Friday, July 31, 2009

Friday, July 24, 2009

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

My baby bro is 30 today!


Wasn't he adorable...way back when?

I've been scanning old negatives Mom brought me, and these were a bunch I think my aunt shot. I think they were for a photo contest (apparently sponsored by Cheerios) if I remember right.

He's just lucky I haven't gotten to the really embarrassing pictures yet. (Yes, you know the ones I'm talking about, Baby Bro. Bwahahaha!!)

Happy Birthday!!!
(We won't talk about how old this makes me)

Friday, July 17, 2009

Rambly old favorite: A Room With a View

Some of you may have known me to mention A Room With A View as the gold standard of "Mary Movies." The funny thing about A Room With A View (and don't tell anybody this) is...

I hated it the first time I saw it.

(Okay, don't tell!)

In my defense, I was only 12 or so. I just couldn't figure out why Lucy suddenly claimed she loved George when she'd spent the whole movie insisting that she didn't. What did I know?

I saw it again in my mid-teens and was hooked. At that age I decided George Emerson was just the swooniest guy evar (or for the next five minutes, anyway). I can't remember why I gave it another chance, but I'm glad I did. It led to a love of Merchant Ivory films and E.M. Forster's books.

Though I always enjoy a re-read of ARWAV, it's not my Forster favorite. That distinction goes to Maurice. Unfortunately, the movie version of Maurice did not turn out to be as good as the book, or even as good as the ARWAV movie. But if you're interested in seeing a young Hugh Grant, you might want to check it out.

The other night, I was thrilled to find ARWAV in the Instant Watch section of Netflix. So, as that implies, I instantly started watching.

Of course hubby had to walk in during the pond scene (if you've seen the movie, you know the one I mean). I remember being incredibly embarrassed by that scene when I was 12 - after all, I was watching the movie with my parents (gasp! The horror!). Hubby simply gave me the "What are you watching?" look, shook his head, and went on his way. After all, I wasn't making him watch, so he was probably breathing a sigh of relief.

Miss Lavish's opinions on travel and tourism have seeped into my bones ("No, Miss Bartlett, you shall NOT look into your Baedeker...we shall simply drift...Now, this is what I call an adventure.") and the Emerson's ideas of the world intrigued me even when I hated the movie in that first viewing.

George has one of the best quotes in the film. Reverend Beebe tells him it is not coincidence or fate that has brought the Emersons to Summer Street, but being "naturally drawn to things Italian, as are we and all our friends."

George replies "It is fate. But call it Italy if pleases you, Vicar."

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Some Dr. Who/Shakespeare fun

Haven't had a Shakespeare-related post in awhile.

Here's a clip from Red Nose Day featuring Dr. Who (David Tennant), Catherine Tate and Shakespeare. Love it!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Friday Fun: NCBI ROFL


My boss came across this hilarious blog the other day. Two Molecular and Cell Biology graduate students at UC Berkeley gather articles on funny things in PubMed, a database for biomedical research articles, and post them. I generally spend 90% of my work day poking around in PubMed, but I don't think I've ever come across any of these:
Great scientific minds at work, I tell ya! And think about this: somebody funded each of those studies. Can you imagine the grant applications?

Bring your inner 12-year-old's sense of humor when you read this blog: they tend toward the juvenile - bodily functions, fun with animals, super powers. They do have a "Rated G" label if you want to avoid any of the...um...naughtier-sounding research.

And I hope this stuff isn't only funny to medical professionals (and their librarians). If not, sorry, I'll do better next Friday. :)

Photo by Frankenstoen / CC BY 2.0

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Today is the reason 6 is afraid of 7

Because....


wait for it!...



Seven Ate Nine!


Okay, go ahead and groan.

One last note: Later today we'll see 12:34:56 7/8/09 the only time in our lives.

You may now return to your regularly-scheduled activities :)

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Goodbye, Mrs. Slocombe

On top of everyone else the world has lost lately, Mollie Sugden passed away yesterday. "Are You Being Served" has always been one of my favorite Britcoms. Here's a tribute by nednickerson2009:



A few weeks ago, a friend loaned me the Are You Being Served movie (along with Fawlty Towers, which I was working my way through first). I think tonight would be a good one to sit down with a glass of something, and watch this and remember.