACCEPTABLE! Failure to make a vlog, okay that's one thing, that's a lot of editing and such. But no blog? really? FAIL
Those of you who know me (I think at this point in time the only people actually reading this are people who know me,) know that I am a coupon hound. Going out to dinner? Here's a coupon for a free appetizer. Going to the mall? Hey, I have like five free things to pick up from various stores. Grocery store? Don't buy that brand, I have a coupon for this other brand! And don't get me started about the free samples that arrive in my mailbox with a fair amount of regularity.
So how, you ask, do I do it? How do I manage to attain such a level of free stuff? I have some quick and easy rules for such attainment.
RULE #1:
If you're going out to eat someplace, and you have computer access, check their website for any free offers. Places like Red Robin and Applebee's and the like often are running promotions.
RULE #2:
Sign up for free store clubs, like Godiva's Chocolate Lover's Club (free piece of chocolate every month!), for girls, Aerie's A-List (free gift on one Thursday of your choice each month), also for girls Victoria's Secret Pink Nation, and more... (anyone have a good site? Let me know!) These give you free emails and offers, often without having to spend a cent to join the club or even purchase anything at the store (although I'm sure they want you to...)
RULE #3:
Find a good freebies blog like shop4freebies.com. This enables you to reap the rewards of free stuff without having to do all the hunting for it.
and finally,
RULE #4:
Surveys and opinion panels are a great way to procrastinate effectively. If you can get into an opinion panel like utalkback, they will give you gift cards for your time. I think there's a new site that is advertising on TV, but I haven't checked it out yet. And there's always the swagbucks method, that many of you read about on Kyle's blog. You search with their engine, and you get random points. These points let you get cool things like Amazon gift cards. The more you use it, the more chance you can "buy" stuff.
Happy free stuff-ing!
PLAY
Sunday, July 19, 2009
PSA for Height
You may have already read this on my friend's blog. But I'm double posting!
Today's issue of Interesting News is brought to you courtesy of the good ol' kittenpause. Find me at kittenpaws33.blogspot.com.
A Public Service Announcement on behalf of tall girls and short guys everywhere
What is it about tall guys (particularly of the over 6'2" variety) that they tend to be attracted to absurdly short girls? It just isn't fair. I mean really. I would like to put forth the theory (and I believe my dear host Aaron is in agreement with me) that ideally a girl/guy relationship should consist of a shorter girl who is within five or so inches of the respective male's height. This is preferable for several reasons, most of which I will attempt to illustrate with anecdotes.
1. This is better for the guy's neck. Looking down at girls that much shorter all the time can really give you a crick in your neck. My one uncle, who I estimate to be about 6'8", although I forget which uncle it was so he could have been 6'5", once asked my 5'11" mother to dance with him for a minute. He decided that that was the ideal height a girl should be - low enough for cuddling, but not so short that awkward leaning was necessary... I think the woman he married was about 5'4". Really people, it's bad for all of us.
Actually all my uncles are ridiculously tall and married ridiculously short women...
2. This is ideal for the girl in the relationship because she can wear heels and still be comfortably shorter than the guy (and leaves the guy looking very manly I might add). Generally this is not a problem for short girls. They can almost always wear heels and be shorter. But tall girls, who are say, 5'8" really need those extra inches so that the guy's eye level is never at, say, her boobs.
3. What about the short guys? They need to feel acceptably manly. If the short girls go run away with the tall guys then the short guys are left only with medium to tall girls. And any of these cases result in the guy being shorter. Add heels into the equation and well... it's trouble!
Listen, short girls, I know tall guys are attractive. And tall guys I understand that it's nice to feel so powerful standing next to a girl. But you're tall anyway! You'll be taller than most any girl! And if it's bad for a 5'8" girl, what about the 6'3" girls? Really, please, please, try to fight the draw of domination and being dominated. Tall girls would like their love interests to be well above boob level...
I do have a theory that this is evolution's fault. I have a feeling that the tall/short matches happen to normalize the offspring. But I can't help feeling that the other matches in which the girls are tall and the guys are short rarely happen. And this indicates to me that it isn't all evolutionary. There must be a societal influence. Either that or short girls and tall guys are just more attractive... but then why are models 5'9" or taller? Society has royally effed this one up.
I propose the coalition of short guys/tall girls to combat this societal issue. Short guys want the short girls and tall girls want the tall guys. We must unite in the attempt to stop these bonds between tall guys and short girls from forming. I keep seeing my short friends who are 5'4" with guys 6'2" or taller. It's not fair girls, it's just not. Please, on behalf of tall girls and short guys everywhere, cap the height difference at approximately one tenth of your height. If the top of your head is below his chin, it's just too much of a difference.
And tall girls are sick of scrounging for the short girls scraps!
Short guys, do you have any comments? Any ideas on how to remedy this situation?
All right, thanks for taking this not-so-brief kittenpause.
Today's issue of Interesting News is brought to you courtesy of the good ol' kittenpause. Find me at kittenpaws33.blogspot.com.
A Public Service Announcement on behalf of tall girls and short guys everywhere
What is it about tall guys (particularly of the over 6'2" variety) that they tend to be attracted to absurdly short girls? It just isn't fair. I mean really. I would like to put forth the theory (and I believe my dear host Aaron is in agreement with me) that ideally a girl/guy relationship should consist of a shorter girl who is within five or so inches of the respective male's height. This is preferable for several reasons, most of which I will attempt to illustrate with anecdotes.
1. This is better for the guy's neck. Looking down at girls that much shorter all the time can really give you a crick in your neck. My one uncle, who I estimate to be about 6'8", although I forget which uncle it was so he could have been 6'5", once asked my 5'11" mother to dance with him for a minute. He decided that that was the ideal height a girl should be - low enough for cuddling, but not so short that awkward leaning was necessary... I think the woman he married was about 5'4". Really people, it's bad for all of us.
Actually all my uncles are ridiculously tall and married ridiculously short women...
2. This is ideal for the girl in the relationship because she can wear heels and still be comfortably shorter than the guy (and leaves the guy looking very manly I might add). Generally this is not a problem for short girls. They can almost always wear heels and be shorter. But tall girls, who are say, 5'8" really need those extra inches so that the guy's eye level is never at, say, her boobs.
3. What about the short guys? They need to feel acceptably manly. If the short girls go run away with the tall guys then the short guys are left only with medium to tall girls. And any of these cases result in the guy being shorter. Add heels into the equation and well... it's trouble!
Listen, short girls, I know tall guys are attractive. And tall guys I understand that it's nice to feel so powerful standing next to a girl. But you're tall anyway! You'll be taller than most any girl! And if it's bad for a 5'8" girl, what about the 6'3" girls? Really, please, please, try to fight the draw of domination and being dominated. Tall girls would like their love interests to be well above boob level...
I do have a theory that this is evolution's fault. I have a feeling that the tall/short matches happen to normalize the offspring. But I can't help feeling that the other matches in which the girls are tall and the guys are short rarely happen. And this indicates to me that it isn't all evolutionary. There must be a societal influence. Either that or short girls and tall guys are just more attractive... but then why are models 5'9" or taller? Society has royally effed this one up.
I propose the coalition of short guys/tall girls to combat this societal issue. Short guys want the short girls and tall girls want the tall guys. We must unite in the attempt to stop these bonds between tall guys and short girls from forming. I keep seeing my short friends who are 5'4" with guys 6'2" or taller. It's not fair girls, it's just not. Please, on behalf of tall girls and short guys everywhere, cap the height difference at approximately one tenth of your height. If the top of your head is below his chin, it's just too much of a difference.
And tall girls are sick of scrounging for the short girls scraps!
Short guys, do you have any comments? Any ideas on how to remedy this situation?
All right, thanks for taking this not-so-brief kittenpause.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Pre Movie Hype (And Why Books Are Better)
Does anybody know what time it is? That's right, it's time for a KITTENPAUSE
So a couple of little minimercials before I dive into the meat of this post:
1. Later this week (July 18th to be exact) I'll be appearing as a guest blogger on my friend Aaron's blog, Interesting News, and I won't be around to double post that particular gem of my brain blabber until Sunday night, so this is a little heads up for everyone.
2. I'm going to Otakon this weekend and I'm a little leery of the whole adventure. It seemed like a much better idea back in January. Now I'm not even sure who's going, and I wish it was just a huge Harry Potter Con. I want to go to LeakyCon next year :(
3. All aboard the failboat! I have not succeeded in my plans for YouTube domination! All I have managed to do is post one rather crappy video of a song I wrote in which the sound is terrible and I apparently and unable to change chords in a reasonable amount of time. On that note, does anyone care if I ever post anything on YouTube ever again? Should I become a brilliant skit star? What will boost the rocket of my internet fame? Why am I even worried about that when I have school?
ALL RIGHT - to the crux of this post! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out tomorrow night!
I am rather excited about this movie, but it has chiefly served as a source of nostalgia for Harry Potter midnight book release parties of awesome (I've been to all of those since the fourth book came out - thanks for driving me mommie :) ), jealously of the actors who get to pretend to be Hermione, et al., and get paid for it and become ridiculously wealthy and just have a generally awesome existence, and finally anger over what the movie is just going to leave out because there simply isn't time in that medium to cover all the details of the book - all the glorious, delicious details.
Normally that wouldn't bother me so much. Okay, the movie doesn't have all the amazing parts that the book has (Hermione and the potions in Sorcerer's Stone, blast-ended skrewts, Rita Skeeter is an animagus, Winky the house-elf in Goblet of Fire, Cho Chang isn't a dirty traitor in Order of the Pheonix...) but it's still pretty good. The problem arises when I meet the people (you know who you are, and I'm mad at you!) who have never tried to read the books, who couldn't care less about Potter mania, and particularly those who love the movie but won't read the books because "reading is for lamebrains."
This just makes me mad. For one, reading is awesome. I am a strong proponent of reading, particularly reading just for pleasure and not analyzing the heck out of books. After all, much of my childhood was spent with my nose in a book. I think the results of my bibliophilia (Is that a word? It should be...) are obvious in my academic record and large vocabulary. But aside from the general awesomeness of reading, Harry Potter is in a class all of its own. J.K. Rowling may take a lot of flack for luring people to the evils of witchcraft, but she does not even remotely decry the beliefs of Christianity (His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman has been known to do this on occasion, but I love his books too. They're works of fiction people! So what if occasionally I want to pretend I can do magic? I'm an astrophysicist-in-training; there are weirder things out there). Aside from that, there has been many a friend of mind who did not enjoy reading but loved Harry Potter. I get it if you aren't a fantasy lover. Okay if you want to read realistic fiction. But if you love the movies and refuse to read the books? You're missing out on so much of Jo's writing style and minor characters that films just don't have the time to which to devote the detail. There are all the funny little lines and bloopers and plot holes (in the first edition of Goblet of Fire, Jo's editor had told her to switch the order that Lily and James came out of the wand. James came out first and then Lily. This led to much speculation about Lily/James Polyjuice potions, as the characters were supposed to come out in the opposite order they were killed).
All I have to say is: Read the books first, they're better. YOU get to imagine what the characters look like. Even if this results in anger when the actors don't look the way they were supposed to look, at least you can still have your separate vision of them. They aren't just Rupert Grint or Emma Watson or Daniel Radcliffe.
On a side note, I have plans to give people copies of books to read as gifts. Then they'll have to read them because they were gifts. Good idea, no?
Thanks for entertaining this little whim of mine. I think I'll probably include a reaction to the movie later.
Oh and if you're in the kittenpause book club and you haven't read Harry Potter, that's assignment number one. Get back to me in a month, I'll graciously accept your thanks :)
KITTENPLAY
So a couple of little minimercials before I dive into the meat of this post:
1. Later this week (July 18th to be exact) I'll be appearing as a guest blogger on my friend Aaron's blog, Interesting News, and I won't be around to double post that particular gem of my brain blabber until Sunday night, so this is a little heads up for everyone.
2. I'm going to Otakon this weekend and I'm a little leery of the whole adventure. It seemed like a much better idea back in January. Now I'm not even sure who's going, and I wish it was just a huge Harry Potter Con. I want to go to LeakyCon next year :(
3. All aboard the failboat! I have not succeeded in my plans for YouTube domination! All I have managed to do is post one rather crappy video of a song I wrote in which the sound is terrible and I apparently and unable to change chords in a reasonable amount of time. On that note, does anyone care if I ever post anything on YouTube ever again? Should I become a brilliant skit star? What will boost the rocket of my internet fame? Why am I even worried about that when I have school?
ALL RIGHT - to the crux of this post! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out tomorrow night!
I am rather excited about this movie, but it has chiefly served as a source of nostalgia for Harry Potter midnight book release parties of awesome (I've been to all of those since the fourth book came out - thanks for driving me mommie :) ), jealously of the actors who get to pretend to be Hermione, et al., and get paid for it and become ridiculously wealthy and just have a generally awesome existence, and finally anger over what the movie is just going to leave out because there simply isn't time in that medium to cover all the details of the book - all the glorious, delicious details.
Normally that wouldn't bother me so much. Okay, the movie doesn't have all the amazing parts that the book has (Hermione and the potions in Sorcerer's Stone, blast-ended skrewts, Rita Skeeter is an animagus, Winky the house-elf in Goblet of Fire, Cho Chang isn't a dirty traitor in Order of the Pheonix...) but it's still pretty good. The problem arises when I meet the people (you know who you are, and I'm mad at you!) who have never tried to read the books, who couldn't care less about Potter mania, and particularly those who love the movie but won't read the books because "reading is for lamebrains."
This just makes me mad. For one, reading is awesome. I am a strong proponent of reading, particularly reading just for pleasure and not analyzing the heck out of books. After all, much of my childhood was spent with my nose in a book. I think the results of my bibliophilia (Is that a word? It should be...) are obvious in my academic record and large vocabulary. But aside from the general awesomeness of reading, Harry Potter is in a class all of its own. J.K. Rowling may take a lot of flack for luring people to the evils of witchcraft, but she does not even remotely decry the beliefs of Christianity (His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman has been known to do this on occasion, but I love his books too. They're works of fiction people! So what if occasionally I want to pretend I can do magic? I'm an astrophysicist-in-training; there are weirder things out there). Aside from that, there has been many a friend of mind who did not enjoy reading but loved Harry Potter. I get it if you aren't a fantasy lover. Okay if you want to read realistic fiction. But if you love the movies and refuse to read the books? You're missing out on so much of Jo's writing style and minor characters that films just don't have the time to which to devote the detail. There are all the funny little lines and bloopers and plot holes (in the first edition of Goblet of Fire, Jo's editor had told her to switch the order that Lily and James came out of the wand. James came out first and then Lily. This led to much speculation about Lily/James Polyjuice potions, as the characters were supposed to come out in the opposite order they were killed).
All I have to say is: Read the books first, they're better. YOU get to imagine what the characters look like. Even if this results in anger when the actors don't look the way they were supposed to look, at least you can still have your separate vision of them. They aren't just Rupert Grint or Emma Watson or Daniel Radcliffe.
On a side note, I have plans to give people copies of books to read as gifts. Then they'll have to read them because they were gifts. Good idea, no?
Thanks for entertaining this little whim of mine. I think I'll probably include a reaction to the movie later.
Oh and if you're in the kittenpause book club and you haven't read Harry Potter, that's assignment number one. Get back to me in a month, I'll graciously accept your thanks :)
KITTENPLAY
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
How to Catch Fireflies: A Brief Tutorial
It’s time for a brief kittenpause!
I know you all have been dying to hear from me! I mean, it's been several weeks. Illness (and sunburn) can be distracting!
My guest post on InterestingNews is coming up soon! -July 18-
I think I asked for a vote last post and with a rousing two votes it had something to do with fun in the summer. I have decided that this necessitates a quick tutorial on capturing those flighty fancies with the sulfur butts - that's right this is a HOW TO CATCH FIREFLIES post (or lightning bugs if you prefer)
STEP 1: First of all, make sure fireflies are in your area. This can't be done without the little buggers, after all.
STEP 2: You need to be outside when the fireflies are out. Generally speaking, they appear around dusk. Sometimes you have rogue fireflies that like to stay out late - The teenagers of the species if you will...
STEP 3: Pick a firefly. Track its movements by attempting to predict where it will next glow. Move slowly toward it. If possible have low lighting around.
STEP 4: Once you've picked your firefly, attempt to sihlouhette it against the low lighting so you can see it not only when it blinks. Continue moving towards the firefly in a low crouch with both hands slightly extended and cupped.
STEP 5: When you're close enough to the firefly quickly attempt to entrap it in your cupped hands, as if your hands were a Venus Fly Trap. Once you start moving in, they'll try to evade you by going higher.
Hurrah! You have caught your firelfy (lightning bug)! There are other techniques such as the come-from-under and just make it land on your hand, and the downward swipe grab. As you advance in the circuits, you will have time to refine your technique.
Also, if you fail to catch one on your first attempt it's okay to target another specimen! I suggest naming them, but that may just be me.
Don't forget to free your new friend! The fun is in the catching, not the keeping!
I hope you've enjoyed your quick break. But now it's time to press PLAY on your life!
I know you all have been dying to hear from me! I mean, it's been several weeks. Illness (and sunburn) can be distracting!
My guest post on InterestingNews is coming up soon! -July 18-
I think I asked for a vote last post and with a rousing two votes it had something to do with fun in the summer. I have decided that this necessitates a quick tutorial on capturing those flighty fancies with the sulfur butts - that's right this is a HOW TO CATCH FIREFLIES post (or lightning bugs if you prefer)
STEP 1: First of all, make sure fireflies are in your area. This can't be done without the little buggers, after all.
STEP 2: You need to be outside when the fireflies are out. Generally speaking, they appear around dusk. Sometimes you have rogue fireflies that like to stay out late - The teenagers of the species if you will...
STEP 3: Pick a firefly. Track its movements by attempting to predict where it will next glow. Move slowly toward it. If possible have low lighting around.
STEP 4: Once you've picked your firefly, attempt to sihlouhette it against the low lighting so you can see it not only when it blinks. Continue moving towards the firefly in a low crouch with both hands slightly extended and cupped.
STEP 5: When you're close enough to the firefly quickly attempt to entrap it in your cupped hands, as if your hands were a Venus Fly Trap. Once you start moving in, they'll try to evade you by going higher.
Hurrah! You have caught your firelfy (lightning bug)! There are other techniques such as the come-from-under and just make it land on your hand, and the downward swipe grab. As you advance in the circuits, you will have time to refine your technique.
Also, if you fail to catch one on your first attempt it's okay to target another specimen! I suggest naming them, but that may just be me.
Don't forget to free your new friend! The fun is in the catching, not the keeping!
I hope you've enjoyed your quick break. But now it's time to press PLAY on your life!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
YOU DECIDE
KITTENPAUSE TIME!!
So a weekend without a computer (it was lost in an epic virus battle) left me very bored and very appreciative of my laptop. *huggles to my compy*
It occurs to me to ask what YOU the reader want to read about/me to do... So I have some options and, of course, you are not limited to said options:
1. post about kitties - why they're adorable, why I want one, why I can't have one, and why people should adopt older kitties.
2. I write a song a put a video of it on youtube. My keyboard has this nifty accompaniment thing, so it could be pretty awesome.
3. post about fun things to do in summer (add your suggestions, please!) this includes a how to catch fireflies and make your own failure of a flashlight, smores: what color should your marshmallow be?, beach time, picnics, balloon wars, creek adventures, and more!
4. Book suggestions time! I start a lovely book club and give you suggestions and you give me suggestions. Current read: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
5. WILDCARD - I go on bing.com or google or something and search random and pick the seventh link as a topic. only if it's pg-13 or lower. hehehe
and of course, any lovely topics or challenges you have.
OH and fairly soonish (in July, I think?) I'll be guest posting on my friend's blog, so I'll be sure to link to that then!
that was just a quick kittenpause!
PLAY!
So a weekend without a computer (it was lost in an epic virus battle) left me very bored and very appreciative of my laptop. *huggles to my compy*
It occurs to me to ask what YOU the reader want to read about/me to do... So I have some options and, of course, you are not limited to said options:
1. post about kitties - why they're adorable, why I want one, why I can't have one, and why people should adopt older kitties.
2. I write a song a put a video of it on youtube. My keyboard has this nifty accompaniment thing, so it could be pretty awesome.
3. post about fun things to do in summer (add your suggestions, please!) this includes a how to catch fireflies and make your own failure of a flashlight, smores: what color should your marshmallow be?, beach time, picnics, balloon wars, creek adventures, and more!
4. Book suggestions time! I start a lovely book club and give you suggestions and you give me suggestions. Current read: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
5. WILDCARD - I go on bing.com or google or something and search random and pick the seventh link as a topic. only if it's pg-13 or lower. hehehe
and of course, any lovely topics or challenges you have.
OH and fairly soonish (in July, I think?) I'll be guest posting on my friend's blog, so I'll be sure to link to that then!
that was just a quick kittenpause!
PLAY!
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